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Hola!

Last season, our Socios at patreon.com/grahamhunter got an exclusive interview with Charlie Adam. For the first time, here’s the full episode.

Charlie was brought up on a Dundee housing estate where he honed his skills by kicking a ball relentlessly at bin recesses and between washing poles. Charlie speaks about the early influence of his beloved late father, who taught him a work ethic and a relentless will to win. It all paid off because Rangers came calling.

As an Ibrox youth he champed at the bit, trying outrageous stuff on the training field or sneaking in to watch the first team prepare. He was always watching, learning, visualising, plotting. To this day he is able to vividly describe his artistry in detail, how he precisely strikes the ball. For example, he relates how on earth he managed to score a goal for Stoke City at Chelsea from inside his own half.

Part two coming soon.

Graham

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Jamie Carragher never enjoyed international tournaments and wonders if England puts too much into its club game – which is a matter life and death – instead of valuing national side’s endeavours more.

Also in part two, he describes the 1999 Champions League final between Manchester United and Bayern Munich, and argues that David Beckham’s performance that night – and his talents in general – are undersold.

We chat about Liverpool’s incredible 4-0 trouncing of Barcelona last year in the Champions League semi. Jamie says that Jurgen Klopp makes players believe that they can do anything.

Lastly we talk about Xavi, the player Jamie most admires because he had such a quick footballing brain. He took charge of a game and told others what to do.

Thanks Jamie, that was sheer class.

Graham

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Jamie Carragher’s new book The Greatest Games documents the best matches he has experienced as a player and as a spectator. He played in a few crackers, not least the 2005 ‘Miracle of Istanbul’ when Liverpool came back from the dead against AC Milan in the Champions League final.

As a pundit, Jamie employs the same exacting standards he applied to his long and auspicious career as an Anfield defender. He has to, because supporters are incredibly well informed and analytically astute these days. And Jamie wants to ask why a manager makes a decision rather than just lobbing criticism.

We chat about Jamie’s time playing for England under Sven-Göran Eriksson. Sven picked the safest options and didn’t impart anything new. His coaching was very basic. Yet British players are too loath to criticise. Former Liverpool coach Pepe Reina once told Jamie and Steven Gerrard that he was surprised that they and other senior pros were so humble and silent.

Enjoy

Graham

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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

Welcome to our Big Interview Icons series where we shine a light on a legend whose name has lit up some of the conversations I’ve had with my guests over the last six years of The Big Interview. This episode focuses on Zinedine Zidane.

Former Bayern Munich and Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves talks about what struck him most when he first played against his hero: he was very quiet, and a tackle with him was like colliding with a brick wall.

Jimmy Bullard admired Zidane so much that he even wore his boots and shorts like him. In fact, on one occasion the tightness of his shorts was such that it impeded him from scoring an easy goal for Wigan!

Next up is Steve McManaman, who speaks about how Zizou endured a frustrating start at Real Madrid. Then came the 2002 Champions League final win over Bayer Leverkusen, and nobody doubted the great man after it.

Lastly we hear from former Real president Ramón Calderón, who says how promoting Zinedine from the position of reserve team coach to the biggest role in club football management was a risk that paid off.

Enjoy.

Graham

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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

Here’s another chance to hear my interview with Terry Gibson from season three.

I know Terry well from covering Spanish football over the years, and I find him to be one of the most engaging, funny and astute analysts of the game.

He recounts honestly what it felt like to depart Tottenham, the club he has always loved and who he felt had treated him shabbily. There’s great stuff about his only career hat-trick – for Coventry against the mighty Liverpool, and just how lax Ron Atkinson’s regime was at Manchester United. Alex Ferguson was the new broom and Terry and Fergie soon fell out. Terry withdrew his initial threat to quit football, telling the great manager: I’ll be back to score against you and to win a trophy. He made good on both promises, and the second one was fulfilled when Wimbledon lifted the 1988 FA Cup.

Take it away, Terry.

Graham

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Author Daniel Gray and photographer Alan McCredie toured Scotland collecting pictures and that form a charming and true portrait of football in that country, from a European night at Ibrox to the Highland League.

This is Martin's conversation with Daniel about how he and Alan found their subjects and what he learned from his travels.

Find out more about Snapshot and Nutmeg, the Scottish football periodical that Martin and Daniel mention, here.

And please also check out the new BackPage title on Liverpool's Premier League campaign, At The End Of The Storm

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As part of the post-Kobe earthquake rebuilding job Stuart Baxter was allowed to sign Danish superstar Michael Laudrup. They gained promotion but the experience drained him of every ounce of energy.

Stuart speaks of his love of South African football, especially at Kaizer Chiefs where he won the double in his first season. Fate seems to have stood in the way of him making it big in Blighty. Circumstances denied him key roles at Manchester United and Celtic, but he had the honour of working with Hoops legend Henrik ‘Henke’ Larsson when they were both at Helsingborgs. He brokered Henke’s loan deal to Manchester United where Sir Alex Ferguson adored him.

This is a fascinating Big Interview. Just fascinating.

Graham

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If there is a more interesting, well-travelled coach in modern football than my pal Stuart Baxter then I’ve yet to meet him.

Stuart’s dedication to karate was good preparation for an early brush with the rants of legendary Dundee United manager Wee Jim McLean and for the high demands of the passionate fans of AIK. As manager, he made AIK Swedish league champions again and became a hero of the ‘Black Army’ ultras. Stuart loved his spells in Japan, but his first time managing Kobe coincided with the city’s devastating earthquake. Stuart stuck around to help rebuild.

Good for you, Stuart.

Graham

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Here's part two of the Q & A, with Qs from our beloved socios and As from Graham and our special guest, Pete Jenson of La Liga television.

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Hola

This is a brilliant episode of our monthly Q and A show featuring my old mucker, Pete Jenson, who reports on Spanish football for the Daily Mail and La Liga TV.

Barca, Madrid, Atleti, La Real and more.

Enjoy

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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