Fútbol with Grant Wahl

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German Soccer Expert Raphael Honigstein Jan 14, 2021

Show notes

Grant has a wide-ranging conversation with his old friend Raphael Honigstein, who's the world's leading journalist on German soccer and does work for The Athletic, CBS Sports television, Der Spiegel and the podcasts Steilcast and the Totally Football Show. (He has also written the terrific books Das Reboot and Bring the Noise, a Jürgen Klopp biography.) Their podcast discussion includes American Schalke sensation Matthew Hoppe; Honigstein's thoughts on Bayern Munich, Dortmund and Leipzig; the American coaches Pellegrino Matarazzo and Jesse Marsch; whether Americans have become annoying in their national soccer pride; and Honigstein's own story, which includes moving to London from Germany in 1993, studying law and venturing into soccer writing after doing writing on music and fashion.

This episode of Fútbol with Grant Wahl is brought to you by Fanatiz. On Fanatiz, you can watch all the action in Spain’s La Liga and other international leagues and tournaments live and on-demand from your mobile phone, tablet or directly on your TV with the Fanatiz app. Fanatiz features channels you know, like BeIN Sports in English and Spanish, GolTV and many more. And it only costs as little as $7.99 a month.

If you’d like to try Fanatiz for yourself, you can get a free week-long trial by going to fntz.co/Grant-FZ.

Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqIhXWUw0H4

Get full access to Fútbol with Grant Wahl at grantwahl.substack.com/subscribe

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Henry Winter of The Times of London Jan 11, 2021

Show notes

Grant has a must-listen interview with his friend Henry Winter, the chief football writer for The Times of London and one of the world's top writers covering the sport for the last 35 years. Winter tells fun stories from his globe-trotting career, including from covering World Cup 1994 in the U.S., and explains why the on-site match report still matters; how he has managed his work during the pandemic; his take on the Premier League season so far; his thoughts on England ahead of this summer's Euro 2020; what it's like to have a brother who has been chosen among the world's most influential Muslims and a wife who is an actress and former "Bond girl'; and much more. This is an interview you won't want to miss.

If you’d like to try Fanatiz for yourself, you can get a free week-long trial by going to fntz.co/Grant-FZ.

Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqIhXWUw0H4

Get full access to Fútbol with Grant Wahl at grantwahl.substack.com/subscribe

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Soccer TV Rights in the US With John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal Jan 07, 2021

Show notes

Grant has an in-depth conversation about US soccer TV rights with John Ourand, a longtime reporter for the Sports Business Journal. Ourand explains why NBC is putting marquee games like the upcoming Liverpool-Man United showdown on the Peacock pay-streaming channel; why he thinks NBC will win the rights to extend its Premier League coverage; what's behind CBS's entree into the soccer space; whether he thinks Fox, which has lost several soccer deals, will keep its World Cup rights through 2026; why he's concerned about MLS's ability to get more money in its next TV contract; his thoughts on the TV attractiveness of a potential MLS-Liga MX merger down the line; and what could happen with the free-vs-pay TV strategies of Spanish-language vs. English-language coverage of the UEFA Champions League.

If you’d like to try Fanatiz for yourself, you can get a free week-long trial by going to fntz.co/Grant-FZ.

Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqIhXWUw0H4

Get full access to Fútbol with Grant Wahl at grantwahl.substack.com/subscribe

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An Interview With Soccer Girl Problems; Chris Wittyngham on the Soccer Weekend Jan 04, 2021

Show notes

Grant kicks off 2021 with a fun interview of Soccer Girl Problems (at 31:24), the trio of Alanna Locast, Carly Beyar and Shannon Fay that has become a digital powerhouse resonating throughout the women's soccer community. SGP tells their origin story of how they met as teammates at Fairfield University, how they made their first viral videos back in 2011 and how they turned SGP into a sustainable business that serves as their full-time jobs. They also discuss their terrific podcast, which has included interviews with Sarah Fuller, Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Kelley O’Hara and Sam and Kristie Mewis.

Before that, Grant breaks down the soccer weekend with Chris Wittyngham. They discuss Man United's rise to tie Liverpool on points atop the Premier League, the sources of Chelsea's poor run of form, the widespread starts of several USMNT players over the weekend and the one thing they're most looking forward to soccer-wise in 2021.

If you’d like to try Fanatiz for yourself, you can get a free week-long trial by going to fntz.co/Grant-FZ.

Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqIhXWUw0H4

Get full access to Fútbol with Grant Wahl at grantwahl.substack.com/subscribe

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Rubin Kazan Coach and Mariah Carey Rendition-Man Leonid Slutsky Dec 31, 2020

Show notes

Grant has a festive end-of-year interview with one of the most interesting people in world soccer, Rubin Kazan coach Leonid Slutsky. Slutsky went viral globally this week with his hysterical music video rendition of Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You. He speaks to Grant about the idea for the video and tells the story of his career, from having to quit playing as a goalkeeper at age 18 due to an injury that resulted from falling out of a tree while rescuing a cat; his rise as a coach to reaching the 2009-10 UEFA Champions League quarterfinals with CSKA Moscow; his three Russian league championships; his time as Russia coach at Euro 2016; his adventures in England coaching Hull City and learning English; his friendships with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and chief executive Marina Granovskaia; his return to Russia at Rubin Kazan; and his thoughts on soccer in the United States.

