Premier League stars Thomas Sorensen and Michael Bridges are joined by former Matilda Amy Duggan and host Teo Pellizzeri to break down all the big talking points in football.

• Cristian Volpato - should Graham Arnold be on the phone to offer a Socceroos call-up for the World Cup, and will Volpato accept it?
• Is Graham Potter overthinking his start to life at Chelsea? What is the right balance of instruction v freedom?
• Darwin Nunez, is the criticism of him fair?
• Bridgey's Leeds victory lap
• Is it time up for Diego Simeone as Atletico Madrid bomb out of Europe?
• Socceroos World Cup countdown - Tom Rogic, Riley McGree, Garang Kuol and Marco Tilio all under the microscope
• Elise Kellond-Knight returns for the Matildas but is the squad carrying too many players that aren't actually there to play?
• Manchester United the emerging new power of the WSL
• The WSL question Amy Duggan just couldn't answer!

And plenty more

Listen to Optus Sport's award-winning limited series, Football Belongs, charting the cultural threads of Australian society through the lens of nine football matches: https://play.acast.com/s/football-belongs

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It was a combative pod as Premier League star Michael Bridges and Socceroos icon Mark Schwarzer wanted to butt heads! Former Matilda Amy Duggan was there to play peacemaker and talk about the biggest issues in football:

• Steven Gerrard sacked by Aston Villa, is Jesse Marsch next to go?
• Unai Emery gets his chance at redemption in the Premier League
• Liverpool lose again, did the underestimate Nottingham Forest?
• Michael Bridges on his catch-up with Harry Kewell at Celtic
• Awer Mabil gets precious game-time but so many Socceroos are down on the road to the World Cup
• Women's World Cup draw - did a surprise team get an easy ride?
• Aussies dominating in the WSL

And plenty more

Listen to Optus Sport's award-winning limited series, Football Belongs, charting the cultural threads of Australian society through the lens of nine football matches: https://play.acast.com/s/football-belongs

Subscribe: https://sport.optus.com.au/signup

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

Former Matilda Amy Duggan and Premier League legend Thomas Sorensen join host Teo Pellizzeri to break down all the big talking points in the week of football.

• Was Sam Kerr robbed of football's most prestigious individual award?
• Where's Sammy? The surprising award-night snub
• The Matildas get ready to learn their group for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup
• Socceroos World Cup countdown - the injuries are biting!
• Jackson Irvine and Connor Metcalfe speak exclusively to Optus Sport
• Liverpool get a big win but did Pep Guardiola get it all wrong?
• Steven Gerrard the latest to be on the manager hot-seat as Aston Villa's struggles continue
• Barcelona lose El Clasico and their big financial gambit could be about to backfire
• A frightening fight in the Women's Super League overshadows some great moments for the Aussies

And plenty more

Listen to Optus Sport's award-winning limited series, Football Belongs, charting the cultural threads of Australian society through the lens of nine football matches: https://play.acast.com/s/football-belongs

Subscribe: https://sport.optus.com.au/signup

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

Away from the hustle and bustle of Glasgow in the Scottish Highlands, Ange Postecoglou has a special chat with Michael Bridges about the die-hard nature of Scottish football, how his day-to-day job affects fans' days/months/years and why growing up with an unrivalled love for the game means nothing on the world stage if you come from Australia.

Ange discusses:

• How he arrived at Celtic knowing he wasn't afforded the time to create success that he had been given elsewhere
• The magnitude of the Old Firm Derby and what it means to the town of Glasgow
• How his track record doesn't necessarily define who he is as a coach - and nor will he let that happen
• The comparison with Jesse Marsch as an 'outsider'
• What Socceroos great Harry Kewell has brought to Celtic from a coaching perspective.

Listen to Optus Sport's award-winning limited series, Football Belongs, charting the cultural threads of Australian society through the lens of nine football matches: https://play.acast.com/s/football-belongs

Subscribe: https://sport.optus.com.au/signup

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

Socceroos icon Mark Schwarzer, Premier League legend Michael Bridges and former Matilda Amy Duggan join host Teo Pellizzeri to discuss all the big talking points in the week of football:

• Arsenal beat Liverpool in controversial circumstances to leave the Reds' season on the brink. Can they even make the top four?
• Cristiano Ronaldo reaches 700 club goals but can Erling Haaland make it to 1000 one day?
• The first El Clasico of the season - who's going to win?
• Ange's Celtic in big Champions League trouble after another defeat
• Maty Ryan facing a war for the gloves in Kobenhavn as the clock ticks towards the World Cup
• The Matildas get a big win - have they finally found the winning strategy at the feet of Alex Chidiac?
• USA lose two matches as their grasp on the Women's World Cup begins to loosen
• Marco Tilio, Daniel Arzani, Tom Rogic and other Socceroos' battle for game time before Qatar
• A look ahead to a bumper weekend of Premier League including Liverpool v Manchester City!

