Focus Football Podcast

Excited to share that Javier is our next guest on the Focus Football Podcast, Episode 15! 🎙️ Javier, a sponsorship manager at Barcelona F.C., has carved a unique path in sports sponsorship. From his time in China to pivotal roles at YouFirst and Cazoo, he's mastered the art of bridging brands and rights holders within sponsorships. Tune in to hear Javier's journey and insights into the world of sports!

This episode explores the relatively new but crucially important sub-field within modern football, “Player Care” through the career of one of the leading voices and practitioners within the field, Hugo Scheckter. Having spent over a decade with top-flight football clubs across North America and England, Hugo explains what player care is, the challenges faced by professional footballers away from the football pitch and why football clubs are now fully invested in this holistic oversight approach to player wellbeing. Hugo is the founder and managing director of the Player Care Group, a leading consultancy firm dedicated to player care, team operations and player wellbeing.

From Part-Time Community Football Coach to Head of Football & Performance, he's seen it all. Jack spent over 10 years working for MK Dons F.C. He started off with the Sports and Education trust of the club, working there for 7 years climbing the ranks and ultimately shifting to the clubs footballing side. There he spent over 3 years in the roles of Football Development Manager, MK Dons Women General Manager and spending his last year as the Head of Football & Performance. His time came up when he decided to start his own company within sports, the Sports Wide Group. For the past year, Jack has been helping rights holders, agencies, educational institutions by consulting them.

In this episode we dive into the world of sports, digital, and commercial with Robert, a true pioneer with over 15 years of experience. In this captivating conversation, we explore his journey through the industry, rubbing shoulders with giants like Sky Sports, talkSPORT, The City Football Group, the Sports Industry Group, and CSM. Discover the story behind Robert's rise to prominence and his role as the driving force behind his own digital sports consultancy, First Five Yards. Tune in to learn how he transforms mere collaborations into thriving partnerships, helping clubs, agencies, and media companies realize their full commercial potential.

In this special episode of Focus Football, we sit down with three remarkable industry professionals at different stages of their careers: Raquel Pasos, Louis Gasparini, and Michael Malek, all of whom played pivotal roles during the 2022 FIFA Men's World Cup in Qatar. Each of our guests has a unique journey that led them to the World Cup, and in this episode, we delve into their backgrounds, their incredible experiences, and the profound significance of their contributions to the world's grandest sporting spectacle. Raquel Pasos served as an integral member of the Adidas World Cup team, leading the DTC work stream and providing invaluable support to regional teams in executing the 2022 FIFA World Cup Global strategy in Latin America. Louis Gasparini, on the other hand, assumed the role of Team Liaison Officer for the Senegalese National Team, acting as the vital link between the team and FIFA, ensuring a seamless collaboration. Meanwhile, Michel Malek took on a multifaceted role, offering vital assistance to B2B clients with Hayya, resolving issues between support and client managers, managing FIFA client communications, overseeing the Hayya process, and offering invaluable support to various entities with Hayya-related queries. Tune in as we uncover their remarkable journeys and insights from their World Cup experiences, gaining a deeper understanding of what it truly meant to be part of the world's most monumental sporting event.

Juan Carlos, a former La Liga intern who rose through the ranks to become the regional chief scout of the Americas for Chelsea FC. After 6 years at the English club, Juan Carlos is now leading the development of youth football at Club Sporting Cristal, his hometown club. Juan Carlos has also been involved in founding a youth team Lima City Futbol Club and being on the board of a sports foundation, Foundation Creer, which believes sports can have a positive impact on society by increasing opportunities and quality of life in local communities. In this episode, Juan Carlos shares his inspiring story of how he used football to break into the sports industry and make a positive impact on his community.

The first season of the Focus Football Podcast has come to an end, and what a journey it has been! Join us for a special recap episode where we dive into guest insights, highlight key takeaways, share our personal experiences, and express our heartfelt gratitude to both our incredible guests and loyal listeners. We'll take a brief look back at the highlights and memorable moments from our inaugural season. And of course, we can't forget to mention our exciting plans for the upcoming second season!

Arianna Criscione is a former professional football player that played across varied European football leagues and proudly represented the Italian national team as well as making appearances in the UEFA Champions League. Alongside her professional football career, she understood the power of investing in herself and the future and received a master’s degree in football business from the Football Business Academy. Equally, she was among the first cohort of students to receive the FIFA Diploma in Club Management, as well as completing the Crossover to Business Program from Harvard Business School. Arianna is now the Director of Women’s Football at N3XT Sports and uses her experience and creativity to help football stakeholders to build sustainable and accelerated blueprints that raise the women’s game.

Currently the Head of Marketing at Blackburn Rovers, Fraser recounts his earliest experiences within the football industry with AFC Bournemouth all the way through to becoming a member of the senior leadership team at Blackburn Rovers. It's an insightful conversation which takes us through his time at both the Championship and Premier League level as well as the mindset that's seen him climb the ranks at such an impressively young age.

Nike, Soccerex, ATEVO and now The Football Business Academy. Kristian’s journey has not only taken him all over the industry but also all over the world. Tune in as we listen to Kristian’s journey, his biggest takeaways, and how he and The FBA are looking to shape the future of the football industry.