The Optus Sport Football Podcast

Will Spurs REALLY not keep a clean sheet for the rest of 2024?Mark Schwarzer, Phil Kitromilides and Julien Laurens come off the long run this week with a few hot takes, including this outlandish one from one of the lads! As well, three struggling clubs are tipped to break their winless records this weekend too and the fellas discuss the Emirates FA Cup that lands on Optus Sport this weekend - and throw out the minnow they will be cheering for!Do NOT miss the Emirates FA Cup on Optus Sport this weekend!-----------Listen to Optus Sport's award-winning limited series: Football Belongs, charting the cultural threads of Australian society through the lens of nine football matches:Acast: https://play.acast.com/s/football-belongsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AzBek8ub2oEsWLYHWetg7Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/football-belongs-australias-football-identity-by-optus/id1543067162

It's finally happened: Manchester United have sacked Erik ten Hag!The news broke a few hours after the original podcast record, so Schwarzie and Phil jumped on for an emergency reaction to the news at the start of the pod!They're then joined by Julien Laurens for the rest of the podcast discussing all the weekend's Premier League action:Who will be the happier after Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool?Bukayo Saka: undervalued?Manchester City's long unbeaten run'Ridiculous' VAR decision puts Erik ten Hag in deeper troubleHow Manchester United are 'rewarding mediocrity' by keeping ten HagA love letter to high flying Chris Wood and Nottingham ForestSchwarzie digs himself in a deep hole talking about New ZealandThe guys also discuss the worst debuts in football, following Harry Clarke's disaster for Ipswich Town at the weekend.Every match of the Premier League is live and exclusive on Optus Sport.

Schwarzie, Phil and Bridgey are back to preview the weekend's Premier League action with their hot takes:Phil thinks Liverpool will 'wipe the floor with Arsenal'...2-1Schwarzie reckons Dejan Kulusevski will be in the team of the season!Bridgey believes Man City will pile the misery on for Southampton and Russell Martin.The guys also tell you why you should get up in the middle of the night for Everton v Fulham, whilst Michelle and Ash give their hot takes ahead of the conclusion of the NWSL season.Every match of the Premier League and NWSL is live and exclusive on Optus Sport.

Schwarzie and Phil are joined by a bullish Bridgey this week as he clashes with them on more than one of weekend's VAR decisions. The guys discuss:How Arne Slot has perfect adapted Klopp's LiverpoolKelleher 'is ready' to put pressure on AlissonThe rise and rise of Virgil van DijkShould the Man City winner have been chalked off?Are Man City struggling without Rodri?Whether ill discipline will cost Arsenal the titleShould Saliba have been sent off?A return to winning ways for Spurs and Manchester UnitedBridgey also speaks candidly about how injuries effected him throughout his career, admitting how a mental block stopped him from going into challenges. Meanwhile Michelle and Ash reflect on the weekend of WSL action, and whether there is any stopping Chelsea under Sonia Bompastor.Every game of the Premier League and WSL is live and exclusive on Optus Sport.

Mark, Phil and Juls are back with their hot takes ahead of the return of the Premier League this weekend:Phil reckons two Premier League managers will be sacked after this weekend!Schwarzie believes there will be FIVE goals in Liverpool v ChelseaJuls leaves everyone gobsmacked with his opinion that Manchester United will win a game of footballWe also hear from Ange Postecoglou after he chatted with Schwarzie at the Spurs training ground this week.Every game of the Premier League is live and exclusive on Optus Sport.

This week, Schwarzie is back in the host's chair with Phil and Juls as they reflect on the international break so far:Phil is basking in the glory of predicting a Greece win over Lee Carsley’s 'pathetic' England - which Juls labels: 'a circus'!What's next for England? Could Pep Guardiola or Thomas Tuchel be in the mix to replace Carsley?Is this Greece’s best team in a generation?Schwarzie gives his view on the Socceroos' first game under Tony PopovicIs Zumbimendi the second best midfielder in the world?Michelle and Ash are back with a WSL update as Chelsea's big win over a faltering Arsenal raises eyebrows about Jonas Eidevall’s future.The guys also tackle the topic of player welfare—stating overworked footballers might just ‘boycott and strike’ if things don’t change!Every match of the Premier League and WSL is live and exclusive on Optus Sport.

The panel are drawn into national bias during this week's Optus Sport Hot Takes as Phil Kitromilides and Thomas Sorensen back their homelands to cause an upset during the international break. Meanwhile, Julien Laurens doesn't even believe his own opinion as Robert Lewandowski and Cristiano Ronaldo come head-to-head at the weekend.The guys also discuss the Socceroos' chances under new manager Tony Popovic, whilst Michelle and Amy give us their predictions ahead of a mouthwatering clash at the Emirates in the WSL.Every Nations League and WSL match is live on Optus Sport.

Schwarzie has taken the international break a little too literally, as this week Phil is in the host's chair joined by Thomas Sorensen and Julien Laurens. The three of them reflect on the Premier League heading into the international break:A post-mortem on Ange's 'worst result' as Spurs managerWill Ten Hag manage another Premier League match for Manchester United?Liverpool flying highAlisson's injury worriesWhich style of play is best in the Premier League?Following Vítězslav Jaroš making his Liverpool bow at the weekend, Thomas Sorensen reminisces about his surprise international debut. Michelle and Amy also bring us up to date with all the weekend's WSL action.Every match of the Premier League and WSL is live and exclusive on Optus Sport.