Michael Calvin's Football People
477 episodes - English - Latest episode: 11 months ago - ★★★★ - 75 ratingsBT Sport brings you closer to the heart of the game with Michael Calvin's Football People, The weekly podcast features the best writers, addressing the biggest issues, and an in depth interview, conducted by the host, an award winning author and journalist.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
What role will fans play in football's future?
March 01, 2021 16:40 - 51 minutes - 118 MBMike Calvin, Paul Hayward and Dominic Fifield discuss the issues raised in 'Ours' , the latest BT Sport Films documentary, which will be shown on BT Sport 1 at 10.30pm on Tuesday. They base their optimism for the future of the game on the fans' resilience, passion and innovation. They also discuss the top six, and Fulham's chances of avoiding the drop. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Will the Moyes effect stop City in their tracks?
February 25, 2021 15:06 - 48 minutes - 111 MBMike Calvin, Anne Marie Batson and Jonathan Northcroft praise David Moyes for following his Everton blueprint at West Ham. They discuss the influence of Juanma Lillo, Pep Guardiola's mentor, and believe Steven Gerrard is proving why he will one day return to Liverpool as manager. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Can Manchester City's dominance extend to the Champions League?
February 22, 2021 15:02 - 55 minutes - 127 MBMike Calvin, Miguel Delaney and John Cross discuss the future of the Champions League, and the implications of City's current superiority. They refuse to write off Liverpool, regard Chelsea as potential European champions, and believe it is realistic to imagine Leicester City winning the Europa League. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Can Jurgen Klopp find salvation in the Champions League?
February 15, 2021 15:58 - 55 minutes - 126 MBMike Calvin, Jordan Jarrett Bryan and Richard Amofa believe Jurgen Klopp deserves to retain the faith of fans as Liverpool seek a way out of their sudden crisis. They see Manchester City and Bayern Munich as Champions League favourites, but foresee problems for Barcelona against PSG. The panel also call for more militant action from players, in the face of persistent abuse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Time to remember that managers like Jurgen Klopp and Brendan Rodgers are human beings?
February 11, 2021 15:12 - 52 minutes - 121 MBDescription Mike Calvin, Ade Oladipo and Glenn Moore focus on Liverpool managers, past and present before they meet at Leicester on Saturday. They hail the impact of Raheem Sterling at Manchester City, understand the sensitivity of Gareth Bale to potential injury, and relish Friday's night's Manchester derby in the WSL. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Is Jose Mourinho lost without Harry Kane?
February 08, 2021 15:49 - 55 minutes - 126 MBMike Calvin, Adrian Clarke and Seb Stafford Bloor believe Jose Mourinho has a responsibility to protect Harry Kane, despite his fundamental importance to the Tottenham team. They won't rule out a Manchester City quadruple, but see Leicester as potential FA Cup winners, Manchester United need to give Dean Henderson a run in goal, starting with Wednesday's fifth-round tie against West Ham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Is Liverpool's title defence already over?
February 04, 2021 14:20 - 58 minutes - 133 MBMike Calvin, Melissa Reddy and Dominic Fifield suspect Liverpool's priority will be to protect a top four place, and concentrate on the Champions League. They applaud Manchester City's relentlessness, predict Thomas Tuchel will be a success at Chelsea, and believe the current bottom three will eventually be relegated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Can Marcus Rashford lead football's fight against racial abuse?
February 01, 2021 15:22 - 58 minutes - 134 MBMike Calvin, Darren Lewis and Miguel Delaney hail Marcus Rashford's influence, but feel direct action by players, and concerted pressure on social media companies, is required to combat increasing abuse. They highlight a busy week of Premier League action on BT Sport, hail Ruben Dias as a title-winning signing for Manchester City, and fear Fulham, WBA and Sheffield United will be relegated. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Is Thomas Tuchel the right man for Chelsea?
