Hitting The Areas

The boys are back!! It has been a long time coming! After a short hiatus, the boys return to the studio to review the 1st series and to preview the 2nd series. 

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Twitter: @HittingAreasPod

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Jamie and Richard have their biggest interview yet! In this episode the boys interview current Portland Thorns Head Coach and soon to be Netherlands National side Manager* Mark Parsons.

A huge guest for the podcast and a must for any coaches or managers out there! The boys chat to Mark about his time in England at Chelsea Football Club where he started his coaching journey before venturing to the U.S.

Mark talks us through how he took the opportunities that made him a future FIFA manager of the year nominee. His time at Washington Spirit was his big break before moving to Providence Park, home to NWSL Portland Thorns and MLS Portland Timbers. 

Richard and Jamie hear about the host of international stars that Mark has coached, some of the biggest stars in the world of Women's soccer. They hear about big the National Women's Soccer League is and US Soccer.

Finally, Mark tells the boys what his average day is like which is a mind blowing insight into the world of an Elite Manager. 

*This podcast was recorded prior to Mark being announced as Netherlands Manager.

We have spoken to Mark since and wished him all the best with the Netherlands Job. 

Twitter: @HittingAreasPod

Twitter: @mparsons_1

Instagram: @hittingtheareaspodcast

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In this week's episode, we return to the women's game with another big guest. Jamie and Richard chat with Malta International and Lazio defender Emma Lipman. 

Born in England, Emma has had a brilliant career playing for some of England's biggest clubs from Leeds United to Manchester City alongside England Internationals Jill Scott and Steph Houghton to name a few. 

Emma, moved to Italy to Seria A with Hellas Verona before moving on to bigger Serie A sides Florentia San Gimignano Società Sportiva Dilettantistica and AS Roma. Emma now plays her trade at AS Roma rivals Lazio in Serie B who have just won promotion to Serie A. 

Emma has now gone on to represent Malta at national level, the boys hear how that came to fruition. Jamie and Richard start from the very beginning of Emma's career at the first point of a girl looking to play football at a very young age and all the way through her career to what Emma would like to do after she hangs her boots up.

Twitter: @HittingAreasPod

Twitter: @emmalippo08

Instagram: @hittingtheareapodcast

Instagram: @emma_lipman02 

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A huge guest for episode 14! The boys pulled this one out of the bag. Richard and Jamie spoke with Pete Couhig, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Wycombe Wanderers Football Club. 

The boys speak with Pete about his career before being part of the ownership team at Wycombe, how the investors came to hear of Wycombe and why a League 1 (at the time) football club in England? 

This is a fascinating insight into the purchase of a football club and the day to day operations of a COO and CFO at a football club. We discuss working with the brilliant Gareth Ainsworth and what kind of relation the COO has with the Football Manager and the playing side of the football club.

A not to be missed rare interview with part of the ownership of a professional football club in England. 

*This interview was recording at the very end of March 2021. 

Twitter: @petecouhig

Twitter: @HittingAreasPod

Instagram: @hittingtheareaspodcast

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In Part 2 of our interview with Hemel Hempstead Town Assistant Manager Steve Bateman, the boys speak with Steve about his successful management career. Steve went on to manage Chesham United, Slough Town, Aylesbury FC and two stints at Berkhamsted FC formerly Berkhamsted Town. 

Steve took Berkhamsted Town to the Final of the FA Vase where they eventually lost to Taunton Town at Villa Park, Aston Villa Football Club. We learn about the days running up to the game and the huge backlog of fixtures as a result of getting to the final and bad weather that season. 

The boys learn how Steve got into management and what it is like now to be a number two under Lee Bircham at Hemel Hempstead Town.

