The Midfield Battle presented by awaydayz

Think about your favorite club. Now imagine the only players allowed to play for it had to be from the state, city, or region that it’s in. This is the case with Athletic Club de Bilbao, a club teeming with history, culture, and pride.

My conversation with John, a Cincinnati native and avid Athletic Club supporter, takes us over to the Basque region- an autonomous area in the north of Spain. John has spent years educating himself on the people and culture of Bilbao, culminating in multiple trips to the region including a 6 month stay during which he worked and studied.

John’s passion, love, and energy for the people of the Basque region are incredibly admirable. We recount many stories about his travels to Spain, learn about football’s synergistic relationship with the people of the region, and hear of a glorious 4-3 win that John was able to experience just a couple of weeks ago.

Huge thanks to John for coming on. As always, if you’re down to talk football, reach out, and let’s talk football!

awaydayz.com
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HOUR LONG SPECIAL!

Today, we welcome the "dirty double" of Henry Schwartz and Ethan Miracle. These two share an extraordinary bond forged through the trials and triumphs of playing side by side on the Denison University Men's soccer team, coupled with a lifelong devotion to Manchester United.

For Hank and Ethan, supporting United was never a matter of choice; it runs in their veins. From their earliest memories, each recalls sitting on the couch on Saturday mornings with family, passionately cheering on the Reds. Picture being a nine-year-old, crossing the pond to witness your favorite team in action at the peak of their powers!

During their time at Denison University, Ethan and Hank savored the sweet taste of victory on the pitch, securing an NCAC Conference championship in the most thrilling fashion.  We recount these memories that will surely last a lifetime.

Presently, the bond between Hank and Ethan only strengthens, evident in their recent joint ventures to watch their cherished team in action, accompanied by friends and family. Despite Manchester United's current challenges (a topic we passionately delve into), their passion and loyalty for the club remain unshaken.

Join us in our most significant episode to date as we delve into these stories and more—you won't want to miss out!

If we've ever talked football, reach out, and let's talk football!

Website: awaydayz.com
Instagram: @awaydayz_

Today, we are pleased to welcome Evan Brown, a current student at Denison University and a resident of Chicago. Football isn't just a hobby for Evan; it runs in his blood. His heritage hails from England and Germany, where family members passionately supported Liverpool FC and Bayern Munich, respectively.

Evan shares his exciting experiences from his study abroad in France last year, highlighting his attendance at several football matches. One standout event was 'Le Classique' between Marseille and PSG, where he had the unique opportunity to witness Lionel Messi live. Evan also made trips to Munich for a Bayern match and traveled up to Liverpool to support his favorite club. His time abroad was truly filled with memorable football moments.

Evan's passion for his football clubs is evident through his attendance at hundreds of professional matches. His wealth of experience makes him a valuable source of advice for first-time travelers and new fans of the game. We look forward to having Evan back soon to delve deeper into his travels and share more insights with our audience!

As always, if we've ever talked football, let's talk football!

Website: awaydayz.com
Instagram: @awaydayz_

In this episode, we speak with Andrew Warman, a current architecture master's student, and Chelsea, Columbus Crew, and Wrexham supporter.

Andrew's passion for the game has taken him to some amazing places and fixtures.  We talk all about his Champions League experiences in Madrid and Barcelona, his first experiences watching the crew, and his most recent trip with his dad to see Wrexham FC win the league in Wales!

Listen until the end to hear Andrew's advice for those considering a trip abroad and his amazing story about being interviewed by CNN in The Turf pub.  Tune in to hear all of this and more!

As always, if we've ever talked football, let's talk football!

awaydayz.com
Instagram: awaydayz_

In this episode, we talk with Henry Burnett, a current resident of Sao Paolo, Brazil, and a supporter of Liverpool FC and Santos FC.

Henry has had some incredible experiences seeing football matches- from the 2018 World Cup in Russia, to seeing Messi vs Neymar in New York City in 2012, and most recently watching Santos vs Sao Paulo FC.  We talk all about these experiences and so much more!

I had the amazing opportunity to visit Henry in Brazil this past March and can attest that football is woven into the fabric of the Brazilian people and culture. I would urge almost anyone to visit this beautiful country to experience it for yourself.

Thanks for listening- and as always, if we've ever talked football, let's talk football!

The awaydayz team

In this episode, we talk with Tristan Kovach, a current Cincinnati resident and lifelong Arsenal fan.

We cover everything from his humble soccer beginnings to his most recent trip to watch Arsenal beat Manchester City at the Emirates in early October.  Tristan has some great takes on the best ways to get tickets, travel advice, and ways for new fans to stay connected to the game.

Follow us on Instagram @awaydayz_ and as always- if we've ever talked football, reach out, and let's talk football!

In this episode, we introduce Alejandro Diaz Peralta, a native Honduran and current resident of Cincinnati, Ohio.  We talk all about his life growing up in Honduras, his love for his local club, Club Deportivo Olimpia, his travels to Madrid to see Real Madrid in action (and his run-in with Zidane!), and much more!

Follow us on Instagram @awaydayz_ and as always- if we've ever talked football, let's talk football!

In this episode, we welcome Nick's good friend Justin, as he shares his love for Chelsea, how he got into football growing up and his first time in the UK to see his favorite club.

In this episode, we welcome Nick and awaydayz, the new football platform we are working on to connect our community, travel and the game, coming soon.

In this episode we welcome back Ebuka, Ibo and Varun to talk about the upcoming Premier League season through our new Fantasy Draft league, their favorite team's moves and their expectations for 23/24.