And plenty more

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

Premier League legends Thomas Sorensen and Michael Bridges join former Matilda Amy Duggan and host Teo Pellizzeri in another packed edition of the GegenPod! Talking about all the big issues of the week including:

• Bridgey's experience watching Leeds United first hand in the commentary box for the Optus Sport audience
• How do you defend against Erling Haaland? Can he be stopped?
• Manchester United remains a tale of who's on the bench and not actually playing
• Conte's Spurs come up short in the big North London Derby test
• The sack race claims Bruno Lage, has Steve Cooper in its sights, but is Brendan Rodgers now off the hot seat?
• Barcelona come up short in the Champions League to take the shine off going top in LaLiga
• Will Julen Lopetegui lose his job for Sevilla's shambolic start?
• Aussies overseas including Garang Kuol's big move to Newcastle United!
• Kyah Simon suffers an ACL tear leaving the Matildas down another star
• Sam Kerr's Chelsea get a horror UEFA Women's Champions League draw

And plenty more

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

Former Socceroo Tommy Oar and former Matilda Amy Duggan join host Teo Pellizzeri to break down all the biggest talking points in football!

• Garang Kuol lights up the Socceroos series against New Zealand
• Tommy's insight into being an 18-year-old at a World Cup
• The tough selection calls facing Graham Arnold, who's on the plane to Qatar and who misses out!
• Jason Cummings shakes up the striker discussion
• France play Denmark in a preview of Australia's Group D opponents
• England get relegated in the UEFA Nations League! Who's the World Cup favourite now?
• The Matildas name their team for the friendlies against South Africa and Denmark
• Sam Kerr goalless in the first two games of the WSL, is it too early to get worried?
• Spain's women's team in meltdown!

And plenty more

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He's one of the biggest recruits of the A-League Men's off-season and now former Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield star Joe Lolley has been recruited into the GegenPod! Joe jumps in to join Socceroos icon Mark Schwarzer and host Teo Pellizzeri to talk about all the big issues of the week in football:

• Nottingham Forest's struggles and the heat comes for Steve Cooper. Joe Lolley gives his insights into Cooper the manager, the Forest squad overhaul and what it's like to play for the Tricky Trees
• Nottingham Forest's incredible promotion season and some of the inside stories about returning to the Premier League after 23 years
• Joe Lolley's time in the Premier League at Huddersfield, being a teammate of Socceroo Aaron Mooy and his journey to the top flight after starting his senior career in non-league
• Joe Lolley on why he moved to Australia, how he's settling in at Sydney FC and his impressions of the Australian game so far
• Brighton hire Roberto De Zerbi to succeed Graham Potter
• England with key UEFA Nations League games coming in the international break - can they get the results to avoid relegation?
• A look ahead to the Socceroos' two-game friendly series against New Zealand

And plenty more

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All the big issues are hit on the GegenPod as we welcome back Socceroos icon Mark Schwarzer and Premier League legends Thomas Sorensen and Michael Bridges with host Teo Pellizzeri, including:

• Live reaction to the Socceroos squad dropping for the farewell games before the FIFA World Cup in Qatar
• Fixture pile-up set to continue for Premier League teams after The Queen's passing
• Graham Potter succeeds Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea, is he the culture changer the Blues need?
• Brighton and Bournemouth vacancies and Ange Postecoglou refusing to be wooed away from Celtic
• Diego Costa's comeback an attempt to defy father time
• Bayern Munich get the better of Barcelona in the Champions League while Spurs stumble
• FA WSL kicks off - can anyone beat Sam Kerr's Chelsea in our Aussie-filled league?
• Madrid derby hits LaLiga but will Antoine Griezmann hit the field for longer than 30 minutes?
• Aussies abroad chat - Tom Rogic finds a new club while Garang Kuol hype is set to ramp up
• Sydney United make history in the Australia Cup by becoming the first non-A-League finalist

And plenty more

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A blockbuster GegenPod has two Matildas jumping in as Amy Duggan and current player Amy Harrison join former Premier League star Michael Bridges and host Teo Pellizzeri.

Big issues up for disucssion this week include:

• Did VAR wreck the weekend for everyone!?
• The Matildas' latest struggles after two defeats to Canada
• Netherlands book their ticket to the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in dramatic fashion
• Ange Postecoglou's Celtic face Real Madrid in the Champions League
• Chelsea struggle in Europe while Mbappe looks back to his best
• Brendan Rodgers v Steven Gerrard in the manager sack race
• Is it Tottenham's time to join the Premier League title contenders?
• Awer Mabil's struggle in Cadiz and LaLiga chat
• Will Garang Kuol be leaving Australia to one of Europe's top clubs?

And plenty more

Subscribe: https://sport.optus.com.au/signup

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