Up Front

John Terry, a Chelsea legend and former England captain, shares insights from his extraordinary career in football. He reflects on the pressures of leadership and the emotional journey of captaining Chelsea. Terry opens up about the impact of foreign talent on English football and discusses the complexities of his relationship with managers, particularly Mourinho, who remains an intimidating figure for him. He also touches on his transition to coaching and the challenges of mentoring young talent. Expect a candid and engaging dialogue!

On today’s episode we are joined by the youngest of four brothers from one of the most famous boxing families. Fighting out of Liverpool and coached by Joe Gallagher, Callum Smith went on to gain British and European success at super middleweight before overcoming George Groves for the WBA Strap.His continued rise within Boxing led him face to face with Cancelo Alvarez, which unfortunately for Smith became his first loss. Smith dusted himself off and aimed to become two-weight world champion but fell short against Artur Beterbiev, leaving his career at a crossroads.Callum Smith joins the show to talk about what his career now holds in store, and reflect on his unique background and incredible success. He discusses the pitfalls of the often murky world of professional boxing, his thoughts on his more brash and vocal peers and opens up on his plans for the future.Subscribe now for the full episode and head to www.youtube.com/@UpFrontWithSimonJordan.Warning: This episode may contain strong language and references to violence. Listener discretion advised.Remember, 18+ for gambling responsibly.

On today’s episode we are joined by a top England Rugby International, who in recent times won the Premiership title with Leicester Tigers before returning to his roots with Bristol Bears. Ellis Genge faced early struggles in his life, growing up in the working class area of Knowle West in Bristol. An angry young man who faced problems in school and with the law, he found solace in an unlikely place - Rugby. A sport which helped him channel his anger and where he found belonging and structure.Now the star of the ‘Full Contact’ Netflix documentary series and a well respected leader for club and country, Ellis has been capped for England 58 times, lifting the Six Nations trophy in 2020 after finishing as runner-up at the World Cup in 2019. He joins the show to talk about his unconventional journey in Rugby. His career under head coaches Eddie Jones and Steve Borthwick whilst giving his unfiltered opinion on the issues the sport faces in 2024 and beyond.Subscribe now for the full episode and head to www.youtube.com/@UpFrontWithSimonJordan.Warning: This episode may contain strong language and references to violence. Listener discretion advised.Remember, 18+ for gambling responsibly.

Legendary German footballer Michael Ballack discusses his career journey, from Kaiserslautern to Bayern Munich and Chelsea. He talks about playing under Jose Mourinho, Xabi Alonso's impact at Leverkusen, and the challenges faced by the German national team. The podcast also delves into topics like mental resilience, team dynamics, and football rivalries.

On today’s episode we are joined by one of the most iconic Italians to grace the Premier League. From humble beginnings in Sardinia, Gianfranco Zola was famed for playing the game in a beautiful way. He became one of the rising stars in his hometown which earned him a big money move to Napoli who were led by the God-like figure Diego Maradona.After impressing in Naples, he moved to Parma and formed a deadly partnership with Faustino Asprilla, challenging Juventus for the Serie A title. However, he struggled for game time the following season under manager Carlo Ancelotti, which opened the door for Zola to make the move to Stamford Bridge. His audacious, entertaining style of play helped ignite Chelsea’s late resurgence in the late 90’s and he became a firm favourite for the blues. He’s also widely seen as a trailblazer who formed English football’s early foreign revolution.After finishing his playing career back home in Sardinia, Gianfranco moved into management, managing teams such as West Ham, Watford and Birmingham City, often under extremely challenging ownership groups. Gianfranco joins the show and opens up on those challenging situations whilst giving his honest opinion on the current footballing landscape and the state of his beloved Chelsea FC.Subscribe for future episodes. 18+ please gamble responsibly.Warning: this episode contains language that some people may find offensive.

On today's episode we are joined by a player who burst onto the scene for Arsenal as a teenager, showing a tenacity and technical ability that few English players have ever possessed. After a breakout performance against Messi and Guardiola’s Barcelona, the sky seemed to be the limit for Jack Wilshere but an ongoing ankle issue would lead to him retiring from the game at age 30 after spells at Bournemouth, West Ham and AGF in the Danish Superliga.Now a coach in the Arsenal system under Mikel Arteta, Jack joins the show to discuss a career that excited and frustrated in equal measure whilst also giving the inside scoop on Arteta’s Arsenal revolution.Subscribe now for the full episode and head to www.youtube.com/@UpFrontWithSimonJordan.Warning: This episode may contain strong language. 18+ gamble responsibly.

On today’s episode, we are joined by a two time Premier League winner with over 50 caps for England.Paul Ince’s 20 year career took him from his local club West Ham, to Italy, Old Trafford and Anfield as he became one of the few players to represent both sides of the Premier League’s fiercest rivalry…Paul went on to become a manager, learning his trade at Macclesfield Town and MK Dons before a short stint in the Premier League with Blackburn Rovers. In 2022 he joined Reading FC but after a tumultuous spell that featured point deductions, an absent owner and a transfer embargo he left the club last year.’The Guv’nor’ joins the show to discuss his challenging upbringing, his bust ups with Sir Alex Ferguson and his difficult time at Reading, whilst also giving his thoughts on the future prospects of his former clubs.Subscribe now for the full episode and head to www.youtube.com/@UpFrontWithSimonJordan.Warning: This episode may contain strong language. 18+ gamble responsibly.

On today’s episode, we are joined by a Premier League great who started off in non-league football and went on to become PFA Player of the Year.Les Ferdinand enjoyed a successful and varied career playing for clubs such as QPR, Tottenham Hotspur as well as being part of the ‘great entertainers’ under Kevin Keegan at Newcastle United. After retirement he returned to West London and took up the role as Director of Football at QPR, becoming the first British black person to hold that position.After stepping down last year ‘Sir Les’ as he is affectionately known joins the show to discuss his unconventional route to superstardom, opening up on his time at Tottenham and Newcastle, his turbulent tenure at QPR and the issues black former players are facing to find jobs in football.Subscribe now for the full episode and head to www.youtube.com/@UpFrontWithSimonJordan.Warning: This episode may contain strong language. 18+ gamble responsibly.

In this episode, we are joined by our first ever guest from the world of MMA, the welterweight world champion of the world Leon Edwards.One of just 3 UFC champions ever from the UK, Leon has a unique story full of tragedy, resilience and glory. Born in Jamaica before moving to Birmingham, Leon was raised around gang culture, tragically losing his father to gun crime at a young age. MMA would be his salvation, and he now sits on top of the MMA world having not tasted defeat in 9 years.Join us as we discuss the rise of Mixed Martial Arts, Leon’s incredible rise, his battles against Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington and the future of crossover fights.Subscribe now for the full episode and head to www.youtube.com/@UpFrontWithSimonJordan.Warning: This episode may contain strong language and references to violence. Listener discretion advised. Remember, 18+ for gambling responsibly.

In this episode, we are joined by Sheffield's own, former welterweight champion of the world Kell Brook.In a long career that featured 40 wins and only 3 losses, Kell fought the very best, never turning down a fight, even when the odds were stacked against him. He won his IBF welterweight championship of the world in historic fashion beating Shawn Porter in his own backyard to put the world on notice.Known for his sharp technical skills, devastating power, and resilience, Kell is best known for his rivalry with Amir Khan and his blockbuster bouts against the likes of Gennady Golovkin and Terence Crawford.Join us as we delve into the highs and lows of Kell Brook's extraordinary career, from career threatening injuries and public substance abuse issues to sitting on top of the sporting world, Kell has had a career that has featured triumphs and battles in equal measure.A career that may in fact not be over yet…Subscribe now for the full episode and head to www.youtube.com/@UpFrontWithSimonJordan.Warning: This episode may contain strong language and references to violence. Viewer discretion advised. Remember, 18+ for gambling responsibly.