Podcast appearances and mentions of ron walker

Ron Walker is in Munich's Marienplatz with Sky Sports journalists Adam Bate and Declan Olley the morning after the Champions League final, to look back at Paris Saint-Germain's dominant victory over Inter Milan. We discuss if this is the start of PSG's dominance in Europe, and ask what's next for Inter and manager Simone Inzaghi.

Sky Sports' Ron Walker, Peter Smith and Sam Blitz look ahead to the final weekend in the Premier League and focus on the race for European football next season, with 10 teams all in contention for the different competitions.  Plus, ahead of what's expected to be his final game for Manchester City, we hear from Kevin de Bruyne and ask where he might rank amongst Premier League greats.  Follow the final day of the Premier League across Sky Sports, Sky Sports News and skysports.com/football. Listen to every episode of Essential Football on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Spreaker.You can also listen to Essential Football on your smart speaker by saying "ask Global Player to play Essential Football".To get in touch with the pod, email: skysportspodcasts@sky.uk.

Jeffrey Gibb Kennett AC (born 2 March 1948) is an Australian former politician who served as the 43rd Premier of Victoria between 1992 and 1999, Leader of the Victorian Liberal Party from 1982 to 1989 and from 1991 to 1999, and the Member for Burwood from 1976 to 1999. He is currently a media commentator. He was previously the president of the Hawthorn Football Club, from 2005 to 2011 and again from 2017 to 2022. He is the founding Chairman of beyondblue, a national mental health advocacy organisation. Early life The son of Kenneth Munro Gibb Kennett (1921–2007), and Wendy Anne Kennett (1925–2006; née Fanning), he was born in Melbourne on 2 March 1948. He attended Scotch College; and, although an unexceptional student academically, he did well in the school's Cadet Corps Unit. He also played football (on the wing) for the school.  His failure to rise above the middle band academically almost led him to quit school in Fourth Form (Year 10 – 1963), but he was persuaded to stay on. His Fifth and Sixth Forms were an improvement, but he was still described in school reports as "[a] confident and at times helpful boy. Sometimes irritates. Sometimes works hard" (1964), and "[a] keen, pleasant, though sometimes erratic boy" (1965). After leaving school, Kennett was persuaded by his father Ken to attend the Australian National University in Canberra, but lost interest and left after one year of an economics degree. He returned to Melbourne and found work in the advertising department of the retail giant Myer – kindling an interest for advertising that would one day earn him his living. Kennett's life in the regular workforce was cut short when, in 1968, he was conscripted into the Australian Army.[9] Kennett was selected for officer training and graduated third in his class from the Officer Training Unit, Scheyville (OTU), near Windsor, New South Wales, outside Sydney. He was posted to Malaysia and Singapore as Second Lieutenant, commander of 1st Platoon, A Company, 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR). This military career (and his earlier experience in the Scotch College Cadet Corps) has been noted by many biographers as an essential formative influence on the adult Kennett's character. His sense and regard for hierarchical loyalty, punctuality, and general intolerance of dissent or disobedience may be traced to this period. Kennett returned to civilian life in 1970, reentering a divided Australian society, split by the Vietnam War, of which Kennett was a firm supporter. Having returned to Myer, Kennett became impatient with his work, and so with Ian Fegan and Eran Nicols, he formed his own advertising company (KNF) in June 1971. Thereafter, in December 1972, Kennett married Felicity Kellar, an old friend whom he had first met on a Number 69 tram on the long trips to school. Their first son was born in 1974, followed by a daughter and two more sons. Political career Kennett was elected as a Liberal Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Burwood in 1976, having had an interest in local politics since the early 1970s.[14] His preselection for the seat reportedly irritated then Premier Dick Hamer, who disliked Kennett's campaigning style, and had endorsed the sitting member, Haddon Storey. However, by 1981, Kennett was promoted to Cabinet as Minister for Housing and Minister of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs. He was one of several younger MPs whom Hamer promoted to Cabinet in a bid to renew his government. Kennett retained his post when Hamer was replaced as Liberal leader and Premier by Lindsay Thompson in June of that year. Following the defeat of the longstanding Liberal government in 1982, Kennett was the leading candidate to replace Thompson despite being the youngest member of the outgoing government. On 26 October, he was elected leader of the Liberal Party and hence Leader of the Opposition. He took an aggressive posture against the Cain government, and was often criticised for his "bull-in-a-china-shop" style and his anti-government rhetoric. Under his leadership, the Liberals were heavily defeated by Labor in 1985. Afterwards he faced a challenge to his leadership of the party from Ian Smith. Kennett survived easily, but increasingly, he was seen as an erratic and unapproachable leader. He faced two more challenges to his leadership in 1986 and 1987. In 1987, in one notable incident Kennett referred to the Federal Liberal leader John Howard as a 'cunt' in a mobile telephone conversation with Howard rival Andrew Peacock. The car-phone conversation damaged both Howard and Kennett politically, but aided Peacock in his push to return as Federal Liberal leader (1989). Toward the end of its second term the Cain government had lost support and the Liberals were expected to win the 1988 election. The Liberal vote indeed rebounded strongly – they won a majority of the two-party vote – however much of this margin was wasted on landslide majorities in their heartland. As a result, the Liberals took only one seat from Labor in the capital, and were left four seats short of a majority. Failing to become premier, Kennett was again criticised within his own party, and in 1989 he was deposed in favour of a little-known rural MLA, Alan Brown. Kennett's performance during his first stint as Liberal leader is a matter of debate. Economou sees his 1985 and 1988 election campaigns as weak, while Parkinson believes he was a significant asset in pushing the Labor government of John Cain in several key seats. First term as premier Kennett publicly pledged never to attempt a return to the Liberal leadership. However, when Brown proved unable to challenge the government effectively, he allowed his supporters to call a spill in 1991. Brown realised he didn't have enough support to keep his post and resigned, allowing Kennett to retake the leadership unopposed. With Victoria facing billions of dollars of debt, Kennett was seen as "Premier-in-waiting" from the moment he retook the leadership. Cain had resigned a year earlier in favour of Deputy Premier Joan Kirner, who was unable to regain the upper hand despite being personally more popular than Kennett. The Liberals' advantage was strengthened by an important decision taken during Brown's brief tenure as leader—negotiating a Coalition agreement with the National Party. The Liberals and Nationals have historically had a strained relationship in Victoria; they had sat separately for most of the second half of the 20th century. It had been believed that Kennett had been denied victory in 1988 due to a large number of three-cornered contests in rural seats. The Coalition went into the October 1992 state election as unbackable favourites, having been ahead in opinion polling by large margins for almost two years. They stoked the voters' anger with a series of "Guilty Party" ads, targeting many Labor ministers and highlighting concerns in their portfolios. In the second-largest defeat that a sitting government has ever suffered in Victoria, the Coalition scored a 19-seat swing, attaining a 16-seat majority in the Legislative Assembly. The Liberals won 52 seats, enough for a majority in their own right. Nevertheless, Kennett supported his coalition partner, retaining the Nationals in his cabinet. State school closures In the first three years of office, funding for public schools and the Department of Education was substantially reduced. 