The Big Interview With Graham Hunter

In the sweltering heat of Orlando Pat Bonner misjudged a net-bound shot during Ireland’s knock-out defeat to the Netherlands at USA ’94. Getting over setbacks like that, and indeed the whole psychology of goalkeeping, has obsessed him ever since he hung up his gloves. He has been a top-level coach, he has developed goalkeeping courses and he has been a consultant to the major footballing bodies.In this brilliant lock-down Big Interview, he is incredibly insightful on the nature of modern goalkeeping, especially on how the No1 has now become a player in his own right. It is little wonder Pat is such a sought-after broadcast analyst. He is also one of the true gents of the beautiful game.Thanks for breaking the lock-down monotony, Pat.Graham Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

It's win or bust in the final group game. Spain must Defeat Chile or go home. This was packed full of incident: a whirlwind start by Chile; two beautiful goals from Iniesta and Villa; a red card that should never have been; and the most bitter memory of the World Cup for my taste, as Chile offered Spain a murky deal, which they eventually accepted. Before that, nerves were shredded and I had to use all my wiles to get Spain's talismanic superfan past stadium security. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

Pat Bonner was made in Donegal: his values, resilience and work ethic were instilled in him by his family and his community, while playing Gaelic football toughened him up for a glittering soccer career.He was Celtic’s stalwart No1 for years, winning nine major honours at the club, and he earned 80 caps for the Republic of Ireland. His penalty save in a shootout in Genoa against Romania - exactly 30 years ago this week - earned his national side a place in the quarter-finals of Italia ’90. Just weeks before, Pat had failed to save a single kick in the shootout against my beloved Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final. But he analysed and strategised and gave his country one of their biggest parties ever. Everyone in the world was a little bit Irish that night.EnjoyGraham Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

As the Spanish press lose their minds in the wake of an opening defeat against Switzerland, Vicente Del Bosque sends his under-fire players on safari. This is just one of the ways in which the European champions are treated as adults and now, in crisis mode, it pays off. They find a collective solution and move into Game Two, against Honduras, as one. Elsewhere, England, France and Italy are not so resilient. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

We're off and running with our World Cup 2010 recap. Here's what I saw and heard while tracking Spain for the first few days of their tournament, up to and including their first match against Switzerland.Why getting the right training camp counts.How to tame a dangerous Puyol in the wild. The Ali-Frazier nature of the series of matches between Vicente Del Bosque and Ottmer Hitzfeld, the two coaches, when they were in charge of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.And, of course, the game. A weird one, at the end of which Spain would know they had to make history if they were to add a world title to their European one.All of this and a dance through the other games in the first round: Rob Green costs England Maicon scores a belter for BrazilTshabalala starts the party.Want to read the whole story of how Spain on in 2008, 2010 and 2012? Find out about the book here:   https://backpagepress.co.uk/books/spain/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to di

Welcome to a new mini series on the Big Interview feed, retreading Spain's journey to their only World Cup title, 10 years ago.In this first episode, before the tournament begins, we'll look at the player who will eventually give the 2010 World Cup in South Africa it's signature moment, Andrés Iniesta.As the countdown to the finals intensifies, Iniesta is broken: physically, mentally and spritually. The extent of his depression and his despair at the death of a close friend and his own physical frailty was unclear back in 2010. What we know now is that the man who will win the World Cup for Spain could very easily have been left at home. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

When Brendan Rodgers took the Celtic job he was advised to jettison Scott Brown. Instead, Brendan invited him to his London home where they chatted about what behaviour he expected from a captain, and also how he could incorporate ‘Broonie’ in a different role. Despite the relatively advanced stage in his career, Scott transformed his attitude and style of play, and coach and skipper lifted trophy after trophy in Glasgow.When Brendan took over at Leicester, he again forged a crucial relationship with the incumbent captain, Wes Morgan, and there’s great stuff about Leicester and England talents James Maddison and Ben Chilwell. Brendan also reflects on why Philippe Coutinho was adored at Liverpool but failed to hit the ground running at Barcelona.Finally, there’s a moving testament on how Brendan considers himself duty-bound to help preserve the legacy and vision of beloved Leicester owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who died in such tragic circumstances in 2018. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in

Brendan Rodgers possesses one of the sharpest analytical minds in football, but more than that he is a purist, a devotee of the beautiful game– as demonstrated by the verve with which his high-flying Leicester side plays. As a rookie coach, Brendan had the foresight to regularly visit Spain to soak up the methods employed there – not least because the Spanish had a way of incorporating players of a shorter stature, something the Northern Irishman could relate to!Brendan tells us about working with true greats: Samuel Eto’o was the ultimate winner, Luis Suárez was the ultimate team player. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

Here’s another chance to hear my interview with Chris Sutton from season two.Chris’ success as a striker in England and Scotland was rooted in a tough start. As a kid, an initial rejection by his local club Norwich just made him all the hungrier – and a second bite at the cherry with the Canaries plus his dad and his youth coach’s tough motivational approaches set him on the trajectory to a trophy-laden career.At Norwich he once faced Alan Shearer while playing as a centre-half, and was on the end of a 7-1 schooling. But he so shone as a striker at Carrow Road that he would soon partner Shearer at Blackburn after a record transfer move. There, manager Kenny Dalglish had his players walking through walls for him all the way to a famous last-day league title win. Yet it was Chris’ incredibly successful relationship with the legendary Henrik Larsson at Celtic that was his most cherished, not least because it followed a very difficult period at Chelsea during which he had lost his confidence.I guarantee you will

Last season, our Socios at patreon.com/grahamhunter got an exclusive interview with Mark Schwarzer. For the first time, here’s the full episode.Mark had a love affair with the UEFA Cup/Europa League, reaching the final of each with Middlesbrough and Fulham respectively, and, sadly, losing both. But this remarkable man is disarmingly philosophical about both defeats. In part two Mark also describes the incredible encounter against Manchester City that clinched Boro’s UEFA place, in which he crucially saved a late Robbie Fowler penalty in a match in which fellow goalie David James wore an outfield shirt! Mark describes his fraught relationship with Boro boss Steve McClaren, being part of Fulham’s incredible comeback against Juventus and the euphoria of Australia qualifying for the 2006 World Cup.If you would prefer not to wait 12 months to listen to these extra interviews, it’s time to become a Socio at patreon.com/grahamhunter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episod

Last season, our Socios at patreon.com/grahamhunter got an exclusive interview with Mark Schwarzer. For the first time, here’s the full episode.Mark – an Aussie with German parents – kept goal for Dresden in the unsettled aftermath of reunification, and then at Kaiserslautern, where he was disrespected and unappreciated. His big break in England came when he was trialling for Manchester City in a friendly against Bradford. Bantams manager Chris Kamara liked the cut of his jib and signed him up. Mark speaks about breaking a bone in his back while at Fulham in a match against Swansea – and then playing on! He also describes being thrown in at the deep end when Chelsea’s Petr Cech was injured in a Champions League semi-final at Atletico Madrid, and keeping the score at 0-0.If you would prefer not to wait 12 months to listen to these extra interviews, it’s time to become a Socio at patreon.com/grahamhunter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to

In part two, John Hartson describes his happy days at West Ham – before everything went sour after an infamous incident with Eyal Berkovic. It took a special kind of guy to come back from that low-point.John once set up Craig Bellamy to score the winner against Italy with a pass worthy of Xavi. It gave Wales one of their greatest-ever nights in football.John made the best of his abilities and has fond memories of everywhere he played. But if you forced him to choose, he’s pick playing alongside the likes of Henrik Larsson at Celtic as the highpoint of his career. He describes missing a penalty against Rangers in a cup final defeat at the weekend, and then redeeming himself in midweek with a memorable strike at Liverpool, as the Hoops went on a famous run to the 2003 UEFA Cup final.Enjoy.Graham Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

John Hartson broke up my Spanish detention with a brilliant remotely-recorded Big Interview.Big Bad John was the kind of centre-forward who defenders hated marking. If they were smaller than him, he would just knock ’em over, then pick ’em back up. So John was shocked when Valencia’s Roberto ‘The Mouse’ Ayala gave him his hardest shift in a Celtic jersey.There’s great stuff here about John’s time as an old-school apprentice at Luton, when he looked after his hero Mick Harford’s boots, and there’s chat about losing a European final with Arsenal in agonising circumstances. But he never blamed David Seaman for his horrible mistake.Thanks, big man.Graham Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

