After The Final Whistle

What happens when the final whistle blows?

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What happens when the football stops?

Michael Duberry made more than 600 appearances during a professional football career that took him to Chelsea, Leeds United and beyond. He retired at 38, having achieved so much in the game. But some of his most important lessons came away from the pitch.

In this honest conversation on After The Final Whistle, Michael opens up about finding purpose after retirement, the pressure footballers face to hide their emotions, and the challenge of building an identity beyond being a footballer.

He also reflects on one of the most difficult periods of his life: a court case that put his integrity, loyalty and friendship with Jonathan Woodgate to the test. He explains the emotional toll it took, the death threats he received, and why he believes that every time he has acted against his values, he has ended up in trouble.

We also discuss the drinking culture of English football, the adrenaline and sense of belonging players miss when they retire, racism in the game, financial literacy, relationships and fatherhood.

Michael shares the lessons behind his book, Raise Your Game, and explains why acceptance is one of the most important qualities an elite performer can develop, whether in sport, business or life.

This is a conversation about resilience, identity, integrity and what it really means to move on when one chapter of your life ends.

Because when the final whistle blows, they are people, not footballers.

⚽ With thanks to the Football Safety App

Download the Football Safety App now, so it’s ready when you need it. It’s helping people in football speak up about issues and concerns and access support when they need it.

I'm proud to be a partner and ambassador for the app, co-founded by Emile Heskey, and to support its work towards making football a safer environment for everyone.

IN THIS EPISODE

📚 Michael's book: Raise Your Game

💬 Join the conversation: What do you think is the biggest challenge footballers face when they retire? Let us know in the comments, and tell us who you'd like to hear from on a future episode.

🔔 Subscribe to After The Final Whistle for more honest conversations with footballers about the person behind the player — and what happens when football stops.

❤️ With thanks to Samaritans for supporting After The Final Whistle and helping us approach difficult conversations sensitively. If you're struggling or need someone to talk to, you can call Samaritans free, any time, on 116 123 in the UK and Ireland.

#MichaelDuberry #AfterTheFinalWhistle #Football #MentalHealth #LifeAfterFootball #FootballRetirement #Resilience #ChelseaFC #LeedsUnited #FootballPodcast

chapters

00:00 Michael Duberry: Life After Football
01:43 A 600-Game Career and a Serious Injury
03:31 Finding Purpose After Retirement
06:25 Why Footballers Struggle to Show Weakness
09:47 The Drinking Culture of English Football
12:26 The Adrenaline Footballers Miss
14:45 Leadership and Emotional Intelligence at Chelsea
17:17 The Lessons Behind Raise Your Game
20:14 Why Acceptance Is the Key to Resilience
22:29 Retirement, Regrets and England Recognition
24:45 The Gap Between a Footballer's Image and Reality
26:51 Friendship, Integrity and a Court Case
30:55 The Cost of Standing by Your Values
34:11 Jody Morris and Lasting Football Friendships
34:53 Racism, Paul Canoville and Football's Progress
38:24 Tackling Abuse in the Modern Game
39:50 Preparing for Life After Football
41:47 Financial Literacy and Protecting Your Future
44:59 Relationships, Divorce and Retirement
47:46 Fatherhood and Finding Purpose Beyond Football
50:11 Identity Beyond Being a Footballer
58:34 Quick-Fire: Success, Happiness and Life Lessons
59:39 The Person Michael Most Wants to Thank
01:00:14 Refrigerated Jaffa Cakes and the Final Whistle

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What does it feel like when one mistake can define you?

Former Liverpool and Bolton goalkeeper Ádám Bogdán joins Alison Bender on After The Final Whistle for an honest conversation about the mental pressure of professional football.

Ádám reflects on the perfectionism that helped him reach the Premier League, but also made mistakes feel like the end of the world. He opens up about his difficult spell at Liverpool, the impact of costly errors, and why he wishes he had given himself more time to prove himself at the club.

He also shares the reality of a devastating ACL injury, a lengthy rehabilitation, and the lasting effects of three concussions. At one point, he genuinely thought he might never play again.