350 government schools were closed, including every Technical High School ("Tech") in Victoria, and 7,000 teaching jobs eliminated. The Tech School closures had a widespread, delayed effect two decades later when a skilled labour shortage in the state was declared by the government, attributable largely to the generation of children who were denied a trade-focused high school education, significantly reducing the number of school leavers commencing trade apprenticeships. The few who did so were insufficient to counterbalance the number of retiring tradespeople in the coming years. This directly resulted in the number of Skilled Migrant (subclass 190) visas being made available each year increasing to 190,000 from 2012 and an active campaign to entice migrants with trade qualifications to Victoria. Public transport Other controversial moves included the sacking of 16,000 public transport workers in a major technological upgrade of the system, and the initiation of a major scheme for privatisation of state-owned services, including the electricity (SECV) and gas (Gas and Fuel Corporation of Victoria) utilities, the ambulance service, as well as several prisons and other minor services. The sale of the Totalisator Agency Board raised $609 million. Between 1995 and 1998, $29 billion of state assets in gas and electricity alone were sold to private enterprise (for statistics, see Parkinson, Jeff, 1999) In the wake of these changes, investment and population growth slowly resumed, though unemployment was to remain above the national average for the duration of Kennett's premiership. While the benefits to the State budget figures were indisputable in the short term, the social and longer-term economic cost of the Kennett reforms have been questioned by many commentators, academics and those who suffered economically through the period of reform. This campaign of privatisations and cutbacks led to governmental acts of privatisation by splitting up Melbourne's rail (Hillside, Bayside, V/Line and West Coast Rail) and tramways (Yarra and Swanston) or budget-cutting becoming popularly known as being "Jeffed". He also cut back many regional rail services including The Vinelander (ran to Mildura, services later restored to Maryborough as a regular V/Line service in 2011) and services to Leongatha, Bairnsdale (returned in 2003), Dimboola (services later returned to Ararat in 2004). The largest public protest in Melbourne since the Vietnam War Moratorium occurred on 10 November 1992, with an estimated 100,000 people marching in opposition to the retrenchment of many workers and the large State budget cutbacks. Kennett was undeterred by this protest, and famously commented that though there were 100,000 outside his office at Parliament that day, there were 4.5 million who stayed at home or at work. High-profile capital works projects This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) The Kennett government also embarked on a series of high-profile capital works projects, such as the restoration of Parliament House, construction of a new $250 million Melbourne Museum and IMAX theatre, and a new $130 million Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Other projects included a $160 million expansion of the National Gallery of Victoria; $100 million for refurbishment of the State Library of Victoria; $65 million for a new Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC); and $130 million for the construction of a new civic square on the site of the old Gas and Fuel Buildings, to be known as Federation Square. The relocation of the Formula 1 Grand Prix from Adelaide in 1993 was a particular coup for Kennett, who had worked hard with his friend Ron Walker, the Chairman of the Melbourne Major Events Company, helped deliver Melbourne the hosting rights for the event from Adelaide in 1993. The most controversial project of the Kennett era was the $1.85 billion Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex, a gambling and entertainment centre on Melbourne's Southbank. Initial plans for a casino had been made under the Labor government, however the tendering process and construction occurred under Kennett. A$2 billion project to redevelop Melbourne's derelict Docklands area to include a new football stadium was also undertaken, in addition to the large CityLink project, a project resurrected from the 1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan, aimed at linking Melbourne's freeways, easing traffic problems in the inner city, and reducing commuting times from the outer suburbs to the CBD. Macedonian name dispute Kennett speaking at a event In the mid-1990s, Premier Kennett backed the Greek position over the Macedonian question in his attempts to shore up local electoral support. Kennett's stance gained him supporters from the Melburnian Greek community, whereas he was referred to as "Kennettopoulos" by the Macedonian community. At Kennett's insistence, his state government in 1994 issued its own directive that all its departments refer to the language as "Macedonian (Slavonic)" and to Macedonians as "Slav Macedonians". Reasons given for the decision were "to avoid confusion", be consistent with federal naming protocols toward Macedonians and repair relations between Macedonian and Greek communities. It was accepted that it would not impact the way Macedonians self identified themselves. The decision upset Macedonians, as they had to use the terms in deliberations with the government or its institutions related to education and public broadcasting. The Macedonian Community challenged the decision on the basis of the Race Discrimination Act. After years of litigation at the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC), the Federal Court and High Court, previous judicial rulings were upheld that found Kennett's directive unlawful as it caused discrimination based on ethnic background and was struck down from usage in 2000. Second term as premier Kennett's personal popularity was mostly average to high through his first term, though that of the government as a whole went through peaks and troughs. Without a by-election in the previous four years, the 1996 state election shaped up as the first test of the 'Kennett Revolution' with the electorate. The Coalition was expected to win a second term at the 30 March election, albeit with a somewhat reduced majority. At the federal election held four weeks earlier, while Labor was heavily defeated, it actually picked up a swing in Victoria. However, to the surprise of most commentators, the Coalition only suffered a two-seat swing, allowing it to retain a comfortable 14-seat majority. The Coalition actually picked up modest swings in Melbourne's outer suburbs, which have traditionally decided most state elections. Several negative trends (for the Liberals) were obscured somewhat by the euphoria of victory. The government's sharp cuts to government services were particularly resented in country Victoria, where the Liberals and Nationals held almost all the seats. The loss of the Mildura seat to independent Russell Savage was an indication of this disaffection, and when in February 1997 independent Susan Davies was elected to the seat of Gippsland West, this trend seemed set to continue. However, the verdict of many was that the 'Kennett Revolution' was far from over – indeed it was seemingly set in stone with the opening of the Crown Casino in May 1997. Kennett's profile continued to grow as he became a major commentator on national issues, including urging the new government of John Howard to introduce tax reform, and actively opposing the rise of the One Nation Party of Pauline Hanson. In this last case, Kennett did not shy away from criticising the media, but also the decision of the Howard government to not actively oppose Hanson's agenda. Kennett was influential in Melbourne bidding for the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Three cities initially expressed interest in hosting the event; Melbourne, Wellington and Singapore. Singapore dropped out before its bid was officially selected by the Commonwealth Games Federation, leaving only two candidate cities. In the weeks prior to the announcement of the 2006 host, Wellington withdrew its bid, citing the costs involved with matching the bid plan presented by Melbourne, which became the default host without members of the Federation going to vote. The government lost ground over the next few years, with high-profile disagreements with the Director of Public Prosecutions Bernard Bongiorno, and Auditor-General Ches Baragwanath fuelling criticism of Kennett's governmental style. Kennett's perceived antipathy to Baragwanath led to 1997 legislation to restructure the office of the Auditor-General and set up Audit Victoria. While Kennett promised the independence of the office would be maintained, many saw his government's actions as an attempt to curb the Auditor-General's power to criticise government policy. Widespread community debate and substantial public dissent from Liberal MPs and Party members ensued, with MLA Roger Pescott resigning from Parliament at the height of the debate; citing his disagreement with this Bill and Kennett's style in general. The Liberal Party lost the by-election in Mitcham. Further scandals involving the handling of contracts for the state emergency services response system damaged the credibility of Kennett in 1997–1998, while rural dissent continued to grow. Personal difficulties also began to affect Kennett and his family. The strains of public life led to a trial separation between Felicity and Jeff in early 1998 (patched up by the end of the year), while earlier in Kennett's first term, public scrutiny had led to the forced sale of the KNF Advertising Company, despite all Kennett's involvement having been transferred to his wife's name. There were rumours in 1998 that Kennett might retire from politics; these were mostly centred around Phil Gude, his party deputy. These eventually came to nothing. In July 1998, Liberal MP Peter McLellan, Member for Frankston East, resigned from the party in protest over alleged corrupt Liberal Party Senate preselection, changes to WorkCover and the auditor-general's office. Again, Kennett failed to pick up the warning signs of declining support for his style of leadership. Labor leader John Brumby took care to capitalise on each of Kennett's mistakes over this period, though his absences in rural electorates were misunderstood by many Labor MPs, and led to his replacement by Steve Bracks in early 1999. Bracks, who came from Ballarat, was popular in rural areas and was seen as a fresh alternative to Brumby, who nevertheless remained a key figure in the shadow Cabinet. 