After the sad news that Michael Robinson has died, I recorded this about a man I knew well and admired, who helped me during my career here in Spain and who helped shape as generation of broadcasters and journalists, particularly those making their way in a country that was not theirs by birth. He could play a bit, too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

Here’s another chance to hear my interview with Matt Le Tissier from season two.Matt was such a naturally gifted performer that he could have joined any team he chose. Instead, he was that rarity in the modern game: a one-club player. Matt describes the utter joy he took in lighting up Southampton’s old ground The Dell with his stunning tricks and goals – this interview is about football elevated to an art form. Listen as he describes netting the last-ever goal at The Dell, a goal that he just knew he was going to score. You’ll also hear about that special season when he enjoyed a telepathic relationship with Danish genius Ronnie Ekelund, his strained relationship with Glenn Hoddle – the only manager he ever swore at, and the grim, but ultimately triumphant campaigns against relegation in which he led by his example of sheer will to win.I guarantee, you will love this interview as much as I did.Graham Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to d

Jimmy Bullard’s on-field and latterly on-screen personality is that of an easy-going joker, but that is only a conscious extension of his true self. He is also a brilliant soccer analyst, and as a talented midfielder he was frustrated by English football’s failure to adopt the Continental passing game. Roy Hodgson was the only manager who understood him. He’s glad to see things changing, thanks mainly to the influence of Pep.When he joined West Ham the club was full of crazy personalities, not least Paulo Di Canio and John Moncur. Paulo had such charisma that he changed the culture of the entire club.Oh – and there’s brilliant stuff about Soccer AM, and Jimmy gives us an incredible behind-the-scenes insight into creating magical television.EnjoyGraham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

Thanks to the wonders of modern telecommunications, I caught up with Jimmy Bullard and found a man who had been well prepared for lockdown. Jimmy needs meditative pursuits – fishing, golf and landscape gardening, and his sense of detail was also applied to his fledgling footballing career to pave the way for successful spells with, notably, Wigan, Fulham and Hull.Jimmy used to peel potatoes and paint ceilings for a living. When he was signed from Gravesend & Northfleet by his boyhood heroes West Ham United, it was real Roy of the Rovers stuff.Jimmy adored Zizou, and loved the arthouse movie Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait, but when he watched the featured game, Real Madrid versus Villarreal, he was keen-eyed enough to recognise the other genius on the pitch that day, Juan Román Riquelme. He became his new hero.Dear friends, I hope that this superb Big Interview helps relieve your isolation.Enjoy.Graham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would lik

Last season, our Socios at patreon.com/grahamhunter got an exclusive interview with Shaun Maloney. For the first time, here’s the full episode.Want to hear what it feels like to set up the winning goal in the FA Cup final? In part two, Shaun recalls Wigan’s famous David v Goliath victory at Wembley over Manchester City in 2013. There’s also a description of Shaun’s sublime goal for Scotland against the Republic of Ireland and a breakdown of his work with Belgium, the No1 ranked side in the world.If you would prefer not to wait 12 months to listen to these extra interviews, it’s time to become a Socio at patreon.com/grahamhunter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

Last season, our Socios at patreon.com/grahamhunter got an exclusive interview with Shaun Maloney. For the first time, here’s the full episode.Shaun was a superbly gifted player who won trophies with Celtic and Wigan, where he worked under Roberto Martinez, the coach who has now made Shaun part of his staff at the Belgium national team. Oh, and he’s a fellow Aberdonian.He talkks here about how in 2012 he scored to defeat Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United, a victory that galvanised the Latics’ players to attain Premier League survival - winning seven of their last nine games in a heroic run-in.If you would prefer not to wait 12 months to listen to these extra interviews, it’s time to become a Socio at patreon.com/grahamhunter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

In part two, Tony Currie talks more about his lengthy love affair with Sheffield United. But he would sign for their Yorkshire rivals Leeds when most of the talent assembled by Don Revie was still at Elland Road. There was no love lost between Tony and Revie – as England boss the renowned manager didn’t take to him.Tony also shares his thoughts on the current heady days for Chris Wilder’s side. And there’s brilliant chat about his best goal – for Leeds at Arsenal, how he knocked back Manchester United to stay at Bramall Lane, and how he risked life and limb on legendary BBC programme Superstars – they sure don’t make ’em like that anymore!Thanks, Tony.Graham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com