Beyond The Pitch

Phil and Doron are joined by Andy Mitten of United We Stand to take a look at both the culture of Manchester United and that of Spanish football in this episode to examine the past, present and future for the club and how it is viewed within Spain through the eyes of supporters overseas and through the remarks of Barcelona playmaker Xavi himself. Loads here from Andy on the matter of sports journalism, how UWS looks for content and develops young writers to deliver more than traditional stories on Manchester United and how Andy sees the near term future for United as many rumours of a Ferguson retirement loom with little basis from the man himself. Andy also helps us gauge the new financial world under Glazer ownership and how United can now be outspent by the likes of super-rich clubs once unthought of years ago, compounded by the level of debt being serviced. Also in focus here is how Sir Alex might just be transforming United into perhaps his last great United team, and put into context how remaining competitive during this transition is something far more admired from afar than within the supporters themselves at times. We also examine the Shinji Kagawa signing and how his arrival may force some tactical shift in the way United will approach the new season, whether the transfer market will produce a new left back and central midfielder as well and whether statements by Nani of late do indicate that he might just be on the way out of Old Trafford this summer. We also touch on the Paul Pogba signing with Juventus and thoughts as to whether Sir Alex may take a look at a new number two, if not this off season, in seasons ahead and whether that could ultimately be the source of his eventual replacement once he decides to call it a career. Then we turn our attention to the Rio Ferdinand issue with the England national team to get underneath the issue of Football Reasons and whether Rio should have added to this squad based on the achievements and form over the last season. Also in focus is the potential of Danny Wellbeck who seemed to have delivered already, having found the confidence in this England side with his goal against Belgium in the warm up to the tournament. The first of several off-season checkpoints for Manchester United as the club continues to its transformation and to that end will continue to be linked to large numbers of profile players this summer.

Phil and Anto are joined by former Arsenal midfielder and Sky Sports commentator Paul Merson to take a look at the England-France result and take a look ahead at their fortunes under Roy Hodgson as a massive test in Sweden and Zlatan Ibrahimovic who will be in desperate need of a result after losing to Ukraine. We examine the role of Oxlade-Chamberlain and how England might actually be better set up to play in the knockout rounds where its strengths could be best utilized being such a defensive, pragmatic unit. We take a look at some of the better teams at this stage, the dark horses who seem to be set to emerge and how Andrei Arshavin continues to roll back the clock to Euro 2008 where he exploded on the world stage. Lots here on England, how Sweden will pose some real challenges to England and why Italy suddenly has become part of the equation as the Azzurri sets itself to face Croatia in a key Group C encounter. We also look briefly at the Ireland loss and what may just be the most disappointing team in the tournament thus far.

Phil and Anto are joined by Times football correspondent Oliver Kay on the main talking points facing England and Roy Hodgson in a largely hard to predict Group D past favorite France at Euro 2012. We discuss this current crop of England players to determine whether the source of low expectations is more due to missing pieces or the general perception that the young talent coming through might have been a regression over previous editions. We gauge who are the key players who will need to emerge in the absence of Wayne Rooney, agree that the opening match will most likely be a draw and consider whether the second match against Sweden might just be where fortunes will be shaped for England in this tournament. We also place focus on Steven Gerrard, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Joe Hart who might just be the big wildcards given the missing players and options available. We take a look back at the Rio Ferdinand exclusion to determine if events and chronology worked against Roy Hodgson and whether that lack of time to repair the chasm within the ranks was the main reason why the Manchester United central defender was not included for this tournament. Then we turn to some key Premier League talking points of late which includes whether Chelsea and Manchester City look poised to test the limits of Financial Fair Play this summer and whether smoke signals around Harry Redknapp at Tottenham could turn into flames sooner or later given unmet contract demands.

