Beyond The Pitch

As the Premier League is running headfirst from the preseason tours and into the dog days of the transfer window, teams are being confronted with the start of a new season just a week away with lots of questions facing many of the contenders and then we confront the realities of Chinese dominance in the AFC. Joining Anto to discuss the state of the Premier League at a key stage is Ben Lyttleton who helps us consider many of the key off-season moves, where some clubs have made wise moves and others face even deeper questions about value, strategy and longer term objectives as defending champions Chelsea seem to have the other contenders at arms length. We begin with all the moves undertaken at Manchester United and whether they have drawn them closer to a title, what the impact is for Arsenal now that Petr Cech has been acquired, whether Liverpool has signaled yet another change with the arrival of Christian Benteke and if Manchester City has structural problems in delivering the kind of younger player that will set up another period of sustained growth at the top of the league. We also discuss the book in detail - 12 Yards: The Art and Psychology of The Perfect Penalty - against the landscape of some truly shocking penalties this summer during tournament football and uncover a couple of very important truths backed up by data about the act of succeeding with penalties. Then in segment two, Christopher Atkins joins the show by way of Football Channel Asia to review and plot the remarkable rise of Chinese football against the facets of the Super League, Team Dragon and how broad new initiatives in grassroots and coaching appears to paint a mosaic of a national fully engaged and committed to long term objectives both in the region and across the world.

Amidst another week in which more outrage and stubbornness emerged from FIFA and its attempt to control the transition message, there is also even more questions about CONCACAF and US Soccer in terms of where the US Senate may examine next after a terrible performance in Washington DC by its CEO Dan Flynn and a failed attempt to side step accountability. First up is David Larkin of ChangeFIFA to not only address yet another attempt by FIFA to sell the public on the charade of actual reform and all the usual tricks by its Executive Committee, but also the real culpability that must now be focused on UEFA President Michel Platini and his fellow ExCO member Sunil Gulati who clearly failed in his task to represent US Soccer and CONCACAF before the US Senate. We dig into what could happen going forward, whether the Senate will use the Mafia playbook in concert with the Department of Justice to prosecute and if US Soccer is seriously staring down at the real danger of a special prosecutor as senate staffers clearly were neither amused with the absent Gulati and the evasive tone of the testimony. Then in segment two, Paul Freelend from Football Channel Asia and the National joins the show to give us an inside view of UAE football which is riding a crest in 2015 with quality young players aiming for success in this World Cup cycle in advance of hosting the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

In a week when a number of big deals begin to come into focus as the summer tours now rack into focus, the arrival of Bastian Schweinsteiger at Old Trafford is at the center of the discussion for two giants in club football and we also examine the future for FFP and Australian football as a growing A-League is aiming for another decade of growth. Leading us into a fresh look into FFP is Daniel Geey of Field, Fisher Waterhouse on the emerging shifts inside UEFA over Financial Fair Play as new pressure points from the clubs and ECJ legal challenges are mounting on acceptable loss provisions within the legislation itself. Then Anto is joined by his usual SiriusXM co-host Phil Brown for a look at a very busy week for Manchester United as new arrivals and a summer tour beckons in year two of the Louis Van Gaal transition for the football club. We also examine the impact of these new arrivals, whether it has shifted a balance of power in the Premier League and what other areas the club must address before the new season kicks into high gear. In the final part of the show, Anto is joined by our partners with Football Collective and Football Channel Asia to take a deeper look into the impact of the Schweinsteiger move at Bayern Munich with Michel Munger of BayernCentral.com and we close on the matter of Australia and its football with Ryan Steele as the A-League and national team look to build on the successes of the past 18 months. A full show from across the world and easily one of the biggest supershows yet.

In a week in which the US Women deliver a third World Cup trophy after a shock and awe performance against Japan, we take a look at what sowed the seeds for victory for a very special group of players and pivot to open the discussion into the Gold Cup and some early returns on the reform effort begun inside CONCACAF where the words are similar yet need more time to see if actions are to follow. Joining Anto in the first segment is ESPN FC football columnist Jeff Carlisle to take a deeper dive look into how the US Women turned their fortunes around after a sluggish start in the Group Stage, where a third World Cup triumph puts this team in the landscape of US sports and whether the Rio Olympics in 2016 is where the team now looks at a generational change heading to 2019. We also examine the start of the Gold Cup for Jurgen Klinsmann and his US National Team who certainly are targeting more silverware but also must have an eye on competition for several key spots in defense and what the midfield will need to look like if the US can reach its aspirations in 2018. Then we turn over the show to our partners, first with Football Collective from Berlin where we examine the early returns for Bundesliga clubs in the transfer window with David Raish and then to our new partners at Football Channel Asia where this week we have Mi Hyun Chung to give us a view inside Korean football on the heels of a strong showing in the AFC Asian Cup and heading into the East Asian Football Federation tournament and World Cup qualification. Also in this episode is a first look at the promise of CONCACAF reforms that are still in an early stage and far from evaluation, whether Bundesliga clubs in the top four can sustain their edge and whether Korean football needs some new ideas to take its domestic league to a new level.

As the holiday season approaches, this is one of the biggest supershows produced to date as three excellent guests give us a view on some history being made in the game, a Serie A settling its business early with a fresh and emerging tone and a deeper look into the world of Japan as its women look to repeat their World Cup success in 2015. Our first guest is none other Gary White who in his tenure has taken the island footballing nation of Guam to places never once thought possible, finishing its last round of qualification by earning its first two wins in its history. Get underneath one of the most remarkable stories in world football at the moment as the Matao have become a symbol of persistence and dedication with the help of a FIFA initiative that has brought together vision, resources and leadership to lift a nation and open the door to future generations with the dream to play football and achieve personal goals. In segment two, David Amoyal of GianlucaDiMarzio.com and ESPN FC breaks down a number of important deals which have already begun to define a very important off-season for Serie A and looks to shape yet another entertaining season for calcio. We explore the completed deals, put some thought into the rumors and speculation and seriously weigh out which clubs have made significant moves. Then in our final segment Cesare Polenghi from our new partners with Football Channel Asia joins the show to give us a deeper look into some challenges facing the J League in terms of rising globalization and internationalization that has altered the landscape of the sport. We also take a moment to reflect on the Japanese Women as they look to repeat as World Cup Champions after reaching the final in 2015. How special is the Nadeshiko in the Japanese sports landscape and what is its legacy? Apparently the impact is vast and has far-reaching effects on a nation who looks to be a powerhouse in the coming years.

During a week in which a new U20 Champion was crowned in New Zealand, the Womens World Cup in Canada continues thin out the field while important concerns are surfacing about this edition of the US team, a Japanese national team that may have been overlooked while we open the view inside CONCACAF to face some bigger questions as well, starting in the United States. During this entire episode we examine the field left at Canada 2015 as the quarterfinal round gets underway, including a massive Germany-France clash that could define one half of the bracket while examining whether the US is starting to regress as a power beneath the top echelon of the world elite. Joining Anto for this part of the discussion is international broadcaster Tim Caple who has not only covered Canada 2015 for British media, but also covered the U20 World Cup from New Zealand. In the second segment David Larkin from ChangeFIFA returns for yet another big discussion on whether we need to further examine both CONCACAF and US Soccer to assure ourselves before proceeding to talk more about reforming FIFA. We discuss the many unanswered questions which find their flashpoint in and around the CONCACAF Integrity Report, and how for nearly two decades some of the bizarre and lavish behavior did not register and did not seem to be a problem for a number of executives who appear to have done little but look the other way. We also examine the Sports Integrity Industry as it pushes its vague agenda based on little track record and big promises, yet produces little if any results, and ask the important question that if this industry could not detect fraud and scandal inside FIFA or the World Cup bids, then the industry should be shut down or reopen under new management. Then in our final segment, Sam Peoples by way of our friends and partners at Football Collective joins the show to discuss the busy off-season ahead for Manchester United as key player transfers and a summer US tour factor large in preparation for year two under Louis van Gaal.

While the scandal and investigation surrounding FIFA deepens with details emerging as a steady drip, now certainly comes a moment for world football and its fans to consider what next if reform is the objective, and to that end we examine the facets which must be unpacked inside the governing body before attempting to reset its structure while also introducing the biggest International Champions Cup yet in 2015. For the first segment Christopher Gaffney joins Anto from ground zero in this FIFA crisis to explore his most recent look at FIFA which asks a very important question - how can world football reassemble the organization based on so many broken parts that were built on a foundation of fear, intimidation and patronage. How should the world look at the history of the organization, come to grips with how it was originally assembled, so that the same mistakes will not be repeated again before another generation raised in the same culture simply deliver another generation set to plunder and control its governance. We explore a bit of history, triangulate just a few key factors and take a look back at Brazil 2014 as a clear microcosm of how FIFA has operated though its last two presidents, Joao Havelange and Sepp Blatter. In segment two, Charlie Stillitano of Relevant Sports and SiriusXM FC gives us a ground view look at the biggest International Champions Cup yet, featuring many of the biggest club names in the sport, a tournament now being played in three continents and two emerging markets in China and Australia where the sport is growing at a lightning pace. Then in our last segment, Nicholas Rigg joins us by way of Football Collective to discuss the early signals from La Liga as Real Madrid moves forward with Rafa Benitez and five Spanish clubs prepare to do battle in the Champions League in 2015-16.

As the summer tournaments and transfer rumors continue to swirl in the early days of June, one of the top competitions in world football is about to kick off in Chile as Copa America, giving us the opportunity to examine the field and talk some AFC football politics as the FIFA crisis continues to widen. Up first, football broadcaster Juan Arango joins the show to take a deeper look into handicapping the field of South American teams who could take this title in Chile, including a tightly packed group at the top of the favorites including Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Columbia with the always difficult Uruguay team who are rebooting without Luis Suarez and do remain defending champion. Also in this segment we discuss the debate for Lionel Messi and winning a significant title for his country, his complex relationship with the fans and that soon opens up a discussion into the long and complicated history of Julio Grondona - his legacy and how his world largely shaped the modern era of FIFA spanning the control of two important FIFA presidents and the cycle in Argentina that delivered Diego Maradona and the rise of Lionel Messi. In the second part, National sports journalist Omar Al Raisi joins Anto for a lengthy discussion into how Sepp Blatter is viewed in the emerging world of the AFC and West Asia, alongside the new political reality in international sport as both Asia and Africa now lay claim to an important voice that will surely shape the future of football governance in the coming years. It is a candid conversation about the significance of Sepp Blatter in this world, what he understood within the region and how it molded his tenure at FIFA, and how new players in the realm of sports politics will influence the next presidential election, the ongoing issues surrounding Qatar 2022 and whether Sheikh Ahmad of Kuwait will ascend to the highest office inside FIFA.

Another week in football that clearly demonstrates its reach and global impact as FIFA is again shrouded in controversy, crisis and scandal as two of the elite clubs of Europe are approaching Berlin with the matter of a Champions League Final in the balance featuring so many compelling side plots and story lines, and two giants in search of a treble. In the first segment Anto and his regular broadcasting partner with BTP on SiriusXM join together to review the key events and hard questions that must be posed at Sepp Blatter and FIFA in light of new indictments from the US in the matter of wide scale corruption and the World Cup bidding process. We also explore to what extent Sepp Blatter knew of these allegations, whether he is complicit at his level and if the Qatar World Cup needs to be put to another vote given all the recent revelations and ongoing concerns over the workers who are building the stadiums and new infrastructure under severe conditions. We examine what to do about the culture inside FIFA and what needs to change first in order to ensure substantive change while knowing that global shifts in power will surely adjust its representative body. In the second segment, Paddy Higgs of Football Collective joins us from Berlin, site of the Champions League Final on Saturday, to explore several of the key factors leading into this match, whether Barcelona should be considered overwhelming favorites and if Juventus provides an optimal opponent given a strength found in its collective. We make predictions, target a key player or two who might emerge from the lesser names and become what turns this match in the end, while also considering the timeless and impossible question to answer: how to stop Lionel Messi from delivering yet another decisive moment in a big match.

Now that all of the top European Leagues have declared champions and many have set a course for busy off-seasons and important summer preparation tours, we shift gears to focus on an historic match in Cuba, new concepts being discussed by UEFA over Financial Fair Play while Juventus prepares to face down Lionel Messi and friends in the Champions League Final. To start the proceedings, Chief Operating Officer Erik Stover of the New York Cosmos gives us an up-close view of how a friendly match with Cuba became larger than life while reflecting on an enduring legacy of the club. We examine how it came together, the growing significance on the international stage and how the team this season has progressed undefeated in the Spring season with new arrival Raul and how the early season looks to be defined as three key matches are on deck. Then regulatory attorney Daniel Geey of Field, Fisher Waterhouse joins Anto for a deeper look into what may be propelling a fresh look at Financial Fair Play on the heels of new sanctions leveled at new football clubs that have fell afoul of the regulations and what it could mean across a variety of scenarios as speculation mounts over how the standards could be relaxed and revised. We discuss the potential of new investment models, impact from third party ownership and whether new owners need new strategies to compete from outside the Champions League drawbridge in order to gain competitive balance and a whole lot more. Then in the final segment our partners at Football Collective and David Tenenbaum of JuveFC.com finishes the show with a look a Juventus Football Club as The Old Lady seeks to complete an historic treble of its own against favored Lionel Messi and Barcelona in the Champions League Final.

In a week where many of the European leagues have crowned domestic champions, the highest office in world football comes into view while we also consider a number of factors now facing Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool and why Barcelona winning its title with a week to spare could prove vital in its attempt to claim a treble. Up first is David Larkin of ChangeFIFA to explore the recent E60 documentary on Sepp Blatter and discuss some of the bigger bigger with an eye on FIFA history during his tenure and a wide number of issues that are currently facing the institution and the sport in greater detail, including Qatar on several fronts, recent revelations from Brazil about its national team and the dangerous precedent facing FIFA in the matter of the Israel and Palestine conflict. We also explore 2026, new emerging players who appear on the horizon and who could stand to succeed Blatter if 2015 is indeed his last term as FIFA President. In segment two, we are joined by Gareth Roberts of the Anfield Wrap to evaluate what is shaping up to be a very important off-season for Liverpool Football Club both in terms of identity and process as further troubles circle around Raheem Sterling and whether FSG delivers the players who can return the team back to top four, and if ownership will take a deeper look at Brendan Rodgers given the form at the end of the season. Then in our last segment Eric Coffin-Gould joins from Football Collective to discuss the end of season achievements for Barcelona as the club has taken the domestic title and now is poised to deliver two more important trophies and a treble after so much drama and controversy nearly derailed the march.

In a week where the Champions League Final has been set, many of the top clubs in Europe are already engaging in transfer business while the summer talking points begin to develop as league titles are final points in the table are being acquired for the final vital slots that will shape the competition in 2015-16. First up to discuss the issues for the Premier League is Sky Sports commentator Ian Crocker to tackle the ongoing shifts inside Arsenal and its outlook going into next season, what to expect from United and whether Chelsea is building a dominant force that will continue to prove too dominant for the chasing pack in the seasons ahead. We also venture into the matter of final relegation factors and whether Liverpool could make the move for Jurgen Klopp after a set back season at Anfield and whether Manchester City will rethink its strategy now that Pep Guardiola seems firmly off the market. Then in segment two Anto is joined by his SiriusXM partner Phil Brown to take a look at the muffled silence that has surrounded the recent UEFA FFP sanctions to establish whether it reflects something deeper in the regulatory design and how the chasm between the haves and have-nots is affecting club football. We evaluate the arrival of Memphis Depay at Manchester United and also discuss the Jack Grealish issue and whether the Republic of Ireland has lost his senior services to the England national team after further reflection. Then in the last segment we take a look at Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich through our partners at Football Collective with Dan Fitch of The Tottenham Blog and Susie Schaaf who appears on BayernCentral.com for a look at recent events from White Hart Lane and a dramatic week at the Allianz where Pep Guardiola has had to fend off questions about his future and a tactical dilemma that appears to be largely misguided given the circumstances.

After an important midweek juncture as the last eight European sides begin their assault on the final prize, a rampant Barcelona took down Pep Guardiola at the Camp Nou in emphatic fashion as questions continue to circulate around Jose Mourinho and respect and Newcastle are facing a real prospect of relegation desperation sets in. Up first to discuss these topics is Oliver Kay of the Times direct from Barcelona in the aftermath of the semi-final first leg where we discuss the fallout and early impressions and then take on the matter of what appears to be a free fall for the Magpies as well as whether other managers are finally responding to Mourinho after years of disrespect or is it something more. In part two, Steve Amoia joins the show to discuss the new book, Total Calcio, on the life and times of AC Milan and Italian national team manager Arrigo Sacchi as the 25th anniversary of his greatest feat is under threat from one of his former players in Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid. We discuss his complex and surprising past, the miraculous ascent to the top of world football and how he will be viewed in the future in terms of his legacy. The details are deep, the tales and quotes are intricate and his capacity to become obsessive and compulsive with every confrontation or challenge is examined and often challenged. Then in the last segment Football Collective contributors Lyndon Lloyd and Stefan Buczko give us the view of two important football clubs in Everton and Borussia Dortmund each with huge questions this off-season as player transfers and a big coaching change in Jurgen Klopp looks to shape the summer period of speculation and renewal.

After a weekend in which Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was again forced to defend against criticism of his tactics and playing style amid claims of boredom from his detractors, several important developments happened this week in the Premier League and in Italy where a conflict between tradition and evolution appears to be gathering pace in Serie A stadiums. Joining first to discuss the state of a hearts and minds campaign for The Special One over the boring tag in England is Craig Burley of ESPN FC to dissect a field of weak sisters in the top four, whether or not events and dictated a change in approach for the Chelsea manager and if the gap next season could increase given the double digit lead and how pragmatic this title has been acquired in recent months. We also explore the issues for Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool and whether he should be facing even more scrutiny from Fenway Sports Group, what the path should be going forward for Manchester City and if Manchester United with another off-season will eclipse Arsenal to offer the best chance of dethroning Mourinho in 2015-16. Then in segment two Anto is joined by football correspondent Simon Evans who helps us evaluate new arrivals Bournemouth in the Premier League, whether Newcastle can survive the latest relegation threat, why promoted English clubs seem to struggle more than new arrivals in the continental top flight and then we venture into the matter of Big Sam with an image problem at West Ham and how the new world is catching up to Italy in terms of foreign investment and what it could mean to the experience of calcio and what is at stake as clubs are beginning the phase of stadium renewal.

In the aftermath of a big weekend in the Premier League and one very huge announcement in Germany, Jurgen Klopp and his reputation and availability has spawned a cottage industry of speculation, inference and questions for a number of established managers as the off-season comes quicker for some clubs than others, while key matches for some of the largest names played out in the Champions League. Joining Anto to discuss these and other matters in football is Ben Lyttleton of Sports Illustrated, EuroSport and a One World Sports regular contributor as we take a deeper dive into the potential destinations that may become available in the Premier League, whether Brendan Rodgers and his tenure could or should be considered under threat from the former Dortmund manager, and whether Manchester City should wait for Pep Guardiola to become available or pursue another direction with no guarantee that he will ever arrive in Manchester. We also discuss the stylistic commitment Jose Mourinho must or should make as Chelsea evolves into one of the European elite, how Van Gaal interprets his remit at Manchester United to be more complex given that issue and if the Champions League has finally reached that annual phase where the favorites now assert themselves. In segment two, both Janek Speight and David Manuca from Football Collective give us the view on some of the biggest stories surrounding the elite clubs of Europe, including the Jurgen Klopp fallout, the importance of the off-season for Thomas Tuchel at Dortmund and how the issues for Pep Guardiola get shaped by success in the last phases of the Champions League, clearly his biggest and most pressing target as the manager of Bayern Munich. We also discuss some of the transfer stories that will shape the summer and seriously dig into what could be the next destination for the hippest football manager available for hire.