For the final Up Front of 2024, Simon has travelled to the north-east to meet the Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe.

In a wide ranging interview, Eddie talks about his aims at Newcastle, whether PSR is hindering its ability to compete for the biggest trophies, how much he considered the politics surrounding the club before taking on the role and his relationship with the hierarchy at St James’s Park.

He also discusses whether he would have liked to have been considered for the England job, his success at Bournemouth and why he chose not to become the manager of Celtic. Did he, as Simon has suggested in the past, bottle it?

He also reflects on the nature of football management in the modern era: why managers who fail aren’t necessarily bad at their job, whether you should stick doggedly to a footballing philosophy, whether it’s harder managing up or managing down and the pressures placed on footballers at the highest level.

Subscribe for future episodes

18+ please gamble responsibly

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Jordan, Graeme Souness, Troy Deeney and Henry Winter get together for the final Three Up Front of 2024.

They discuss why Mo Salah has gone to the press about his future, what might be going through his mind as he decides what to do and how Liverpool will respond.

Manchester City’s disastrous form prompts the question: is this the biggest test of Pep Guardiola’s managerial career? They also debate which City players are in decline and ask why did Guardiola sign that new deal?

They also take stock of Manchester United’s first match under Ruben Amorim and give their thoughts on which players he will stick with and which will be on their bike and they revisit Simon, Troy and Graeme’s pre-season predictions. Who picked Nottingham Forest for the drop…?

Subscribe for future episodes

18+ please gamble responsibly

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode contains issues that some people might find distressing. If you need support or advice on any of the matters raised within the programme, please visit: https://www.samaritans.org/

Our guest on the latest episode of Up Front is the Dark Destroyer - Nigel Benn. A fan favourite throughout his career, Nigel was a two-weight world champion who was involved in some of the most memorable fights in British boxing history.

After taking up the sport while serving in the army, Nigel soon established a reputation as a fearsome puncher. He won the WBO middleweight title in 1990 and the WBC super-middleweight belt in 1992 and is best remembered for his contests against Chris Eubank and Gerald McClellan, the latter of which was sadly to have tragic consequences.

Following his retirement, Nigel struggled with addictions that took him to the brink of taking his own life. He talks candidly about that period and how he turned things around, the fights against Eubank and McClellan and the current boxing scene. He also discusses his son Conor: his potential fight with Chris Eubank Jr and the recent lifting of his provisional doping ban by the National Anti-Doping Panel. Nigel and Simon have strongly disagreed on that subject and, for the first time, they sit down to hear what the other has to say. This is one not to be missed.

Subscribe for future episodes and head to http://www.youtube.com/@UpFrontWithSimonJordan for full video episodes. 18+ please gamble responsibly.

Warning: this episode contains language that some people may find offensive.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Three Up Front, with special guest Henry Winter, the panel are set the task of challenging football’s conventional wisdom.

For example, are football agents really the scourge of the modern game, or actually useful allies? Is Russell Martin’s ‘philosophy’ at Southampton destined only for the Championship? Contrary to popular belief, does the Chelsea board actually know what it is doing? And despite the top ten teams in the Premier League being managed by foreign coaches, are British coaches STILL just as good as they are?

Simon, Troy, Graeme and Henry examine all that and more as they put common footballing theories under the microscope.

18+ please gamble responsibly

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s been a busy week at Old Trafford. Erik Ten Hag has finally gone, and Sporting’s Ruben Amorim looks set to replace him as Manchester United manager.

In this episode, we find out why the 39-year-old might just be the person to get things right at Old Trafford after a number of false dawns. But how exactly will he get things moving at a club that has stalled for so long?

Troy returns alongside Henry Winter to discuss these key issues and more, including why new owners INEOS cut ties with their manager just 115 days after awarding him a new contract. Of course, they delve deep into the other key factors behind Ten Hag’s downfall, including the failure to instil a clear playing style, his terrible and expensive recruitment, and even his weak media persona. Henry argues that while Ten Hag undoubtedly had his weaknesses, he was also let down by the Glazers.

And with Amorim’s arrival imminent, we explore what he’ll bring to United and what it will take for him to deliver consistent success, from changing infrastructure to developing an identity. So, is Amorim the right man to lead United forward? Does his experience in Portugal set him up for success in the Premier League? Find out here, in the latest episode of Three Up Front.

18+ please gamble responsibly

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Football writer Henry Winter joins Simon Jordan and Graeme Souness to discuss Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle and the media’s reaction to Thomas’s Tuchel’s appointment as England head coach.

They debate whether Liverpool are the real deal this season: Henry reveals what the players are saying about Arne Slot but Graeme has reservations about their title credentials. They also discuss the upcoming game against Arsenal and why it could be a defining fixture for Mikel Arteta’s side this season and whether their indiscipline is going to ruin their own Premier League bid.

Following Thomas Tuchel’s appointment, they discuss the press reaction to his arrival, what success will look like for him and whether we will now learn if the players are good enough to win the World Cup.

