Because Football

By Andrew Baggaley

The Because Football Podcast is all about uncovering the heart of football through individual journeys and community histories shaped by the beautiful game. We talk with leaders, decision makers, and ... more

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FAQs about Because Football:

How many episodes does Because Football have?

The podcast currently has 115 episodes available.

Because Football episodes:

December 12, 2023 What It Takes at the NCAA D1 Level | Head Coach Sharif Saber
This is a great episode for anyone interested in college soccer in the USA. Our guest, Sharif Saber, has coached at multiple levels of the game and is currently the Head Coach of the Women's Soccer program at USC-Upstate, an NCAA Division 1 team in the Big South conference.
This episode dives into Coach Sharif's journey and the many sacrifices he has made and risks he has taken to reach the level he's currently at. From his earliest memories of soccer, to how coaching his younger sister's travel B team made him the coach he is today, Coach Sharif's stories offer great insight to any coach searching for a better way to connect with their team.
For aspiring players, this episode shares a behind-the-scenes look of the values and culture of a top Division 1 soccer program. Coach Sharif talks about the most important things that have made his teams successful at all levels of college soccer, and what college coaches look for in new recruits.
Follow Coach Sharif and the USC Upstate Women's Soccer team here:
https://upstatespartans.com/sports/wo...https://twitter.com/UpstateWSoccer
...more
46min
December 12, 2023 "If we worked with Man United, it wouldn't mean as much." | Jonny Hopcroft, COO of Icarus FC
We're BACK for Episode 2 of the Because Football podcast.
This time around, we sit down with Jonny Hopcroft, COO of Icarus FC and fervent Fulham FC supporter.
This episode meanders from Jonny's initial experiences of lower league soccer to how that passion drew him to the mission of Icarus FC, a design-focused brand that has a deep arsenal of absolutely FIRE football kits.
We discuss the powerful connection between a club's identity and the community it represents, whether that includes a group of friends in an American adult league or a budding powerhouse based in a rural community in Ghana.
PLUS....Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarves. Wawa United. Bibiani Gold Stars. Clubs you may not have heard of, but you'll be glad you did!
We also touch on Fulhamerica legends like Clint Dempsey and current club captain Tim Ream, and why English concert-goers are (apparently!!) better singers than American ones...
If you'd like to chat with Jonny or get some FRESH jerseys for your local team (hey - orders start at just 10 shirts!) check out the contact details below:
[email protected]
Icarusfc.com
https://www.instagram.com/icarusfootb...
Find out more about our Transform Soccer programs here:
https://transformsoccertraining.com/a...
https://www.instagram.com/transformso...
facebook.com/transformsoccer
https://www.linkedin.com/in/baggaleya...
...more
55min
December 12, 2023 Chasing Dreams | Professional Footballer Laurene Tresfield
Welcome to the FIRST EVER episode of the Because Football Podcast presented by Transform Soccer.
Our guest is Laurene Tresfield. Laurene is a professional women's footballer from Paris, France. She is currently a center defender for Alaves in the Spanish Women's Primera. She was previously the Captain of @gpso92issy9 in the Division 2 Feminine, the second division of professional football in France. Laurene also represents Martinique in international CONCACAF competitions.
In this episode we discuss Laurene's lifelong passion for the game, how she grew up playing mostly with boys, and her courageous decision to move to the United States and play at the NCAA Division 1 level for Oklahoma State University - without ever having been to the USA before!
Listeners will learn more about the cultural and soccer differences (and similarities!) between France and the US, as well as the current state of women's football in France.
You can learn more about Laurene below:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenetr...https://www.instagram.com/lau_tresfield/
Find out more about our Transform Soccer programs here:
https://transformsoccertraining.com/about
https://www.instagram.com/transformsormsoccer
facebook.com/transformsoccer
https://www.linkedin.com/in/baggaleya...
...more
39min
December 06, 2023 How Do You Define Success as a College Soccer Coach | Stephen Bower of University of Valley Forge
Welcome to Episode 18 of the Because Football Podcast!
Our guest for Episode 18 of the Because Football Podcast is Stephen Bower, Head Coach of Men's Soccer and Assistant Athletic Director at the University of Valley Forge in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Coach Bower has experience at the college and youth club level.When he took over as Head Coach at UVF, a NCAA Division 3 program, they struggled to even have enough players to field a team of 11 players. Now, after 4 seasons the team has a roster of 25 players and has become more competitive on the field.This episode doesn't touch on much soccer specific talk. Not much tactical or technical development. Not too many buzzwords that have Twitter or X going wild. We talk about how he supports young men through the soccer program during a transitional time in their lives. How the game and being part of a team impacts their lives.He also shares his background growing up as a multi-sport athlete in Arizona, where he played many sports and benefitted greatly from it. We discuss the risks of sport specialization at too young of an age. It's also interesting to hear his thoughts on parent-coach relations now that his own daughter is playing organized soccer - and he's not the coach!
This is a great episode for coaches to remind them of the larger role they play in an athlete's life beyond the field. And for youth players who are facing difficult questions about which soccer environment is right for them, if they should focus on just one sport, and how to find the right fit for them.
