Episodes

  • Weekend Edition
    Oct 19 2024

    This week on The Sports Agents,

    England named German coach Thomas Tuchel as the man to lead the Three Lions to World Cup glory - but does his nationality matter more than how good a manager he is? German football writer Raphael Honigstein, joined Gabby & Mark to explore...

    How do clubs actually unearth the best talent? Old-school scouting prowess or new-age AI-infused data? We debate it out with former Brentford, QPR and Rangers manager, Mark Warburton, and the 'data-brain' behind Liverpool hiring Jurgen Klopp, former Director of Research, Ian Graham.

    Plus, do 'superstars' get special treatment when it comes to drugs in sport? We talk to Ahmad Nassar, the Executive Director of the Professional Tennis Players' Association, and Edmund Willison, investigative journalist and author of the Honest Sport newsletter.

    Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at thesportsagents@global.com

    New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

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    25 mins
  • Does it matter England's new manager is German?
    Oct 17 2024

    As England named German Thomas Tuchel as their new manager, Gabby and Mark chat about whether his nationality is really a big deal and if he's the right man for the job. German football journalist, Raphael Honigstein, tells us the German reaction, what he'll be like in the dressing room and why he's not starting till January.

    And with that FA manager search now complete, we ask how you find the best talent in the world? Is data a revolution or a threat? We get both sides of the story from former Brentford, QPR and Rangers manager, Mark Warburton, former Director of Research at Liverpool, Ian Graham, and Tom Worville, Head of Football at the sports analytics company, Prospect.

    Plus, how young should you start looking for that talent? We get the thoughts of Arsenal Youth Scout (Talent ID lead for North London & Herts) Harry Charalambous.

    If you liked this episode, you might also like...

    Gareth Southgate resigns... What now?

    Next England manager: Meet the candidates

    How does a Premier League club find a new manager?

    Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides

    Producer: Sophie Penney

    Video Producer: Sam Trudgill

    Social Media Editor: Calum Scotland

    Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network

    Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global

    You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".

    And, the Sports Agents now have merch!

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    49 mins
  • Drugs in sport: Are 'superstars' getting off lightly?
    Oct 15 2024

    Jannik Sinner is still tennis’ World No. 1 player, having just claimed his 7th title of the year, with an ongoing doping charge hanging over his head.

    Even Novak Djokovic is wondering whether it’s one rule for the stars and another for the rest - so is this just a tennis problem or do sports' superstars get special treatment when it comes to a failed drugs test?

    The Executive Director of the Professional Tennis Players’ Association, Ahmad Nassar, joins Gabby & Mark to discuss the Sinner case and double-standards for lower ranked players on the tour.

    Later, Edmund Willison, investigative journalist and author of the newsletter Honest Sport, explores how 'broken' anti-doping is in other sports; Paul Pogba's reduced ban and scepticism over Ruth Chepngetich's marathon world record.

    If you liked this episode, you might also like...

    What it's like to fail a drugs test

    Should Olympic athletes be allowed to dope?

    Does boxing really care about performance-enhancing drugs?

    Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides

    Producer: Sophie Penney

    Video Producer: Sam Trudgill

    Social Media Editor: Calum Scotland

    Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network

    Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global

    You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".

    And, the Sports Agents now have merch!

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    46 mins
  • Weekend Edition
    Oct 12 2024

    This week on The Sports Agents,

    Gabby & Mark Pougatch welcomed ex-Formula One Team Principle at Haas, Guenther Steiner, to talk about swearing and the unexpected F1 title race, with a bonus question for our weekend listeners.

    And after Rafa Nadal announced his retirement during our recording, tennis presenter Marcus Buckland helped us pay tribute to the tennis great.

    Plus we quizzed one of the UK’s top sports lawyers and Partner at Sheridans, Daniel Geey, on the landmark ruling in the legal battle between Man City and the Premier League about sponsorships.

    Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at thesportsagents@global.com

    New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

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    26 mins
  • Nadal retires, Klopp to Red Bull & swearing in Formula One
    Oct 10 2024

    After Jurgen Klopp was named the new head of global soccer at Red Bull, we catch up with long-time friend and the Paralympic athlete who Klopp followed in Paris this summer, New Zealand badminton player Wojtek Czyz.

    And with Formula One set for an unexpectedly dramatic end to the season we talk about swearing, gossip and who will win the drivers' championship with two Drive to Survive stars, ex-Haas team boss Guenther Steiner and the voice of F1, Will Buxton.

    Plus, Rafa Nadal announced his retirement while we recorded the pod but tennis commentator Marcus Buckland was on hand to help us pay tribute and mourn the end of a golden generation.

    If you liked this episode you might also like...

    Lando Norris on Verstappen crash and Marvellous Mark Cavendish

    The Christian Horner scandal - is Red Bull about to implode?

    Henry Winter on Big Ange's ambition, 115 charges & How Liverpool move on from Klopp

    Guenther’s new book UNFILTERED: My Incredible Decade in Formula 1 is out now (Bantam, £22).

    Buxton's new history of Formula One Grand Prix: An Illustrated History of Formula 1 is out now

    Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides

    Producer: Sophie Penney

    Video Producer: Sam Trudgill

    Social Media Editor: Calum Scotland

    Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network

    Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global

    You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".

    And, the Sports Agents now have merch!

    Show more Show less
    46 mins
  • Who actually won in court - Man City or the Premier League?
    Oct 8 2024

    After two big rulings that could change football's future, Gabby and Mark Pougatch team up to make sense of it all, helped by top sports lawyer and Partner at Sheridans, Daniel Geey.

    Could this be the end of the transfer system as we know it? That's after former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder Lassana Diarra won his battle with FIFA, proving that some transfer rules break EU law.

    PFA Chief Executive Maheta Molango tells us what this might mean for players and we get the clubs' reaction from CEO of European Club Association, Charlie Marshall.

    And did Man City or the Premier League actually win their landmark dispute on sponsorship deals? Could the outcome backfire on some of City's biggest rivals, like Arsenal?

    Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides

    Producer: Sophie Penney

    Video Producer: Arvind Badewal

    Social Media Editor: Calum Scotland

    Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network

    Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global

    You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".

    And, the Sports Agents now have merch!

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    41 mins
  • Weekend Edition
    Oct 5 2024

    This week on The Sports Agents,

    Gabby & Mark asked former Chelsea talisman Frank Lampard for his thoughts on their current one - Cole Palmer - but is he the best player in the Premier League right now?

    Plus, Sam Burgess was among our guests as we explored whether the only way to save Rugby was to reunite the two codes!

    And after Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate questioned why he hadn't received the Player of the Match award last weekend, we explained how (and who) actually decides...

    Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at thesportsagents@global.com

    New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

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    24 mins
  • Could a cross-code Rugby merger save both Union & League?
    Oct 3 2024

    Today on The Sports Agents, we’re delving into a little fantasy... to reunite Rugby League and Union - after more than a century apart - Is it time to bring rugby’s wall down?

    Unthinkable, maybe, but if you remove sentiment and tribalism from the equation, is there really enough space for both codes to survive?

    Warrington Wolves head coach Sam Burgess and the Daily Mail's Chris Foy join in to explore how would a merger actually work and is there a world in which the codes are stronger, together?

    Plus, following an historic night at Villa Park in their return to the Champions League, Gabby & Mark discuss Jhon Duran's rise as one of the 'stories of the season so far'.

    Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides

    Video Producer: Sam Trudgill

    Social Media Editor: Calum Scotland

    Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network

    Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global

    You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".

    And, the Sports Agents now have merch!

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    42 mins