If you’d like to try Fanatiz for yourself, you can get a free week-long trial by going to fntz.co/Grant-FZ.

Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqIhXWUw0H4

Get full access to Fútbol with Grant Wahl at grantwahl.substack.com/subscribe

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bex Smith of The Players Podcast Dec 28, 2020

Show notes

Grant has an enlightening interview with Bex Smith, the Los Angeles-born former New Zealand national team captain who currently hosts The Players Podcast with top players from the women's game for Copa90 and the BBC. Smith explains how she approaches her podcast, including interviews with Rose Lavelle and Sam Mewis; her background at Duke University and playing in two World Cups and two Olympics; her years in Germany, including winning the Champions League with Wolfsburg; her time as an executive for women's soccer at FIFA; and what she has been doing in recent years for Copa90.

If you’d like to try Fanatiz for yourself, you can get a free week-long trial by going to fntz.co/Grant-FZ.

Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqIhXWUw0H4

Get full access to Fútbol with Grant Wahl at grantwahl.substack.com/subscribe

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Melissa Reddy Interview Dec 24, 2020

Show notes

Grant has a fun interview with Melissa Reddy, one of the rising stars of global soccer media. Reddy, South African-raised and Liverpool-based, is the author of the new book Believe Us: How Jurgen Klopp Transformed Liverpool into Title Winners. She's also the senior football correspondent for The Independent, hosts the podcast Between The Lines and has done TV for CBS Sports and Sky Sports. Reddy explains how she built a career in England, where the barriers to women of color in sports journalism have been significant.

If you’d like to try Fanatiz for yourself, you can get a free week-long trial by going to fntz.co/Grant-FZ.

Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqIhXWUw0H4

Get full access to Fútbol with Grant Wahl at grantwahl.substack.com/subscribe

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Columbus Crew Coach Caleb Porter Dec 21, 2020

Show notes

Grant has a candid interview with Columbus Crew head coach Caleb Porter (at 37:57) coming off Porter's second MLS Cup-winning title campaign. Porter reveals that he cried upon learning that Darlington Nagbe and Pedro Santos wouldn't be available for the final, and he explains in detail how he has changed as a coach and a person in the years since he started in MLS. Porter never disappoints in these interviews, and that's no different here!

Before that, Grant and Chris Wittyngham break down the soccer weekend, including LAFC's wild 3-1 victory over Club América in the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals; what it would mean for an MLS to win the CONCACAF title for the first time in the Champions League era; whether Liverpool is set to pull away from the pack in the Premier League; how to diagnose the issues with Arsenal, Dortmund and Barcelona; and Sam Mewis and Weston McKennie winning the US Soccer player of the year awards.

This episode of Fútbol with Grant Wahl is brought to you by Fanatiz. On Fanatiz, you can watch all the action in Spain’s La Liga and other international leagues and tournaments live and on-demand from your mobile phone, tablet or directly on your TV with the Fanatiz app. Fanatiz features channels you know, like BeIN Sports in English and Spanish, GolTV and many more. And it only costs as little as $7.99 a month.

If you’d like to try Fanatiz for yourself, you can get a free week-long trial by going to fntz.co/Grant-FZ.

Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqIhXWUw0H4

Get full access to Fútbol with Grant Wahl at grantwahl.substack.com/subscribe

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

US Soccer Athlete Council Members Brianna Pinto and Nick Mayhugh Dec 17, 2020

Show notes

Grant has a fascinating interview with Brianna Pinto of the University of North Carolina, who's on the verge of breaking into the senior USWNT pool, and Nick Mayhugh of the U.S. Para 7-a-side team about their recent election to the powerful Athlete Council of U.S. Soccer. They were joined on a ticket called Next Gen United (average age: 22) by Smith Hunter, currently at Harvard and a member of the U.S. U20 women’s team; Mikey López of the Birmingham Legion in the USL and former men’s YNT player; and Matt Freese of the Philadelphia Union. All five of them won spots on the Athlete Council, which swung the U.S. Soccer presidential election in 2018 for Carlos Cordeiro. Pinto and Mayhugh explain why they wanted to run for the Athlete Council, Next Gen United's platform and how they all managed to win seats.

If you’d like to try Fanatiz for yourself, you can get a free week-long trial by going to fntz.co/Grant-FZ.

Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqIhXWUw0H4

Get full access to Fútbol with Grant Wahl at grantwahl.substack.com/subscribe

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NWSL Kansas City Owners Angie & Chris Long Dec 14, 2020

Show notes

Grant interviews two longtime friends from his teenage days (at 23:37): Angie and Chris Long, the owners of the new NWSL team in Grant's hometown of Kansas City. They explain why they wanted to invest in the NWSL, what their plans are for the team and reveal that they want to build a new women's soccer stadium in the Kansas City area.

Before that, Grant connects with Chris Wittyngham to break down Columbus's big win over Seattle in the MLS Cup final and discuss what the firing of Dortmund coach Lucien Favre could mean for Gio Reyna and potentially replacement candidate Jesse Marsch.

If you’d like to try Fanatiz for yourself, you can get a free week-long trial by going to fntz.co/Grant-FZ.

Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqIhXWUw0H4

Get full access to Fútbol with Grant Wahl at grantwahl.substack.com/subscribe

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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