Coach Bower's caring and compassionate personality is apparent throughout the episode and we are very thankful that he was willing to share his thoughts and experience with us!
For more information about Stephen Bower and the University of Valley Forge Men's Soccer Program:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-bower-596a3a34/https://www.linkedin.com/school/university-of-valley-forge/
https://uvfpatriots.com/sports/mens-soccer
Find out more about our Transform Soccer programs here:
https://transformsoccertraining.com/philadelphia-soccer-training/
https://www.instagram.com/transformsoccer_/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/baggaleyandrew/
...more
50min
November 15, 2023 Developing African Sports Business as a Football Agent | Reda Laraichi
Welcome to Episode 17 of the Because Football Podcast!Our guest for Episode 17 of the Because Football Podcast is Reda Laraichi of Rabat, Morocco. Reda is the Senior Manager Business Development & Strategy for Rainbow Sports Global, a leading Pan-African sports entity, providing holistic management, marketing, and media solutions for football sports agencies, clubs, and talented African football players.Reda shares his background as a child growing up in Morocco, a country with an intense passion for soccer, and then how he moved to the USA and UK for his university studies. By the age of 21, he had passed the FIFA agent exam and started building his business from ground zero. After much struggle, error, and learning, he established himself primarily in the African football market. Reda's vast experience spans more than a decade in football and other business projects (real estate, tourism, and entertainment), as well as working as a guest professor in some of Morocco's top professional schools. This is a great episode for any aspiring football soccer agents. It's a wild world out there and it is NOT easy. Reda's insights will help you get a clear picture of what being an agent REALLY is and give you some tips to get you started.Reda also shares about his work with Rainbow Sports Global and their work scouting, identifying, and developing talented African footballers. Through Rainbow's feeder clubs in places like Cameroon and Ghana, they move players along a pipeline to Dubai and then eventually Europe or the United States. Rainbow leverages their vast network of football club owners, agents, and coaches to unearth talent in often overlooked places. It's a very fascinating model leading the way in Africa, a place where many larger football conglomerates have been hesitant to wholeheartedly invest in.Reda's warmth and honesty is extremely refreshing and makes for a fantastic episode! We loved having him as a guest and hope to reconnect again someday!For more information about Reda and Rainbow Sports Global:Reda Laraichi LinkedIn
Rainbow Sports Global LinkedIn
Rainbow Sports Global WebsiteFind out more about our Transform Soccer programs here:Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
...more
1h 5min
November 15, 2023 "No Regrets" in the Ivory Coast | A Journey of the First Football School in Abidjan
Welcome to Episode 16 of the Because Football Podcast!
Our guests are Marc Bruneau and Junior Soulama, co-founders of the Étoiles Naissantes Academy, or "Rising Stars Academy" of Abidjan, Ivory Coast / Cote d'Ivoire.
Marc, originally from Bordeaux, France, and Junior, a native of Abidjan, met through a mutual friend more than a decade ago. Both had experiences playing professional and amateur football and once their careers ended on the pitch, decided to create a new vision together. Their vision, the Étoiles Naissantes Academy, will be the first of its kind in the Ivory Coast, a hybrid football-educational institution that will develop players on and off the pitch.
The traditional model in Cote d'Ivoire is to simply develop professional footballers, and there is no shortage of talent. However, aspiring players often sacrifice their education and life skill development in the pursuit of glory in a risky and often short-lived career on the pitch. And once that career ends, players are often left jobless, penniless, and depressed to find themselves in a disadvantaged position.
Marc and Junior are setting out to change that, and offer educational opportunities for players that will set them up for a lifetime of success off the pitch, as well as on it.
This is the first bilingual episode of the Because Football, as Marc interprets his partner Junior's French for our Anglophone audience. My apologies to our French speaking listeners, as I've shortened Junior's original responses in French, but have left Marc's interpretations for our mostly English speaking audience. (Je vous demande pardon. Peut-être qu'à l'avenir nous aurons une version française du podcast. Mais aujourd’hui n’est pas ce jour-là !)
While the academy's dream is just beginning, Marc and Junior's path during the past two years has still taught them alot about what they wish to achieve. It is a wonderful vision that will certainly have a positive ripple effect in Ivorian football and society. We wish them the greatest success!
You can find more about co-founders Marc Bruneau and Junior Soulama and the Etoile Naissantes Academy here:
Marc Bruneau LinkedIn
Junior Soulama LinkedIn
Etoile Naissantes Academy LinkedIn
Find out more about our Transform Soccer programs here:
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
...more
47min
October 10, 2023 Journey of a Professional Goalkeeper l Dane Jacomen
Welcome to Episode #14 of the Because Football Podcast presented by Transform Soccer.
Our guest is Dane Jacomen, professional goalkeeper for Loudoun United of the USL Championship, the second tier of professional soccer in the United States.
As a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dane grew up as a multi-sport athlete. His first experience as a goalkeeper was only because his travel team coach volunteered him because he was "a baseball guy". As each year moved forward, Dane's vision and goals grew bigger and bigger, eventually leading him to join the DC United Academy and then the University of Pennsylvania, where he played Division 1 soccer in the Ivy League under Head Coach Brian Gill.
