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Sports Journey Podcast
By Christos PapadimitriouSports
Sports Journey Podcast episodes
- Dr Erkut Sogut: «Every contract is a new brain operation»Dr. Erkut Sogut is a renowned sports lawyer, player agent, professor of sports law and management, and author. He is the founder of GROW, a leading player representation agency, and is best known for representing Mesut Özil, including his high-profile transfer to Arsenal. Today, Dr. Sogut runs the Erkut Sogut Academy, a sports-education company dedicated to training and mentoring aspiring player agents. He also shares valuable insights and guidance for future football agents on his YouTube channel, DrErkutSogut.
Topics:
00:00 Intro01:20 How I found out about Dr. Erkut
03:38 Why choose Sports Law in the first place?
05:23 How did you end up becoming an agent?
09:01 How he created his agency GROW
13:03 What are the main points an agent needs to be aware of in a contract?
18:33 What was your biggest mistake?
19:38 Talking about his first transfer ever
21:23 Explaining step-by-step the transfer of Mesut Özil
25:28 Talking about what happens behind the scenes in transfers
32:00 Where is GROW today?
35:30 How do you attract success?
36:35 How do you approach young players if you believe in their talent?
39:13 How do you help footballers with life after sports?
43:09 His relationship with social media
46:06 A bad experience with paparazzi after a bad game for Arsenal
50:15 How do you balance your life as an agent, husband, and father?
56:20 Where you can find his books and online academy
01:00:08 Fire round
⚽ If you are an athlete or former athlete and you face a challenge during or after your career contact me here: https://podball.gr/en/product/session...📖 If you are an athlete, a parent of an athlete, a coach, a player representative or even someone interested in moving abroad get the "Winning Abroad" here: https://podball.gr/en/product/winning...✍️ Subscribe to our Newsletter to be the first to know about our next episodes: https://podball.gr/⬇️Check the website from Dr Erkut Sogut here:https://erkutsogut.com/⬇️Get his books here:https://bit.ly/3zaXWA3⬇️ Follow me on:Instagram - https://bit.ly/41WDFrITik Tok - https://bit.ly/3Ss8amtLinkedin - https://bit.ly/420W3zW🎥 Leonidas Loggidis1 hr 7 min - Andreas Ivanschitz: «As a young captain I had to do things which I shouldn't»✍️ Subscribe to our channel @PodballShowMy guest for today is Andreas Ivanschitz. Andreas made his debut for Rapid Vienna as the youngest player ever. Three years later, he was nominated as the captain of the Austrian national team by Hans Krankl. In this podcast episode, he talks about his transfer to RB Salzburg, which didn't go as planned but led him to FC Panathinaikos, where he spent four amazing years. He also discusses what it was like to play in the Bundesliga for FC Mainz under Thomas Tuchel and achieving his biggest dream of playing in La Liga. During this period, he played against FC Barcelona with Messi and FC Real Madrid with Cristiano Ronaldo. He also shares his thoughts on one of his greatest achievements: leading the Austrian national team as captain in Euro 2008. Today, Andreas is the Sporting Director of First Vienna, the oldest club in Austria.Topics:00:00 Intro00:55 Talking about being the Sporting Director of First Vienna07:19 Discussing his debut for SK Rapid Vienna and being appointed captain of the Austrian national team10:35 How did you handle the pressure of being a captain at such a young age?12:02 What does Rapid Vienna mean to you?16:08 Discussing his transfer to RB Salzburg18:43 How was it for you to play for FC Panathinaikos?23:39 Would you have done anything differently to ensure a title for FC Panathinaikos?24:44 How did it feel not being in the plans for FC Panathinaikos?28:22 Playing for FC Mainz in the Bundesliga under Thomas Tuchel29:49 Thomas Tuchel was a special coach31:43 My best memory at FC Mainz was scoring against FC Bayern32:28 How did you deal with the pressure of social media?34:24 My biggest dream was to play in La Liga36:30 How was it to play against Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo?39:50 Who was the strongest opponent you played against?40:29 His experience playing in the USA for Seattle Sounders FC43:18 The importance of always having his family with him44:08 His kids following in his footsteps in football46:00 How he supports his kids playing football46:58 How was it to lead Austria as a captain in Euro 2008?48:45 Have you ever questioned your abilities as a player?50:10 How important is the mental aspect of the game to you?52:35 What has life taught you about success?55:23 Fire round⚽ If you are an athlete or former athlete and you face a challenge during or after your career contact me here: https://podball.gr/en/product/session...📖 If you are an athlete, a parent of an athlete, a coach, a player representative or even someone interested in moving abroad get the "Winning Abroad" here: https://podball.gr/en/product/winning...✍️ Subscribe to our Newsletter to be the first to know about our next episodes: https://podball.gr/⬇️ Follow:Instagram - https://bit.ly/41WDFrITik Tok - https://bit.ly/3Ss8amtLinkedin - https://bit.ly/420W3zW🎥 Leonidas Loggidis1 hr
- Dr. Max Pelka: «Elite athletes always find a detail to improve»
My guest on this episode is Dr. Max Pelka, a renowned Sports Psychologist with a fascinating journey. After taking a gap year to gain perspective, Max embarked on his academic path in Sports Psychology. He began his career working in the academies of Fortuna Düsseldorf and RB Leipzig, eventually joining the first team under the guidance of coach Ralf Rangnick. Two years later, Max took on a new challenge at Bayern Munich, working alongside Julian Nagelsmann. Today, he runs his own practice, where he helps athletes across various sports reach their full potential.
Topics:00:00 Intro01:16 Why he chose sports psychology04:03 What were the main challenges he encountered with young athletes05:10 Techniques for young athletes to balance school and their football dreams05:50 How Yamal navigates his different transitions at such a young age07:39 How to build self-belief as an athlete10:19 Reasons why some players are great in training but underperform during games11:57 How an athlete can manage to control the controllables during a football game15:15 How he helped young athletes handle the pressure of playing for RB Leipzig17:30 What his first thoughts were when entering the dressing room of Bayern Munich18:59 The different environments of RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich21:54 How he handles individuals who are obsessed with winning23:57 How he helps elite athletes like Neuer, Kimmich, and Lewandowski27:29 Working with two great minds: Ralf Rangnick and Julian Nagelsmann34:08 How he approaches players who are not in the first eleven40:44 How athletes should deal with social media44:26 Why he chose not to work for a football club anymore46:23 Fire round⚽ Click the link if you want to get in touch with Dr. Max Pelka here: https://www.drmaxpelka.de/📖 If you are an athlete, a parent of an athlete, a coach, a player representative or even someone interested in moving abroad get the "Winning Abroad" here: https://podball.gr/en/product/winning...✍️ Subscribe to our Newsletter to be the first to know about our next episodes: https://podball.gr/⬇️ Follow:Instagram - https://bit.ly/41WDFrITik Tok - https://bit.ly/3Ss8amtLinkedin - https://bit.ly/420W3zW🎥 Leonidas Loggidis51 min - James Holland: «Leadership is tough to find in today's world»My next guest is James Holland. James came to Europe to play for AZ Alkmaar when he was 19 years old. He was part of the last championship team with Austria Vienna in the 2012-2013 season. He has played in China and in the Second Bundesliga with FC Duisburg. He then moved back to Austria to play for LASK Linz, where he appeared 181 times for the club and participated in the Champions League. James is serving his second stint at Austria Vienna and is excited about what comes next.
Topics:
00:00 Intro01:38 Experiences and influences that shaped his character02:56 When did you decide that football was going to be your profession?03:47 The challenges he faced by moving abroad04:47 Advice for athletes who want to move abroad07:30 About winning the championship with FK Austria Vienna09:32 Qualifying for the Champions League with Austria Vienna for the first time in history11:02 Playing in big stadiums11:30 Playing for relegation with MSV Duisburg in the Second Bundesliga13:02 The lessons learned from playing for relegation16:55 About playing football in China21:42 Talking about his best and worst moments with LASK Linz26:13 About his leadership style28:01 Talking about this season so far with Austria Vienna30:13 Have you ever questioned yourself as an athlete?32:28 The importance of the mental aspect in football34:26 How do you prepare yourself mentally before a game?36:03 About representing Australia in the World Cup in Brazil40:23 Are you afraid of retiring from football?42:06 His hobbies outside of sports42:50 Where do you see yourself when you retire?43:36 Talking about his investments44:44 The advice he would give to himself if he were 18 years old again45:43 Fire round⚽ If you are an athlete or former athlete and you face a challenge during or after your career contact me here: https://podball.gr/en/product/session...📖 If you are an athlete, a parent of an athlete, a coach, a player representative or even someone interested in moving abroad get the "Winning Abroad" here: https://podball.gr/en/product/winning...✍️ Subscribe to our Newsletter to be the first to know about our next episodes: https://podball.gr/⬇️ Follow:Instagram - https://bit.ly/41WDFrITik Tok - https://bit.ly/3Ss8amtLinkedin - https://bit.ly/420W3zW🎥 Leonidas Loggidis48 min - Stefan Rakowitz: «To be the best you have to prove it in every game»
My next guest is Stefan Rakowitz. Stefan is a football player who has been promoted four times so far in his career. He has played 95 games in the third league, 148 games in the second league, and 70 games in the first league for TSV Hartberg, Wiener Neustadt, and FC Wacker Innsbruck. Rako is currently completing his bachelor's degree in Sports Management while still competing in the second league for SV Stripfing.
