The Big Interview With Graham Hunter

It was heart-wrenching for a teenage Emiliano Martinez to depart his beloved family for the distant prospect of Arsenal. But the Argentinian goalkeeper did what he did best – he worked hard, and after years of commitment he starred in the recent FA Cup final victory over Chelsea.He wasn’t fazed by the occasion, even when the Gunners went a goal down, because Emiliano has perfected his game psychology. His tears of joy afterwards were profound because this No1 had it tough as a kid and had given everything for his dream.Enjoy a true rags to riches Big Interview.GrahamSubscribe to Between the Lines: The Stories Behind Great Sports Writing 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 of my Big Interview with Domènec Torrent, there’s more on those glorious Camp Nou days, including Barca’s famous treble of 2008-09.Domènec grabbed the chance to assist Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich with both hands, and discovered that it was a myth that club legends interfered with team management there. He also busted the myth that Frank Ribery and Arjen Robben would be difficult charges. In fact, Arjen was a joy to work with and thrived under Pep. As if fated, Bayern were drawn against Barca in the 2015 Champion League semi-final, and held their own in the Camp Nou until a late error let Messi in. Then Bayern made the fatal error of chasing the game and ended up losing 3-0. The fans’ passion and improving players of quality such as Raheem Sterling made Domènec’s time at Manchester City a thrill, and he maintains that winning the English top flight is harder than claiming the Champions League. Domènec now can’t wait to get a new managerial role, and I wish him good luck with that. Whoever employ

When Pep Guardiola took the reins at Barcelona B in 2007, he quickly snapped up the services of respected Catalan coach Domènec Torrent. Domènec was Pep’s go-to guy whenever he wanted the skinny on an opponent, and he helped nurture talents like Busquets and Pedro.Soon Pep was managing Barcelona’s first team, and Domènec came along for the ride. Thus began a journey to immortality: three La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues with Barca, two Bundesliga crowns with Bayern Munich, and a Premier League win with Manchester City.It was great having a Big Interview with someone in the flesh again, and Domènec gives us fascinating insights into what it was like behind the scenes during that glorious Barca era: how the coaches perfected the team’s build-up play and high-pressing game, and how it took a genius like Pep to draw out the absolute best from the array of on-field geniuses at his disposal.Fascinating stuff.Graham.Subscribe to Between the Lines: The Stories Behind Great Sports Writing Hosted on Acast. See

The turmoil and internal conflict at Barcelona saw them lose La Liga to their arch rivals and now they face Napoli at Camp Nou in a dangerous second leg, last 16 match on Saturday.The 1-1 draw in Italy seems a lifetime ago, but the problems that circled Barcelona then remain: primary among them, discord between a new coaching staff and the senior players, and a decline in the physical power of the team. But there have also been signs that the players who have achieved so much may be able to fight on in the tournament that their leader, Leo Messi, obsesses over. 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

HolaThis is my look ahead to this week's Champions League last-16 tie between Manchester City and Real Madrid.Enjoy 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

HolaHere's my take on the La Liga season just finished, including reflections on Valencia, Sevilla, Granada and Espanyol.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

In 2008, Rio Ferdinand’s Champions League dream came true on a rainy night in Moscow.The final against Chelsea was a game Rio was terrified to lose. He had to take a penalty in the shootout, an experience he says you simply cannot prepare yourself for. But his mum just loved it when he walked up to lift the big trophy.Rio once raged at Sir Alex Ferguson from the pitch. The manager was so angered that he would have sold him had he not apologised. Fergie was a genius, a man with an incredible personal touch. Pep Guardiola was the only guy who could have filled his shoes. United had beaten Barcelona in the ’08 semi, but Pep's team were a different beast in the 2009 and 2011 finals. Rio felt embarrassed after those games and said that Barca ripped the soul from that United team. Although they were up against the greatest side of all time, Rio knows they could and should have done better. Fergie should have set them up differently, more compactly, more counter-attacking.Thanks Rio.GrahamSubscribe to Between the Li

We promised you a special 100th guest … so who better than Rio Ferdinand, a man with a Champions League, six Premier Leagues and 81 England caps under his belt. Rio was a centre-half so elegant that he could have played in midfield. Damn it, he could have played up front if he wanted.He left Leeds to join Manchester United because he had a burning desire to win. He got his hands on the league title in his first season at Old Trafford but that merely fuelled the addiction. He wanted European glory. He wanted the Champions League.At Leeds Rio had come close, scoring a sublime header in a quarter-final against Deportivo. But the Valencia of Juan Sánchez and John Carew taught them a lesson in the semi. At Man United they ripped Juventus to shreds but a year later Real Madrid narrowly put them out in a ding-dong 6-5 aggregate win, when Raúl stretched him like never before.This is a brilliant 100th Big Interview.GrahamSubscribe to Between the Lines: The Stories Behind Great Sports Writing Hosted on Acast. See acast

HolaHere's part two, as myself and producers Martin and Neil reflect back on some of the 99 guests we've had on the show over the past five years.Look out for 100th guest, Rio Ferdinand, tomorrow. EnjoyG 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

HolaHere's myself, and producers Martin and Neil reflecting back on some of the 99 guests we've had on the show over the past five years. Listen up for some crazy behind-the-scenes tales of our adventures on the road and revealing insights into some of our guests.Look out for 100th guest, Rio Ferdinand, later this week. EnjoyG 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

There were mixed European fortunes for Dietmar Hamann at Bayern Munich: a famous triumph in Barcelona followed by a UEFA Cup final win over Bordeaux, but also a tough lesson from an Ajax side which Dietmar describes as one of the best ever.After head coach Otto Rehhagel was undermined by certain players, Giovanni Trapattoni was soon back and Dietmar won his second German title. Trapp also issued the most famous outburst in German football history. Newcastle then came calling, and life in England sparked a love affair with that other beautiful game: cricket. There was an FA Cup Final defeat to the mighty Manchester United but Dietmar’s Tyneside days set him up for a move to Liverpool, where greatness beckoned.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

Dietmar Hamann is one of the beautiful game’s most engaging characters; sheer class as a guy just as he had been sheer class as a player. Before his breakthrough, he was a marauding offensive midfielder, but after he caught Bayern Munich’s eye he was given the holding role, a position he made it his own.Head coaches Franz Beckenbauer and then Giovanni Trapattoni were massive influences at Bayern. ‘Der Kaiser’ had an aura about him when he walked into a room and took a relaxed approach. ‘Il Trapp’ was different: an emotional man and a hard taskmaster, but still loved by his players.Dietmar describes what it was like to come off the bench to score his first senior goal in a 5-0 victory over Nuremberg as The Bavarians homed in on their first Bundesliga crown in four years.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

Welcome to the World Cup final of 2010.As our mini-series concludes, let's go back to the build-up to Spain v Holland: both Franz Beckenbauer and Paul the Octopus predicted a Spain win, but nobody foresaw the nature of their victory.There has never been a dirtier World Cup final - there could easily have been more than the one red card we saw. And Holland could easily have left with the trophy and the glory, were it not for an eternal moment - perhaps the most memorable from my journalistic career - between Arjen Robben and Iker Casillas.And that's before we even get to Iniesta. Or, for that matter, Gerard Pique, who almost got me into serious trouble in the immediate aftermath of this unforgettable game.I hope you have enjoyed this series. If you'd like to find out about the book I wrote on Spain's three successive trophy wins from 2008 to 2012, in hardback, paperback and audiobook (read by me), then you can do that here: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode.

It's the final four, socios.For Germany, it's World Cup semi-final number 11. For Spain, number one.It's a rematch of the 2008 European Championships final. And it's a repeat of the same scoreline. Spain outplay their most dangerous opponent of the tournament but they need a singular goal to reach the final.Here's the back story to Carles Puyol's majestic leap; where I rank it in the pantheon of World Cup headers; and how the evening ended with Puyi face-to-face with the Queen of Spain, wearing only a towel (Puyol, not Queenie).  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

Spain v Paraguay. Quarter-finals.Spain's top two goalkeepers, Iker Casillas and Pepe Reina, conspire to keep out Oscar Cardozo's penalty - and that's just the start of one of the craziest five minutes in World Cup history - two more penalties, another not given and after all that the score is still 0-0. With the clock ticking down, and their quarter-final curse looming, Spain turn to the tournament's top scorer once more. 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 matchday in South Africa 2010, so it's time to see what Spain were up to.It's the round of 16 and it's Portugal: that means Ronaldo. He was the world's most expensive footballer and had just finished his first season in the white of Madrid. Behind him, was one of the meanest defences in world football.Spain had to innovate to stifle Ronaldo and break down the defensive barrier that stood between them and a quarter-final spot. Here's how they did it. BUY Spain: The Inside Story of La Roja's Historic Treble in paperback, ebook or audiobook (read by 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

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