New to close out 2024: we welcome you to the very first episode of Takes from the Terrace, where we throw the interview textbook out of the window and ask our guests what we really want to hear.

In this premiere, legendary England, Manchester City and Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart joins Adamo De Nigris for a candid and sometimes emotional discussion on his career, and details why Australia's Ange Postecoglou left such a lasting impact on his career.

From Premier League champions to Socceroos greats, as well as topics that really get you thinking (who EXACTLY makes the Premier League Mount Rushmore?!), join these incredible conversations with world football identities that go further than the results on the pitch.

LISTEN: https://shows.acast.com/takes-from-the-terrace

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'Best song in the Premier League...!'

Football fans in South London have plenty of reason to chant one man's name at the moment, and Mark Schwarzer, Phil Kitromilides and Julien Laurens sing along as we preview a big weekend of Premier League action, LIVE on Optus Sport:

• Tottenham host Liverpool in a vital match - but which Spurs side will be there to play?
• We hear from Yves Bissouma on what they need to do to take down the Reds
• Crystal Palace have hit a bit of form and come up against another unpredictable giant in Arsenal - and our lads predict they will cause the Gunners trouble!
• Villa and Manchester City lock horns with the winner to make a leap up the table!

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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-belongs

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AzBek8ub2oEsWLYHWetg7

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/football-belongs-australias-football-identity-by-optus/id1543067162

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Schwarzie, Phil, and Juls unwrap all the weekend's football drama with Gary O’Neil and Russell Martin both losing their jobs at Wolves and Southampton - proving it’s not just Santa handing out the sack this time of year.

Elsewhere, Rashford and Garnacho are on Ruben Amorim's naughty list after being dropped from the squad for the Manchester derby. But there’s no Christmas miracle for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, as they gift-wrap a win for Manchester United. Are they really out of the title race already?

Chelsea are also jingling all the way towards the top of the league, storming ahead of Arsenal and chasing down Liverpool. Could they be the team to ruin everyone’s holiday spirit this season?

Meanwhile, Michelle and Ash fill our stockings with all the latest from the WSL’s final weekend before the new year, whilst Phil plays Scrooge after his son confesses to diving—bah...humbug!

Every game of the Premier League and WSL is live and exclusive on Optus Sport.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bold call as Amorim tipped to 'pull off a masterstroke' over Manchester City!

Football fans are champing at the bit this week with another Manchester Derby awaiting us, LIVE on Optus Sport on Monday morning AEDT. Michael Bridges and Phil Kitromilides join Mark Schwarzer to preview the big clash and dive into:

• Best memories and moments from the famous rivalry between the red and blue sides of Manchester
• Who they predict to be the difference in the match
• Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa - not to be forgotten, the winner of this could find themselves in fourth place by next week!
• Michelle Escobar and Ash Sykes drop in with their preview of the Women's Super League!

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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-belongs

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AzBek8ub2oEsWLYHWetg7

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/football-belongs-australias-football-identity-by-optus/id1543067162

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Schwarzie and Bridgey have returned from their golfing trip to run the rule over the latest Premier League weekend with Phil:

• Chelsea are looking unstoppable under Maresca
• Will struggling Ange be at Spurs by the start of 2025?
• Manchester United's turmoil continues on and off the pitch
• How to stop Arsenal at set pieces
• Is Pep cracking up?
• Leicester's superb start under Ruud van Nistelrooy

Michelle and Ash are also back with their assessment of the first WSL weekend after the international break.

Every match of the Premier League and WSL is live and exclusive on Optus Sport.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do Arsenal's front men have enough goals in them to win the league?!

Midweek football is here on Optus Sport!

With Mark Schwarzer galavanting on a Spanish golf course, Phil Kitromilides and Julien Laurens pore over this week's midweek fixtures.

• Arsenal v Manchester United will be huge - we give our pre-game analysis on what lineups will cause the greatest trouble for the opposition
• Newcastle sit in a disappointing 11th place and take on an absolutely flying Liverpool at St. James' Park. How can the Magpies take down the seemingly-unassailable Reds?

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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-belongs

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AzBek8ub2oEsWLYHWetg7

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/football-belongs-australias-football-identity-by-optus/id1543067162

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Schwarzie and Bridgey sunning themselves on a Spanish golf course, Phil and Juls pick up the slack to reflect on a momentous weekend of Premier League action.

