The GegenPod, presented by Optus Sport

Sydney FC captain and Professional Footballers Australia President Alex Wilkinson joins Michael Bridges and David Weiner for this week's episode of The GegenPod - In Conversation. You can also listen via Spotify or Apple Podcasts. On the menu: •The Premier League endorses full contact training: Bridgey's reaction. •Life in the A-League during COVID-19. •Wilkinson on how A-League players are coping with the uncertainty, and what the biggest challenges are going forward. •Wilkinson, a two-time K League winner with Jeonbuk, on this year's competition and the Australians' start to the campaign. •How four years in the K League changed Wilkinson's career, and just how brutal, and different the training and environment is.

Former Premier League defender Ashley Westwood joins David Weiner and Michael Bridges for this week's episode. You can also listen via Spotify and Apple Podcasts. On today's menu: •Premier League returns to training: The hurdles still to come to get started. •How has the Bundesliga got back where the Premier League hasn't? •Westwood explains how Burnley have reacted to positive COVID test. •Going lower: The latest intel from League One and League Two as the Football League faces crisis. •Should Premier League clubs bail out the tiers below? •Promotion and Relegation: What is life like on the roller coaster? Westwood, who was promoted from every tier in English football, shares his stories from 1998-9 promotion with Bradford, and Premier League survival the next season and the contractual implications for players that fans might not realise. •Marking Shearer: The trickiest strikers to mark.

The boys are back with another engrossing discussion about the State of Football in Australia. Former Socceroos captain Paul Okon joined his former teammates - John Aloisi, Vince Grella, Craig Moore, Mark Schwarzer and Josip Skoko - for the discussion. Episode I focused more on raising the problems; the sequel is about some solutions, focusing on the game's governance, the A-League's structure and possible new broadcast revenues. You can also listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

To celebrate the arrival of the K League on Optus Sport, we welcome Robbie Cornthwaite to this week's GegenPod - In Conversation, with Michael Bridges and David Weiner. You can also subscribe or download via Spotify or Apple Podcasts. On this week's episode, we discuss the latest news out of the UK with talk of a potential Premier League resumption, before delving into Robbie's four years in South Korea - his highs, lows and most interesting experiences. Plus, who should you support? Bridgey gets a little bit of help identifying his 'Tottenham of the K League'.

This week, former Socceroos striker David Zdrilic joins David Weiner for The GegenPod - In Conversation. You can subscribe via Spotify or Apple Podcasts. 'Zdrila', as he is known' chats about: •Life in Chicago during the COVID-19 lockdown •How he ended up in Major League Soccer •His coaching pathway & why he abandoned a successful media career to 'take the plunge' •What he learnt during three years at RB Leipzig, learning off Ralf Rangnick - the mentor who was instrumental for Jurgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmann's approaches to football. •What next, and what are his ambitions? •What can Australia learn from the MLS?

Our second instalment of our State of Football forums sees a focus on the women's game, bringing together five legends, plus a former Matildas coach, to run the rule over the sport's key issues. You can also listen via Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Alicia Ferguon was joined by Heather Garriock, Di Alagich, Alison Forman, Lisa De Vanna and Tom Sermanni to discuss all the major talking points currently being debated about the game, offering some critical solutions, particularly around the future of the W-League.

John Aloisi joins Michael Bridges and David Weiner for this week's GegenPod - In Conversation. You can also listen via Spotify or Apple Podcasts. On this week's agenda: •The reaction to State of Football: John's latest ideas after being inundated since the Optus Sport roundtable •What next for the A-League? •What next for football? The global view •10 years on: Inter Milan v Barcelona. What happened to Jose Mourinho since? •Inside Barcelona's head quarters: Aloisi's time inside the Camp Nou studying Barcelona

Thomas Sorensen is back on deck for this week's GegenPod - In Conversation with Michael Bridges and David Weiner. You can also listen by subscribing or downloading via Apple Podcasts and Spotify. On this week's episode, we chat about: •The Newcastle United looming takeover •Transfer market instability: How do you cope, and the day Sir Bobby Robson let Bridgey go at Newcastle •The way dressing rooms have changed: from their early days at Sunderland, to now. •Arsenal, Mesut Ozil and leaks about pay cuts: 'Something horrendously bad at Arsenal' •Memory lane: Promotion at Sunderland •What was it like being at Stoke during the 'cold, wet, windy night' era? •The Top 5 strikers Sorensen has faced •What it was like saving a penalty for Sunderland, against Alan Shearer.

