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This is our third and final instalment in our mini series on maverick footballers - the guys who have created so many happy memories for all us football fans.If you’re into Celtic then you will probably never forget some of the special moments Shunsuke Nakamura gave to you. In this clip show, Gordon Strachan talks about all the work behind the scenes which caused that magic.Similarly, Evertonians adore Duncan Ferguson, and David Moyes explains what the big Number 9 had to offer on his return to Goodison.Also, if you are an Ipswich fan of a certain vintage, the name of Kevin Beattie may take your breath away. He is a unique character in English football and Terry Butcher describes how his former team-mate could have been one of the all-time greats on the pitch… and the running track.Finally, Tino Asprilla has often been accused of costing Newcastle United the Premier League title under Kevin Keegan. But Peter Beardsley delivers a retort in this podcast.Enjoy!

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At the end of our live Big Interview with Alex McLeish, the former Scotland manager was gracious enough to stick around and answer questions from the audience, and we bring you that Q&A here as a special bonus feature.Alex tells the story of Alex Ferguson’s attempt to orchestrate a move to bring the defender from Aberdeen to Old Trafford, and how the Manchester United manager had a hand in discouraging bids from other English clubs.Ferguson was also aware of the importance of fitness and Alex explains how that manifest during his time at Aberdeen, as well as giving his own views on the importance of recruiting experts to help ensure players at the their physical peak.And he talks about his decision to step down as Scotland manager and what lies ahead in his career, while also telling one of the greatest anecdotes you’re likely to hear: when Socrates showed Gordon Strachan how a Brazilian takes a drugs test.Enjoy!

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We recorded this Big Interview with Alex McLeish live during the Aye Write book festival in Glasgow and, in part two, we leaf through the chapter of his management career marked player recruitment.We learn how close Alex came to bringing a certain Andres Iniesta to Rangers on loan, and the repercussions his enquiry had at the Camp Nou. Alex also explains how he was urged by his sons to sign Lionel Messi after they discovered the teenage prodigy while playing Football Manager.His time in charge at Ibrox taught Alex a great deal about signing players, something which he did not find easy to do at Birmingham City, where he worked under owners who required “sugar” when it came to agreeing transfers.Alex also reveals his passion for film - from sneaking into a cinema to watch Clockwork Orange at the age of 12, to being invited by Irvine Welsh to attend the world premiere of Trainspotting 2.Choose life. Choose to listen to this Big Interview.Enjoy!

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It was a great privilege to have Alex McLeish, a real hero of mine, as the guest for the second ever live Big Interview, which we recorded at the Aye Write book festival in Glasgow.It was also my good fortune for the event to fall the day after Barcelona pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in football history - wiping out a 4-0 first-leg defeat by winning 6-1 at the Camp Nou in a truly incredible Champions League match.I couldn’t pass up on the opportunity to ask Alex to give his take on that game for the first part of this podcast and uncover what it is that allows the best players to win, and keep winning.Alex then took us back to his formative years as a footballer; the constructive criticism from his father, playing games constantly at a local field and, later, training with his Aberdeen team-mates in the car park opposite Pittodrie.The Dons, of course, feature heavily in this interview and Alex talks about the success he enjoyed at the club, including how they got the better of Bayern...

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Johan Cruyff is the single most important man in the history of professional football; as a player, coach, director of football, thinker, philosopher, nobody come else comes close.His influence spans generations and is responsible for the era-defining football which I have been watching at the Camp Nou over the past decade.We have dedicated our latest clip show to the memory of this football icon, with David Moyes and Charlie Nicholas both featuring in a little section we call ‘the mystery of Cruyff’s shirt’.That detective story is set in the 1982 European Cup and a tie between Celtic and Ajax, after which David and Charlie each think they have the great Cruyff’s jersey. But who really got their hands on the prized shirt?And there is Jody Morris, who we spoke to on the day that Cruyff passed away. It was an emotional 24 hours, Jody giving an eloquent account of how the Dutchman had influenced his football philosophy.Enjoy!

