Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Libero
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Libero 003 - The MAGA World Cup | 26 Mar 2025 | 00:57:28 | |
How should journalists report Trump's World Cup? Are expectations for Slot's Liverpool unfair?.. and the weird world of the Sports Journalism awards. Today's Liberi are Tariq Panja, Miguel Delaney and Barney Ronay. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 002 - Give us the jam now, Thomas | 20 Mar 2025 | 00:50:09 | |
Episode two of Libero discusses Thomas Tuchel's chances as the German England football manager (02:00) and the rise of the 'middle class' of well run Premier League clubs (18:42) The Liberi: Jonathan Wilson, Rory Smith, John Brewin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 001 - Has this podcast officially begun? | 18 Mar 2025 | 01:05:30 | |
Welcome to Libero. The first episode includes a segment on the Geordie Nation and Saudi sportwashing (06:15) and Sir Jim Ratcliffe's grand vision (41:01) Today's Liberi are Miguel Delaney, Jonathan Liew, Barney Ronay and John Brewin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 004 - Trent, Transfers and Traitors | 28 Mar 2025 | 00:51:09 | |
Libero 4 with Jack Pitt-Brooke, James Horncastle, Jonathan Wilson and John Brewin covers Trent's 'defection', some reflections on classic transfer market shenanigans and the FA Cup - has Wembley really lost it's mythological status? Trent AA (02:30) FA Cup (35:30) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 005: Andrea Berta Fan Fiction | 02 Apr 2025 | 00:51:35 | |
On Libero today, Jonathan Liew, Miguel Delaney, Rory Smith and Jonathan Wilson discuss whether elite football is trying to do away with fans, whether it is OK that Chelsea sold their own women's team to themselves, and discover that Jonathan Wilson knows who Angry Ginge is. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 006: Defund the PGMOL | 04 Apr 2025 | 00:54:56 | |
On Libero today, Jack Pitt-Brooke, James Horncastle, John Brewin and Jonathan Wilson discuss whether or not the 2024-25 season has been good or not. What do we mean when we talk about a good season? How do we find the right balance between quality, competitiveness and drama? Then they discuss why football journalists can never get as angry about referees and PGMOL as fans do, and hear why the cult of the celebrity referee actually started in Italy. Email us at: liberopodcast0@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 007: Slapping Brest With a 57 Percent Tariff | 09 Apr 2025 | 00:49:52 | |
On Libero today, Jonathan Wilson, James Horncastle, Miguel Delaney and Tariq Panja discuss the new Champions League format. Is it better than what came before? Were there really more surprises? And what tweaks would they like to see. Then they discuss whether a football club can have a DNA — something that for better or worse, often intangible, that makes the club what it is, and explains why Sunderland will not win the playoffs. Email us at: liberopodcast0@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 008: Prime Barclays Extended Universe | 11 Apr 2025 | 01:00:02 | |
On Libero today, Jack Pitt-Brooke, Rory Smith, John Brewin and Tariq Panja ask whatever happened to the lost generation of footballers born in the second half of the 1990s? They should be at their peak now, dominating the global game. And yet it feels as if football belonged to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for so long that they will ultimately be replaced by the Gen Z players, born in the 21st century. Later on the show they discuss the 'cult of the pundit' in English football, whereby Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville are now far more famous than they ever were as players, setting the news agenda with their every word. How have they managed to become so big? Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 009: The Bountiful South | 16 Apr 2025 | 00:58:51 | |
On Libero today, Jack Pitt-Brooke, Jonathan Wilson, John Brewin and Miguel Delaney consider the Tottenham Hotspur odyssey as Ange Postecoglou faces down his near-certain fate. Can any Spurs manager succeed under the current ownership structure? Has the “Glory Game” been sacrificed for the security of a profitable business? And later in the show, the gang consider English football’s north-south divide: how come the Premier League’s upwardly mobile middle class are from Greater London and the Home Counties rather than Yorkshire and Lancashire? Is it really just about airports? Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 010: It’s Really More Of A Helix | 23 Apr 2025 | 00:55:22 | |
What is it about the early 2000s that football finds so fascinating? Why is the game still so captivated by the career paths and podcast empires of the principal characters from an era that is now a generation past? On today’s Libero, Rory Smith, Tariq Panja and Jonathan Wilson try to answer that question, and also work out whether Pep Guardiola has the power to stop time. Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 011: Steve Parish Saint-Germain | 25 Apr 2025 | 00:55:55 | |
On today’s episode, Rory Smith, John Brewin and Jack Pitt-Brooke start off with a look at Paris Saint-Germain, who, for the first time, might well be the best team to watch in Europe. Have they finally moved on from their era of stars? Is a new focus on French talent a sign that they are finally putting football first? Or is it yet another cynical marketing ploy? Then discussion moves on to another team who play in red and blue: Crystal Palace. They are also from an area that produces plenty of good footballers, many of whom have made it into the Palace team. So is their local authenticity something to protect in the homogenous Premier League of 2025? Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 012: Marathon Wolf Hall Sessions | 30 Apr 2025 | 00:45:51 | |
Today’s episode starts with a look to the Arctic circle, where Bodø/Glimt have become one of the best stories in European football this decade. The small club from northern Norway have won four of the last five league titles and face Tottenham in the Europa League semi-final this week. So how did they do it, and what can the rest of Europe learn from their success? Then conversation moves on to Anfield (29:34), where Rory watched Liverpool seal the Premier League title on Sunday. He explains why it meant so much to him, how Liverpool have done it, and whether this is the most successful title of the FSG era. Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod You can read Rory's 2020 feature on Bodø/Glimt via the New York Times' archive here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 013: Barca's Bloated Mess | 02 May 2025 | 00:53:48 | |
In the interest of debunking beauty, the first part of the latest episode of Libero starts with Jonathan Wilson, Miguel Delaney and Tariq Panja discussing why Barcelona's thrilling 3-3 draw with Inter Milan should never have happened, largely due to the Catalan club's dire financial circumstances and the problems caused by its presidential model, while also trying to identify what ideal football club ownership looks like. The second half (38:16) focuses on the role of the modern Europa League, the ideal composition of of the competition's latter stages and the puzzle of finding a satisfactory host city for the final. Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 014: It's A Bit Like Severance | 07 May 2025 | 00:56:14 | |
With the Europa League final looking likely to be an all-English affair, Jack Pitt-Brook, Rory Smith and Tariq Panja discuss why - given the Premier League's clear financial advantages - Europe's secondary competition has never really been a priority for the clubs of the 'Best League in the World™'. In part two (42:02), talk turns to Lamine Yamal and whether playing a starring role for Barcelona, or any club in a foreign land, will allow him to reach the levels of fame that his talent deserves. Is it true that Anglophone-centric media struggles to acknowledge talent from overseas? Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 015: The Greatest Champions League Semi Of All? | 09 May 2025 | 00:48:36 | |
There was nowhere else to start than San Siro after the Champions League semi-final between Inter and Barcelona. Was it the best of all? Why are semis over two legs usually miles more entertaining than finals? Jonathan Wilson, Miguel Delaney and John Brewin share their memories, and hail gambling man Hansi Flick as football’s greatest ringmaster. After that (16:55): a missive from Mexico triggers a conversation on the cult of the football hipster. Is that era over? Or did books like Wilson’s 'Inverting the Pyramid' trigger an enduring legacy of earnest investigation into Sparta Rotterdam’s use of Wiel Coerver’s methods and the like? We lounge on Athletic Club cushions to consider the fashion(!), the music and the writing a wider perspective on football has added to modern culture. Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 016: Don Carlo | 14 May 2025 | 00:54:27 | |
On today’s episode of Libero, Rory Smith, John Brewin and James Horncastle wonder whether anyone not named Carlo Ancelotti can make sense of the modern Real Madrid, and assess the prospects for Xabi Alonso at the Bernabeu. In part two (33:36) James also takes great pleasure in decreeing that Ancelotti’s appointment as Brazil manager is proof of the ultimate triumph of Italy in determining the game’s dominant culture. Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 017: Bring On The Mezzanine | 16 May 2025 | 00:53:26 | |
On today’s Libero, Jonathan Wilson, Jack Pitt-Brooke and Miguel Delaney start by looking forward to Saturday’s FA Cup final. Everyone knows that the final is no longer the climax of the English football season, but the big question is why? They look at the rising prominence of the league in the 1980s, the advent of the Premier League in 1992 and Manchester United’s decision to pull out in 2000. The following Saturday at Wembley is the Championship play-off final between Sunderland and Sheffield United. (32:20) Jonathan talks about his personal connection to this game, and the realities of supporting a team with little chance in the top flight. Jack asks whether this really is such a big game any more, given the struggles of promoted teams to make an impact in the Premier League. Is there any hope beyond just become a yo-yo club, or in Jonathan’s phrase, a ‘mezzanine club’? Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 018: A Fight In The Portsmouth Ferry Port | 20 May 2025 | 00:47:21 | |