We explore the pressure footballers feel to appear strong, why talking to others can make such a difference, and what Ádám misses most about being a player.

Now sporting director at Debrecen in Hungary, Ádám explains how he has found a new purpose in football, combining his experience in England with his roots back home.

A conversation about confidence, resilience, vulnerability and learning to move forward when the game doesn't go to plan.

After The Final Whistle with Alison Bender where we talk about the person, not the player, and what happens when football stops.

If you need someone to talk to, Samaritans are available 24/7 on 116 123 in the UK and Ireland.Chapters

00:00 The Pressure of Being a Goalkeeper
02:04 Becoming a Sporting Director
08:07 Growing Up in Hungary
11:30 Perfectionism and the Fear of Making Mistakes
16:46 The End of His Playing Career
21:50 Eight Years at Bolton
26:23 Joining Liverpool
30:56 The Costly Mistakes That Changed Everything
37:27 The ACL Injury and Rehabilitation
41:48 Three Concussions and Their Impact
44:42 The Pressure to Hide Emotion
47:04 Anxiety, Routines and Talking Things Through
52:47 The Confidence to Reach the Top
53:46 What He Misses Most About Playing
56:31 Finding Purpose After Football

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Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu: Arsenal Rejected Me. Then I Built a Life Beyond Football.

At 15, Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu suffered a devastating injury. A few years later, Arsenal released him, a moment he describes as leaving him inconsolable.

But that wasn't the end of the story.

From being rejected by Arsenal to playing for Wales at a European Championship, Hal opens up about the injuries, pain and pressure he experienced behind the scenes,  including the nights when he would cry himself to sleep.

He also talks about something many footballers don't think seriously about until it's too late: what comes next.

Hal started a business while still playing, eventually chose to retire earlier than many expected, and describes the shock of his first Monday without football.

This is a conversation about ambition, rejection, the physical and emotional cost of football, and finding an identity beyond being a footballer.

After The Final Whistle, where we talk about the person, not the player.

Watch, subscribe and join the conversation.

#ThomasHalRobsonKanu #AfterTheFinalWhistle #Football #Arsenal #Wales #LifeAfterFootball

CHAPTERS:

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Thomas Hitzlsperger: I Had to Retire Before Coming Out | After The Final Whistle

Welcome to After The Final Whistle where we talk about the person, not the player, and ask what happens when the football stops.

Thomas Hitzlsperger played at the highest level for Germany, Aston Villa, Stuttgart, West Ham and Everton, and won the Bundesliga with Stuttgart.

But his football career also came with a secret.

Thomas came out as gay after retiring from football and in this conversation, he talks openly about why he couldn't come out while he was still playing, the pressure of the dressing room, masculinity in football, and why not a single gay player reached out to him when he came out.

We also talk about life after football; from becoming a CEO and working in football, to dealing with failure, fear, criticism and finding a new identity when you're no longer a player.

Thomas explains why he wishes he'd won more trophies, why footballers need interests and passions outside the game, and why he believes you shouldn't wait for everyone else's approval to be yourself.

And, as always on After The Final Whistle, I ask AI to analyse Thomas's personality and read the results back to him.

In this episode:
00:00 The decision that took Thomas Hitzlsperger to Aston Villa
03:30 Leaving Germany at 18
05:44 Why Thomas couldn't wait to retire
08:09 Why he didn't come out while playing
11:13 Telling his family he was gay
14:11 Why representation in football matters
16:16 Why aren't more footballers coming out?
20:30 “Not a single gay player reached out to me”
21:25 From footballer to CEO
25:47 Imposter syndrome after football
28:21 Failure, fear and mental health
31:38 “Playing football just harms me more”
33:01 Becoming an entrepreneur
37:38 Which version of Thomas is the real Thomas?
39:14 Why footballers need a life beyond football
41:36 Breaking the dressing room mentality
43:03 Would he come out earlier?
43:52 AI analyses Thomas Hitzlsperger
45:42 “I wish I had one more trophy”
48:05 Why he still speaks up for the LGBTQ+ community

This episode is supported by Football Safety App, helping people report abuse, racism, misogyny, harassment and violence around football anonymously and safely. Download on your phone so you have it when you need it.