Phil and Anto are joined by football commentator and journalist Gabriele Marcotti who is covering Euro 2012 from Poland and Ukraine as Italy begins its tournament in Group C with many questions about the defence, what it might actually do in terms of personnel moves and what exactly national team coach Cesare Prandelli might need to accomplish with so much drama surrounding the squad in the lead up to the Spain match. We evaluate the issue for Domenico Criscito, the source of the allegations and whether the actions by the authorities were too extreme and how Guiseppe Sculli enters this discussion while at Lazio and then over to Genoa where even further allegations persist. Then we turn to the Italian team and its prospects in the full tournament to determine where exactly this team fits amongst the competition and whether this should be considered a semi-finalist given the strength of the second tier teams in this edition. Then we turn to the matter of the racial abuse issues that have occurred with the Dutch to determine if a pattern does exist and how events on the ground measure up against expectations. It does appear that the Russia, Czech Republic and Poland fixtures ahead do have authorities and the locals a bit more nervous than what is being reported and how the Panorama documentary may have sent the wrong message and the wrong tone, essentially provoking a reaction based on a degree of sensationalism that has made traction locally. Then we turn to some important matters in Serie A where Zdenek Zeman has taken charge at AS Roma and Vincenzo Montella has taken the job at Fiorentina and how the biggest story at the moment might just be AC Milan as a full out assault for its star players looks underway. This includes rumours involving Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Pato and Thiago Silva who daily seem to be facing speculation for their services. This also leads into an economic crossroads of sorts for Milan as a football club where the wage bill is being reduced to increase operating income and how a new Financial Fair Play reality is facing the club in rather drastic fashion, including the potential that new investors and a move to acquire San Siro appears in the cards.

Phil and Anto are joined by the Chairman of the PFA in England, Clarke Carlisle, to have a in depth chat on transparency and activism across a variety of topics that are very important in the game today and touch all aspects of his activism and advocacy in a number of important endeavors, including - but not limited to - The Kick It Out campaign, his continued support of Sporting Chance and his role on the UK Anti-Doping Athletes Committee. We start on the matter of Rio Ferdinand being excluded from the England National Team and the message that is being sent by football authorities. Then we get underneath the issue of racism itself and how the divide between the status quo and a real path toward resolution appears to hang on the balance of when people of color will ascend to the real seats of power in football. We also gauge the racial incident at the European Championships with the Dutch players and if political considerations are insulating the governing body and the national federations from actually tackling this problem in a manner that matches the words, zero tolerance. This includes report findings that Poland, through its own report, indicated that the country was not yet prepared to host a tournament of this magnitude and how the message UEFA is sending is not - yet again - being matched by its actions. Then we move to the issues of player gambling, substance abuse and transparency in all aspects of player management including how clubs are now investing more resources into personal development and preparation for young men who are finding themselves under new levels of pressure due to their sense of entitlement and financial means. Clarke is one of the most candid figures on these issues and is a highly respected figure within football based on his constant effort and energy in resolving the key issues inside football today. Also discussed here are the racial instances in England this season, how football clubs responded to these incidents served as almost benchmark scenarios for the future and how we need to deliver new levels of transparency throughout football to ensure that we have guaranteed the highest level of integrity to our game. Must listen episode with a player who demonstrates that players do understand the role they have in society and contribute to the greater good.

Anto and Nico are joined by Jeff Bradley of the Newark Star-Ledger to take a look back at the early days of Major League Soccer through the early experiment that was the New York/New Jersey MetroStars where Jeff was the PR Director in the first two seasons as New York attempted to build a new franchise and found itself caught in between the two worlds of establishing a brand in a high-wire sports marketplace and some real time operational and logistical objectives that often played out with unexpected results. Into that breach steps Atalanta, AC Milan and Italian international Roberto Donadoni who is often overlooked as one the top players to have touched Major League Soccer in its early days and we examine his time in the league and what is impact really was both inside the team and outside in the community. We also get into the story behind a failed attempt to lure Roberto Baggio to the club and how close this deal came to being completed and how the early days of league management may have influenced this failure to capture a one of a kind talent who continued on in Italy after the deal fell through. We also examine how difficult it was to gain traction in the marketplace itself, how the New York Cosmos still remains a big shadow over the club and the many early lessons learned were an important building block toward navigating the US sports landscape and - more specifically - the US based soccer fan who was not always as quick to embrace this league as it was the overseas powers of the day in Europe. Jeff gives us a real inside look at how teams had to market the team, the light year advances MLS has made over its first 17 years in producing its content and how this sport has finally grabbed a foothold and appears to be in a place where it will continue to grow. Lots of wonderful insight from a guest who was on the ground floor of the operation and has the frame of reference from a number of sports including Major League Baseball. The tales here are often amusing, but at the end of the day reflects a league with a lot of growing to do and lots of lessons learned, and serves as a wonderful milestone to measure where MLS was in its earliest days and where it stands today.

