The Rest Is Football

Where does Roy Hodgson rank among the list of Premier League managers? What will the future hold for Crystal Palace under Oliver Glasner? What does success look like for Crystal Palace? Gary, Alan and Micah are also joined by Dan Cook, who runs the HLTCO podcast, to dive into the Crystal Palace fans perspective and what they want to see from their club. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What has Rasmus Hojlund changed that’s led to his red-hot run of form? How long until Vincent Kompany is under real pressure for his job at Burnley? Who had a shocker with their ‘triple captain’ on Fantasy Football this week? Gary, Alan and Micah also discuss the title race in Scotland as Rangers leapfrog Celtic at the top. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What exactly did Micah get up to in Las Vegas that made it a “trip of a lifetime”? Where would be best for Kylian Mbappé to move to in the summer? Are Manchester City the firm favourites to retain their Champions League title? Gary and Micah also discuss the race for promotion in the Championship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who was keeping Alan awake the night before his biggest game as Newcastle manager? What’s it like when the worlds of football and Hollywood movies collide? Which football moments made our hosts fall in love with the game? Gary & Alan also debate the best Irish player they ever played against. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is Bukayo Saka now a guaranteed starter for England? Should West Ham stick with David Moyes and give him a new contract? Was Ivory Coast’s AFCON success the biggest ever turnaround at an international tournament? Gary & Alan also discuss the crazy situation of loan players scoring against their parent clubs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who are the best up and coming players in world football right now? Who has made it into EA SPORTS FC 24’s Future Stars? Did Micah make the most of the early years of his career after bursting onto the scene? As three players that made it to the very top of the game, what advice would our hosts give to these players that are drawing so much attention at a young age? Future Stars are available in FC 24’s Ultimate Team now! Campaign live in-game until Feb 23rd. www.ea.com/games/ea-sports-fc/fc-24/ultimate-team/future-stars This episode is brought to you in partnership with EA SPORTS FC 24 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What really happened when Joleon Lescott tweeted a photo of a flashy car after a 6-0 defeat? Why is the Olympic Village the “party of all parties”? Which player used to lie about his use of Nando’s? Gary, Alan and Micah also explain exactly what a typical day in the life of a Premier League footballer is like. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are we set for one of the best title races for years? Have Man United finally started to turn the corner? Why has an English manager never won the Premier League? Gary, Alan and Micah also discuss the unrest at Crystal Palace and whether Roy Hodgson will survive the season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do referees subconsciously favour big clubs, particularly when they’re at home? How do we feel about players mocking each other’s celebrations? Why does Gary think things will definitely come good for Darwin Núñez? Gary, Alan and Micah also sing the praises of Michael Olise and discuss whether Gareth Southgate should be looking to try and snap him up before he makes a senior international appearance for France. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why did Alan have his head in a crocodile’s mouth in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s office? What were the most ridiculous things they ever spent their football wages on? Who are the most famous people the boys have ever met? Gary, Alan and Micah also reveal the unexpected perks of being a football pundit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do Man United get Marcus Rashford back to the highs he was hitting last season? What prompted Alan to watch a game amongst the Newcastle away fans for the first time in decades? Has a dangerous precedent been set after the Anderlecht v Genk match was ordered to be replayed in full after a VAR error? Gary, Alan and Micah also celebrate Maidstone United’s terrific victory against Ipswich, which saw them go through to the fifth round of the FA Cup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why is Klopp leaving Anfield? Will Xabi Alonso replace him? Should he be remembered as one of the greatest Premier League managers of all time? Join Alan and Gary for an emergency episode of The Rest Is Football, where they react to the news that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will leave the club at the end of the season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If Gary and Alan were in Victor Osimhen’s shoes, which Premier League club would they join? If Chelsea win the League Cup would that be a successful season for them, regardless of league position? Gary, Alan and Micah also review all the action from AFCON and the Asian Cup as the group stages come to an end. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why did Micah’s first ever football shirt make Alan so happy? Which football-related incidents keep the boys awake at night? How did Gary end up playing golf with two American superstars? Gary, Alan and Micah also discuss Omar Berrada’s move from Man City to Man Utd and whether he will be able to turn the tide at United. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How should players, fans and governing bodies deal with the ongoing issues with racism in football? Also, should Diogo Jota be in Liverpool’s starting XI when everyone is fit? Will Crystal Palace stick with Roy Hodgson amid growing unrest amongst their fans? Gary, Alan and Micah also look at the battle at the top of the Championship and debate whether parachute payments should continue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why did Micah turn down joining Jose Mourinho at Chelsea in 2007? Who would come out on top if Alan and Micah faced each other in their prime? Do the Premier League’s FFP rules need updating? Gary, Alan and Micah also discuss the worst dressing room dressing-downs they saw in their careers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How did Ronaldo end up signing for Man Utd in Gary’s garden? Why was Ian Wright so frustrating to play against? Why was managing Newcastle the most pressure Alan has ever been under? Gary, Alan and Micah also discuss the favourite partnerships they had during their playing careers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is Kevin De Bruyne the greatest ever Premier League midfielder? How do you bring a player back into the fold after they’ve fallen out with the manager? Will the fans protest at Reading that saw their game abandoned be enough to save their club? Gary, Alan and Micah also debate whether Man United still have the power to attract the world’s very best players. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What made José turn a little cold towards Gary? Can Alan and Micah name the Top 10 most valuable players in the world right now? And who gets into a Salad XI of footballers? The boys also discuss whether Antoine Griezmann is one of the most underrated footballers of this generation after he broke the Atletico goal scoring record. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What would be the boys dream transfers during this month’s window? Who had to have 100ml of fluid removed from their knee before every training session? Why did Alan turn down an extra £600k from Adidas to wear their boots? Gary, Alan and Micah also discuss players who have gone on to work outside of football after their careers and made it big. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why did we see so few big Cup upsets at the weekend? Are the big teams taking the FA Cup more seriously? Do we prefer watching games without VAR? Gary, Alan and Micah review the best of the action from the FA Cup 3rd Round and suggest a solution for the use of VAR going forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who was the best Premier League player of 2023? Which club were the biggest underachievers of the last year? Who “burst onto the scene” like our very own Micah Richards? Gary, Alan and Micah run through The Rest Is Football’s very prestigious end of year awards and have a lot of fun along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What was it like playing against Sam Allardyce’s Bolton in the early 2000’s? Why do we put ourselves through the highs and lows of playing fantasy football? How do you define what a ‘world class’ player is? Gary, Alan and Micah also discuss the emotions of taking a high pressure penalty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What next for Wayne Rooney and his managerial career? Why do some ‘star’ players find the transition to management so difficult? How do you get players to buy into your vision as a manager? Gary and Micah react to the news that Wayne Rooney has been sacked as manager of Birmingham City after just 15 games in charge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do Arsenal recover from a poor run of form over the festive period? With players returning from injury, what is Pep Guardiola’s best XI? Who had a surprise meeting with David Beckham over the Christmas holidays? Gary and Micah also discuss whether VAR is now actually encouraging diving, rather than preventing it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are Man City finally getting the best out of Phil Foden in his new role? What are the immediate things that Sir Jim Ratcliffe needs to do at Man Utd? How hard is the transition from player to manager and what do the coaching badges not prepare you for? Gary, Alan and Micah also marvel at Bournemouth’s recent form and the job Andoni Iraola is doing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A short message from Gary to say thank you to all our listeners for their support so far this season and give an update on what we’ve got planned for 2024. Have a wonderful Christmas! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do we take some of the power away from agents in the world of football? Why are there so many American takeovers of English clubs? What were Brian Clough’s secret negotiating techniques? Gary, Alan and Micah speak to Jon Holmes, Gary’s agent of 45 years, to have an in-depth look at the life of a football agent. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What’s the most outrageous thing our hosts ever saw at a club’s Christmas party? Do any players really intentionally get suspended over the festive period? Which players would be all smiles off the pitch, but wouldn’t hesitate to give you a good kick if they got the chance? Gary, Alan and Micah also debate which pair of Man Utd greats from the last couple of decades would be best suited to go and fix the current mess at the club. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can you be a bargain at £100m? Why are Man City struggling defensively at the moment? How does it feel to come up trumps after getting hammered by the opposition fans? Gary, Alan and Micah also reflect on a desperately disappointing game at Anfield and where that leaves both clubs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Should Newcastle have been less gung-ho in their attempt to reach the CL knockouts, which ultimately cost them a place in Europe altogether? Which club would Ivan Toney be best suited for if he was to leave Brentford? Can anyone stop Liverpool winning the Europa League? Gary, Alan and Micah also make their predictions on who will ultimately win this year’s Champions League. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who should Aston Villa be looking to sign in January? What happens in the dressing room when another player wants your shirt number? Will Ant & Dec ever be successful in their attempts to tap Alan up to go into the jungle? Gary, Alan and Micah also discuss what dangers the Premier League could face if 14 or more of the club’s owners are American. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is Pochettino the man to fix the problems at Chelsea? Are we focussing too much on the idea that players are fatigued? Why are we seeing sides really having a go at the traditional ‘top teams’ this season? Gary, Alan and Micah also discuss the results of a poll about the use of VAR, after more than 100,000 fans voted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why exactly are certain managers being particularly prickly at the moment? How big a statement was Aston Villa’s performance against Man City? Alan and Micah clash over whether they would want Declan Rice or Rodri in their side. Plus, the boys discuss the troubles at Nottingham Forest and whether Steve Cooper deserves more time in charge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What’s the best way to deal with player power building in the dressing room? Which of our hosts saw team-mates actively celebrating when they found out their manager had been sacked? And how on earth did Micah Richards end up in a chart-topping music video? Also, after the sex noises prank during the group stage draw for the Euros, Gary reflects on exactly what was going through his mind when it happened to him live on the BBC last season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Did Spurs deserve a point against Man City? Is there any way back from the lack of desire some Man Utd players are showing on the pitch? Why on earth were Barcelona players asking for Nutella sandwiches after their matches? The boys also discuss Liverpool having their own goal of the month competition at Anfield and a crucial win for Burnley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Would the introduction of sin-bins be a good thing for football? Why was Sergio Agüero so different on a matchday compared to the rest of the time? Who were the most annoying players that Gary and Micah ever played against? Alan also tell us what he would have done if he’d been playing for Newcastle in the Mike Ashley era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In their new podcast TV maestro and hugely successful author Richard Osman, along with The Guardian's razor-sharp columnist Marina Hyde unravel the mysteries and unveil the hidden gems within the vast landscape of entertainment. Blending knowledge, humour, and insight as industry insiders they'll talk television, films, books, music and celebrity gossip as well as offering an enticing peek behind the curtain. Listen to the full episode now by searching The Rest Is Entertainment wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Did Micah’s pre-match chat with Alisson play a few mind games before his performance against Man City? Will Aston Villa be able to sustain their Top 4 push? Was Alejandro Garnacho’s overhead kick the best goal ever scored in the Premier League? Gary, Alan and Micah also reflect on a big weekend at the bottom of the table. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the sad news that Terry Venables passed away at the weekend, Gary, Alan and Micah reflect on the incredible person that he was and his tremendous impact on the game of football. He was Gary’s manager at Barcelona and Tottenham, Alan’s manager with England for Euro 96 and was part of the national set-up as assistant manager for Micah. We hear stories of his genius footballing brain and the innovations he would try in training, his brilliant man-management skills in handling strong personalties like Paul Gascoigne and how he loved a good sing-song. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who thinks Man City won’t win the league this year? Who has got the best chance of gatecrashing the Top 4? Will Everton survive after their points deduction? Gary, Alan and Micah look back at the predictions they made at the start of the season, to see what they’ve got right and where they’ve been going wrong. They go through all 20 Premier League teams to look at the challenges they face and any surprises we might see between now and the end of the season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why did Roy Keane threaten to knock Alan out on the pitch? What do Gary, Alan and Micah think is England’s best starting XI? And what was it really like having to go to battle against Tony Pulis’ Stoke City? We also hear the story of when Gazza brought his new Winnebago to training and ended up giving one fan a journey he would never forget. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With Everton having been docked ten points for breaching Premier League financial rules, Gary and Alan are joined by journalist Nick Harris of Sporting Intelligence to discuss the reasoning behind the dramatic decision. Also discussed are the implications for Manchester City, currently facing 115 charges for alleged breaches of the League’s financial rules. Charges Manchester City deny. Anyone wanting to read the full reasons for the Everton judgement can do so here: https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/document/2023/11/17/49989e4e-01a2-44f9-a012-c3a31ae5536b/2023-11-17-Premier-League-v-Everton-FC-Decision-for-Publication.pdf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What is the biggest threat to the growth, or even survival, of domestic football? Would salary caps help level the playing field? Is it ok for football clubs to continually lose money? Crystal Palace co-owner and chairman Steve Parish joins Gary and Alan on today’s episode to discuss what it’s really like running a professional football club. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What actually happens when a senior player turns against the manager? Why did one of Bobby Robson’s phone calls have Gary and the team in fits of laughter? Who thinks the World Cup SHOULD be every two years? Gary, Alan and Micah also discuss which British football team they would each have loved to have played for. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Should Man City have sold Cole Palmer to Chelsea? Are Liverpool the biggest threat to Man City retaining their title? Will Aston Villa crash the top four this season? The boys also discuss what will be going through Rasmus Højlund’s mind, as his Premier League goal drought continues after a big money move. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Which specific moment from that Champions League final against Liverpool kept Andriy awake at night for three months? How did he end up getting married on the 14th green of a golf course? And which Brazilian genius did Andriy think was better - Ronaldinho or Kaká? In the second part of our special with the Ukrainian Ballon d’Or winner, Gary also finds out what went wrong during his spell at Chelsea. You can buy Andriy’s new book My Life, My Football here: https://backpagepress.co.uk/books/my-life-my-football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Has Micah found a new calling in Latin America? How upset do players get with poor FIFA ratings? Who was sneaking off for a cheeky cigarette minutes before kick off? The boys also debate who the second best striker in the Premier League is, after Erling Haaland. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Was Mikel Arteta right to have a rant about VAR after Arsenal’s defeat? Should Marcus Rashford have been out celebrating his birthday after Manchester United were embarrassed in the derby? How did Gary’s search for Maradona end up with him playing golf with the President? Plus, the boys reflect on a very emotional day for Luis Diaz as he rescues a point for Liverpool and dedicates his goal to his father, who is still missing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why did the AC Milan players end up celebrating on a golf course at 5am after their Champions League win? What did Andriy think was the key reason why he won the Ballon d’Or? And how exactly did he end up assisting in a heart transplant operation? On today’s episode, Gary Lineker is joined by Ukrainian football legend Andriy Shevchenko. You can buy Andriy’s new book My Life, My Football here: https://backpagepress.co.uk/books/my-life-my-football Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices