It’s the international break in men’s football and that means only one thing… mailbag time!

We’re going to answer your questions on all sorts — iPads, subs, mavericks and more!

Host: Michael Bailey

With: Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme

Producer: Mike Stavrou & Paul Iliffe

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we’ll tell you why Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system he insists on using at Manchester United, isn’t functioning.

And we’ll look at other examples of managers who seem wedded to just one system - can that approach really work?

Host: Michael Bailey

With: Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme

Producer: Mike Stavrou

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we’re charting the journey from academy to first team football.

What are the main tactical challenges in making the jump, and how has the transition changed over time?

Host: Michael Bailey

With: Mark Carey and Liam Tharme

Producer: Mike Stavrou

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One week of the Premier League season down, 37 to go.

And today we’re asking whether the English top flight has gone old school… with more long throw-ins than ever, “proper” No.9s and promoted sides threatening to be competitive…

Host: Michael Bailey

With: Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme

Producer: Mike Stavrou

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast. 

We’re kickstarting the new season with our big Premier League preview show.

We’ll analyse the key tactical talking points, managerial changes and the new entrants to the English top flight.

Host: Michael Bailey

With: Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme

Producer: Mike Stavrou

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On episode five of Football Architects we look at how England changed their fortunes from tournament failures to final makers - and in the women's case, winners. Hear from the man who brought about the culture change and brought back pride to the Three Lions.

Every episode will also have a written piece on the website, which we will link here

Host: Michael Bailey

With: Jacob Whitehead and Liam Tharme

Producer: Mike Stavrou and Abi Paterson

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On episode four of Football Architects, we hear from the architects of the data world, who have worked for the biggest football clubs in England.

Every episode will also have a written piece on the website, which we will link below.

Host: Michael Bailey

With: Jacob Whitehead and Mark Carey

Producer: Mike Stavrou

https://pod.fo/e/2fe33b 

https://pod.fo/e/2fe34e 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On episode three of Football Architects, we’re focusing on international football's great over-performers, Croatia.

We’ll hear from Romeo Jozak, the former academy head and technical director of Dinamo Zagreb and technical director of Croatia from 2013-17.

Every episode will also have a written piece on the website, which we will link below.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6445372/2025/07/17/football-architects-croatia-football-overperformers

Host: Michael Bailey

With: Jacob Whitehead and Juraj Vrdoljak

Producer: Mike Stavrou

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On episode two of Football Architects, we’re focusing on the rise that took a stagnant Belgium to number one in FIFA’s world rankings.

We’ll hear about how they established a footballing DNA, and created a team of legendary players such as Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, and many more. 

Every episode will also have a written piece on the website, which we will link below.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6445749/2025/07/10/football-architects-inside-belgium-rise-world-number-one/

Host: Michael Bailey

With: Jacob Whitehead and Liam Tharme

Producer: Mike Stavrou

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Football Architects - a summer series for The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast. 

Over the next five weeks, we’ll tell the stories of esteemed footballing nations and clubs, speaking to the unsung heroes who changed history.

Today’s episode is focused on Ajax’s rebirth and how the club was rebuilt in the image of legendary figure Johan Cruyff.

Host Michael Bailey will be joined by The Athletic’s Jacob Whitehead and a number of our tactics writers. We’ll also be hearing excerpts of Jacob's interviews with key figures who were at the forefront of these projects.

On this episode, we hear from Ruben Jongkind, former head of talent development at Ajax, and the club’s former head talent recruitment, Jasper van Leeuwen.

Every episode will also have a written piece on the website, which we will link below.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6445365/2025/07/03/football-architects-rebuilding-ajax-johan-cruyff/

Host: Michael Bailey

With: Jacob Whitehead and Liam Tharme

Producer: Mike Stavrou

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.