Optus Sport broadcast a very special State of Football show on Sunday evening, involving John Aloisi, Vince Grella, Craig Moore, Mark Schwarzer, Josip Skoko and Mark Viduka. The two hour epic tackled some of the biggest issues in our sport, and provided rigorous debate over what should happen next. The four broad topics were registration fees, youth development, governance and the A-League - but as you can imagine, there was lots packed into that! This is available to watch on the Optus Sport app and Facebook page.

Scott McDonald is our guest for this week's GegenPod - In Conversation, alongside Michael Bridges and David Weiner. You can also subscribe via Apple Podcasts or Spotify. In a wide ranging chat, the trio discuss: •Scott's return home: the highs, lows, impressions, returning home, and verdict on the A-League •Working for Robbie Fowler •Scott's recommendations for Australian football after returning home •Celtic memories •The highs of playing the Champions League and winning titles •Socceroos lows •Bridgey on the Newcastle United sale rumours

This week in The GegenPod - In Conversation, David Weiner and Michael Bridges are joined by Socceroos legend Craig Moore. Moorey and Bridgey have plenty of great stories about: •Playing for Newcastle United: The fans, the atmosphere, the Sunderland hatred, how they ended up there and what it is like marking Alan Shearer and Michael Owen. •Stamping yourself in a dressing room: the social challenges fans don't see •Terry Venables: The El Tel impact •Hot talking points in Australian football right now •The Viduka interview: The captaincy, Kewell, Viduka - the man •Moore on the 2010 World Cup 4-0 humiliation, and the Neill-Viduka captaincy headache.

Michael Bridges re-unites with his former Leeds United roommate Michael Duberry for this week's episode of The GegenPod - In Conversation with David Weiner. Topics include: •The Bridgey we do not know: Why was his nickname 'The Germ'? •David O'Leary: Don't give him the credit for the glory days •Inside the Leeds dressing room •The tragedy in Galatasaray: The impact it had on the club and players. •Beating AC Milan in the Champions League and marking Shevchenko •The Aussies •Boys being boys •Duberry's days at Chelsea - a team that included Zola, Desailly, Poyet, Di Matteo and co.

Welcome to The GegenPod: In Conversation, where we'll provide you a football fix with a stroll down memory lane. You can also listen via Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Michael Bridges and Luke Wilkshire join David Weiner to kick us off, starting with their time as teammates at Bristol City in 2005. The boys reminisce over: •Torrid days in England's third tier - angry managers, difficult football, dropping down divisions. •What it was like to play for Sir Bobby Robson, Sam Allardyce, David O'Leary, Steve McClaren and Guus Hiddink. •The coach that old Wilkshire and his teammates: 'Don't go out here on these nights - they're the nights I go there!' •Three years of pain at Bristol ending with Hiddink plucking Wilkshire from Bristol for the World Cup •Mark Viduka (36 minutes in) •Harry Kewell (45 minutes in) •Mark Schwarzer (52 minutes in) •A classic jersey swap from this era. Enjoy.

In a special edition of the GegenPod, Michael Bridges joins David Weiner to discuss what happens now after the decision to postpone the Euros and Copa America to 2021, and try finish the domestic seasons by June 30.

John Aloisi & Thomas Sorensen join David Weiner to rip through a huge week of UEFA Champions League action. •Liverpool v Atletico Madrid •Paris Saint-Germain v Borussia Dortmund •Valencia v Atalanta •RB Leipzig v Tottenham The show also looks at the impact of Coronavirus on the football world: what should happen if leagues are not completed? We also look ahead to the weekend, particularly Manchester United's trip to face under siege Tottenham.