1999 election loss Despite Bracks' appeal, Kennett entered the 1999 election campaign with a seemingly unassailable lead, and most commentators and opinion polls agreed that the Coalition would win a third term. However, in a shock result, the Coalition suffered a 13-seat swing to Labor. While there was only a modest swing in eastern Melbourne, which has historically decided elections in Victoria, the Coalition suffered significant losses in regional centres such as Ballarat and Bendigo. ABC elections analyst Antony Green later said that when he first saw the results coming in, it looked so unusual that he thought "something was wrong with the computer." Initial counting showed Labor on 41 seats and the Coalition on 43; a supplementary election had to be held in Frankston East following the death of sitting independent Peter McLellan. The balance of power rested with three independents-Russell Savage, Susan Davies and newly elected Craig Ingram. Negotiations began between the Coalition and the three independents. While Kennett acceded to all but two of their demands, his perceived poor treatment of Savage and Davies in the previous parliament meant that they would not even consider supporting a Coalition minority government headed by Kennett. On 18 October, two days after Labor won the supplementary election in Frankston East, the independents announced they would support a Labor minority government. The agreement entailed Labor signing a Charter of Good Government, pledging to restore services to rural areas, and promising parliamentary reforms. Kennett's supporters urged the Coalition to force a vote of 'no confidence' on the floor of the parliament in a last-ditch effort to force Savage, Davies and Ingram to support Kennett. However, with the Liberals divided on Kennett's future role, Kennett retired from all of his offices, saying he wished to have no further involvement in politics. Labor won the ensuing by-election in Burwood. Rumoured returns to politics Following the Liberals' second successive defeat in the 2002 election, rumours began that Kennett was planning a comeback to politics. The issue came to a head in May 2006 after the sudden resignation of Kennett's successor, Robert Doyle, when Kennett announced he would contemplate standing in a by-election for Doyle's old seat of Malvern and offering himself as party leader. His stance was supported by Prime Minister John Howard, who rated him as the party's best hope to win the November 2006 state election. But within 24 hours Kennett announced he would not return to Parliament rather than running against Ted Baillieu, whom Kennett had been grooming for the top post since 1999. John Howard was reported to have been "embarrassed" by having publicly supported Kennett before his decision not to re-enter politics. In 2008, it was rumoured that Kennett was planning to stand for Lord Mayor of Melbourne. Despite endorsing future Lord Mayor John So in the 2001 mayoral elections, Kennett was quoted as saying "I think the city is ready for a change". Kennett claimed he had been approached by "a range of interests" to run for the position, but in the end did not do so. Former Liberal leader Robert Doyle ultimately won the election. 2020: Indigenous voice to government On 15 January 2020, it was announced that Kennett would be one of the members of the National Co-design Group of the Indigenous voice to government. Life after politics Kennett at the 2018 VFL Grand Final In 2000, Kennett became the inaugural chairman of beyondblue (the National Depression Initiative), a body that was largely formed by the efforts of the Victorian State Government. On 24 June 2008, he announced that he would be stepping down from his role at beyondblue at the end of 2010. This did not happen. After 17 years as the chair of beyondblue, he stood down in 2017, handing the reins to former PM Julia Gillard. He stated "beyondblue is part of my DNA, outside my family, it has been my most important role. Kennett has previously served on the boards of Australian Seniors Finance, a reverse mortgage company, and SelecTV, which was a satellite television group. Kennett has said in an interview that he rarely thinks about the media or "bloody history", though he regrets the "disastrous" introduction of the Metcard ticketing system for trains and trams. Kennett angered gay rights groups in July 2008 when he supported the Bonnie Doon Football Club in their sacking of trainer Ken Campagnolo for being bisexual; and compared homosexuality to pedophilia. Anti-discrimination campaigner Gary Burns pursued an action in the NSW Administrative Decisions Tribunal against Kennett for making the following statement: "The club felt that once this had been pointed out and you had this gentleman there who was obviously close to young men – massaging young men – it ran an unnecessary risk, and that's why it decided it was best that he not perform those duties again. So the club was trying to do the right thing," The case was dropped due to Gary Burns' lack of funds to pursue the case. Hawthorn FC presidency On 14 December 2005, Kennett was made president of Hawthorn Football Club, taking over from Ian Dicker. Following the exit of the St Kilda Football Club from the Tasmanian AFL market in 2006, Kennett was president when the Hawthorn Football Club negotiated a five-year sponsorship deal with the Tasmanian state government. The sponsorship deal was worth an estimated $12 million for which the Tasmanian government bought naming rights to the club's guernsey, and the HFC committed to playing an agreed number of pre-season and four regular season "home games" at York Park.[56] Kennett was instrumental in Hawthorn's 2007 5-year business plan titled "five2fifty", the core idea being that in the next five years the club will target to win 2 premierships and have fifty thousand members. As part of the plan, the football club wants to be seen as the most professional club in the AFL, and places great emphasis on the welfare of the people associated with the club. Following Hawthorn's 2008 AFL Grand Final victory over Geelong, Kennett claimed that the Cats "lacked the mentality to defeat Hawthorn", this being in reference to the Cats' inability to counter-attack the running game of the Hawks in the aforementioned Grand Final. Kennett's comments led to the subsequent eleven-match losing streak for Hawthorn against Geelong becoming known as the "Kennett curse". He stepped down at the end of his second three-year term in 2011, he also changed the club's constitution so that presidents could only serve two 3-year terms. Second stint Kennett at an AFL Women's match in 2023 In what Fox Footy described as a "stunning return",[59] Kennett was announced as the president of the Hawthorn Football Club on 4 October 2017 following the sudden resignation of the incumbent president Richard Garvey. Garvey had taken criticism on the hiring and later sacking of club CEO Tracey Gaudry. Kennett subsequently appointed Justin Reeves as the club's new CEO. On 4 October 2017 he announced that he would serve the position for a full 3-year term. Soon after his re-appointment, Kennett and the club released a vision statement outlining the future of the club up to 2050. The first five-year strategic plan titled 'Dare to be Different' will drive the club's priorities from 2018 to 2022. Kennett said: "Hawthorn we aren't ones to sit back and wait, we work hard to achieve and deliver exciting results, on and off the field. Our vision for our strategic plan, "Dare to be Different", encapsulates this as we continue to strive for excellence. "We have set ourselves some ambitious targets but all are within our grasp if we continue to innovate, grow and forge new frontiers within the AFL industry." On 6 July 2021, Kennett and the Hawthorn board announced that they would not be renewing head coach Alastair Clarkson's contract following its expiry at the conclusion of the 2022 AFL Premiership season. It was announced that Box Hill Hawks and Hawthorn development coach, former player Sam Mitchell had been chosen by Kennett and the board to become the Hawthorn coach at the end of Clarkson's reign. Chairman of The Original Juice Company On 12 December 2022, The Original Juice Company announced that it would appoint Kennett as Chairman and Non-Executive Director. Honours In the Australia Day Honours of 2005, Kennett received Australia's then highest civilian honour, when he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC). The honour was for "service to the Victorian Parliament and the introduction of initiatives for economic and social benefit, to business and commerce, and to the community in the development of the arts, sport and mental health awareness strategies." In May 2000, he was also awarded an honorary doctorate – DBus (Honoris Causa) – by the University of Ballarat. Media work For a brief period during 2002, Kennett was a radio presenter for Melbourne station 3AK, continuing an interest in mass communication which was also a feature of his premiership. Since 2010, Kennett has been a regular contributor to Neil Mitchell's 3AW radio program every Thursday, as a social commentator. On 28 March 2013 it was announced that Kennett had joined the Seven television network as national political commentator which will involve him appearing on breakfast show Sunrise every Tuesday and on Seven news as required. On 12 February 2017 Jeff Kennett engaged ex-Seven West Media employee on Twitter over leaked documents potentially breaching the company's own gag order on Amber Harrison.  

Duncan Ferguson joins the Essential Football Podcast, to discuss his life in football - on and off the pitch. His new book, Big Dunc, tackles his time at Everton and Newcastle, his managerial aspirations and saying goodbye to Goodison Park. Ron Walker and Peter Smith also look back on a week of European football for our English sides. Listen to every episode of Essential Football on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Spreaker.You can also listen to Essential Football on your smart speaker by saying "ask Global Player to play Essential Football".For all the latest football news, head to skysports.com/footballTo get in touch with the pod, email: skysportspodcasts@sky.uk

In this edition of Unfiltered Stories, HFS's Don Ryan speaks with KPMG leaders Ron Walker and Thomas Davies about the essential components for successfully deploying managed services at scale. They discuss the differences between traditional outsourcing and managed services, highlighting the importance of technology, expertise, and collaboration. The conversation emphasizes the transformative potential of managed services, particularly in sectors such as finance and cybersecurity, and the crucial role of AI in enhancing service delivery. They also examine the distinctive aspects of KPMG's approach, which include their advisory capabilities and a focus on stakeholder alignment and change management.The key points discussed include:Managed services are gaining traction across most enterprise functions and applications.Managed services provide a pathway to automation and widespread AI usage.Managed services are foundational to many transformational initiatives.Read detailed research on managed services deployment at HFS Research here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/accelerating-business-transformation/

Ron Walker, Sam Blitz and Will Bitibiri look ahead to the weekend's Premier League fixtures and discuss what Mo Salah's new contract at Liverpool could mean for the club as they try to wrap up the title.Watch Arsenal vs Brentford, Liverpool vs West Ham, Newcastle vs Manchester United and Bournemouth vs Fulham all live on Sky Sports over the weekend.Listen to every episode of Essential Football on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Spreaker.You can also listen to Essential Football on your smart speaker by saying "ask Global Player to play Essential Football".For all the latest football news, head to skysports.com/footballFor advertising opportunities email: skysportspodcasts@sky.uk

Brentford Boss Thomas Frank joins the One on One podcast! Here he talks to Sky Sports' Ron Walker about the highs and lows of managing in the Premier League, discusses his time working in a kindergarten in Denmark, and even gives us his TV recommendations!As well as listening to the podcast, you can also watch our interviews on the Sky Sports Premier League YouTube channel, on Sky Sports News, on skysports.com and follow the end of Brentford's season across Sky. 

Legendary goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel joins the podcast this week to preview Sunday's Manchester derby between United and City at Old Trafford.Ron Walker and Dave Richardson tee up the game and discuss the major talking points before we hear from Peter in the second half of the episode.Peter also talks to Ron about "Schmeichel" - a brand-new Sky Exclusive feature documentary which offers an exclusive look at his life and career."Schmeichel" is available on Sky Documentaries and streaming service NOW from Sunday 6th April.Listen to every episode of Essential Football on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Spreaker.You can also listen to Essential Football on your smart speaker by saying "ask Global Player to play Essential Football".For all the latest football news, head to skysports.com/footballFor advertising opportunities email: skysportspodcasts@sky.uk

In the latest episode of the Next Up series, we take a closer look at Geovany Quenda after Chelsea agreed a deal with Sporting for the exciting teenager.Ron Walker and Zinny Boswell look at how Chelsea moved quickly to sign him amid Man Utd interest, his rise to prominence and where he might fit in at Stamford Bridge.Listen to every episode of Essential Football on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Spreaker.You can also listen to Essential Football on your smart speaker by saying "ask Global Player to play Essential Football".For all the latest football news, head to skysports.com/footballFor advertising opportunities email: skysportspodcasts@sky.uk

On an Essential Football special and only days before Thomas Tuchel becomes the third foreign coach to sit in the home dugout for an England Men's national team game, we're going on a deep dive into why there are so few English coaches at the top of the game.At the start of the Premier League in 1992, only one of the 22 managers was from overseas - and that was Irishman Joe Kinnear.But as the game has grown more global, Englishmen have fallen by the wayside. How do England make sure when they make their next appointment after Tuchel, they have a pool of English coaches to choose from - or is it even possible?Hear from Eddie Howe, Graham Potter, Roy Hodgson, Harry Redknapp and more, as we get to the bottom of why English coaches are on the decline.Watch the accompanying documentary, English Coaches: The Decline, on YouTube or On Demand.Presented by Ron Walker, with Sky Sports News Reporter Rob Dorsett. This episode was produced by Daniel Eales for Sky Sports. 

Sky Sports' Ron Walker, Richard Morgan and David Richardson look ahead to Sunday's League Cup final, live on Sky Sports, between Liverpool and Newcastle.

Two managers on 'One on One' who break down what it's like to be in a relegation fight.  First up, Juliette Ferrington has been to see Leicester City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, who details the mental and physical toll the battle to stay in the top flight is having on him.   Meanwhile, Sky Sports' Ron Walker has been chatting to Wolves boss Vitor Pereira, who says the pressure in the Premier League is nothing like he faced when he managed Porto.  As well as listening to the podcast, look out for our interviews on the Sky Sports' Premier League YouTube channel and on Sky Sports News.

Ahead of a bottom-half clash with top billing this weekend as Man Utd travel to Tottenham, whose faithfuls will be celebrating come full-time and whose hopes of climbing the table banished for another week?If the puns are confusing you - the Essential Football castle welcomes a special guest as Jake Brown joins Ron Walker and Sam Blitz for this week's episode, fresh from winning the third series of The Traitors.A Man Utd fan since birth, Jake gives his thoughts on their hopes for Sunday's game as well as United's season, Ruben Amorim and where Kobbie Mainoo will end up after his False 9 experiment last time out.As well as discussing Ange Postecoglou's hopes, where Spurs sit after their back-to-back cup exits and how big a game this is for the Tottenham boss, there's plenty of behind-the-scenes Traitors chat, the story of Jake's journey to playing football for England's Cerebral Palsy team and much more.Tottenham Hotspur against Manchester United is live on Sky Sports on Sunday from 4pm. 

Ron Walker, Sam Blitz and Ben Grounds look ahead to a bumper Super Sunday that sees title chasing Arsenal host Manchester City whilst Spurs travel to Brentford, in what could be two must wins games for sides at different ends of the table. You can watch both matches live on Sky Sports. 

Ron Walker and Pete Smith preview the Saturday Night Football clash between Manchester City and Chelsea in the Premier League.With both sides coming into the game off the back of some inconsistent performances, who will be able to win the game and gain the upper hand in the race to qualify for next season's Champions League?

Sky Sports' Ron Walker, Peter Smith and Sam Blitz preview Liverpool's huge derby game vs Manchester United - which affects both ends of the table!Can Liverpool be stopped in their pursuit of the title and should Ruben Amorim's Red Devils be looking over their shoulders at the bottom three? It's a match you can watch on Sky Sports on Super Sunday. Plus, we make some bold and brave New Year predictions including who wins the title, who goes down and who is arranging a European tour!

As we count down to the end of a memorable year in the football, relive the last 12 months in the Premier League and beyond as Sky Sports football journalists Ron Walker, Ben Grounds and Sam Blitz dish out the awards for the best and the worst of 2024.Who's been top of the tree, who's been the surprise package... And who's been the biggest disappointment?Get the discussion started around the Christmas table in the company of Sky Sports.

Ron Walker, Pete Smith and Ben Grounds look ahead to Manchester City against Manchester United, a match you can watch live on Sky Sports on Sunday.  With both teams struggling for form at the moment, it's being called ‘the crisis derby.' But, who needs a win more?

Sky Sports' Lynsey Hooper and Ron Walker are in for Joe and Jules on this episode of 'One on One'. First up, Lynsey chats to Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta about his 20 years in British football - from Rangers, to Everton and now the Gunners. Arteta looks ahead to Arsenal's busy Christmas fixture period and explains what he can learn from other sports. We also hear from Alex Iwobi, the former Arsenal and Everton midfielder, who is playing some of the best football of his career at Fulham. Iwobi discusses the influence of his uncle, Jay-Jay Okocha, playing under managers Arsene Wenger and Marco Silva, and his growing music career. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please leave us a review and give us a follow, so you don't miss the next episode: podfollow.com/one-on-one-from-sky-sportsTo watch the interviews from this series, head to Sky Sports News, skysports.com, or the Sky Sports Premier League YouTube channel and search for “One on One”.

Ron Walker, Peter Smith and Sam Blitz look ahead to a weekend of derbies in the Premier League. Everton host Liverpool on Saturday in the last Merseyside fixture at Goodison Park, whilst on Sunday, Arsenal travel to Fulham and Tottenham are at home to Chelsea. Keep across all the football this weekend on Sky Sports.  

Sky Sports' Ron Walker, Peter Smith and Sam Blitz look ahead to Super Sunday's big clash as Premier League leaders Liverpool host defending champions Manchester City, a match you can watch on Sky Sports from 4pm and follow on skysports.com. 

[2022 Recipient (NACAMA) National Academy of Christian Acappella Music Artists Award - "Outstanding Achievement in Record or Radio" ] My special guests on the show tonight is Robert Guy (Acappella Company).  Also my special guest is Hammond Burke from Plano, Texas.  He is the creator of the Shelcaster Network.  Also on the show tonight Stevie B. will be announcing the Nominees for the 2024 National Academy of Christian Acappella Music Artists Awards. "Song of the Week" featuring Dorian Paul from Houston, Texas       Single: "Rough Day"         2007 Album "ACCA Ther Praise" Volume 1.  November (Monthly Triple Spin) featuring Ron Walker from Edmond, Oklahoma         2024 Album "Mind, Body and Soul" "Funny Bones" ... "Old One Hundreds" .... "Shout Outs" DATE:  November 22, 2024

As Pep Guardiola agrees a contract extension at Manchester City, Ron Walker, Peter Smith and Sam Blitz discuss why he's chosen to stay with the champions and how his decision could affect the Premier League.Plus, in the second half of the episode we're joined by Portuguese football journalist, Miguel Lourenço Pereira - author of the book, "Bring Me That Horizon: A Journey to the Soul of Portuguese Football". Miguel speaks to us about Ruben Amorim's appointment as Manchester United manager and explains how Portugal continues to produce world-class players and coaches.

[2022 Receipent (NACAMA) National Academy of Christian Acappella Music Artists Awards - "Outstanding Achievement in Record or Radio" ] On the show tonight my special guest is George Gee from Boca Rolton, Florida.  He is a active member of the International Recording Artists Straight Company from Louisville, Kentucky.  Also my special guest is Corey Felton from Rockledge, Florida.  He will be debuting his NEW Single on the show. "Song of the Week" featuring (C3) Christ Chosen Children          Single: "Alright"         Album "The Time is Now" November (Monthly Triple Spin) featuring Ron Walker from Edmond, Oklahoma.    2024 Album "Mind, Body and Soul" "Funny Bones" .... "Old One Hundreds" .... "Shout Outs" DATE:  November 15, 2024

[2022 Reciepient (NACAMA) National Academy of Christian Acappella Music Artists Awards - "Outstanding Achievement in Record or Radio" ] On tonight's show my special guests is Monzell Dunlap (spokemen for the acappella group "The Voices of Harmony" from Lilesville, North Carolina.  Also my special guest is Louis Cooper from Memphis, Tennessee.  He is the proprietor of Kappella Radio and Dizel Records.   "Song of the Week" featuring Louis Cooper from Memphis, Tennessee.       NEW Single: "Joy, Joy, Joy"  November (Monthly Triple Spin) featuring Ron Walker from Edmond, Oklahoma.      2024 Album "Mind, Body and Soul" "Funny Bones" .... "Old One Hundreds" ... "Shout Outs" DATE:  November 8, 2024

Ron Walker and Sam Blitz look ahead to Chelsea against Arsenal, a potentially pivotal match in the title race and a game you can watch live on Sky Sports on Sunday.Hear also from pundits Paul Merson and Gary Neville, as well as Chelsea's Levi Colwill who describes what it's like playing under Enzo Maresca. Listen to the full interview with Colwill on this week's One on One podcast: podfollow.com/one-on-one-from-sky-sports

Sky Sports football journalists Ron Walker, Peter Smith and Adam Bate discuss the appointment of Ruben Amorim as Manchester United head coach.Plus, whilst we await his arrival at Old Trafford they look ahead to Sunday's clash with Chelsea, a match you can watch on Sky Sports.   

Ron Walker, Pete Smith and Nick Wright preview the big Super Sunday match between Arsenal and Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium, and ponder whether a defeat for the home side could see them out of contention to win the Premier League.

On the latest Essential Football podcast, Ron Walker, Pete Smith and Zinny Boswell discuss the rising pressure around Erik Ten Hag brought on by another poor start to the season at Man Utd. After Marcus Rashford's bewildering half-time withdrawal in Porto, last weekend's debacle at home to Tottenham and a huge test coming up on Super Sunday at Aston Villa, the panel ask whether this is make-or-break time for Ten Hag - and where it's all come undone barely a year after his impressive debut season.You can follow all the action from Aston Villa against Manchester United across Sky Sports this Sunday. 

On the latest Essential Football, Sky Sports football journalists Ron Walker, Pete Smith and Lewis Jones look forward to the Super Sunday clash between Man City and Arsenal.  Would Kevin De Bruyne's absence be more of a problem than Martin Odegaard? Are Man City regressing - despite their perfect start? And where will Sunday's game be won or lost? Or would either side settle for another 0-0? You can follow all the action from Manchester City against Arsenal across Sky Sports. 

Sky Sports football journalists Ron Walker, Peter Smith and Nick Wright look ahead to Sunday's North London Derby between Tottenham and Arsenal. We hear from Paul Merson and James Maddison, plus is this fixture the best derby in the Premier League? 

In the latest episode of our Next Up series, Ron Walker and Zinny Boswell take a closer look at new Tottenham signing, Archie Gray.Ron chats with Sky Sports reporter Tim Thornton about the documentary he's put together which charts Gray's rise through the ranks at Leeds United where Archie is the latest in a family dynasty of footballers at Elland Road.

With a huge clash between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday, Sky Sports digital football journalists Ron Walker, Peter Smith and Sam Blitz are here to preview the game and pick out the important match-ups which could win or lose the game for both sides.

Ron Walker, Pete Smith and Laura Hunter are here to look back on the action from the opening round of Premier League matches and discuss what we learned about the teams from matchday one.Who made impressive starts, and which sides need to see improvement quickly?

With the new EFL season nearly upon us, we take a look at some of the young players to look out for in 2024/25.Ron Walker, Sam Blitz and Dan Long are here to pick out ten of the brightest prospects.

[2022 Reciepent (NACAMA) National Academy of Christian Acappella Music Artists Award - "Outstanding Achievement in Record or Radio" ] On the show tonight my special guest George Gee from Boca Raton, Florida; he will both be debuting his NEW Single on the show. "Song of the Week" featuring Divine Xperience from Tampa, Florida.      NEW Single:  "Neva Going Back" July (Monthly Triple Spin) featuring Ron Walker from Edmond, Oklohoma.  2024 Album "Mind, Body and Soul."   "Old One Hundreds" ... "Funny Bones" ... "Shout Outs" DATE:  July 26, 2024

Following the news that Gareth Southgate has resigned as England manager, Ron Walker and Sam Blitz are here to react to the news.We hear from Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher who give us their reactions to Southgate's decision to step down, and set out what they think his legacy will be as England boss.Plus, Sky Sports News' senior reporters, Kaveh Solhekol and Rob Dorsett give us an idea of why Southgate may have decided his time was up, and discuss who might take over as the national team manager.

Following the news that Gareth Southgate has resigned as England manager, Ron Walker and Sam Blitz are here to react to the news.We hear from Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher who give us their reactions to Southgate's decision to step down, and set out what they think his legacy will be as England boss.Plus, Sky Sports News' senior reporters, Kaveh Solhekol and Rob Dorsett give us an idea of why Southgate may have decided his time was up, and discuss who might take over as the national team manager.

Juliette Ferrington is joined by Sky Sports football journalists Peter Smith and Ron Walker to dissect England's Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain. We discuss where it went wrong, and look at what could be next for England and manager Gareth Southgate.We go inside the England dressing room and hear from Southgate and Jude Bellingham, as well as former defender Gary Neville and World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst.  For more reaction to England's Euros, keep across Sky Sports News and the Sky Sports website and app.  We'll be back with more Sky Sports Football podcasts at the start of the new season. 

Juliette Ferrington is joined by Sky Sports football journalists Peter Smith and Ron Walker to dissect England's Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain. We discuss where it went wrong, and look at what could be next for England and manager Gareth Southgate.We go inside the England dressing room and hear from Southgate and Jude Bellingham, as well as former defender Gary Neville and World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst.  For more reaction to England's Euros, keep across Sky Sports News and the Sky Sports website and app.  We'll be back with more Essential Football podcasts at the start of the new season. 

[2022 Reciepent (NACAMA) National Academy of Christian Acappella Music Artists Award - "Outstanding Achievement in Record or Radio" ] On the show tonight my special guests is the acappella group "Just Us" from Tallehassee, Florida.   "Song of the Week" featuring Just Us from Tallehassee, Florida.     Single:  "Caanan's Land" July (Monthly Triple Spin) featuring Ron Walker from Edmond, Oklahoma.  2024 Album "Mind, Body and Soul" "Funny Bones"... "Old One Hundreds" ... "Shout Outs" DATE:  July 12, 2024

Lioness Izzy Christiansen and journalist Henry Winter join Juliette Ferrington to look ahead to England's Euro 2024 quarter final against Switzerland. England fan Paul from Maximo Park shares his experience of playing in the fan zones in Germany. Plus Sky Sports' Rob Dorsett brings us the very latest from England training, whilst Ron Walker casts his eye over the other matches this weekend. Keep across Sky Sports News and the website and app for all the latest from these Euros.

Lioness Izzy Christiansen and journalist Henry Winter join Juliette Ferrington to look ahead to England's Euro 2024 quarter final against Switzerland. England fan Paul from Maximo Park shares his experience of playing in the fan zones in Germany. Plus Sky Sports' Rob Dorsett brings us the very latest from England training, whilst Ron Walker casts his eye across the other matches this weekend. Keep across Sky Sports News and the website and app for all the latest from these Euros.

Ron Walker brings you all the reaction to England's dramatic extra-time win over Slovakia in Euro 2024. Hear from manager Gareth Southgate, player of the match Jude Bellingham, ex-England boss Sam Allardyce, and former defender Michael Dawson. England will next face Switzerland in the quarter finals on Saturday.

Ron Walker brings you all the reaction to England's dramatic extra-time win over Slovakia in Euro 2024. Hear from manager Gareth Southgate, player of the match Jude Bellingham, ex-England boss Sam Allardyce, and former defender Michael Dawson. England move on to face Switzerland in the quarter finals on Saturday.

Former England defenders Michael Dawson and Stephen Warnock join Hayley McQueen, Juliette Ferrington and Ron Walker to give their reactions to England's 1-1 draw against Denmark at Euro 2024. Buckle up!

Former Scotland forward Kris Boyd joins Hayley McQueen and Juliette Ferrington to look back on Scotland's defeat to Germany in the opening match of Euro 2024.  We join our Chief Reporter Kaveh Solhekol in Germany to get all the latest news from the England camp ahead of their opening match, 16'08" and journalist Ron Walker is back to cast his eye on the tournament as a whole. We'll talk to you next on Monday, after England play Serbia.  

Hayley McQueen and Juliette Ferrington look ahead to Euro 2024 with former England defender Michael Dawson, ex-Scotland forward Kris Boyd and our Sky Sports News reporters out in Germany, Rob Dorsett and Luke Shanley. Football journalist Ron Walker runs his eye over the draw and picks his tournament favourites. Plus, we hear from Anthony Barry, the English coach who has gone from working at Accrington Stanley and Wigan, via Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Belgium, to coaching Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal at these Euros. We'll have podcasts before and after all of England and Scotland's fixtures at Euro 2024 - find us on Sky's Essential Football podcast feed. Plus, keep across all the news from Germany on Sky Sports News and skysports.com. 

Sky Sports football journalists Ron Walker, Peter Smith and Sam Blitz discuss your club's season and create a report card for each Premier League team in 2023/2024. But do you agree? You can have your say at skysports.com. 

Ron Walker is joined by Sky Sports digital football journalists, Ben Grounds and Zinny Boswell to take a look at the battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League. Will it be Nottingham Forest, Luton Town or Burnley who maintain their place in the top division?