This is a great episode for young goalkeepers and youth soccer parents. Dane shares how his parents supported him by putting him in front of good people, but weren't overly pushy or controlling during his youth years. Dane was heavily influenced by former USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard, and gives a great account of why all young players should have a soccer role model to strive to emulate.
He also shares insight into what makes a great team and how a goalkeeper can compete with his fellow teammates while also supporting and wanting the best for them. Besides playing at Penn, Dane shares his experiences playing during the summers for USL 2 side West Chester United and influential coach Blaise Santangelo and how his time with one of the country's top amateur programs helped his skills and passion for the game to grow.
Dane also shares ways that aspiring goalkeepers can improve on their own and the importance of doing physical training to prepare for the demanding role of goalkeeping at the highest levels.
And Dane gives an account of one of his career highlights, making an appearance for DC United under Coach Wayne Rooney in a friendly against Bayern Munich, when Dane was able to test himself against one of the world's top teams!
You can learn more about Dane Jacomen here:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Find out more about our Transform Soccer programs here:
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
...more
52min
October 04, 2023 World's BIGGEST Clubs are AFRAID to SCOUT Where He Goes | Harry Varley, Pro Football Scout in Africa
Welcome to Episode #13 of the Because Football Podcast presented by Transform Soccer.
Our guest is Harry Varley, previous the Head Africa Scout for KAA Gent of the Belgian Pro League, and now an independent African and Caribbean football expert. You will have a tough time finding a more well-rounded, cultured person in the game!
As a native of Leeds, England, Harry saw firsthand of football can impact a community. His passion for following Leeds United gave birth to a dream of impacting communities and changing lives through the beautiful game. Over the past 15 years, Harry has held many titles in as many as 11 different countries. From coaching in social programs and NGOs in Mexico, New Zealand, and the UK, to working as Youth Academy Director for a professional club in Cambodia, Harry's journey has given him exposure to the many ways the game can impact people, and how young people can (or are not able to) benefit from football and climb the ladder to a better life.
In his current role as Head Scout of Africa for KAA Gent, Harry is going to the places where no one is willing to - or has even heard of. The club's decision to invest in scouring Africa for talent was heavily influenced by the recent success of club striker Gift Orban, who went from being scouted at a showcase tournament in Nigeria to being one of Tottenham's top targets to replace Harry Kane in JUST 2 YEARS! From obscurity to the top level in the blink of an eye. And Harry and KAA Gent believe that Orban is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to talent.
Harry's looking for the diamonds in the rough who can be the next global star, and is hoping to give opportunities to players in places that modern football has turned its back on. Harry's first experience in Africa was a Technical Director for Football for good, a residential talent academy in Uganda. He was also Head Coach of a 2nd division team in Rwanda, as well as a Coach at Right to Dream, a Ghana-based academy that has developed dozens of professional men's and women's players through their approach.
This episode is an intriguing dive into the daily life of a scout - away from the glitz and glamour of top flight European football. Harry shares insights into what he looks for in players, how he develops relationships with an influential network of clubs, agents, and persons of interest. One of the most striking parts of our conversation was the lack of clear, organized opportunities for talented young players and the fact that such a massive of talent is left unsupported, ultimately squandered by inertia and the economic and social stresses of everyday life.
You can learn more about Harry Varley on LinkedIn:
LinkedIn Profile
Find out more about our Transform Soccer programs here:
WebsiteInstagramConnect on LinkedIn
...more
57min
September 20, 2023 What Is A Scotsman Doing in Cambodian Football? Christopher Grant, General Manager of Svay Rieng FC
Welcome to Episode #12 of the Because Football Podcast presented by Transform Soccer.Our guest is Christopher Grant, the General Manager of Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC in Cambodia, one of the league's top clubs who were champions in 2019 under Christopher's guidance. A native of Edinburgh, Scotland, Chris coached in academies and soccer schools in the UK before moving to Cambodia to set up a new branch of his Elite Soccer Coaching development center. After growing his business in the capital of Phnom Penh, he caught the eye of local professional clubs and became Academy Director of Phnom Penh Crown FC. After a few years in the role, he got the opportunity to step away from the field and into the offices of PKR Svay Rieng. During his tenure, Chris has seen the professional league in Cambodia grow in leaps and bounds.This episode is a fascinating recap of his journey and delivers keen insight into Cambodian football's successes and challenges. While the league has become more professional, the playing quality has grown and wages have increased, there are still a lack of opportunities for aspiring players. No clear pathway exists for young, talented players to develop, and youth leagues are very rare.You can learn more about Christopher Grant and his club below:Connect on LinkedIn
Club Website
Find out more about Because Football:
https://www.youtube.com/@BecauseFootball_
https://www.linkedin.com/in/baggaleyandrew/
https://www.instagram.com/becausefootball_/

