Today we’re joined by Jamie Hamilton, a Scottish coach and renowned football writer, best known for his work on relationism — an alternative to the dominant positional play models shaping modern football.

We talked about:

• Why the debate between relationism and positionism matters in today’s globalised and homogenised football world.
• The historical roots of relationism — from South American traditions to Cruyff and Hungary in the 1950s–60s.
• Relationism as a football language: flexibility vs. structure, emergence vs. prescription, and the science of players as relational beings.
• What relational football looks like on the pitch, and what it means for player development and coaching.
• How relationism connects to local identity, cultural diversity, and underdogs finding their way against giants.

This episode takes you on a journey through football’s past, present, and a possible more relational future.