Anto is joined by ESPN commentator and pundit Tommy Smyth, a broadcasting institution at that network when it comes to football coverage, to take a look a the upcoming European Championships less than a week away. We start with a bit of a look at the history of the Euros to gauge whether its history for producing dark horses and long odds winners as the right kind of landscape upon which to evaluate what could happen in Poland and Ukraine. This includes examination of the favorites themselves in Germany and Spain, but also a dive into each of the groups to see which country could be the catalyst for what lies ahead in the knockout rounds. This includes several key factors including the match fixing scandal in Italy and if an old pattern could resurface, the make or break nature of big tournaments on superstars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a collection of superstar goalkeepers who might just be the stars of this competition and who might just be the players to watch who could stir this tournament and knock it off its axis. Then we size up teams such as Portugal, a well timed French resurgence, Croatia with Luca Modric pulling the strings and whether Andrei Arshavin of Russia could replicate his brilliance of Euro 2008 having reset his fortunes after leaving Arsenal in a mid-season loan. We also gauge the fortunes of England who is a work in progress while Laurent Blanc may have just become the favorites in a turbulent Group D. Then we close on the two favorites and the questions they have ahead of them, as well as two surefire dark horses who could seriously throw this edition of the European Championships into chaos.

Phil and Doron are back with a ninth episode of the Manchester United show in the wake of the Eden Hazard decision as focus now shifts to Japan international Shinji Kagawa where a deal does appear to be shaping on the horizon with Borussia Dortmund. In this show Manchester United cult figure Pete Boyle opens up the show with an appearance on the road talking about the singing section, how he comes up with songs and his role as something of a club fixture amongst United supporters, adding a distinctive flavor to the match day experience that in uniquely Manchester United over the years. Pete also shared his views on the FC United of Manchester movement and the process ahead for the new singing section set to be introduced at Old Trafford in the coming years. Then we turn our attention to former MUTV and current Match of the Day commentator Steve Bower who joined the club at a historic point for the football club and he opens the veil on a number of personal stories that characterized his time at Manchester United with the benefit of time to reflect on the experience. Steve helps us with an up-close look on how Sir Alex Ferguson has established a real Manchester United family over the years, how every employee including players and support staff are expected to conduct themselves and some very interesting stories about the people who changed his career and influenced his life during the years associated with the football club. Wonderful insights into the many figures including Sir Alex Ferguson, Paddy Crerand, Gary Neville, David Beckham and a famous club interview with Roy Keane that never made the air. Another massive Manchester United supershow worth downloading because of all the history shared in this episode.

Phil and Anto are joined by Northern Ireland international winger Keith Gillespie, currently with Longford Town in the LOI First Division, who began his career with Manchester United and made a high profile move to Newcastle United in 1995 during the battles between Sir Alex Ferguson and Kevin Keegan that marked the very best early days of the Premier League, perhaps the first important battle in a newly formed league. We discuss this move involving Andy Cole, how it happened and what forced the decision at a key moment in these seasons and why the move was finally sealed. Then we turn to the matter of the Northern Ireland-Ireland controversy as players have begun to make a move to the Republic of Ireland for a number of reasons and how Keith himself views these kinds of choices given that he appeared 86 times for Northern Ireland and how player losses for a country this size can become almost critical when trying to qualify for national tournaments. We also look at the situation with Newcastle today and how Mike Ashley has improved the club since the relegation and how big this achievement really has been, given where the club found itself in recent years. We also visit the Great Britain Olympic Football team and whether the combination of sectarian issues with this added layer of complication continues to place even more pressure on players and federations, and whether the Great Britain team faces pressure to select from a wider pool given the political issues involved. Then we turn to the matter of gambling on football by players and whether this new era in the game has delivered us to a new place where the 24/7 media cycle and remarkable level of money at stake demands that player associations and federations need to intervene given that sport does owe us the perception that our sports are free from outside influences. A very frank conversation with a player who has featured extensively for his country, has important things to say on some of the big issues of the day and has a tremendous history as a player for some of the biggest clubs in the Premier League during one of its key seasons.

Phil and Anto are joined by RTE commentator and football pundit Eamon Dunphy to take an early look at the European Championship less than two weeks away, starting of course with Ireland who have a serious challenge on their hands against the likes of Spain, Italy and Croatia in Group C, starting with some controversy in the final lineup and how Giovanni Trapattoni has managed the media scrutiny. We examine some of these squad selections, evaluate how Giovanni Trapattoni has handled the criticism and try to analyze if this tournament will begin to signal some changes going toward World Cup qualification as some key players like Robbie Keane no longer play at the top level of international club football. This involves the inclusion of Aiden McGeady and Paul Green in the Republic of Ireland squad for Euro 2012 ahead of their final warm-up game against Hungary and whether the squad has assembled all the right talent ahead of the tournament. Also in this episode Eamon helps us examine the tournament favorites in Spain and Germany, look for a potential favorite who could emerge and consider the real possibility of another serious dark horse candidate who could get hot at precisely the right time. We also take a look at England who Eamon will be covering during his work with RTE to uncover what seems to be a very tricky group for Roy Hodgson given the exclusion of Wayne Rooney for two matches and if they could fall early given the assembled pieces at this juncture. We also look back at a Champions League win for Chelsea who is now officially without a manager and whether Roman Abramovich has taken off the gloves in a challenge to UEFA Financial Fair Play by making a high priced move to acquire Eden Hazard given the nature of the player transfer, and whether continued moves by Manchester City will ultimately put these regulations to a test. Lots here on Ireland, the European Championship, perhaps the favorites with too many questions to answer and whether we are in for a surprising ride this summer in Poland/Ukraine.

Phil and Anto are joined by football writer and historian Uli Hesse to take a look at the incredible domestic double won by Borussia Dortmund this season, what the source of the failure was for Bayern Munich this season and whether this lack in form does now leave the German national team with a dilemma for the European Championships. The story in Germany begins with Dortmund who have been exceptional all season in the Bundesliga and appear to have completely turned the tables on Bayern Munich in terms of mentality and performance. We also consider whether the biggest challenge to continued dominance for Dortmund might, in fact, be the marketplace more than the Bavarian giants in the short term because a number of players are being linked to moves to some of the biggest clubs in Europe. We gauge the potential moves for Shinji Kagawa and Robert Lewandowski to examine what the outcome might just be and if Kagawa is ready for a move at this juncture. Then we turn to the matter of the Dortmund defense and whether Mats Hummels is on the verge of taking the second centerback position from Per Mertesacker based on his form throughout the season in Germany and whether some of the Bayern failures have the possibility of affecting the German national team this summer as players such as Mario Gomez, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Thomas Müller did not perform in the key matches at the end of the season when silverware was on the line. We also look at Fortuna Düsseldorf and their rise to the German top flight, what they will bring to the Bundesliga next season and the important task that Joachim Löw has to restore confidence in some established players just weeks away from Poland and Ukraine. We also discuss the ongoing Arjen Robben saga and the catcalls from Germany, some of the most recent comments directed at Bastian Schweinsteiger by Stefan Effenberg and whether what ailed Bayern Munich this season will ultimately come back to haunt Germany at the European Championships.

Phil and Anto are joined by France international defender Mikael Silvestre who has had a very distinguished career with Rennes, Internazionale, Manchester United, Arsenal and Werder Bremen to talk about his career and what he might do next season and beyond. Mikael has had more than 500 professional appearances as a defender with five Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League in 2008, one FA Cup, the League Cup, two Community Shields and an Intercontinental Cup win over Palmieras in 1999, along with two FIFA Confederation Cup medals for France in 2001 and 2003 in 40 appearances for his country. We examine investment at Manchester United since the days when Mikael was there and the club would break transfer records, the Manchester City threat, prospects for the Ligue 1 even with PSG on its investment trajectory and, of course, prospects for France in the European Championship this summer. We also discuss the Patrice Evra situation at Manchester United, a position that Mikael once manned for Manchester United, and how the pressures of being a captain in the absence of Nemanja Vidic, as well as the prospects of Eden Hazard and where he might actually land this transfer window. Of particular note is the focus for France under Laurent Blanc and how the national team is building towards Brazil 2014 and the Euros in France by 2016, and what Mikael plans to do with an emerging business in the French Caribbean with Rhum St Barth.

Anto is joined by John Duerden once again from Seoul, South Korea to take a deeper look at a number of key stories facing Asian football on all fronts, including the arrival of Marcelo Lippi at Chinese superpower Guangzhou Evergrande who has just cracked the group stage of AFC Champions League and looks to make even more noise in the region and beyond. We also examine the reality of the football landscape in China to determine if the money spent on the top level is finding its way along the entire pyramid to ensure that club success on the professional level is hitting the right destinations in the youth sector to establish longer term success, or whether Guangzhou Evergrande is nothing more than a Chinese version of New York Cosmos a generation removed. In the bigger picture we gauge the teams who have emerged from the Champions League group stage and appear headed for the final eight to understand the trend and whether this is an underperforming group of candidates or does represent something of a changing of the guard. Then we turn to the matter of Iran and UAE who found surprising success to understand their campaigns and environments better as well as uncovering the main talking points in the J-League and K-League as their seasons are now underway with some rather surprising early revelations as well. We look at struggles at Gamba Osaka, Kashiwa Reysol making it past the group stage, Sendai Vegalta repeating another early magic act based on a stingy defence and how a completely wild season in Korea has placed Suwon Bluewings at the top against a 44-game marathon designed to move the KFA to a two-tier league system with promotion and relegation - and how this may have sacrificed a Champions League season for some established Korean powers on the continent. We also look at the matter of Park Chu-Young who is embroiled in a bit of controversy over his military service and whereabouts since making a move to Arsenal which did not work out for him and how the KFA has added even more layers of complication because of its handling of the Park situation and even attempts to naturalize players for its national team. We close on the matter of fourth round qualification for Brazil 2014 to talk about the format and the process as Asia heads for its final round this summer. Of particular focus here is defending Asian Cup champion Japan who suddenly have some questions based entirely on second guessing of the manager, Alberto Zaccheroni, and some high profile players like Kagawa and Honda who might be unsettled because of some very exciting off seasons ahead for them. John Duerden is one of the very top voices on the Asian game today, contributing to The Guardian, ESPN, The New York Times, Fox Sports, FourFourTwo, Sports Illustrated and the Associated Press.

