New: Football Clichés: Half-and-half Shakespearean scarves, scouting for Shevchenko & the half-dozen crisis Adam Hurrey is joined on the Adjudication Panel by David Walker and Nick Miller. On the agenda: a stand-out candidate for commentator's curse of the season, a worrying statistic for Pep Guardiola, ...

𝐓𝐇𝐄
𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒
𝐏𝐎𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓

🔊 A 9/10 commentator's curse

🔊 Will anyone be hit for six this season?!

🔊 How not to abbreviate Wolverhampton Wanderers

🔊 Half-and-half Shakespearean scarves

🔊 Non-football fans' No 1 formation

🔊 AND MORE

@davidcameronwalker.bsky.social
@nickmiller79.bsky.social

The imprisonment of Imran Khan: ‘It’s hard to know, in the dark hours, what he’s going through’ (Gift Article) The charismatic cricketer turned politician was imprisoned in Rawalpindi in 2023 and now has only sporadic contact with his family

Imran Khan has been in prison - solitary confinement, an 8x10 cell - in Pakistan for almost 1,000 days.

This is a long read on why, for which I spoke to his sons Kasim & Sulaiman, his sister Aleema, David Gower & others.

Free to read.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/716...

The imprisonment of Imran Khan: ‘It’s hard to know, in the dark hours, what he’s going through’ (Gift Article) The charismatic cricketer turned politician was imprisoned in Rawalpindi in 2023 and now has only sporadic contact with his family

Imran Khan has been in prison - solitary confinement, an 8x10 cell - in Pakistan for almost 1,000 days.

This is a long read on why, for which I spoke to his sons Kasim & Sulaiman, his sister Aleema, David Gower & others.

Free to read.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/716...

New: Football Clichés: Biggleswade bragging rights, Tanzania 0 Liechtenstein 1 & Keysey's perfect Christmas Adam Hurrey is joined on the Adjudication Panel by David Walker and Nick Miller. On the agenda: Dave's Sunday League management rollercoaster, Ben White's surreal Wembley evening, David Moyes's poi...

𝐓𝐇𝐄
𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒
𝐏𝐎𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓

🔊 The Booing of Benjamin White

🔊 Tanzania 0 Liechtenstein 1

🔊 8/10 fictional commentary on Sherlock & Co

🔊 "Head to head" 🆚 "Toe to toe"

🔊 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐀𝐭𝐞 𝟏𝟎𝟐𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐮𝐧𝐚 (𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝) 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 & 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐬

@davidcameronwalker.bsky.social
@nickmiller79.bsky.social

Recording FOOTBALL CLICHES with @davidcameronwalker.bsky.social & @nickmiller79.bsky.social on Monday...

Let's have your questions, observations, requests for football-linguistic moral arbitration, footballers' names in things & anything else at all for the Adjudication Panel

Cheers!

Xherdan Shaqiri: My game in my words (Gift Article) Fittingly, the former Liverpool, Inter and Bayern star's mantra was: "If you never try, you're never going to score"

‘My Game In My Words’ with Xherdan Shaqiri.

An interview about:

🔴Shot power & how he flummoxed keepers
🔵Bicycle kicks & why risks are important
🔴Liverpool & the Barca comeback
🔵America & coming home to win the league

(Gift article, free to read)

www.nytimes.com/athletic/714...

🇨🇭Hello. An old-fashioned #journorequest:

I'll be at Switzerland's game vs Germany on Friday, and I'm keen to talk to any Swiss fans who follow/have followed the national team.

If that's you, my DMs are open/please do drop me an email, address in bio.

Danke/merci/grazie.

Behind the scenes at Amazon with Seedorf: 'It’s about being fair. Don't be in a space of polemics'

An interview with Clarence Seedorf.

I reckon he’s the best pundit on TV, so I went behind the scenes at Amazon’s broadcast of City vs Real to ask about his approach to broadcasting, communication, calling out Mourinho & coaching.

(Article free to read)

www.nytimes.com/athletic/712...

Behind the scenes at Amazon with Seedorf: 'It’s about being fair. Don't be in a space of polemics'

An interview with Clarence Seedorf.

I reckon he’s the best pundit on TV, so I went behind the scenes at Amazon’s broadcast of City vs Real to ask about his approach to broadcasting, communication, calling out Mourinho & coaching.

(Article free to read)

www.nytimes.com/athletic/712...