Topics:00:00 Intro01:30 Talking about being promoted 4 times in his career09:00 About his time in the first league with Wiener Neustadt10:41 About playing in the first league with Wacker Innsbruck15:41 His experience with TSV Hartberg in the first league18:16 How he managed a serious injury19:48 Advice for young athletes who want to play in the Austrian Bundesliga20:43 Have you ever questioned your abilities as a player?21:54 How do you change your perception and start believing in yourself again?22:50 How important is the mental aspect of the game to him?23:54 How he manages his performance if he has a bad start in a game24:56 Have you ever had support from a sports psychologist?25:45 Why do you think teams do not provide mental support to their players?26:30 How does Stefan Rakowitz prepare himself before a game?28:45 How he found his first club abroad32:35 His first days at Bahla Club in Oman34:51 Why did you only stay for 5 months at Bahla Club?37:35 Have thoughts about retiring crossed your mind?38:40 Did you use your free time outside of sports to prepare yourself for life after sports?40:45 Did you take any initiatives to invest your money you earned from football?43:06 The advice he would give to himself if he were 18 years old again43:59 Fire round⚽ If you are an athlete or former athlete and you face a challenge during or after your career contact me here: https://podball.gr/en/product/session...📖 If you are an athlete, a parent of an athlete, a coach, a player representative or even someone interested in moving abroad get the "Winning Abroad" here: https://podball.gr/en/product/winning...✍ Subscribe to our Newsletter to be the first to know about our next episodes: https://podball.gr/⬇ Follow:
Instagram - https://bit.ly/41WDFrITik Tok - https://bit.ly/3Ss8amtLinkedin - https://bit.ly/420W3zW🎥 Leonidas Loggidis47 min - Markus Lackner: «Playing against FC Ajax in the Johan Cruyff Arena was the best feeling»
Markus played a total of 214 games in the Austrian Bundesliga. He wore the jerseys of FC Flyeralarm Admira, SK Sturm Graz, and SV Ried in the first league. His biggest achievement was playing in Johan Cruyff Arena against AFC Ajax. His worst moment during his career was relegating to the second league with SV Ried. Markus has completed his MBA and is currently pursuing his coaching license while also playing for SV Stripfing.
Topics:00:00 Intro01:00 Experiences and influences that shaped your character01:20 How do you build a strong mentality01:51 Why did you choose football02:41 What do you remember from your time at Admira's academy03:39 The importance of having the support of his family05:50 Playing for Admira for 159 games in Bundesliga06:51 What was your best moment and what was your worst during your time in Admira08:15 How was it for you to adapt in the culture of a big club like Sturm Graz09:40 His experience of playing in Johan Cruyff Arena against FC Ajax with 55.000 fans11:59 How did you deal with the injuries you had16:46 How you dealt with the fact that Sturm Graz didn't plan with you anymore17:28 How did the offer from SV Ried come about19:14 How did you believe in yourself when the coach didn't22:25 ''Relegating with SV Ried was the most difficult moment in my career''28:07 About SV Stripfing and its cooperation with FK Austria Vienna29:43 How did you prepare yourself for the life after sports33:40 The advice you would give to yourself if you were 18 years old again34:16 Fire round⚽ If you are an athlete or former athlete and you face a challenge during or after your career contact me here: https://podball.gr/en/product/session...📖 If you are an athlete, a parent of an athlete, a coach, a player representative or even someone interested in moving abroad get the "Winning Abroad" here: https://podball.gr/en/product/winning...✍ Subscribe to our Newsletter to be the first to know about our next episodes: https://podball.gr/⬇ Follow:
Instagram - https://bit.ly/41WDFrITik Tok - https://bit.ly/3Ss8amtLinkedin - https://bit.ly/420W3zW🎥 Leonidas Loggidis37 min - Christian Gartner: «Scoring against St. Pauli was the best moment of my career»
hristian Gartner played for SV Mattersburg before moving to Germany to play for Fortuna Düsseldorf and MSV Duisburg. Playing in front of 55,000 fans in Cologne and scoring against St. Pauli were his best moments. One thing he regrets during his career is his injuries. Christian is a great example of an athlete who doesn't give up. In a game for SV Stripfing against SV Lafnitz, he tore his ACL for the third time. Now, he is working on his comeback while trying to complete his bachelor's degree in Sports & Event Management.
Topics:00:00 Intro01:13 Why did you choose football01:47 How did you deal with all this pressure as one of the biggest talents in Austria02:36 Advice for young athletes03:42 How was it like to make your debut as one of the youngest players in Bundesliga05:01 How do you manage stress in front of a lot of fans05:23 Talking about the offer from FC Schalke 04 that never happened06:32 Talking about his dream of playing abroad08:03 How did the offer from Fortuna Dusseldorf come about09:16 The differences between Austrian and German football09:45 What was your best moment and what was your worst during your time in Düsseldorf13:01 Did you have a support system during your injuries14:10 How did you feel when they told you they wouldn't extend your contract17:24 How did you keep yourself fit and motivated when you were without a club18:13 What was your best moment and what was your worst during your time in Duisburg20:40 Did you do something with your free time while you were injured21:50 Getting my ACL torn during a trial on Wolfsberger AC23:56 How long did it take for you to return to your level25:03 Can a coach define a players' career27:20 How was your experience in Aalemania Aachen30:14 Coming to the 3rd Austrian league to play for SV Stripfing31:25 How was the experience of being promoted to the second league with SV Stripfing35:28 About the cooperation between Austria Vienna and SV Stripfing36:32 How do you come back from a 3rd ACL injury38:30 How does your rehabilitation look like39:02 Is it a good idea to have a Plan B and invest your free time for the life after sports39:46 How is your experience as a student42:15 The advice you would give to yourself if you were 18 years old again43:50 Fire round⚽ If you are an athlete or former athlete and you face a challenge during or after your career contact me here: https://podball.gr/en/product/session...📖 If you are an athlete, a parent of an athlete, a coach, a player representative or even someone interested in moving abroad get the "Winning Abroad" here: https://podball.gr/en/product/winning...✍ Subscribe to our Newsletter to be the first to know about our next episodes: https://podball.gr/⬇ Follow:Instagram - https://bit.ly/41WDFrITik Tok - https://bit.ly/3Ss8amtLinkedin - https://bit.ly/420W3zW🎥 Leonidas Loggidis47 min - Issiaka Ouédraogo: «I was in the 3rd floor and I wanted to jump»My guest for today is Issiaka Ouédraogo. Sako is another great athlete who played 207 games in the Austrian Bundesliga. During his time in the Bundesliga he scored 37 goals and provided 23 assists while playing for Admira Wacker, Wolfsberger AC and St. Pölten. Additionally, he proudly represented Burkina Faso, earning 23 caps for the national team.Topics:00:00 Intro01:35 How was football in Burkina Faso02:41 How he moved to Europe04:15 Explaining his two-week trial at RB Salzburg06:05 Being alone without family in Austria07:15 How he adapted in the team of Red Bull10:03 His time in SV Grödig11:44 ''My time in Admira was the best ever''14:19 How do you remember your first game in the Bundesliga16:12 ''I never asked my coach during my career why I don't play''16:34 What do you remember from your time at Wolfsberger AC18:07 The importance of having a coach who believed in me19:28 How do you build a good relationship with a coach?20:12 His transfer to Dubai for a transfer fee of 590.000 euros21:10 ''My experience in Dubai was 90% bad''24:26 How did you get release from a 3 year deal in Dubai30:11 What was your best time and what your worst in St Pölten35:50 Adapting to the lower leagues in Austria37:24 Balancing life while playing in the 4th league39:25 Have you thought about retiring from football?41:06 Is representing your country considered your biggest achievement?44:40 Playing against Aubameyang46:00 Playing against Algeria to qualify for the World Cup in front of 38,000 fans47:38 The advice you would give to yourself if you were 18 years old again48:27 Fire round⚽ If you are an athlete or former athlete and you face a challenge during or after your career contact me here: https://podball.gr/en/product/session...📖 If you are an athlete, a parent of an athlete, a coach, a player representative or even someone interested in moving abroad get the "Winning Abroad" here: https://podball.gr/en/product/winning...✍ Subscribe to our Newsletter to be the first to know about our next episodes: https://podball.gr/⬇ Follow:Instagram - https://bit.ly/41WDFrITik Tok - https://bit.ly/3Ss8amtLinkedin - https://bit.ly/420W3zW🎥 Leonidas Loggidis51 min