Jack Pitt-Brooke, Jonathan Wilson and Miguel Delaney have crossed the Bay of Biscay to see the teams currently 16th and 17th in the Premier League duke it out in the Basque Country with not only Europe's second biggest prize on the line, but also a place in the Champions League. Up front, Libero's intrepid trio of travellers mull over the plotlines for Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and their respective coaches. We also find out the real reason why Jack decided to take the ferry to Bilbao. In the second half (33:02), talk turns to what such an abjectly anticipated final means for the Europa League and whether the changes to the competition are the result or cause of this less-than-desirable eventuality. Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 019: The James Horncastle Origin Story | 23 May 2025 | 00:58:07 | |
Dispatches from Libero's Bilbao Bureau bring word of an all-English European final that was not the greatest advert for the 'Best League in the World™', so instead James Horncastle, John Brewin and Rory Smith discuss the Italian perspective on football in 2025 and how Serie A lost its status as the premier domestic competition. (30:38) We also learn how a restaurant catering to Hull's theatre crowd led Horncastle to a career covering the game in Italy. Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 021: Champions League Final, Premface Edition | 29 May 2025 | 00:53:32 | |
Today on Libero Jack Pitt-Brooke, Rory Smith and James Horncastle look forward to Saturday’s Champions League final between Paris Saint Germain and Inter Milan. First up is the question of what actually makes for a good Champions League final, whether we ever get what we really want from these games, and whether there being no English team, Real Madrid or Barcelona makes this final a tough sell to English viewers. Does this make us - to borrow a phrase from the internet - ‘Premfaces’? (25:26) Then James explains Simone Inzaghi’s remarkable tenure at Inter since he replaced Antonio Conte in 2021. Is he one of the best managers in the world right now? And then to Luis Enrique, a brilliant manager with a touching personal story, who has coached some of the most exciting teams in Europe over the last 10 years. Could this be the game that turns him into one of the greats? Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 020: Never Go Full John Terry | 28 May 2025 | 00:50:04 | |
As European domestic seasons draw to their close, Jonathan Wilson, John Brewin and Tariq Panja consider how and why a different set of clubs have lifted trophies across Europe. They discuss the collapse of the pay-TV market in France to suggest not all is milk and honey within the global game. Has football finance’s growth in importance turned us all into reluctant accountants? (28:58) And, as the Champions League final in Munich beckons, they share memories of 2012 and Chelsea’s achievement of Roman Abramovich’s dream, and that night’s setting of trends for future trophy celebrations. Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 022: Crying Into The Dolmio | 02 Jun 2025 | 00:27:57 | |
Brought to you live from the Allianz Arena Munich Football Arena, Miguel Delaney and Rory Smith discuss the fallout from PSG's destruction of Inter Milan in the Champions League final. Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 023: Held Hostage by Hodgson | 04 Jun 2025 | 00:52:43 | |
With Paris Saint-Germain finally ending their cash soaked Qatari quest for a Champions League title John Brewin, Jonathan Wilson and Tariq Panja discuss how its likeable young team’s emphatic trouncing of Inter may have shielded the owners from the sort of scrutiny they should have received. They get it here. In part two (36:38), discussion turns to the Club World Cup and what FIFA’s game is with a competition that few had been asking for. Is bribing exhausted star clubs with a $125m prize for a month’s work and feeding the transfer-industrial complex really what’s expected from Gianni Infantino and co.? Well, yes. Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 024: Data Is A Condiment | 06 Jun 2025 | 00:53:23 | |
Today Jack Pitt-Brooke, James Horncastle and Rory Smith discuss the most wonderful time of the year: the transfer market between football executives. They ask why we have become so fascinated by sporting directors, and why some of them have become almost as famous as the players themselves. James explains the history of the role in Italy, and Rory and Jack try to work out when and why it finally became a big part of the Premier League landscape. (39:46) They try to pick apart what the role actually does, whether you want a Monchi, a Fabio Paratici or a Michael Edwards, and what best practice recruitment actually looks like in 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 025: Bearded Dragons Being Driven By Trained Pigs | 11 Jun 2025 | 00:55:32 | |