The conflict facing sporting defectors: ‘How do you find home in a new place?’ Fleeing an oppressive regime for a new life — as Iranian footballers did this week — may sound enticing but there are burdens to carry

What happens when athletes, like the Iranian footballers, defect?

This is a piece about some of them, including an amazing man called Paul Szabo, a Romanian fencer who walked out of the Olympic village in 1976 & has been in Canada ever since

www.nytimes.com/athletic/711...

The conflict facing sporting defectors: ‘How do you find home in a new place?’ Fleeing an oppressive regime for a new life — as Iranian footballers did this week — may sound enticing but there are burdens to carry

What happens when athletes, like the Iranian footballers, defect?

This is a piece about some of them, including an amazing man called Paul Szabo, a Romanian fencer who walked out of the Olympic village in 1976 & has been in Canada ever since

www.nytimes.com/athletic/711...

New: Football Clichés: FA Cup scares/dumpings/cruises, dark orange cards & Roman gladiator VAR Adam Hurrey is joined on the Adjudication Panel by Charlie Eccleshare and Nick Miller. On the agenda: a new shade of yellow card is invented, VAR delays in Roman times, legendary goalscorers' names...

𝐓𝐇𝐄
𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒
𝐏𝐎𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓

🔊 A full classification of FA Cup fifth-round exits & progressions

🔊 A new shade of yellow card is issued

🔊 VAR delays of the 1st century AD

🔊 Richard Keys presents the Indy 500

🔊 AND MUCH MORE

@cdeccleshare.bsky.social
@nickmiller79.bsky.social

Robert Lewandowski interview: Longevity, rejection, and his Barcelona future The 37-year-old is in his 16th season at the elite level and is still as prolific as ever. How does he do it? He explains his secrets...

Interview with Robert Lewandowski, about longevity.

His physical preparation is one thing, but we also talked about his mental longevity, his adaptability to excel under so many different coaches, & the influence of his wife, Anna.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...

Edu arrival was Forest’s most calamitous recent decision – it’s hard to see how it could have gone worse The Brazilian was supposed to take Forest forward but they have gone rapidly backwards, and it could still get worse...

On the Edu calamity at Forest.

From alienating Nuno to £200m on players who can’t get in the team. It’s hard to see how it could have gone any worse. #NFFC

www.nytimes.com/athletic/709...

Robert Lewandowski interview: Longevity, rejection, and his Barcelona future (Gift Article) The 37-year-old is in his 16th season at the elite level and is still as prolific as ever. How does he do it? He explains his secrets...

Only Lionel Messi has scored more goals in Europe's top-five leagues since 2010 than Robert Lewandowski.

In an exclusive interview with @nickmiller79.bsky.social, the 37-year-old Barcelona striker reveals the secrets behind his longevity and how rejection fuels him.

Robert Lewandowski interview: Longevity, rejection, and his Barcelona future The 37-year-old is in his 16th season at the elite level and is still as prolific as ever. How does he do it? He explains his secrets...

Interview with Robert Lewandowski, about longevity.

His physical preparation is one thing, but we also talked about his mental longevity, his adaptability to excel under so many different coaches, & the influence of his wife, Anna.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...

Real Madrid vs Man City… again? Is an increase in repeat fixtures damaging the Champions League? Group match-ups have been repeated in the knockouts as many times in a season and a half of the new format as in the previous 32 years

Teams that have already played each other in the CL league phase have been drawn against each other again in the knockouts 11 times in the last two seasons. That’s the same as in the previous 32 seasons.

On a flaw in the ‘new’ Champions League format

www.nytimes.com/athletic/707...

New: Football Clichés: Literally ghosting, Larry David's Champions League commentary & Sir Alex's 2011/12 title curse Adam Hurrey is joined on the Adjudication Panel by Charlie Eccleshare and, for his 100th appearance, Nick Miller. On the agenda: a cultural review of the North London derby, the threshold for a tea...

𝐓𝐇𝐄
𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒
𝐏𝐎𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓

🔊 A cultural review of the North London derby

🔊 Larry David’s Champions League commentary

🔊 What constitutes a team "laying a glove"?

🔊 The REAL reason Man City pipped Man Utd to the 2011/12 title

🔊 MUCH MORE

@cdeccleshare.bsky.social
@nickmiller79.bsky.social 💯

Recording FOOTBALL CLICHES with @cdeccleshare.bsky.social & @nickmiller79.bsky.social on Monday...

Let's have your questions, observations, football-linguistic examinations, footballers' names in things & anything else at all for the Adjudication Panel

Cheers!