Twitter: @HittingAreasPod

@Batesy220465

Instagram: @HittingTheAreasPodcast

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This week Jamie and Richard chat with current Hemel Hempstead Town Assistant Manager Steve Bateman. In part 1, the boys chat with Steve about his playing career (or war stories as his current players allude to) where he started at Everton Football Club. Steve played with many Everton legends at the time from Andy Gray to Kevin Ratcliffe to Peter Reid. 

Steve goes on to tell the lads about his career further down the ladder and why he went into non-league football and closer to home with Harrow Borough, Hendon FC, Chesham United and Slough Town. 

Steve was a fantastic guest with some great tales from his Everton days from who he roomed with in digs, who took him under his wing whilst on Merseyside and what he learnt from the great players around him on the training field.

Look out for Part 2 on Friday when we talk to Steve about his successful management career.

Twitter: @HittingAreasPod

@batesy220465

Instagram: @HittingTheAreasPodcast

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We carry on our conversation with former AFC Wimbledon Captain Steven Gregory but this time we speak to Steve about his career after football and his very successful business which is a boutique gym in Buckinghamshire called FITLIFE. We carry on the conversation where we left of from Part 1 about his second meeting with former Oxford United boss Michael Appleton.

The boys also speak to Steve about his highly recommended FITLIFE podcast where Steve speaks to people from all walks of life about fitness and health. Steve continues to talk about the importance of healthy living and the vital important of exercise and why it should be a main priority in life. Steve gives his tips on motivation and how to centre you life around healthy living.

Twitter: @HittingAreasPod

Instagram: fitlife.steve

Instagram: fitlife_uk

Instagram: hittingtheareaspodcast

Spotify: The Fitlife Podcast

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Part 1 of our chat with ex-professional footballer Steven Gregory. Steve's story is fascinating. The boys speak to Steve about his professional career, his YTS days at Oxford & Wycombe Wanderers and his non-league days at Hayes and Yeading & AFC Wimbledon. 

This is an all access areas chat with Steve about the behind the scenes of a professional footballer from football initiations as a YTS, how brutal and how close to the line things got, to the amount of money kicking about and how much Steve was earning in league football and all the in-betweens. 

Steve talks about how he ended up falling out of love with the game and eventually hating playing professional football. One of our most open chats so far we have had and some great stories about the managers (including Mad dog - Martin Allen) he has played under. 

Part 2 we will be released later this week where we talk about Steve's successful career after football with his gym 'FITLIFE', his healthy lifestyle advice and his motivational tips. 

Twitter: @HittingAreasPod

Instagram: fitlife.steve

Instagram: fitlife_uk

Instagram: hittingtheareaspodcast

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Episode 11 and the boys chat with journalist, presenter and commentator Ollie Bayliss. As spoken about in the podcast, Ollie has been a popular man of late. His updates on twitter and facebook regarding non-league football get a lot of hits. What Ollie does not know is not worth knowing you could say!

Ollie is also a BBC journalist and commentator for BBC Three Counties Radio. Richard and Jamie talk to Ollie about the skill of commentating and how difficult it is. Ollie also hosts a non-league football radio show every Sunday afternoon on BBC Three Counties, a popular show with guests from the world of non-league football in the Bucks, Herts, and Beds region. 

The boys discuss Ollie's career so far and where he would like to see himself in the future. They also ask the all important non-league questions of best ground visited and where is the best food in non-league?

Twitter: @Ollie_Bayliss

Instagram - @ollie_bayliss

Twitter: @HittingAreasPod

Instagram: @hittingtheareaspodcast

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The boys decided to do a fan edition in this episode. Being Spurs fans and Tottenham being in the League Cup Final at the weekend, the boys invited some Tottenham Hotspur season ticket holders and friends on to the podcast to discuss the breaking news of Jose Mourinho's sacking, thoughts on his successor, the awful European Super League news and finally their predictions for the Final. 

Twitter: HittingAreasPod

@Abbi_summers

@aylesburyspurs

@ThisIs_TheShane

@davefreeman1908

Instagram: hittingtheareaspodcast

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