On today’s episode James Horncastle, Jonathan Wilson and Tariq Panja discuss Luciano Spalletti’s shock (is it?) departure as Italy boss and what bigger meaning does it point to about that state of the Azzurri. Before moving on to the status of the Nations League and asking whether the competition finally hit the big time? Or is it just another needless extra in football’s bursting-at-the seams calendar? In part two (27:24), Jonathan takes us on a magical mystery tour of his attempt to get to one game in one city in the United States of America. Full of twists, turns and a baffling array of chance encounters, Jonathan’s journey offers an insight to what might be in store for fans attending this summer’s Club World Cup. Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 026: Hate-Watching The Club World Cup | 13 Jun 2025 | 00:57:49 | |
It’s Club World Cup time, and Libero are just as excited as you are. Today, Miguel Delaney, John Brewin and Rory Smith discuss how this tournament came to be, and what its existence tells us about the power (im)balance of world football. In the second half (38:18), they discuss what the tournament might bring as a sporting spectacle: for all the misgivings over how it came about, will it produce any football worth watching? And is part of the problem that most football, no matter how artificial and commercialised, is worth watching? Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 027: Miami Vibes And The Tale Of Walter Da Silva | 18 Jun 2025 | 00:47:18 | |
Libero goes on location as James Horncastle reports from the Hard Rock Stadium after Boca Juniors v Benfica. Is our Italian stallion getting swept up by Gianni Infantino’s Club World Cup? Then, back across the Atlantic where John Brewin, Miguel Delaney and Tariq Panja share their thoughts on the tourney so far, where they’re watching on a channel better known for serial killer documentaries. Then, at (24:36), they start the real quiz. Transfers, better than the football itself? The team considers the changing face of the recruitment game, from pushy parents to blue-chip, fully corporate agencies. Are the bad old days of third-party ownership coming back? Which clubs do things differently? Will a couple of high-profile legal cases turn things upside down? Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 028: Talking About Talking About Transfers | 20 Jun 2025 | 00:53:01 | |
Here we go, right into transfer season, so Miguel Delaney, Rory Smith and Jonathan Wilson discuss how it all actually works from a media perspective, as well as how reporting on it has evolved into an entire industry of its own, an adjunct to the actual football. We also (38:06), aware of our own hypocrisy, discuss an actual big transfer: Florian Wirtz to Liverpool. Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 029: Argentina And The Pie Of Football Mystique | 25 Jun 2025 | 01:00:58 | |
Another summer, another tournament enlivened by marauding hordes of Argentina fans taking over beaches and shopping centres. On today’s Libero, Miguel Delaney, Rory Smith and Jonathan Wilson discuss what it is that makes Argentinian football culture so passionate and so appealing to outsiders, whether we overlook the reality of it in favour of the romance, and whether its allure is really a measure of our anxiety over the sanitised, commercial world of European football. James Horncastle dials in, too, to offer his thoughts after experiencing the imported South American atmosphere in Miami, and we contemplate the impact of conflict in Iran on next year’s World Cup (50:05). Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 030: John Textor, Skateboard Champion | 27 Jun 2025 | 00:52:17 | |
On today’s Libero, Jack Pitt-Brooke, Tariq Panja and John Brewin ask the big question of the summer so far: who is John Textor? And what is going on with the ownership of Lyon and Crystal Palace? Lyon used to be one of Europe’s model clubs but now they are facing the prospect of relegation to Ligue 2. What does this tell us, not only about Textor, but about the multi-club model in general? Is there any upside at all in it for clubs. There is one Textor club that is having a great summer, though, with Botafogo through to the last-16 of the Club World Cup. All four Brazilian teams, in fact, have progressed from the groups. (31:27) Why is Brazilian club football so strong again? And does that change how we feel about Gianni Infantino’s big party in the USA? Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 031: In Sarina We Trust? | 02 Jul 2025 | 00:54:49 | |
Can women’s football sustain its exponential growth? Have the men just had a sliding doors without knowing it? The Women’s Euro 2025 gets underway in Switzerland this week with England nursing both (relatively) high hopes and (comparatively) low expectations. Why have two key players withdrawn from the squad? Can England retain their crown? What will failing to do so mean for Sarina Wiegman? And, if tournaments are always a barometer for the game, what will this say about women's football? Rory Smith, Miguel Delaney and John Brewin try to answer those questions while acknowledging that they are all men, or very close approximations of it. They also discuss England’s glorious win in the European Under-21 Championship (35:57), thanks to the great genius of anthem refusenik Lee Carsley - and whether the FA may have made a decision they end up regretting. Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 032: Jesus Had A 2,000-Year Headstart On Ronaldo | 04 Jul 2025 | 00:56:11 | |
This episode was recorded before the tragic news about the death of Diogo Jota and his brother. Jack Pitt-Brooke, Rory Smith and, eventually (18:41), James Horncastle try to get their heads around the sheer size of modern football. What happened to other sports? What special advantage does football have over everything else? And what is it about football that has allowed it to become the dominant cultural force in the modern world. And with football now in such a powerful position in the media landscape, the natural next question is whether or not this is actually good for the game. Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 033: Can We Not Just Be More Like Wimbledon? | 09 Jul 2025 | 00:55:41 | |
On today’s episode Jack Pitt-Brooke, James Horncastle and Rory Smith discuss the Club World Cup, where James saw the start of the tournament, with Rory now in New York to see its climax. They ask whether this is the future of football, or just a very clear view of its present. Then conversation returns to last week’s question (27:05): what could threaten football’s dominant place in global culture? Could it be a threat from within football, with the game churning out so much content, or starting to fragment? Or are its threats coming from outside, whether from fast-adapting different sports (cricket or F1), or the technological threats to our attention spans? Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 034: Sesko Reimagined As A Giant Turkey | 11 Jul 2025 | 00:53:15 | |
Jonathan Wilson and Miguel Delaney discuss with John Brewin a big week for Arsenal, and a fever dream featuring one of the Gunners’ potential new strikers. Is the pressure on Mikel Arteta or is that just a perception created by the myth of managers being capable of dragging a team over 'the line', whatever that is? Also, (36:14) if Joe Root sat in the seat next to you in a pub, would you recognise the greatest living English cricketer? Or has football’s dominance dampened his legacy? Is Kevin Keegan still more famous than Harry Kane? Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 035: Trump, Infantino And The Meaning Of The Club World Cup | 15 Jul 2025 | 00:58:58 | |
Now that the Club World Cup is over, Libero’s Miguel Delaney, James Horncastle and Rory Smith discuss what Gianni Infantino’s great jamboree means for football: not just the Saudi money that (indirectly) bankrolled the tournament, but the impetus of American private equity that brought it to this point. Before that, though, they unpack the defining image of the tournament, and possibly all modern football: President Donald Trump making it very clear that he would be celebrating Chelsea’s victory on the podium, in front of the world. Is the whole thing going to be forgotten, as critics say of the football, or are we actually talking about “a transformative moment for the game”? Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 036: Todd Boehly, football genius? | 18 Jul 2025 | 00:52:02 | |
On today’s Libero, Jack Pitt-Brooke, Jonathan Wilson and Tariq Panja put the politics of the Club World Cup to one side and stick to the football. Specifically Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea, who can now call themselves world champions for the next four years. It has been a remarkable few months for Maresca and his team, and suddenly all of the doubts about his appointment, and indeed the whole Chelsea project, look like they have lost their sting. Maybe Todd Boehly and Clearlake know what they are doing after all? The second half of the show (37:24) focuses on Crystal Palace, who have been told by UEFA that they will not be allowed into the Europa League next season because of a breach of multi-club ownership rules. Tariq explains why this is one of the very few MCO cases that UEFA chooses to enforce, and why Palace fans are so furious about it. Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 037: The Absolute State Of Manchester United | 23 Jul 2025 | 01:00:13 | |
Hated, adored, never ignored, not least because their downfall entertains those who endured the glory years with gritted teeth. Jonathan Wilson, John Brewin and Rory Smith try to pinpoint where it went wrong for Manchester United, the club that was previously too big to fail, and is now so big a farce that nobody knows how long the decline can last and to what depths the fall will reach. Fergie, the Glazers, Big Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Ole, Bruno, Andy Tate: is no-one innocent? Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 038: Manchester United and the LinkedIn saviours | 25 Jul 2025 | 00:59:40 | |
On today’s pod James Horncastle, Tariq Panja and Jack Pitt-Brooke continue the discussion on Manchester United and ask: is there any way back to the top for them? (38:00) James points to the examples of how the Milan clubs have dealt with their own loss of status in recent years, and Tariq explains how Valencia have gone from two-time Champions League finalists to a complete mess in recent years. So what does the path back from here to success look like for United? And can anyone guide them along it? Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 039: Proper England And Liverpool Spend, Spend, Spend | 29 Jul 2025 | 00:53:54 | |
James Horncastle and Miguel Delaney join John Brewin in extending congratulations to England’s Lionesses, and handle the hot potato of patriotism. Will our brave girls really get arrested for saying they’re English? After that (22:23), as Luis Diaz joins Bayern Munich, the stars align for Liverpool’s move for Alexander Isak. What’s brought on all this Liverpool spending? What now for Newcastle? As the picture clears on the summer of strikers, which other deals do they see happening before the window closes? Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 040: Is Jose Mourinho More Like Liam Gallagher Or Lenin? | 01 Aug 2025 | 01:03:51 | |
On today’s podcast, James Horncastle, Jonathan Wilson and Jack Pitt-Brooke turn their attention to next week’s Champions League qualifiers, and particularly Jose Mourinho, who will take his Fenerbahce team to Feyenoord. So why are we still so fascinated by Mourinho even as his career moves further away from the top of the game? Does he embody something that the modern game is short of? And why did football start moving beyond him 10 or so years ago (35:07)? Ultimately it comes down to how you measure or assess greatness, and the episode ends with the question of where Mourinho ranks compared to Pep Guardiola, Sir Alex Ferguson et al, and what his managerial legacy is. Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 041: The Last Dance Of Pep Guardiola? | 05 Aug 2025 | 00:57:31 | |
He’s the undoubted coaching genius of 21st century football, admired, aspired to, much imitated and rarely bettered, but this summer has been one of unusual uncertainty for Pep Guardiola. Can Manchester City be revived? Does he have the players to achieve that? Jonathan Wilson, John Brewin and Miguel Delaney share their memories of Guardiola’s 17 years at the pinnacle of the game and (37:10) wonder if he has more reinventions to come. Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 042: Welcome To The Championship: Hollywood Endings, Parachutes And Cliff Edges | 08 Aug 2025 | 00:58:59 | |
On today’s Libero Jack Pitt-Brooke, Jonathan Wilson and Tariq Panja turn their attention to the Championship. Is it still the most competitive league in the world? Or has that myth gone the same way as similar claims about the Premier League. With parachute payments distorting the competitive balance of the Championship so much, does it make the promotion race more predictable than ever? It’s hard to look past Ipswich Town for the top two places this season. And given the effect of parachute payments, does it make sense for Championship clubs to make their own documentaries? Wrexham and Birmingham City both have TV shows. And while none of the three on the show have watched them, is it the only way to compete? P1 (00:00) P2: (38:30) Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 043: Five Questions For The Premier League Season | 12 Aug 2025 | 00:56:43 | |
Jonathan Wilson sets the new season’s agenda for Jack Pitt-Brooke and John Brewin ahead of Friday’s big kick-off. The title, the drop, the transfer market coming back in a big way and (30:17) the current trend for hulking No 9s are all discussed. Every team gets a mention. Well, apart from one. Can you guess who? Produced by: Tom Bassam Join the Libero Fantasy League: fantasy.premierleague.com/leagues/auto-join/hjjtc0 or via the code hjjtc0 Email John with your Nectar point numbers at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 044: Liverpool, Arsenal And The Premier League’s New Era (Maybe) | 14 Aug 2025 | 01:02:57 | |
Is there a chance that Manchester City's imperial era is over, and might Arsenal-Liverpool be what replaces it? As everyone - again - waits for 'the City case' to end, there are other new uncertainties about Pep Guardiola and his team, whereas we know much more about what the champions and Arsenal are about. Could this herald a new rivalry at the top? Have Arsenal done enough? Have Liverpool done too much? And what of world champions, Chelsea? P1: (03:46) P2: (40:37) Join the Libero Fantasy League: fantasy.premierleague.com/leagues/auto-join/hjjtc0 or via the code hjjtc0 Produced by: Tom Bassam Email John with your Nectar point numbers at liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 045: In Defence Of PSR | 19 Aug 2025 | 00:53:04 | |
It’s the initialism on many people’s lips as the transfer window rages on. PSR, profit and sustainability rules: what are they good for? Miguel Delaney and Tariq Panja join John Brewin to pick through the weeds of surrounding what is, in reality, a rather a dry financial regulation covering accountancy to stop clubs spending beyond their means. Though, of course, as it’s modern football, where self-interest rules, it can never be that simple. Can there really be such a thing as financial fair play? Are the scales weighted to serve established elite? Why can’t everybody spend what they want? P1: (00:59) P2: (34:15) Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in via liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 046: Alexander Isak v Newcastle: A Player Power Battle | 21 Aug 2025 | 01:00:20 | |
The biggest story of this summer’s transfer window is Alexander Isak. The Newcastle United striker is so desperate for a move that he has not been training with Newcastle United, and on Tuesday night he finally went public about his desire to leave. On today’s Libero, Jonathan Wilson, Rory Smith and Jack Pitt-Brooke try to get to the bottom of the story of the summer. How outraged should we be by Isak’s conduct? Is he ‘on strike’, insulting the fans, or is he just playing one of the few cards available to him? This summer has shown how clubs treat players, whether Manchester United with their bomb squad, or Nottingham Forest denying Morgan Gibbs-White a move to Tottenham. So in that context does it make sense for a player to try to force his way out? And how can players claw back any power in the marketplace? Is the only route for them to stop signing long-term contracts when they are at the moment of maximum leverage? P1: (00:36) P2: (38:08) Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in via liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 047: Euro-trouble... is the Premier League's financial might causing problems on the continent? | 26 Aug 2025 | 00:58:27 | |
The European club season is now underway, with the Champions League draw to follow on Thursday. James Horncastle and Miguel Delaney join John Brewin to discuss some of the key questions from the continent. The rest of Europe is taking some surprising decisions to keep up with the Premier League’s riches. Each of the so-called top-five leagues have taken different approaches. Can they work? Or are the major clubs now in control? Plus, some more logs are thrown on the PSR fire. Produced by: Tom Bassam DISCLAIMER: Producer Tom experienced significant technical issues while editing this episode and as a result the audio quality is not up to the usual standard. We apologise profusely and will ensure a return to normal service for episode 048. Email in via liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Follow us on TikTok @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 048: Ruben Amorim And The Philosopher’s Clones | 29 Aug 2025 | 01:05:15 | |
Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United tenure reached a new low on Wednesday night as they were knocked out of the League Cup by Grimsby Town. Critics say he is too wedded to his 3-4-3 system, but has his ideological approach bought him more time than a more pragmatic manager would get? On today’s Libero, Rory Smith, Jack Pitt-Brooke and Jonathan Wilson discuss Amorim’s struggles and the importance of having a philosophy in the modern game. English football has traditionally rejected abstract ideas but that looks to have changed over the last 10 years since Pep Guardiola’s arrival. Is it now possible to get a big job without a clear set of ideas? Or are we starting to see a turn back towards pragmatism through managers like Thomas Frank? Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in via liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Follow us on TikTok @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 049: The Premier League’s Three Billion Pound Summer | 02 Sep 2025 | 00:57:59 | |
What's that you say? Every Libero squad member on one podcast? That's right, in order of appearance, Rory Smith, Jonathan Wilson, John Brewin, Miguel Delaney, Jack Pitt-Brooke, Tariq Panja and James Horncastle are here to talk about the most financially lubricated summer in football history - the Premier League's great (and late) spending splurge. We hear about what it's like to try and cover the flurry of transfer dealings on the last day of the window before discussing the driving forces behind the ever-increasing volume of moves, as well as how the power of the English pound reverberates across European football. Part one: (1:29) Part two: (12:27) Part three: (32:03) Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in via liberopodcast0@gmail.com Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Follow us on TikTok @liberopod Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Libero 050: Arsene Wenger, A Proper Football Man | 05 Sep 2025 | 00:54:39 | |
He’s the greatest manager in Arsenal’s modern history and the Emirates a monument to his reinvention of the club. Arsene Wenger is one of the most influential figures of the Premier League era but also in French football from his time at Monaco, and is still involved in the game he loves as an employee of Fifa. But could he have won more in France and England? He never got to write his own epitaph with one more major triumph. Meanwhile, his Fifa role and closeness to certain forces within the game have gone against previously strong-held principles. Miguel Delany and Tariq Panja join John Brewin consider the enigma and legacy of Le Professeur. P1: (00:55) P2: (29:44) Produced by: Tom Bassam Email in via liberopodcast0@gmail.com Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod Follow us on X @podcast_libero Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social Follow us on Instagram @liberopod Follow us on TikTok @liberopod Follow us on Facebook @liberopod Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||