Episodes

  • Weekend Edition
    Jun 16 2024

    This week on The Sports Agents,

    How and why did an image of Arsenal's Bukayo Saka become the main feature on the back pages of almost every major newspaper following England's 1-0 defeat to Iceland... despite him only featuring as a 65th minute substitute.

    Football writer Henry Winter and Channel 4 sports correspondent Jordan Jarrett-Bryan joined Gabby and Mark and reveal how these photos are chosen and why the context is important when it comes to Saka and England.

    And as promised, also this week, we took a closer look at Netball Super League 2.0 - the fallout, the repercussions for the game at grassroots level and the perfect example of what happens when a 'smaller' sport makes the decision to go professional.

    NSL managing director Claire Nelson and Team Bath's own Kadeen Corbin were among those to feature on this special episode.

    Just scroll back through The Sports Agents feed to listen to these shows in full. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

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    16 mins
  • Do smaller sports need to go pro to survive?
    Jun 13 2024

    Does every sport need to professionalise in order to survive?...

    When plans for a revamped Netball Super League were revealed in May, fans and players were outraged at the exclusion of four franchises, including 5-time Champions Team Bath.

    Today, on The Sports Agents, Gabby & Mark speak to key stakeholders to find out how those uncomfortable decisions were reached and the effect the new changes will have on both current players and the next generation - as the entire South West of England (and Scotland) have been left without a team.

    Will Netball Super League 2.0 and the broadcast deals to televise every game enhance the sport, or will the changes mean many young fans are lost to other sports?

    NSL Managing Director Claire Nelson, Sarah Gandon from the Players' Association and Team Bath's own Kadeen Corbin feature, as well as, your questions!

    Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides

    Producer: David Domb

    Video Producer: Sam Trudgill

    Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

    Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network

    Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global

    You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".

    And, the Sports Agents now have merch!

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    46 mins
  • How (and why) Saka became the face of England's failure again
    Jun 11 2024

    If you hadn't actually watched England's defeat to Iceland in their final warm-up game ahead of the Euros, you'd have been forgiven for thinking Bukayo Saka was largely responsible...

    Images of the Arsenal talisman adorned the back pages of almost every major newspaper - despite him only being introduced as a 65th minute substitute at Wembley on Friday night.

    Today on The Sports Agents, Gabby & Mark are joined by football writer Henry Winter and Channel 4 sports correspondent Jordan Jarrett-Bryan, to explain the why the context matters, how those photos actually end up on the back pages of multiple publications, and ultimately, why this keeps happening with Saka & England.

    And later, a sneak peek at Thursday's special episode into the fall-out from the announcement of a Netball Super League 2.0.

    Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides

    Producers: David Domb & Sophie Penney

    Video Producer: Sam Trudgill

    Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

    Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network

    Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global

    You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".

    And, the Sports Agents now have merch!

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    29 mins
  • Weekend Edition
    Jun 7 2024

    This week on The Sports Agents,

    The extraordinary story of Khalida Popal - the first ever captain of the Afghanistan Women's National Football Team - hounded out of her country by those who believed women have no right to play and who orchestrated her team's daring escape from Afghanistan, when the Taliban returned.

    Then, as Manchester City announced legal action against the Premier League, Gabby & Mark found out if this new legal action could influence the outcome of their long-awaited hearing into 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules - Sports lawyer Daniel Geey gave us his verdict.

    And former footballer-turned-agent, Paul Dalglish, joined us to discuss the ethics and issues in football agency, their role in multi-million pound transfers and why the industry needs to evolve.

    Just scroll back through The Sports Agents feed to listen to these interviews in full.

    New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

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    12 mins
  • Why Man City's legal action won't save them from 115 charges
    Jun 6 2024

    As Manchester City go to war with Premier League over its financial rules - how crucial is next week's hearing to the Champions beating their 115 charges once and for all?

    Sheridan's Sports lawyer Daniel Geey, explains the nuanced differences between the two cases involving Associated Party Transaction Rules, how 'fair market-value' is actually determined and why Man City will have more support from rival Premier League teams than you might think.

    Then, as the mother of all transfer sagas ended with Kylian Mbappe's 'free' transfer to Real Madrid, former footballer and coach, turned football agent, Paul Dalglish, joins Gabby & Mark to reflect on the evolving landscape for agents, address some of the stereotypes and explain what it's really like to put these multi-million pound deals together.

    Running Order:

    Man City v Premier League (04:14)

    The evolution of football agents (25:00)

    Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides

    Producers: David Domb & Sophie Penney

    Video Producer: Sam Trudgill

    Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

    Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network

    Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global

    You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".

    And, the Sports Agents now have merch!

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    49 mins
  • Should FIFA wait for Taliban to let girls play football?
    Jun 4 2024

    When Afghanistan's capital city fell to the Taliban back in 2021, life for women across the country changed overnight… The national women's football team faced the real threat of execution, just for playing the game...

    Already in exile, the country's first ever female football captain Khalida Popal - our guest on The Sports Agents today - orchestrated a massive evacuation strategy to get the players out of Kabul and into safety in places like the UK, Portugal and Australia.

    Now, FIFA, the world's governing body for football, no longer recognises the team who is set to miss their second major tournament this summer.

    *Trigger warning* Some of the themes explored within our interview contains mention of suicide and suicidal thoughts.

    Plus, how Robert MacIntyre claimed his first ever win on the PGA tour, after his dad flew out to Canada to stand in as an emergency caddie for him, and a tribute to the life and legacy of Rugby League legend Rob Burrow.

    Running order:

    Rob MacIntyre & his dad Dougie the emergency caddie (07:35)

    Khalida Popal interview (13:20)

    Rob Burrow tribute (34:30)

    Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides

    Producers: David Domb & Sophie Penney

    Video Producer: Sam Trudgill

    Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

    Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network

    Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global

    You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".

    And, the Sports Agents now have merch!

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    41 mins
  • Weekend Edition
    May 31 2024

    This week on The Sports Agents,

    UK cyclist Lizzy Banks joined Gabby & Mark in the studio, following her 10-month battle with UK Anti-Doping, for an insight into what actually happens when you fail a drugs test and the reality of trying to live as a 'clean' athlete under the current rules.

    The youngest executive in English football history, and current West Ham Director, Jack Sullivan, joined us later in the week to to help us find out how the big calls, like replacing the head coach, or voting on whether or not to scrap VAR, are actually made at Premier League clubs.

    Just scroll back through The Sports Agents feed to listen to these interviews in full. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

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    12 mins
  • How does a Premier League club find a new manager?
    May 30 2024

    Today on The Sports Agents - as Bayern Munich announce Vincent Kompany, Chelsea turn to Enzo Maresca and Barcelona appoint Hansi Flick - West Ham Director, Jack Sullivan, gives us an insight into how the big calls are really made at Premier League clubs.

    Jack reflects on how David Moyes exit was handled, the process of identifying his successor Julen Lopetegui, as well as, the due diligence involved in transfers, being a teenager in a Premier League boardroom and how clubs will work together ahead of next week's vote to decide on the future of VAR.

    Plus, Gabby & Mark explain the big shake-up in the Netball Super League, which has caused outrage on the south-coast and why it matters that Emma Hayes' replacement at Chelsea, is not a man.

    Running order:

    Jack Sullivan interview (06:40)

    Executive Producer: Adonis Pratsides

    Producer: Sophie Penney

    Video Producer: Sam Trudgill

    Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

    Tom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast network

    Vicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for Global

    You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The Sports Agents".

    And, the Sports Agents now have merch!

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    39 mins