The Sports Agents

As Arsenal lose their hugely popular Sporting Director, Edu, we ask why he'd want to join up with Nottingham Forest’s controversial owner Evangelos Marinakis? How it will impact Arteta and Arsenal's title hopes just under two months from the January transfer window? Clive Palmer from The Arsenal Vision Podcast fills us in... Plus Gabby & Mark dissect two very different press conferences involving one former Manchester United manager (Jose Mourinho) and one incoming one (Ruben Amorim). Later, as the world’s top eight tennis players battle it out at the end of year Finals, we look at what is life like for all the players that never make it to those heights? Former professional tennis player Conor Niland, who beat Roger Federer aged 12, tells us about the loneliness, the grind of being outside the top 100 and about life on tour with the golden generation.00:00 - Mourinho & Amorim09:28 - Arsenal lose Edu20:16 - Conor Niland - life on tour with the golden generation41:18 - Tom Daley's knittingExecutive Producer: Adonis PratsidesProducer: Sophie PenneyVideo Producer: Sam TrudgillSocial Media Editor: Calum ScotlandTom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast networkVicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for GlobalYou 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!

This week on The Sports Agents, Imagine being stranded on an icy ledge 6,000m high in the Himalayas for three days with no food or water - that's what happened to British mountaineer Fay Manners who joined Gabby and Mark to tell her story.Former England rugby captain Dylan Hartley opened up about getting a traumatic brain injury from playing the sport he loves. He called out rugby for having its 'head in the sand' on brain injuries and revealed he got no help with his aftercare post-retirement.Plus, we had an emergency episode after Manchester United manager Eric ten Hag was sacked and looked at the man who'll be taking over, Ruben Amorim. Andy Mitten from United We Stand and Henry Winter joined us for that chat. And we went down a rabbit hole of horse sex... yes, you read that right! Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at thesportsagents@global.comNew episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. 03:05 - Himalayan horror 11:54 - Ex-England captain on brain injuries 18:20 - Manchester United manager 21:27 - Horse sex

Former England rugby captain Dylan Hartley tells Gabby and Mark that the sport still has its head in the sand about long-term brain injuries, after he was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. Hartley reveals he had to fund his own post-retirement healthcare for his brain health and hip replacement.As the firm leading rugby's concussion lawsuit is being investigated after claims from ex-England player Will Green, we ask if the case could threaten how rugby deals with brain injuries. Ex-NFL player Jason Bell tells us what makes the NFL a world leader in brain injury aftercare and what lessons rugby can take from across the pond. And Mark shares a story about pimping out horses... 05:29 - Dylan Hartley 26:04 - Jason Bell 40:11 - Pimping out horses Jason Bell has partnered with Samsung, the official TV partner of NFL UK, to create the American Football Jargon Buster to help fans from fumbling the rules.Executive Producer: Adonis PratsidesProducer: Sophie PenneyVideo Producer: Sam Trudgill Social Media Editor: Calum ScotlandTom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast networkVicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for GlobalYou 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!

As Rodri and Aitana Bonmati won the Ballon D'Or and the Real Madrid boycott turned it into a soap opera, Gabby & Mark get all the gossip and fall-out from Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague.And why is there no female category for three of the awards? We ask ex-England player Natasha Dowie if the ceremony needs a shake-up. Plus, imagine being stuck on an icy ledge 6,000 high in the Himalayas for three days with no food and water - that's what happened to British mountaineer Fay Manners who joined us to tell her story. 01:35 - Manchester United & Amorim 10:02 - Ballon D'Or soap opera 26:43 - Stranded up a Himalayan mountain Executive Producer: Adonis PratsidesProducer: Sophie PenneyVideo Producer: Sam Trudgill Social Media Editor: Calum ScotlandTom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast networkVicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for GlobalYou 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!

It's finally over for Erik ten Hag as Manchester United manager - Why now? And how will club legend Ruud van Nistelrooy cope in the interim? Gabby is joined by journalists Henry Winter and Andy Mitten (United We Stand) to reflect on the final few days of Ten Hag's reign and assess the leading candidates to succeed him at Old Trafford.Dutch football writer Sjoerd Mossou weighs in on Ruud's coaching track-record and which United players could thrive under him. Executive Producer: Adonis PratsidesProducer: Sophie PenneyVideo Producer: Sam Trudgill Social Media Editor: Calum ScotlandTom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast networkVicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for GlobalYou 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!

This week on The Sports Agents, Brentford manager Thomas Frank tells us taking a big job like Manchester United wouldn't make his life better, in an exclusive interview. We also talk about the Bees' no d***heads policy, 'secret sauce' and Ivan Toney's gambling ban. Plus, your questions are answered by Gabby and Mark, who tell stories of meeting their hero in a urinal, singing to the England manager and an awkward encounter with Manchester United legend Eric Cantona. A North versus South competition hosted by The Sports Agents is on the cards and Olympic gold medallist Jessica Ennis-Hill explains why sprinters don't slick their hair back any more. Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at thesportsagents@global.comNew episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

Your questions are answered by Gabby and Mark, who tell stories of meeting their hero in a urinal, singing to the England manager and an awkward encounter with Manchester United legend Eric Cantona. Plus, a North versus South competition hosted by The Sports Agents is on the cards and Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill explains why sprinters don't slick their hair back any more. Executive Producer: Adonis PratsidesProducer: Sophie PenneyVideo Producer: Sam Trudgill Social Media Editor: Calum ScotlandTom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast networkVicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for GlobalYou 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!

Brentford manager Thomas Frank sits down for an exclusive interview with The Sports Agents, amid reports linking him the Manchester United manager's job... Now the Premier League's second longest-serving manager, behind only Pep Guardiola, Thomas talks to Gabby & Mark about what he describes as the Bees 'secret sauce', if managing at one of the world's biggest clubs would come at a cost to his own happiness, the reaction to Thomas Tuchel getting the England job, losing Ivan Toney in the summer and if some rival coaches are 'too wedded' to one particular playing style? Plus, Gabby & Mark reflect on a great time to be a New Zealand sports fan and cynicism surrounding how Lionel Messi has got to this summer's Club World Cup.Executive Producer: Adonis PratsidesProducer: Sophie PenneyVideo Producer: Sam Trudgill Social Media Editor: Calum ScotlandTom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast networkVicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for GlobalYou 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!

This week on The Sports Agents, England named German coach Thomas Tuchel as the man to lead the Three Lions to World Cup glory - but does his nationality matter more than how good a manager he is? German football writer Raphael Honigstein, joined Gabby & Mark to explore... How do clubs actually unearth the best talent? Old-school scouting prowess or new-age AI-infused data? We debate it out with former Brentford, QPR and Rangers manager, Mark Warburton, and the 'data-brain' behind Liverpool hiring Jurgen Klopp, former Director of Research, Ian Graham. Plus, do 'superstars' get special treatment when it comes to drugs in sport? We talk to Ahmad Nassar, the Executive Director of the Professional Tennis Players' Association, and Edmund Willison, investigative journalist and author of the Honest Sport newsletter. Got a question for The Sports Agents - email us at thesportsagents@global.comNew episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

As England named German Thomas Tuchel as their new manager, Gabby and Mark chat about whether his nationality is really a big deal and if he's the right man for the job. German football journalist, Raphael Honigstein, tells us the German reaction, what he'll be like in the dressing room and why he's not starting till January. And with that FA manager search now complete, we ask how you find the best talent in the world? Is data a revolution or a threat? We get both sides of the story from former Brentford, QPR and Rangers manager, Mark Warburton, former Director of Research at Liverpool, Ian Graham, and Tom Worville, Head of Football at the sports analytics company, Prospect. Plus, how young should you start looking for that talent? We get the thoughts of Arsenal Youth Scout (Talent ID lead for North London & Herts) Harry Charalambous. If you liked this episode, you might also like... Gareth Southgate resigns... What now? Next England manager: Meet the candidatesHow does a Premier League club find a new manager? Executive Producer: Adonis PratsidesProducer: Sophie PenneyVideo Producer: Sam Trudgill Social Media Editor: Calum ScotlandTom Hughes is Editor for The News Agents podcast networkVicky Etchells is the Commissioning Editor for GlobalYou 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!