Phil and Doron are back for episode number eight of the Manchester United show featuring two esteemed guests in Richard Kurt and Andy Green to take a look back at the season on all fronts, including the tactics, finances and maybe even some silver linings now that the season has drawn to a close. We also take a number of your questions sent in via Twitter and the Stretford-End Facebook page addressing some of these issues, among many others, including potential moves in the transfer market, areas of need, the Glazer ownership and how long Sir Alex Ferguson might remain with the club and which Reserve and Academy players might make the jump to the first team squad. Doron gives us the usual great update on the youth sector for Manchester United and we even get into the moves of two young players to new football clubs to wish them well. Richard Kurt is the author of numerous books on Manchester United and his topics range from Eric Cantona to the Ferguson Years to the history of the football club itself. Andy Green is a a fund manager in the City of London with 15 years experience of investment analysis and is also an advisor (on financial matters) to the Manchester United Supporters Trust, a terrific resource for getting under the issues associated with Glazernomics. We also examine the player of the season debate, where things went wrong for Manchester United domestically and in Europe and how prospects fare looking ahead given that the title was settled on goal difference while the club endured key injuries at precisely the wrong time and could never carry momentum from a fast start in the Autumn. Richard provides an historical context looking back as a key toward understanding what the club might do going forward, whilst Andy helps us better understand how the finances might indeed restrict some of the possibilities that the club will have as Manchester City and Chelsea will look to spend again this summer.

Anto is joined once again with TV Globo commentator Bira Brasil for another super show that takes a look into some of the major stories, transfer rumors with steam at a key juncture for Brazilian teams in the Copa Libertadores and at the start of another Campeonato Brasileiro that looks to be as unpredictable and competitive as a season ago. We begin with the four clubs in the quarterfinal stage to gauge their potential as the decisive return legs come into view and how each stands poised for the remainder of the most important professional club tournament in South America, a competition which has brought together some of the biggest names in football and many established players including the likes of Neymar, Ganso, Riquelme, Deco and a host of others. We also look at the Vasco-Corinthians battle in particular as it features a rematch of the two top teams in Brazil a season ago as well as the rockstars who are Santos, featuring the likes of two of the hottest young players in the game today, who might just be better than a season ago. We also evaluate the full bracket to consider who the favorites are and whether Universidad de Chile might just be the biggest threat to the Brazilian giants for continental giants. Particular emphasis on the relationship between Neymar and Ganso to determine where they are in their respective careers and how off the field stability has helped them grow as professional footballers, with Ganso perhaps as the bigger threat to move to Europe first. Then we turn to the Brasileiro for all the big storylines there including who are the contenders, who might be on the way into Brazil and out of the country during the next transfer window which will influence who could put themselves into view for a championship. The strongest teams at the moment might just be Corinthians and Santos who have the right combination of either balance or the required superstar requirement to mount a title challenge. On the edge might just be Vasco, Fluminese, Sao Paolo and Internacional who each have reasons to emerge with key players who seem to have the stage to shine. Then we turn to the matter of Kaka and Clarence Seedorf rumored on the way into the league and Ganso who looks to be involved in a player swap for Robinho with none other than Brazilian football legend Ronaldo and his marketing company providing the consultation. We also visit the continued problems for Flamengo who look to be more of a nightclub than a football team, the rumors of another Luiz Felipe Scolari move, the impact of the Summer Olympics on teams with younger players in the Brazilian race and the lasting exile of former Brazil manager Dunga who has yet to receive the call to return to management. Loads here with rich background into all the big developments including a rumor factory that might just be as big as the competition itself.