• How Arne Slot has found the 'perfect blend' at Liverpool
• Why the title race isn't over yet
• Have Manchester City fallen off a cliff?
• Juls goes big on Guardiola: "He doesn't have a clue!"
• Do great managers lose this many games?
• Amorim's tactical transformation of Manchester United
• Should Hojlund, Rashford or Zirkzee lead the line at Old Trafford?
• Chelsea flying high
• Aston Villa looking 'horrendously bad'

Phil also tells us about a special moment for him at the weekend as he took his son to his first ever Tottenham match.

Every match of the Premier League is live and exclusive on Optus Sport.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Liverpool v Manchester City awaits - and the lads anoint it the game of the season!

The Premier League really heats up this week!

Mark Schwarzer is joined by Phil Kitromilides and Michael Bridges to look ahead to a few key fixtures in this weekend's Premier League calendar.

• Schwarzie can't contain his excitement for Liverpool v Manchester City and the impact it could have on the title race
• Bridgey claims that the Chelsea v Aston Villa clash will be decided by the glovemen
• Phil needs a momentary meditation to ease his nerves for Spurs' danger match against Fulham

Plus, the second round of the FA Cup comes to town and is live on Optus Sport, with a former Premier League and international star showing up for a non-league side! We'll give you a clue... "BEEEEASST!!"

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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-belongs

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AzBek8ub2oEsWLYHWetg7

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/football-belongs-australias-football-identity-by-optus/id1543067162

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Schwarzie and Phil are joined by Bridgey to reflect on another epic weekend of Premier League action:

• Initial thoughts on Ruben Amorim's Manchester United
• The 'incredible' job Kieran McKenna is doing at Ipswich Town
• Schwarzie's shock at Leicester City sacking Steve Cooper
• Why Graham Potter is 'the perfect man' to replace him
• Ange's 'historic' dismantling of Manchester City
• Is Dejan Kulusevski the new Gazza?
• Have Manchester City lost confidence and self-belief?
• Liverpool should give 'incredible specimen' Mo Salah 'whatever he wants'

Every match of the Premier League is live and exclusive on Optus Sport.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The hopes of thousands are pinned on United's reaction to the arrival of new manager Ruben Amorim!

The Premier League returns!

As Mark Schwarzer, Phil Kitromilides and Julien Laurens pick through this weekend of football action, their six plus millions of other eyeballs will be on Portman Road as Manchester United turn out against Ipwsich, under the guidance of new gaffer Ruben Amorim for the first time. The lads hypothesise how the Red Devils will react, particularly with how poor they gave been on the road this season.

Phil has a giddy excitement to see his Spurs take on Manchester City. Why? Because of their sequence of LOSS-WIN-LOSS-WIN-LOSS in their past string of matches - which means that, OBVIOUSLY, this week will be a win, and a big one!

Mark, meanwhile, has his eyes on St. Mary's Stadium as Liverpool take a visit - and they may have a big say in the immediate future of the club!

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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-belongs

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AzBek8ub2oEsWLYHWetg7

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/football-belongs-australias-football-identity-by-optus/id1543067162

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"I get why he said it.. but I think you need to keep it within the group".

Between Mark Schwarzer, Phil Kitromilides and Julien Laurens this week, we cover allegiances for Australia, England, Germany, Greece, Spain AND France, as we give a big look across the international break and look ahead to the much-anticipated Premier League return.

We discuss:

• England's massive win over Greece, and bravo to the goal scorers, but why did it take so long for Curtis Jones to get an England cap?
• Harry Kane's outspokenness over squad members withdrawing, and while Mark gets it, he isn't sure he played it correctly.
• The Socceroos struggle against Saudi Arabia and need three points against Bahrain, while they are playing under the weight of expectation to qualify, because of the overachievement in Qatar.
• Will Cristiano Ronaldo play at the World Cup (surely?!)?
• Ruben Amorim moves to Manchester, and STACKS of questions remain about how the squad will line up against Ipswich next weekend!

and

• Phil decides to point the finger of irresponsible parenting at his wife - hope she's not listening!

Every game of the Premier League and WSL is live and exclusive on Optus Sport.

-----------

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-belongs

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.