January 28, 2021 15:29 - 56 minutes - 128 MBMike Calvin, Jonathan Northcroft and Art de Roche give their first impressions of Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea. They assess the impact of German coaches, predict this will be Pep Guardiola's greatest season, and foresee Julian Nagelsman as Jurgen Klopp's eventual successor at Liverpool. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Did Frank Lampard deserve to be sacked by Chelsea?
January 25, 2021 15:47 - 52 minutes - 121 MBMike Calvin, Jordan Jarett Bryan and Seb Stafford Bloor discuss Frank Lampard's sacking, and the suitability of his anticipated replacement, Thomas Tuchel. They see Steve Bruce's dream job turning sour at Newcastle, analyse the challenge facing Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, and condemn plans for a European Super League. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Are Leicester capable of fighting on three fronts?
January 21, 2021 14:53 - 55 minutes - 126 MBMike Calvin, Anne Marie Batson and Glenn Moore believe the FA Cup is more open than ever. They highlight an important opportunity for clubs like Everton, Southampton and West Ham, but also identify Blackpool, Doncaster and Luton as potential giant killers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Pep Guardiola is 50 today, Could he win both the Premier League and Champions League this season?
January 18, 2021 15:25 - 56 minutes - 128 MBMike Calvin is joined by former players David Preece and Adrian Clarke, who foresee a special season for Manchester City. They feel it will take five years for Frank Lampard to rival Brendan Rodgers, doubt that Sam Allardyce will keep WBA up, and have mixed feelings about Wayne Rooney's move into management. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Are Manchester United contenders or pretenders?
January 14, 2021 14:45 - 59 minutes - 137 MBMike Calvin, Jordan Jarrett Bryan and Dominic Fifield assess the title race as Manchester United face a pivotal game at Anfield. They discuss whether Liverpool's trophy window is closing, how Phil Foden symbolises Manchester City's development, and if Jose Mourinho is his own worst enemy, Plus : is football's "no-hug" protocol realistic? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How should football respond to the Covid crisis?
January 11, 2021 15:40 - 50 minutes - 116 MBMike Calvin, Miguel Delaney and Glenn Moore believe,on balance, the football season should continue,but that the calendar is unsustainable. They disagree about the merits of the FA Cup, but are unanimous in suggesting that the European Championships should be postponed. In domestic terms, Manchester City are emerging as potential champions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Will Liverpool reboot their season in the FA Cup?
January 07, 2021 15:05 - 52 minutes - 119 MBMike Calvin, Melissa Reddy and David Preece consider Jurgen Klopp's options before Friday's televised third-round tie against Aston Villa. They highlight Spurs and Everton as potential FA Cup winners, but foresee problems for Brighton at Newport. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Will Frank Lampard get the time he needs at Chelsea?
January 04, 2021 15:47 - 55 minutes - 126 MBIn this, the 300th episode, Mike Calvin is joined by John Cross and Seb Stafford Bloor. They discuss the pressure on Frank Lampard, dwell on Manchester City's title chances, but criticise Pep Guardiola's defence of Benjamin Mendy. They also focus on Manchester United, Spurs, Arsenal, and football's issues with social media abuse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Who were the winners and losers in 2020?
December 28, 2020 09:00 - 36 minutes - 82.8 MBMike Calvin, Jonathan Northcroft and Darren Lewis review football in 2020. They reveal their choices of player, young player and breakthrough player of the year, They also talk about memorable matches, the biggest disappointments, and the one thing in the game they would happily consign to the dustbin of history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Can Manchester United challenge Liverpool for the title?
December 21, 2020 16:08 - 42 minutes - 96.8 MBMike Calvin, Darren Lewis and Jonathan Northcroft assess a title race that's suddenly at sixes and sevens, They caution against writing off Spurs, expect Manchester City to move for Erland Haaland, and fear for the future of Mikel Arteta. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Will Liverpool's mentality monsters retain the Premier League title?
December 17, 2020 15:23 - 53 minutes - 122 MBMike Calvin, Ade Oladipo and Richard Amofa consider the significance of the champions' consistency and character. They defend Jose Mourinho from charges that he employs anti-football tactics, but suggest WBA would have been better retaining Slaven Bilic, instead of bringing in Sam Allardyce. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Can all three English teams reach the last eight of the Champions League?
December 14, 2020 17:19 - 54 minutes - 125 MBMike Calvin, Jordan Jarrett Bryan and Dominic Fifield assess the European draws. They foresee few problems for Liverpool and Manchester City in the Champions League and relish a return to Chelsea by Diego Costa. They predict more pain for Arsenal and Manchester United, this time in the Europa League. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Which club is in greatest crisis, Manchester United or Arsenal?
December 09, 2020 15:36 - 53 minutes - 122 MBMike Calvin, Art de Roche and Jonathan Northcroft discuss deep problems facing Manchester United and Arsenal. They call for greater leadership from the football authorities on the issue of racial, and dwell on the lessons of Jean Marc Bosman, whose plight is featured in a BT Sport documentary. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Which club is in greatest crisis, Manchester United or Arsenal?
December 09, 2020 15:36 - 53 minutes - 122 MBMike Calvin, Art de Roche and Jonathan Northcroft discuss deep problems facing Manchester United and Arsenal. They call for greater leadership from the football authorities on the issue of racial, and dwell on the lessons of Jean Marc Bosman, whose plight is featured in a BT Sport documentary. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What can Manchester United learn from Liverpool?
December 07, 2020 15:17 - 1 hour - 143 MBMike Calvin, Melissa Reddy and Anne Marie Batson preview another critical week for Manchester United. They assess what lessons Liverpool give them, and consider the title potential of Tottenham and Chelsea, before having a powerful discussion about racism in football and society. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Who's the best, Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo?
December 06, 2020 09:00 - 35 minutes - 81.5 MBLionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are due to face one another, for possibly the final time, on Dec 8. Mike Calvin is joined by Miguel Delaney and Adrian Clarke to decide which of the two icons of modern football is the best. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Has football got the will to tackle two of its biggest problems, dementia and racism?
November 30, 2020 16:13 - 1 hour - 145 MBMike Calvin, John Cross and Jordan Jarrett Bryan are joined by Anton Ferdinand in a special edition of the Football Writers' podcast. They discuss Anton's documentary about racism in the game, and respond to the worrying news that Raul Jiminez has fractured his skull. Will football fulfil its duty of care? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Does Diego Maradona deserve to be remembered as The Greatest?
November 26, 2020 15:52 - 56 minutes - 129 MBMike Calvin, who covered the Hand of God game in Mexico in 1986, is joined by Miguel Delaney, Glenn Moore and Ade Oladipo in a special edition, commemorating the life and times of Diego Maradona. They reflect on his genius, consider how he would fare in the modern game, and name their choices as the greatest footballer of all time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Will Jose Mourinho teach Jurgen Klopp a trick or two this season?
November 23, 2020 15:15 - 52 minutes - 120 MBMike Calvin, Darren Lewis and Art de Roche weigh up the managerial reputations of Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp. They see Chelsea as title challengers, believe Lionel Messi is an avoidable distraction for Manchester City, and draw parallels between goalscoring problems suffered by Manchester United and Arsenal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Who will prevail in the grind of this, the hardest season?
November 19, 2020 15:09 - 51 minutes - 118 MBMike Calvin, Miguel Delaney and Dominic Fifield analyse Liverpool's capacity to overcome injuries and infections. They praise Brendan Rodgers, dwell on the promise of Mason Mount and look forward to the measured return of crowds. Speaking before news of Pep Guardiola's new City contract, they also examine the challenges facing the Manchester clubs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Will the season be decided by the extreme demands on players?
November 16, 2020 15:42 - 51 minutes - 117 MBMike Calvin, Glenn Moore and Richard Amofa analyse the consequences of a crowded season. They hail women's football weekend, envisage Arsene Wenger as FA chairman, and predict a revolution in recruitment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Will the season be decided by the extreme demands on players?
November 16, 2020 15:42 - 51 minutes - 117 MBMike Calvin, Glenn Moore and Richard Amofa analyse the consequences of a crowded season. They hail women's football weekend, envisage Arsene Wenger as FA chairman, and predict a revolution in recruitment. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Can Leicester shock the football world once more?
November 09, 2020 16:11 - 53 minutes - 122 MBMike Calvin, Anne Marie Batson and Dominic Fifield assess Leicester's chances of repeating their 2016 title triumph. They suspect Liverpool and Manchester City will reassert themselves, but praise the progress made by Southampton, Spurs and Chelsea. International football, though, is becoming difficult to justify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Are Liverpool capable of becoming consistent champions?
November 05, 2020 15:30 - 49 minutes - 114 MBMike Calvin, Adrian Clarke and Jordan Jarrett Bryan believe Liverpool have the ingredients required to develop a dynasty. They predict Everton will add to deep-seated problems at Manchester United, suggest Chelsea are coming together quickly, and feel Arsenal could make the top three. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Are Chelsea capable of winning the Premier League this season?
November 02, 2020 15:18 - 51 minutes - 119 MBMike Calvin and Ade Oladipo do not share Darren Lewis's confidence in Frank Lampard's squad, even in this, the most unpredictable of seasons. The panel draws a damning contrast between Mikel Arteta and Ole Gunnar Solksjaer, and sees the logic of Pep Guardiola returning to Barcelona. They also identify Leicester's Wes Morgan as a leader of the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Has Ole Gunnar Solksjaer finally proved his critics wrong?
October 29, 2020 15:50 - 51 minutes - 117 MBMike Calvin, Miguel Delaney and Art de Roche deliver overdue praise for the Manchester United manager. They believe it is now or never for Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, and back Jurgen Klopp to steer Liverpool safely to the international break. They also consider the merits of British coaches, Marcelo Bielsa's influence at Leeds, and the danger of Slaven Bilic becoming the Premier League's first managerial casualty of the season. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informati...
Which Premier League club has the best chance of winning the Champions League this season?
October 26, 2020 16:24 - 52 minutes - 121 MBMike Calvin, John Cross and Glenn Moore have faith in Liverpool's ability to overcome the loss of Virgil Van Dijk. They feel Manchester City are flat, Manchester United are fallible and Chelsea face a delicate balancing act. Also on the agenda : VAR, athletes as activists, and the England women's team. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Who's doing the best job, Frank Lampard or Ole Gunnar Solksjaer?
October 22, 2020 15:43 - 52 minutes - 119 MBMike Calvin, Anne Marie Batson and Jordan Jarrett Bryan analyse managerial matters at Manchester United and Chelsea. They assess Liverpool's defensive options, consider Manchester City's title credentials, and disagree on the merits of Mesut Ozil. They also praise Marcus Rashford, and make a powerful plea for change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Are Liverpool already at a huge disadvantage in the Champions League?
October 19, 2020 15:19 - 51 minutes - 118 MBMike Calvin, Jonathan Northcroft and Dominic Fifield believe the Champions League is more open than ever, in a compressed season shaped by injury to key players. Manchester City have the easiest group, Liverpool will struggle due to the loss of Virgil Van Dijk, Manchester United are vulnerable at PSG, and Chelsea cannot afford more poor defending against Sevilla. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Will Everton seize bragging rights on Merseyside?
October 15, 2020 14:32 - 49 minutes - 114 MBMike Calvin, Adrian Clarke and Richard Amofa believe Everton will never have a better chance of winning the Merseyside derby. They also call for Harry McGuire to be taken out of the firing line, hail Thomas Partey as a key Arsenal signing, and look at the future of the game, following the rejection of Project Big Picture. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Can the future of English football be entrusted to the top six?
October 12, 2020 14:43 - 51 minutes - 118 MBMike Calvin, Sarah Shephard and Ade Oladipo consider the implications of Project Big Picture, the secretive plan for far-reaching change driven by Liverpool and Manchester United. They believe some proposals are "horrible" and "cynical", but can see the benefits in other aspects of the initiative. They also fear for international football, and the potential consequences of more players testing positive in the pandemic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Is this unique season going to provide more surprises?
