Playmaker

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Chloe Beresford and Andrew Butler continue to reflect on the 2021/2022 season. In this final episode of the Playmaker they discuss club ownership, diversity in football and the overall state of English football. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Chloe Beresford and Andrew Butler reflect on the 2021/2022 season. In part one they discuss the return of fans to stadiums after Covid restrictions, preparations for the Qatar World Cup and the state of the women's game. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

17-year-old Jake Daniels has become the first male footballer in the UK to come out as gay in 32 years. So how has the journey to get here taken so long? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Seven years ago, neither of Milan's clubs made the top four in Italian football. Now, they're vying for the Serie A title. How have the good times returned to the city? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Yasir Sufi is the award-winning integration and development manager at Blackburn Rovers. His work is making a huge difference to a town where racial disparities have been a problem for decades. How has he done it? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Diego Maradona's infamous ‘Hand of God' shirt has sold for over £7million – and in the process has made former England midfielder Steve Hodge incredibly rich. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Angel City FC sold out its first ever match in the US National Women's Soccer League. But it aims to be more than just a success on the pitch, thanks to its star-studded backers like tennis veteran Billie-Jean King. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Athletic Bilbao forward Iñaki Williams has set the standard for playing time in Spain, having played more consecutive matches than any other player in history. What's his secret? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jorginho was Chelsea's star penalty taker. But recently he hasn't been able to convert. What happened to the penalty king? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Football is awash with stories that describe one player's improbable rise through the ranks to sporting fame. But none quite come close to Moustapha Cisse's rise. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bury FC have been bought out of administration three years after their league expulsion. But the hard work in starting again has more hurdles than you might think. The Playmaker from Tortoise - one story every day to make sense of the beautiful game.Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to see the full picture.If you want more slow and considered journalism, you can become a member of Tortoise and get access to more of our stories, contribute to our journalism and join us at events in our newsroom, in person and online. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/friend and use the code Chloe50 for membership for just £50 per year. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Reports suggest that Paul Pogba will leave Manchester United this summer. He's often been an unpopular figure at Old Trafford, but has he really been as much of a failure as people say? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Newcastle looked doomed to almost certain relegation when Eddie Howe took over in November. But in the end they achieved safety with games to spare. How has he done it? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The worlds of football, cryptocurrencies and their associated industries have collided more this season than ever before. What can we expect in the future from these fledgling businesses?Listen to The Backstory here: torto.se/3xVAYcX See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This season has seen the emergence of NFTs and other crypto products in the world of football. So where do clubs and the wider game go next in these markets?The Playmaker from Tortoise – one story every day to make sense of the beautiful game.Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to see the full picture.If you want more slow and considered journalism, you can become a member of Tortoise and get access to more of our stories, contribute to our journalism and join us at events in our newsroom, in person and online. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/friend and use the code Chloe50 for membership for just £50 per year. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Manchester City and Liverpool have been dominating the Premier League for the last few years. Is this fixture becoming England's El Clasico? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Unpopular owner Abdullah Lemsagam has seen his club Oldham relegated out of the football league for the first time in their history. Can they find their way back? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Erik Ten Hag will be the Manchester United manager from next season. But if the team needs “open heart surgery,” will he be given the space he needs to complete the job? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Karren Brady has paved the way for women in leadership roles in football. But 30 years after she took over at Birmingham City, why are there still only a small percentage of women in roles like hers? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Erling Haaland has been described as the ‘perfect' footballer, and has reportedly told Manchester City he wants to sign for them.So just how good could the 21-year-old become? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Northern Ireland Women's manager Kenny Shiels caused controversy when he claimed that female players are more emotional than their male counterparts. But isn't emotion just part of football?The Playmaker from Tortoise – one story every day to make sense of the beautiful game.Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to see the full picture.If you want more slow and considered journalism, you can become a member of Tortoise and get access to more of our stories, contribute to our journalism and join us at events in our newsroom, in person and online. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/friend and use the code Chloe50 for membership for just £50 per year. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Relegation-threatened Burnley shocked the world of football by firing long serving manager Sean Dyche with just eight games to go on his contract. Why did they do it? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

England is hosting the Women's Euros this summer. With hundreds of thousands of tickets already sold, new captain Leah Williamson has an important role to play. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Aleksander Mitrovic recently broke the Championship record for most goals scored in a season. What more does he need to do to prove himself as an elite striker? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Qatar has consistently denied that migrant workers involved in preparations for this year's World Cup have suffered human rights abuses. But a new Amnesty International report has forced them to admit some of the problems. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Neil Warnock has retired from football management after a record-breaking 41 years. There have been plenty of funny moments, but he will be remembered for more than his jokes and outbursts. The Playmaker from Tortoise – one story every day to make sense of the beautiful game.Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to see the full picture.If you want more slow and considered journalism, you can become a member of Tortoise and get access to more of our stories, contribute to our journalism and join us at events in our newsroom, in person and online. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/friend and use the code Chloe50 for membership for just £50 per year. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Sports stars will no longer be allowed to advertise gambling products in the UK from October. But there's more to this rule change than you might think.The Playmaker from Tortoise – one story every day to make sense of the beautiful game.Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to see the full picture.If you want more slow and considered journalism, you can become a member of Tortoise and get access to more of our stories, contribute to our journalism and join us at events in our newsroom, in person and online. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/friend and use the code Chloe50 for membership for just £50 per year. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in parliament that English football should have an independent regulator. But will it ever actually happen? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Manchester City and Liverpool fans are unable to travel by train to Wembley for their FA Cup semi-final because of planned engineering works. What is the FA doing about it?The Playmaker from Tortoise - one story every day to make sense of the beautiful game.Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to see the full picture.If you want more slow and considered journalism, you can become a member of Tortoise and get access to more of our stories, contribute to our journalism and join us at events in our newsroom, in person and online. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/friend and use the code Chloe50 for membership for just £50 per year. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's been a bumpy ride so far for new Spurs managing director of football Fabio Paratici, but together with fellow Italian Antonio Conte he seems to be succeeding.The Playmaker from Tortoise - one story every day to make sense of the beautiful game.Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to see the full picture.If you want more slow and considered journalism, you can become a member of Tortoise and get access to more of our stories, contribute to our journalism and join us at events in our newsroom, in person and online. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/friend and use the code Chloe50 for membership for just £50 per year. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

After voting against the introduction of five substitutes on three separate occasions, the Premier League has now agreed to the new rule from next season. Who will it benefit?The Playmaker from Tortoise - one story every day to make sense of the beautiful game.Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to see the full picture.If you want more slow and considered journalism, you can become a member of Tortoise and get access to more of our stories, contribute to our journalism and join us at events in our newsroom, in person and online. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/friend and use the code Chloe50 for membership for just £50 per year. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

During the month of Ramadan, those who observe it cannot eat or drink from dawn until sunset. How do you cope if you're a Muslim footballer who fasts?The Playmaker from Tortoise - one story every day to make sense of the beautiful game.Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to see the full picture.If you want more slow and considered journalism, you can become a member of Tortoise and get access to more of our stories, contribute to our journalism and join us at events in our newsroom, in person and online. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/friend and use the code Chloe50 for membership for just £50 per year. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Canada has qualified for the World Cup for only the second time in their history – and it's all been made possible by their English manager, John Herdman. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Financial Fair Play was brought in by UEFA in 2011, but now it's being scrapped in favour of a new financial monitoring system for clubs. What will the changes mean? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bukayo Saka says sometimes players need more protection from being fouled, but ex-players like Steven Gerrard disagree. Who is right? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tammy Abraham has quickly become a hero among Roma fans. But how has he adapted to life abroad so well when others have failed to do so? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Five years ago, Luton Town were sixth in the fourth tier of English football. Now, they stand on the brink of the Premier League.The Playmaker from Tortoise – one story every day to make sense of the beautiful game.Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to see the full picture.If you want more slow and considered journalism, you can become a member of Tortoise and get access to more of our stories, contribute to our journalism and join us at events in our newsroom, in person and online. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/friend and use the code Chloe50 for membership for just £50 per year. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Lionel Messi's arrival at Paris Saint-Germain was supposed to be the icing on the cake for the French club. He's now getting booed. What's gone wrong?The Playmaker from Tortoise - one story every day to make sense of the beautiful game. Tortoise is a news start-up devoted to slow journalism. We take news slowly. We tell stories that really matter, and take time to uncover the full picture.If you want more slow and considered journalism, you can become a member of Tortoise and get access to more of our stories, contribute to our journalism and join us at events in our newsroom, in person and online. Just go to tortoisemedia.com/friend and use the code Chloe50 to get a year's membership for just £50. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Trinity Rodman is setting her own precedents in the US Women's Soccer League, but her role model isn't who you might think. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Everton has made huge financial losses under owner Farhad Moshiri. What would relegation mean for the club? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Andriy Yarmolenko was given compassionate leave when his home country of Ukraine was invaded by Russia. Now, he's led West Ham to an historic European quarter-final. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Plans to redevelop Manchester United's iconic stadium include the option to knock it down completely and build a new ground, but fans are reluctant. How important is a stadium to a team's success? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Amidst Newcastle's takeover and sanctions against Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, what can League Two club Forest Green Rovers teach us about a different approach to football club ownership? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What will the sanctions against Roman Abramovich, Chelsea's owner, mean for Emma Hayes and the women's team? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.