There’s also a chat on Newcastle’s recent form and whether they’re heading for a tough season. Henry says why he thinks there have been some difficulties behind the scenes, Graeme explains what makes the club such a challenge to manage and Simon wonders whether the honeymoon following Mike Ashley’s departure is over.

After Inter Miami’s addition into the FIFA Club World Cup, how seriously should we take this competition and could we really see players boycott it?

Subscribe for future episodes.

18+ please gamble responsibly.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Should Manchester United copy Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City to get back to the top? Why are Tottenham so flimsy? Would you take Paul Pogba at your club now and was Arsene Wenger a lucky manager?

Those are the topics on this week’s Three Up Front with Simon Jordan, Graeme Souness and Troy Deeney.

With Man Utd’s executives meeting this week and possibly deciding on Erik Ten Hag’s future, Simon gives his insight on what might be going through their minds while Graeme wonders if there’s enough football knowledge at the club.

Tottenham’s latest capitulation leads them to ask why that has been the case for so long and Troy reveals whether players think they are a soft touch. Also, would James Maddison get into any of the top three and does Ange Postecoglu need to liven up a bit in his post match interviews?

Graeme gets an opportunity to discuss one of his favourite subjects - Paul Pogba - as they debate whether they would sign him after his doping ban was reduced. Also in Graeme’s line of fire is, of all people, Arsene Wenger: was he a great manager or just very lucky?

And with top players complaining about the increasing number of matches they’re being asked to play, Troy explains why he would vote not to strike.

Subscribe for future episodes

18+ please gamble responsibly

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Troy Deeney is BACK...And Simon doesn’t waste time grilling him about his viral video about the speed bumps at Watford’s training ground!

In this week’s episode Simon Jordan, Graeme Souness and Troy Deeney break down some of your footballing myths and reveal if they’re actually true or just football hearsay, such as does the new manager bounce really exist and has Pep Guardiola ruined football?

Elsewhere, Graeme reveals whether he agrees that Newcastle fans are the best in the UK. All that and more on the latest episode of Three Up Front.

Subscribe for future episodes

18+ please gamble responsibly

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's only two up front on the show this week as Simon Jordan and Graeme Souness tackle some of the big questions around the Premier League:

Did Arsenal show an inferiority complex against Manchester City? Was Erik Ten Hag wrong to bring up Marcus Rashford's lifestyle and is Julen Lopetegui's position under threat at West Ham?

Graeme and Simon debate Arsenal's approach after they went down to 10 men at Manchester City. Did Arteta's approach show their fear of City or was it the best way to go? Graeme argues they were too negative and explains why he thinks City won't care that they haven't beaten Arsenal in their last 3 league meetings. They also discuss Trossard's red card and whether players should take some of the blame for bending the rules.

Please note that his episode was recorded before the news about Rodri's injury became public.

With just one win in his first 5 games, how much pressure is on West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui? Simon gives his verdict on how long he might have  and explains the thought process of a chairman when the team is getting bad results.

Finally, Simon and Graeme look ahead to Manchester United v Tottenham this weekend and discuss whether managers should bring up a player's lifestyle in the press after Erik Ten Hag's recent comments about Marcus Rashford. This leads to a debate over whether Ten Hag can handle big stars, but is it also maybe the last chance saloon for Rashford at United?

Subscribe for future episodes. 18 + please gamble responsibly.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, we are joined by two-weight world champion David Haye. He’s one of only three men - with Evander Holyfield and Oleksandr Usyk - to have won world titles at both cruiserweight and heavyweight.

After becoming the first Brit to reach a world amateur final, David turned pro and quickly became known for punching power, as illustrated when he stopped both Jean-Marc Mormeck and Enzo Maccarinelli to become the unified cruiserweight world champion. He then moved up to heavyweight where, despite conceding 7 stone in weight, he beat the giant 7ft-plus Russian Nikolay Valuev to become the WBA champion.  Eventually, he faced Wladimir Klitschko in a unification bout but he was soundly beaten and his post-fight excuse of a broken little toe severely damaged his standing among fight fans. Thereafter, came controversy and frustration: a much-publicised brawl with Derek Chisora in Germany led to a contest between the pair where David was victorious. But, a highly anticipated fight with Tyson Fury fell through as David suffered injuries that would keep him out of the ring for a long time. He eventually returned and fought Tony Bellew twice before retiring following his defeat in their rematch.

Despite his success, David has been a sometimes divisive figure with the boxing public. Here, he tackles everything: becoming a two-weight world champion, his defeats to Klitschko and Bellew, why he made some of his controversial statements, and he gives his thoughts on Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. He also explains why Saudi Arabia’s takeover is good for boxing and tantalisingly, he reveals whether his career may not yet be over.

Subscribe for future episodes and head to http://www.youtube.com/@UpFrontWithSimonJordan for full video episodes. 18+ please gamble responsibly.

Warning: this episode contains language that some people may find offensive.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices