Sportdec Speaks

'We're moving an entire league up a division. It's first time it's ever happened in the USA'. United Soccer League President Jake Edwards outlines an historical project taking place in American sport as the USL gains Division Two status. 'We're going from 10 teams to over 30. There's almost $10 million being invested in connecting every single stadium and making them suitable for broadcast. We'll have cameras everywhere', he adds. Edwards joined Dave O'Grady and Gareth Morgan on #SportdecSpeaks as the USL prepares for its biggest ever season.

'We're moving an entire league up a division. It's first time it's ever happened in the USA'. United Soccer League President Jake Edwards outlines an historical project taking place in American sport as the USL gains Division Two status. 'We're going from 10 teams to over 30. There's almost $10 million being invested in connecting every single stadium and making them suitable for broadcast. We'll have cameras everywhere', he adds. Edwards joined Dave O'Grady and Gareth Morgan on #SportdecSpeaks as the USL prepares for its biggest ever season.

It takes courage for any player to leave their homeland in order to test themselves in a foreign environment. Scott Jamieson sought his new challenge in a very unfamiliar territory - Sweden. The former Australian international swapped Sydney sunshine for Scandinavian shores in a bid to expand his footballing horizon. After enjoying a successful career in his native country, the 28-year-old defender joined IFK Göteborg in August of last year. He joins Dave O'Grady and Gareth Morgan on #SportdecSpeaks to explain his unusual path to the European stage. We hope you enjoy it! If you like what you hear on the show, please let us know by tweeting @SportdecApp.

'To say it's remote would be an understatement. You're completely locking yourself away and just focusing on the job. The wind has caused my hair to be completely horizontal at this stage'. Former Rangers star Maurice Ross describes his day-to-day life as he gets to grips with managing Tvøroyrar Bóltfelag in the Faroe Islands. As a player, Maurice won 9 trophies in 5 years at Glasgow Rangers but the former Scottish international now sees his progressive steps in coaching as a welcome rejuvenation of his career in football. 'I never had the talent to be a proper Rangers player. But I took so much from training with some of the best players in the world. If my career had been in reverse, it would be celebrated by now', stressed Ross. The 36-year-old joined Dave O'Grady and Gareth Morgan on #SportdecSpeaks to tell a fascinating story of his meandering career in football.

'I was really in a bad place. It was a horrible time for me. The harder I worked, the more injuries I seemed to get. As a footballer, when you're trying everything and doing all the right things, but your body lets you down, it's not nice'. Former club captain and Crystal Palace legend, Paddy McCarthy, opens up about the struggles professional footballers endure when dealing with career-ending injuries. The 33-year-old Irishman tells a compelling story about overcoming the physical and mental challenges he faced during his playing career. From his cosy academy life at Manchester City to slugging it out for Boston United, a club he initially thought was in the USA, when Kevin Keegan sent him out on loan. Paddy's incredible experience in football has energized his passion for coaching as he now applies the impressive Crystal Palace philosophy to improving the club's thriving successful academy. He joins Dave O'Grady and Gareth Morgan on #SportdecSpeaks to tell his amazing story.

'Show me the money' and 'you had me at hello' are famous lines from the award-winning 90's rom-com Jerry Maguire, staring Tom Cruise. However, this stage of the movie is one that British football coach Matt Ward hasn't reached just yet. In fact, the dynamic ex-soldier has been rubbing shoulders with some of football's greats out in Asia. And this all came after a unique once-in-a-lifetime night, similar to that in the Hollywood movie, where Ward was tossing and turning and couldn't escape one single thought. He joins Dave O'Grady and Gareth Morgan on #SportdecSpeaks to tell his incredible story. We hope you enjoy it! If you like what you hear on the show, please let us know by tweeting @SportdecApp.

Richard Keys was the face of British football when it burst onto our screens in the 90's. The broadcaster now resides in Qatar and works as the front-man for the ever-expanding beIN SPORTS network. Keys joins Dave O'Grady and Gareth Morgan for a chat about how football broadcasting has changed over the years. He talks about his experiences, from when he first appeared on Monday Night Football to today's market where the Premier League has become a global brand. If you like what you hear on #SportdecSpeaks, please let us know by tweeting @SportdecApp.

Viking FK manager Ian Burchnall joins Dave O'Grady for a chat on #SportdecSpeaks this week. The young Englishman is learning his trade while following in the footsteps of Roy Hodgson, Uwe Rosler and Age Hareide. If you like what you hear on #SportdecSpeaks, please let us know by tweeting @SportdecApp.

Demonstrations, politics and football is just a small dose of what comes with the Africa Cup of Nations according to The Guardian's Jonathan Wilson. He joins Dave O'Grady and Gareth Morgan on #SportdecSpeaks to give a deep insight into the tournament taking place in Gabon this month. If you like what you hear on #SportdecSpeaks, please let us know by tweeting @SportdecApp.

Renowned European football journalist and author Graham Hunter gives us a intriguing insight into his career in the media. The host of 'The Big Interview' podcast joins Dave O'Grady and shares with listeners, some of the techniques he uses when selecting and carrying out interviews with some of the biggest names in football. If you like what you hear on #SportdecSpeaks, please let us know by tweeting @SportdecApp.

The versatile, soft-spoken and incredibly talented James Richardson joined Dave O'Grady for a chat on #SportdecSpeaks this week. The BT Sport and Guardian broadcaster, who made his big break in the 90's when hosting Channel 4's famous 'Gazzetta Football Italia', is now fronting BT Sport's European football coverage. Richardson also makes time on a weekly basis to anchor The Guardian's popular 'Football Weekly' podcast. On the show, he gives us an incredible insight into his career and his thoughts on the ever changing face of modern football. There is also some fine reminiscence of 'romantic football', including Italia 90 and Serie A back in the day. If you like what you hear on #SportdecSpeaks, please let us know by tweeting @SportdecApp.

TEASER | James Richardson on his big break by #SportdecSpeaks

The Guardian's Gregg Bakowski takes us into the complex mind of some of the world's best footballers. He joins Dave O'Grady and Gareth Morgan on #SportdecSpeaks to reveal the special qualities that makes footballers do what they do? Bakowski discusses the secrets behind a players quick decision making. If you like what you hear on #SportdecSpeaks, please let us know by tweeting @SportdecApp.

Italian football writer Luca Hodges-Ramon takes us back to a time when Parma were a powerhouse in European football. He joins Dave O'Grady and Gareth Morgan on #SportdecSpeaks to discuss the many famous names that passed through its doors while also looking back at their severe fall from grace. Lucas Hodges-Ramon is Editor and writer of thegentlemanultra.com and thesefootballtimes.co. You can follow in on Twitter @LH_Ramon25. If you like what you hear on #SportdecSpeaks, please let us know by tweeting @SportdecApp.

Ciarán Brennan, Communications Director of Sports Interactive joins us to discuss the phenomenon that has become 'Football Manager'. Brennan gives Dave O'Grady and Gareth Morgan an insight into what goes on behind-the-scene at the world's most famous manager game. He also fills us in on the evolution of the game and its journey from the early 90's to the present day. If you like what you hear on #SportdecSpeaks, please let us know by tweeting @SportdecApp.

It's a radio documentary like no other! Dave O'Grady records the sounds, opinions, passion and banter of Ireland's trip to Vienna where the Boys in Green recorded a famous victory over the hosts. The documentary includes interviews with Irish fans, players, the manager and more. If you like what you hear on #SportdecSpeaks, please let us know by tweeting @SportdecApp.

There's been an influx of Socceroos in the Chinese Super League and one man relishing the challenge is Liaoning Whowin's Michael Thwaite. The 33-year-old Franz Beckenbauer-style defender loves testing himself against proven stars like Demba Ba, Gervinho and Graziano Pellè. The Australian joined Dave O'Grady and Gareth Morgan on #SportdecSpeaks where he opened up on the struggles faced by foreign players in China.

In 2004, two struggling fifth-tier German rivals were brought together by the vision of a classic millionaire who fell in love with the beautiful game. 12 years later, with a little corporate influence, their city has a football team battling it out in the Bundesliga. On #SportdecSpeaks, ESPN German Football writer Uli Hesse joins Dave O'Grady and Gareth Morgan for a fascinating insight into FC Ingolstadt 04. He explains how the strategy and success of the Bavarian club is shaping the football landscape in Germany. If you like what you hear on #SportdecSpeaks, please let us know by tweeting @SportdecApp. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Uli Hesse has just published the first English-language history of Bayern Munich. You can purchase it on the link below. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bayern-Creating-Superclub-Uli-Hesse/dp/0224100106/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1474386701&sr=1-1&keywords=bayern+munich