EPL Talk

In episode 27 of the EPL Talk Podcast, we speak with writer Jamie Trecker who discusses his childhood watching football in Scotland, divulges background on his career as a professional writer, the state of U.S. soccer, his thoughts on the next US manager, differences between interviewing U.S. and European soccer players, and his thoughts on the Premiership season thus far. Trecker also discusses what the experience was like blogging from the World Cup, how the 2006 World Cup compared to previous tournaments, a preview of what'll be in his next book about his experiences at the World Cup in Germany, whether the Champions League is more entertaining than the World Cup, and how American sports journalists and their knowledge and respect of soccer has progressed over the past 20 years. Interestingly, Trecker paints a picture of what a typical week is like for a soccer journalist such as himself, and he reveals how many matches he watches a week and his extensive database he has to help him stay on top of the game.

In episode 26, famed author Simon Inglis tells us the story of Charles Buchan and the publishing of the influential magazine entitled Charles Buchan's Football Monthly, which was popular between the 1950s and 1970s and is the subject of his upcoming book due in October 2006. Inglis also discusses the comparisons between football in that time period compared to today. As one of the world's most renowned experts on football grounds, Inglis discusses the current state of football stadia and gives his verdict on Arsenal's Emirates Stadium. Inglis then recommends what old-fashioned Premiership stadiums are a must-see in England. As a massive Aston Villa fan, Inglis shares his first memories of Villa Park, his thoughts on Villa's famous old Trinity Road Stand and what he thinks of Randy Lerner and Martin O'Neill. Author Simon Inglis also discusses what impact Archibald Leitch had on the game of football in Britain and how he dominated the twentieth century. Lastly, Inglis reveals the topic of an upcoming book ("Uppies and Downies"), and how the history books will soon be rewritten about the origins of football.

Episode 25 features an interview with author Adrian Sherling who is the creator of the hysterical blog and book about the Manchester Buccaneers. Sherling talks about why he started the Manchester Buccaneers blog and what his inspiration was for the Roswell P. Shambling character, some of the funniest responses to the blog, whether Malcolm Glazer can do anything to stop being despised, what Brits think of Americans who are purchasing Premiership clubs, what it was like ghostwriting for pundits like Andy Gray and Rodney Marsh at SkySports, what he thinks of SkySports coverage compared with BBC, his thoughts on the recent transfer signings by Arsenal, and whether the number of Americans playing in the Premiership will help diffuse the perception that the U.S. is inferior in soccer.

In episode 24, we feature an interview with Gary Richards, the co-host of The 2 G's radio show. Richards discusses his career in football, famous celebrities he's played with including Rod Stewart and Anthony LaPaglia, how he met co-host Graham Bell, what his reaction is to the criticism from World Soccer Daily, what his plans are for new shows on the Champions Soccer Radio Network, how The 2 G's radio show differs from its competitors, what his most memorable 2 G's show is, his fondest memories of Highbury, his first impressions of the Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, and more.

Episode 23 features an interview with Ronnie Whelan, the Liverpool and Republic of Ireland legend who played in two World Cups and won more than 15 medals including the 1984 European Cup. During the interview, Whelan discusses the famous Liverpool "Boot Room," what he thought of Bob Paisley and Jack Charlton, what MLS team he almost managed, and his two most memorable experiences during his illustrious career.