- Wilfried Domoraud: «People said I'd never be the same player again»My guest for today is Wilfried Domoraud. Wilfried is a professional football player who played in various countries including France, England, Austria, Dubai, Denmark and Malta where he became champion. Today, he is 35 years old competing in the 3rd league of Austria.Topics:00:00 Intro01:52 How was your pre-season with Mauerwerk?02:03 Your experiences and influences that shaped your character03:05 Why I Chose England to Play Football?03:52 On how you can perform at your best in a trial04:46 Main Challenges Compared to French Football06:34 Why I moved to Austria?08:45 "My debut in the first austrian League."11:01 "Coping with My Most Serious Injury."14:34 Signing a contract for Admira Wacker15:37 How did you believe on yourself when the coach gave up?18:47 What do you remember from your time in Admira?19:54 Signing a contract in the french 2. League21:52 How was your life in Dubai?25:30 How was the owner of the club in Dubai?27:52 How do you manage the agents?30:01 Signing a professional contract in Denmark31:10 ''My second worst injury in my career''32:32 How do you control these external voices?33:53 Going Clubless for 3 Months.35:35 How I ended up signing in a club in Malta37:20 Playing in the Conference League38:15 Becoming champion in the first league of Malta39:34 Advice for athletes on adapting quickly to a new country41:20 How do you become mentally strong as an athlete?42:33 Fighting for relegation for FC Mauerwerk43:34 Have you considered retiring from sports?45:25 The advice you would give to yourself if you were 18 years old again46:17 Fire round⚽ If you are an athlete or former athlete and you face a challenge during or after your career contact me here: https://podball.gr/en/product/session...📖 If you are an athlete, a parent of an athlete, a coach, a player representative or even someone interested in moving abroad get the "Winning Abroad" here: https://podball.gr/en/product/winning...✍ Subscribe to our Newsletter to be the first to know about our next episodes: https://podball.gr/⬇ Follow:Instagram - https://bit.ly/41WDFrITik Tok - https://bit.ly/3Ss8amtLinkedin - https://bit.ly/420W3zW🎥 Leonidas Loggidis49 min
- Dr. Max Pelka: «Elite athletes always find a detail to improve»My next guest on this episode is Dr. Max Pelka, a renowned Sports Psychologist with a fascinating journey. After taking a gap year to gain perspective, Max embarked on his academic path in Sports Psychology. He began his career working in the academies of Fortuna Düsseldorf and RB Leipzig, eventually joining the first team under the guidance of coach Ralf Rangnick. Two years later, Max took on a new challenge at Bayern Munich, working alongside Julian Nagelsmann. Today, he runs his own practice, where he helps athletes across various sports reach their full potential.Topics:00:00 Intro01:16 Why he chose sports psychology04:03 What were the main challenges he encountered with young athletes05:10 Techniques for young athletes to balance school and their football dreams05:50 How Yamal navigates his different transitions at such a young age07:39 How to build self-belief as an athlete10:19 Reasons why some players are great in training but underperform during games11:57 How an athlete can manage to control the controllables during a football game15:15 How he helped young athletes handle the pressure of playing for RB Leipzig17:30 What his first thoughts were when entering the dressing room of Bayern Munich18:59 The different environments of RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich21:54 How he handles individuals who are obsessed with winning23:57 How he helps elite athletes like Neuer, Kimmich, and Lewandowski27:29 Working with two great minds: Ralf Rangnick and Julian Nagelsmann34:08 How he approaches players who are not in the first eleven40:44 How athletes should deal with social media44:26 Why he chose not to work for a football club anymore46:23 Fire round⚽ Click the link if you want to get in touch with Dr. Max Pelka here: https://www.drmaxpelka.de/📖 If you are an athlete, a parent of an athlete, a coach, a player representative or even someone interested in moving abroad get the "Winning Abroad" here: https://podball.gr/en/product/winning...✍️ Subscribe to our Newsletter to be the first to know about our next episodes: https://podball.gr/⬇️ Follow:Instagram - https://bit.ly/41WDFrITik Tok - https://bit.ly/3Ss8amtLinkedin - https://bit.ly/420W3zW🎥 Leonidas Loggidis51 min
About Sports Journey Podcast
From the publisher's feed
Welcome to the Sports Journey Podcast! 🎙️
The destination for athletes seeking inspiration, guidance, and real-world advice from professional athletes and industry experts.
I'm Christos, a former professional footballer now working for VdF - Die Spielervereinigung, the Austrian professional footballers’ union and a member of FIFPRO.
On this channel, I interview professional athletes and industry experts in both English and German, making their stories accessible to a wider audience. Through these conversations, I share their inspiring journeys, experiences,