On episode five of Football Architects we look at how England changed their fortunes from tournament failures to final makers - and in the women's case, winners. Hear from the man who brought about the culture change and brought back pride to the Three Lions.

Every episode will also have a written piece on the website, which we will link here

Host: Michael Bailey

With: Jacob Whitehead and Liam Tharme

Producer: Mike Stavrou and Abi Paterson

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On episode four of Football Architects, we hear from the architects of the data world, who have worked for the biggest football clubs in England.

Every episode will also have a written piece on the website, which we will link below.

Host: Michael Bailey

With: Jacob Whitehead and Mark Carey

Producer: Mike Stavrou

https://pod.fo/e/2fe33b

https://pod.fo/e/2fe34e

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On episode three of Football Architects, we’re focusing on international football's great over-performers, Croatia.

We’ll hear from Romeo Jozak, the former academy head and technical director of Dinamo Zagreb and technical director of Croatia from 2013-17.

Every episode will also have a written piece on the website, which we will link below.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6445372/2025/07/17/football-architects-croatia-football-overperformers

Host: Michael Bailey

With: Jacob Whitehead and Juraj Vrdoljak

Producer: Mike Stavrou

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On episode two of Football Architects, we’re focusing on the rise that took a stagnant Belgium to number one in FIFA’s world rankings.

We’ll hear about how they established a footballing DNA, and created a team of legendary players such as Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, and many more.

Every episode will also have a written piece on the website, which we will link below.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6445749/2025/07/10/football-architects-inside-belgium-rise-world-number-one/

Host: Michael Bailey

With: Jacob Whitehead and Liam Tharme

Producer: Mike Stavrou

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Football Architects - a summer series for The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast.

Over the next five weeks, we’ll tell the stories of esteemed footballing nations and clubs, speaking to the unsung heroes who changed history.

Today’s episode is focused on Ajax’s rebirth and how the club was rebuilt in the image of legendary figure Johan Cruyff.

Host Michael Bailey will be joined by The Athletic’s Jacob Whitehead and a number of our tactics writers. We’ll also be hearing excerpts of Jacob's interviews with key figures who were at the forefront of these projects.

On this episode, we hear from Ruben Jongkind, former head of talent development at Ajax, and the club’s former head talent recruitment, Jasper van Leeuwen.

Every episode will also have a written piece on the website, which we will link below.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6445365/2025/07/03/football-architects-rebuilding-ajax-johan-cruyff/

Host: Michael Bailey

With: Jacob Whitehead and Liam Tharme

Producer: Mike Stavrou

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this final show of the season, we’re bringing you the eagerly anticipated listener mailbag.

We’ll focus on strikerless systems, wing-backs vs full-backs and much, much more.

Host: Michael Bailey

With: Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme

Producer: Mike Stavrou

On behalf of the entire Tactics team, thank you for all of your entries and your support this season. Please complete our listener survey: https://forms.gle/atPcQnohDvRWQG2M7

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s show, we’re reviewing the 2024-25 season - looking at statistical trends across the Premier League.

We’ll also focus on the teams who impressed us, and those who disappointed us.

Host: Michael Bailey

With: Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme

Producer: Mike Stavrou

Listener survey: https://forms.gle/atPcQnohDvRWQG2M7

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special edition of The Athletic FC Tactics podcast - Duncan Alexander, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme preview the Champions League final between Inter and PSG.

Two teams with contrasting styles meet in the final in Munich - so we break down how we think this one might play out.

Host: Duncan Alexander

With: Mark Carey and Liam Tharme

Producer: Mike Stavrou and Liam Warburton

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.