The Back Page

MUSIC and football. What else is there? Like football, music makes the world a happier place. So it was inevitable – essential, even – that The Big Interview would touch on music.Karaoke is one of my passions in life and a number of my guests have joined in on The Big Interview, taking the mic to reveal their go-to anthems. We have learned that Eddie Howe likes to belt out A-ha; Hermann Hreidarsson has all the moves to be a convincing Elvis impersonator; and Chris Waddle counts Mr Brightside and Billy Idol’s Rebel Yell among his karaoke repertoire.And there’s more, more, more. Chris talked about performing on Top of the Pops alongside Spurs team-mate Glenn Hoddle, winning over everyone who saw them. Except Morrissey.Music is part of football culture. It always has been and, hopefully, always will be. According to Jamie Carragher, Ring of Fire was the soundtrack to Liverpool’s Champions League win in 2005.Not every team has had such good taste, of course, and thanks to Paul Clement we now know...

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

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

SIGNING FOR Real Madrid would change everything for Steve McManaman. The move turned him into a league champion and Champions League winner, but it also transformed the way he played the game. In part two, McManaman talks about reinventing himself as a holding midfielder to better serve a team which included the likes of Luis Figo and Fernando Redondo - a player McManaman still considers a great, even though injury crippled the Argentine’s career. There is also an appreciation of the roles performed by Ronnie Whelan at Liverpool during the 80s, and Sergio Busquets in the current Barcelona side; fine support acts to some of the biggest stars in the game. Zinedine Zidane gets a mention, too, although not as you might expect. Listen to how this World Cup winner often looked lost during the early days of his Madrid career - before finding himself emphatically with a certain goal at Hampden - and why Claude Makelele was regarded as the most important player at the Bernabeu. When Makelele left it was the...

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

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

The four years that Steve McManaman spent at Real Madrid can be summed up in two Champions League wins, two league titles, and one remark from none other than Johan Cruyff, who described the Merseyside Madridista as “el socio del todos” - a partner to everyone on the pitch.McManaman would have needed the help of an interpreter to translate such an endorsement during his early days in Spain, but the language barrier was to prove no impediment to the Englishman as he settled in immediately at the Bernabeu. He showed courage on the ball and in a social setting, mixing a cocktail of beers and crude hand gestures during a pre-season trip in Austria to ingratiate himself to his new team-mates.In part one, McManaman talks about his ambition to leave Liverpool and play abroad, the unexpected challenges of joining one of the biggest club teams in the world, and the second home he discovered in a dressing room which was supposed to be in turmoil. Enjoy!

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

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

Don't be mis-sold by the picture, this is not a Big Interview with King Eric. But wouldn't that be wonderful? This is something new. The first in a series of clip shows where we look back over the first season of the podcast and find themes that a few of our guests talked about. This is about the mavericks. You'll hear Chris Waddle talk about what it takes to get fans out of their seats. Then several of our guests talk about two of the great icons of 90s football: Paul Gascoigne and Eric Cantona. There'll be another new guest on the podcast next week. But for now, I hope you enjoy this. There will be more coming soon.

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

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

This second part of my interview with Stiliyan Petrov features a brilliant breakdown on the way Martin O’Neill has repeatedly made a team perform beyond the sum of its parts. At Aston Villa, Petrov felt both the warm sunlight and the shade cast by his old boss. He also talks brilliantly about his year-long campaign to win back the trust and affection of the Villa fans, and where that journey took him and the team he would eventually captain.Then we get on to Stiliyan’s battle with leukaemia. He regrets that having worked so hard to “be somebody” as he puts it, his children now see him represented more for his illness and recovery than for his achievements on the football pitch. However, he also knows his story can offer support to others, and that he is in a position to materially affect the fight against cancer in this country. I had never met Stiliyan before this interview and I found him an inspiration. His description of what he went through, and how it gave him a new perspective on life, is...

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

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

Part one of this interview with Stiliyan Petrov – which is one of my favourites in this entire series – covers a lot of ground, from picking up rifle shell cases from the snow, to the dangers of not being close enough to Henrik Larsson when he wins a header. Not all of you may know that Stiliyan took an enforced break in the early years of his career as a pro to serve the Bulgarian army for 18 months. He tells it here, and connects the lessons he learned during that time with the footballer and the man he would become.At Celtic, he had to adapt to a new country and a new language. How he improved his English is a story matched by very few of the guests we have had on the podcast. So grab yourself a burger, and enjoy the first part of a fascinating interview with a remarkable man.

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

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

I FIRST interviewed Pablo Zabaleta at his tiny flat in the Manchester suburb of Didsbury years ago. A lot has happened since then. The Argentine has now made over 300 appearances for the club which he joined just before Sheikh Mansoor’s takeover in 2008. He also scored the forgotten goal of English football. 2012. Final game of the season. Edin Dzeko equalises against QPR in the 93rd minute. Then, “Aguerooooo” seals the title with the famous last minute strike. Pablo opened the scoring that day and told me that at half-time, with the score 1-0, he thought he’d be the “hero of the day, the hero of the city!”He is fascinating on those final few moments of the 2012 season, revealing how the injury-time news that QPR were safe changed everything in City’s favour and helped Aguero to claim his place in history. We cover a lot in this conversation, starting in 2005 at the Under-20 World Cup, which Argentina won. Zabaleta was captain and a little Argentinean kid called Leo Messi had joined up with the squad...

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

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

Pablo Zabaleta recalls the touchline shout from a member of the QPR coaching staff that defused Manchester City's dogged opponents on the final day of the 2011/2012 season, setting the table for Sergio Aguero's iconic title-winning goal. Listen to the full interview on iTunes, Acast, or at grahamhunter.tv.

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

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

Matt Le Tissier and Glenn Hoddle were both footballers of extraordinary technique but, in part two of this interview, Matt tells us how Glenn was the only manager he ever swore at during in his career. We hear about the intoxicating effects of relegation battles and the huge responsibility Matt felt for keeping the club in the top league. Ronnie Ekelund, Mauricio Pocchetino and Gareth Bale also pop up.EnjoyGraham

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

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

Matt Le Tissier was the ultimate Local Hero (great film, btw). He signed for Southampton at 16 and stayed for his whole career. His exquisite talents would have allowed him to grace a higher stage, but trophies and money were never his motivation. In part one, Matt talks about his End Blyton-esque childhood on Guernsey, his passion for cricket, the art of penalty-taking and scoring the last-ever goal at the Dell. Guys like Matt are a reminder of why we all love football so much. And I hope you enjoy this conversation with a legend of the British game as much as I did. GrahamThis episode was made possible by Nordoff Robins. We met Matt before Nordoff Robins’ annual football fundraising dinner in London. It’ s a charity we’ d like you to think about. Nordoff Robins offer music therapy to help children with a wide range of acute difficulties. As always, this podcast is free, but if you think this chat is worth £1 or more, please go to www.nordoff-robins.org.uk and hit ‘ donate’

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

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com