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Peter Crouch is a footballer I genuinely love to see out on the pitch. He plays with a technical ability and a sense of fun which is always a joy to watch.But don’t just take my word for it. A young Pep Guardiola - before he became the Pep Guardiola - also saw something special in Peter and wrote a sort of love letter to the striker in 2006; referencing his skill, his awareness and his desire to play for the team.Peter really does have so much more than a good touch for a big man. In this Big Interview we discover a childhood spent learning the game under the Coerver Method, perfecting skills named after the players who made them famous.His appetite for practice and repetition has also allowed him to score some truly remarkable goals during his career - and Peter recalls some of his best strikes.He also reveals an admiration for Italian football, an ambition to play abroad and, of course, Peter explains the ‘Stoke effect’ - what it is and why it unnerves teams like Arsenal so much.Enjoy!

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You’ll all have your opinions on how our guests would rank in terms of footballing ability in their prime. I happen to think that we have talked to some who are hall of famers in any company but, occasionally, a name will come up which causes them to draw breath.This collection is dedicated to the moments when we got to talk about one of the all-time greats, sometimes with someone who had a unique angle from which to examine those special talents.Graeme Souness and Peter Beardsley talk about Lionel Messi, as does Gary Neville - a man whose job it is to find new ways to describe what it is that this genius does.Paul Clement worked closely with Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid and provides an insight into the work ethic of the Portuguese, while Harry Redknapp recalls how Gareth Bale was transformed into an international superstar.Darren Fletcher then talks about Wayne Rooney, while Kevin Bridges and Charlie Nicholas discuss two Celtic greats, Henrik Larsson and Danny McGrain, respectively. Joe Jordan...

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Chris Sutton had the pick of every top team in England in 1994, but it was upwardly mobile Blackburn Rovers that took him from Norwich for a British record transfer fee of £5 million.What happened next would become one of the most epic tales in Premier League history. Paired with Alan Shearer in the famous SAS partnership, Chris helped Blackburn win the 1994/95 league title ahead of Manchester United.Here, Chris breaks down the twists and turns of that dramatic campaign; Shearer’s ruthlessness in front of goal; and Kenny Dalglish’s unshakeable confidence when the squad looked as though they might throw it all away.Chris also discusses the character in that Blackburn side - a team which included Tim Sherwood, Graeme Le Saux and Tim Flowers - which dragged them over the line eventually.Enjoy!

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If things had turned out a little differently for Chris Sutton, he would have ended up pushing pens and paperclips at Norfolk County Council instead of terrorising defenders in Scotland and England for over a decade.Chris uses the word “character” a lot and, in this Big Interview, we explore how his was forged - from an initial rejection from Norwich City to his dad’s boot camp approach to physical fitness.We also discuss his experiences as a promising young cricketer and his particularly uncompromising youth team coach at Norwich.There are stories about Sri Lankan cricketer Ravi Pushpakumara and Andy Theodosiou’s brutal tackles. Chris also explains how to mark Alan Shearer as a centre-half and why he would not want Efan Ekoku in his five-a-side team.This is a side to Chris Sutton that not many people have heard before.Enjoy!

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This compilation show is about how teams bond - a key element of almost every winning side that I’ve reported on and one which, I think, sometimes gets overlooked.We do not start on the pitch but in the studio, as Charlie Nicholas tells us that Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday show depends on camaraderie as much as any dressing room he was a part of.We also go sheep herding with Eddie Howe and play video games with Havoc, better known as Michael Carrick.Gordon Strachan explains that the team that wins together does not necessarily have to drink together, while Michael O’Neill describes how he created the team spirit in his Northern Ireland squad.And there is Peter Beardsley, who takes us to the race course as he relives an unconventional warm up routine ahead of an FA Cup match.Enjoy!

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