Pereira, the Fenerbahce years: Going AWOL, Van Persie and Ozil troubles, and an unlikely return

It's the Turkish football-Nottingham Forest Venn diagram - or the piece I was always going to write.

On Vitor Pereira's two spells at Fenerbahce. Some good, some bad, some lively.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

Jose Mourinho sank to a new low with absurd and offensive claims about Vinicius Junior Mourinho was, in effect, telling Vinicius Jr that he didn’t hear what he says he heard, which was alleged racist abuse from a Benfica player

On Jose Mourinho sinking to invoking Eusebio, to tell a black player he couldn't have been racially abused, & turning to Clarence Seedorf for some wisdom

www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

Anatoliy Trubin, Benfica’s goalkeeper who scored against Madrid: ‘It was like I was a striker. It was crazy’ His 98th-minute goal sent his team into the Champions League playoffs - he discusses that moment and his hopes for his homeland Ukraine

“Since I started to play football, I did everything to stop goals. Now, people know me because I scored a goal.”

An interview with Anatoliy Trubin, the keeper who scored in the 98th minute to put Benfica through to the Champions League playoffs

www.nytimes.com/athletic/703...

Anatoliy Trubin, Benfica’s goalkeeper who scored against Madrid: ‘It was like I was a striker. It was crazy’ His 98th-minute goal sent his team into the Champions League playoffs - he discusses that moment and his hopes for his homeland Ukraine

“Since I started to play football, I did everything to stop goals. Now, people know me because I scored a goal.”

An interview with Anatoliy Trubin, the keeper who scored in the 98th minute to put Benfica through to the Champions League playoffs

www.nytimes.com/athletic/703...

Recording FOOTBALL CLICHES with @davidcameronwalker.bsky.social & @nickmiller79.bsky.social on Monday...

Let's have your questions, observations, football-linguistic ruminations, footballers' names in things & anything else at all for the Adjudication Panel

Cheers!

Lindsey Vonn injury footage: How do sports broadcasters cover serious accidents? When competitors suffer horrific, or even life-threatening, injuries, broadcasters are faced with making difficult ethical choices

If you were watching on TV, you couldn’t see Lindsey Vonn’s injury close up.

You could hear it, though.

That footage invites the question: what do broadcasters do when an athlete is seriously hurt on live TV?

@nickmiller79.bsky.social

Lindsey Vonn injury footage: How do sports broadcasters cover serious accidents? When competitors suffer horrific, or even life-threatening, injuries, broadcasters are faced with making difficult ethical choices

How do broadcasters deal with serious injuries or illness in sport, when they happen on live TV?

I spoke to people who’ve been in that situation, including directors & Jon Champion, who was commentating when Fabrice Muamba collapsed

www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...

Can a fourth manager save Forest's season? YouTube video by The Athletic FC Podcast

If you have a curious fascination in football clubs doing weird things when it comes to managers, you’ll enjoy this. Not so fun for Forest heads like @nickmiller79.bsky.social & Paul Taylor though.

@theathleticfc.bsky.social
youtu.be/w0aEtQP-oL8?...

In praise of Pep Guardiola for speaking out, regardless of the inevitable ‘Whataboutery’ accusations For someone in his position to speak on difficult subjects is welcome. The fact he is ultimately employed by Abu Dhabi doesn’t negate that

There's an instinct to accuse Pep Guardiola of double standards when he talks about Gaza, Sudan or anything else, because of who he works for. It's understandable, but at least he's speaking out about something.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/701...

New: Football Clichés: Scorpion scepticism, 80% ball knowledge & Conor Coady's Football Clubs (2026 edition) Adam Hurrey is joined on the Adjudication Panel by David Walker and Nick Miller. On the agenda: subtle podcast references at the darts, goal probabilities with Clinton Morrison, West Brom fans' lim...

THE
FOOTBALL CLICHES
PODCAST

🔊 Scorpion scepticism

🔊 Football kit manufacturers in Latin epic poems

🔊 Conor Coady shatters his own Conor Coadying world record

🔊 The sheer perfection of "fair and POXY square"

🔊 MUCH MORE

@davidcameronwalker.bsky.social
@nickmiller79.bsky.social

Recording FOOTBALL CLICHES with @davidcameronwalker.bsky.social and @nickmiller79.bsky.social on Monday...

What questions, observations, football-linguistic crimes, commentary gems and/or footballers' names in things do you have for the Adjudication Panel this week?

Cheers!