...more
51min
September 15, 2023 What It's Like to be a SUPER FAN and visit 90 stadiums in 19 countries
Welcome to Episode 11 of the Because Football Podcast presented by Transform Soccer.
Our guest is Jessica Malone, a Soccer SUPER FAN who has visited 90 stadiums in 19 countries and attended 4 FIFA World Cups! Jessica first got the soccer bug watching the 1999 Women's World Cup and attended a quarterfinal doubleheader - watching eventual hero Brandi Chastain score an own goal 5 minutes into the match - only to equalize off a corner kick before halftime.
Jessica grew up playing soccer in Pennsylvania, but her soccer fandom exploded to the next level in 2019, when she took a sabbatical from her job to travel the world, packing her itinerary with legendary stadiums, clubs, and players. Her dream was to watch Lionel Messi play (which she did twice in a week!) and after achieving that, she travelled through Europe, South, and Central America attending games.
Her travels have been documented by CNN, BBC, Howler, and numerous soccer blogs. As a member of the US Soccer Fan Council, her trip to watch a US Men's National Team match in the UK was featured on US Soccer's YouTube Channel. She also attended the 2018 World Cup in Russia, as well as 2019 in France and, most recently 2023 in New Zealand and Australia.
Jessica's travels have given her a unique outlook on gameday experiences, and she shares her insight on this podcast. She shares poignant observations about soccer's need to be more inclusive and the bureaucratic challenges that women's soccer has faced despite fantastic on-field performances. Viewers of this episode may leave with a new perspective on their own gameday experiences and thoughts about how the beautiful game can change to become a better home for everyone who loves it.
You can learn more about Jessica and follow her travels on her Instagram:
Instagram @SoccerSabbatical
Find out more about our Transform Soccer programs here:
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
...more
53min

FAQs about Because Football:

How many episodes does Because Football have?

The podcast currently has 115 episodes available.