If you enjoy the conversation, please subscribe, like and share — and let me know which footballer you'd like me to speak to next.

After the final whistle, because when the whistle blows, they are people, not footballers.

#ThomasHitzlsperger #AfterTheFinalWhistle #Football #FootballPodcast #LGBTQ #FootballStories #LifeAfterFootball #Footballers #MentalHealth #ComingOut #FootballSafetyApp

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What happens when the football stops?

For the first episode of Series 2 of After The Final Whistle, I sit down with former England, Liverpool and Southampton striker Rickie Lambert for one of my most open conversations yet.

Rickie’s journey is anything but straightforward. At 15, he was rejected by Liverpool and found himself working in a factory, playing non-league football and wondering whether professional football would ever happen for him.

He tells me about the years of graft that followed; from beetroot farming and working in factories to travelling to clubs with just £50 in his pocket. We talk about Blackpool, Macclesfield, Southampton, scoring more than 100 goals, and finally making his England debut at 31… scoring with his first touch at Wembley.

But this conversation isn’t really about the goals.

Rickie opens up about the pressure he felt throughout his career, the importance of trust, what football gave him... and what it took away. We talk about returning to Liverpool, becoming a father, watching his children grow up, his love of golf, coaching, and what life looks like when you are no longer a professional footballer.

Rickie was incredibly open with me, and there are moments in this conversation that go far beyond football. We talk about his rock bottom and how he finally decided to seek help. We speak about him giving up alcohol, and how he stays steady today.

Because after the final whistle, they are people, not footballers.

🎙️ After The Final Whistle with Alison Bender
📍 Series 2, Episode 1
🎥 Watch on YouTube
🎧 Also available on Spotify & Apple Podcasts

If you enjoy the episode, please like, subscribe and share — it really helps us grow the series.

🛡️ This episode is supported by the Football Safety App.Everyone should feel safe in and around football. The Football Safety App gives supporters a way to report incidents of abuse, racism, harassment, misogyny and violence.Download the Football Safety App on your phone and you can report any incident in real time without having to confront anyone. Help keep the beautiful game beautiful.

CHAPTERS

00:00 The rejection that changed everything

#AfterTheFinalWhistle #RickieLambert #AlisonBender #Football #FootballPodcast #LiverpoolFC #SouthamptonFC #EnglandFootball #LifeAfterFootball #MentalHealth #FootballStories #PremierLeague #sobriety

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In this powerful episode of After The Final Whistle, we sit down with Chelsea legend and trailblazer Paul Canoville for one of the most emotional and inspiring conversations we’ve ever had on the podcast. 🎙️⚽️

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In this episode of After The Final Whistle, Alison sits down with former England international and football pundit Lianne Sanderson for an honest, inspiring and powerful conversation. 🎙️⚽️

Lianne reflects on an incredible career that saw her win major honours with Arsenal, represent England on the international stage, and play football across the world in the USA, Spain, Italy and beyond.

We also discuss:
🔥 Becoming the first Lioness to publicly come out as gay
🔥 The financial realities of women’s football during her playing days
🔥 Life after football and building a career in punditry
🔥 Dealing with online abuse and criticism
🔥 Her love for football
A raw and emotional conversation about resilience, identity, football and finding purpose beyond playing.

If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT & SUBSCRIBE for more football conversations and exclusive interviews.

🎧 Available on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
📲 Follow us on socials for more clips and updates @afterthefinalwhistlepod

#LianneSanderson #Lionesses #WomensFootball #ManchesterUnited #FootballPodcast #AfterTheFinalWhistle #WomenInSport

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Former England international Danny Mills joins Alison Bender on After The Final Whistle for an honest conversation about life beyond football.

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Former England and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey joins After The Final Whistle for a raw and powerful conversation about the realities of life beyond football.

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