October 05, 2020 14:34 - 52 minutes - 120 MBMike Calvin, Miguel Delaney and Glenn Moore believe we should expect the unexpected due to a unique set of circumstances. Liverpool's thrashing by Aston Villa is a blip, but Manchester United have deep-seated problems. There's praise for Jose Mourinho, Marcelo Biesla and Carlo Ancelotti, and a preview of two key WSL games, on BT Sport next weekend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Has Frank Lampard got the Right Stuff as Chelsea manager?
October 01, 2020 14:35 - 48 minutes - 112 MBMike Calvin, Jordan Jarrett Bryan and Anne Marie Batson express their faith in Frank Lampard, but consider Manchester United's transfer dealings "an embarrassment." They fear that football has lost the Government's trust, call for fans to be readmitted to grounds, and believe that international football is being marginalised Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Should the new handball laws be scrapped?
September 28, 2020 14:14 - 50 minutes - 117 MBMike Calvin, Darren Lewis and Art de Roche believe the new laws are damaging the game. They support Tottenham's complaints about a fixture pile up, call for greater support for the football pyramid, and analyse how Arsenal have stolen a march on Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Is football doing enough to help itself through its greatest crisis?
September 24, 2020 14:47 - 51 minutes - 70.1 MBMike Calvin, Dominic Fifield and Adrian Clarke assess the extent of the crisis confronting football. They believe the PFA is betraying its members, and that Premier League clubs, preoccupied by a potential breakaway to form a European Super League, must do more to help those in the EFL. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Are Manchester United in danger of being left behind?
September 21, 2020 12:59 - 47 minutes - 65.7 MBMike Calvin. Miguel Delaney and Richard Amofa highlight the flaws in United's transfer policy, and the lingering doubts about Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's management. They examine the mounting pressure on Frank Lampard, the instant impact of Thiago, and the potential of new front threes at Spurs and Everton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Are Chelsea the real deal?
September 17, 2020 14:35 - 52 minutes - 119 MBMike Calvin, Anne Marie Batson and Jonathan Northcroft analyse the challenge facing Frank Lampard at Chelsea. They hail the return of Gareth Bale, discuss Mason Greenwood’s treatment by sections of the media, and call for change to protect football’s future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Will Tottenham be a mid-table team under Jose Mourinho?
September 14, 2020 14:53 - 53 minutes - 123 MBMike Calvin, Ade Olapido and John Cross review the opening weekend of the Premier League season. They foresee problems for Jose Mourinho, praise Arsenal's progress under Mikel Arteta, and call for greater financial help for EFL clubs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Who wins the Premier League, and who gets relegated?
September 10, 2020 14:20 - 52 minutes - 121 MBMike Calvin, Adrian Clarke and Jordan Jarrett Bryan name their winners and losers in the new Premier League season. Top four, bottom three, surprise sides, biggest flops and best signings. Will you agree? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Is the top four in the Premier League a closed shop?
September 07, 2020 14:21 - 54 minutes - 124 MBMike Calvin, Dominic Fifield and Miguel Delaney suggest only Arsenal have a realistic chance of breaking into the top four. Is Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Manchester United's weakest link? What does Frank Lampard need to achieve to survive at Chelsea? With Liverpool restricted financially, will Lionel Messi be Manchester City's Christmas present? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Should England be playing in the Nations League?
September 03, 2020 14:20 - 51 minutes - 117 MBMike Calvin, Darren Lewis and Art de Roche throw a spotlight on England, and the relevance of international football. They look forward to this weekend's return of the WSL, hail Marcus Rashford as football's most powerful role model, and name their signing of the summer, so far. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What impact would Lionel Messi have on English football?
August 27, 2020 14:49 - 48 minutes - 110 MBMike Calvin, Sarah Shephard and Richard Amofa consider the implications of City signing Lionel Messi. They also analyse the latest England squad, the Community Shield, and the chances of Premier League footballers refusing to play in protest at racial inequalities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.