The Football Boardroom

The relegation trapdoor separated Tottenham and West Ham as the Premier League season finally drew to a breathless halt.  But what now for two of London’s most storied clubs? In different ways and with distinct challenges, they both face a summer of radical restructure and change. Henry and Christian survey the scene at two crossroads clubs, assessing the pivotal decisions that loom and identifyin...

Brighton’s Paul Barber is one of football’s most experienced chief executives. But what makes a top CEO in today’s game?  Paul joins Christian and Henry to talk crisis management in the midst of the Southampton spygate scandal, managerial succession, player recruitment and how the Premier League can maintain the competitive edge that makes it such compelling global viewing. Email in via: getintouc...

Hearts have radically shaken up Scottish football this season, challenging the 40-year dominance of the Old Firm in fearsome fashion. How have they done it? How crucial has Tony Bloom’s involvement been? What about the cutting edge role of Jamestown Analytics? And if we are only at the foothills of a multi-year project, what does the summit look like? Henry and Christian dig into a footballing rev...

This week it’s Hammer time. After the defeat at Brentford, West Ham have three games left to save their season…but what happens if the Premier League bubble bursts?  Christian and Henry take a deep dive into the dynamics, dilemmas and doomsday scenarios facing the Irons as the pressure furnace heats up. Who’s calling the shots? What are the far-reaching implications of relegation? And are football...

Coventry City are back in the Premier League after a 25-year absence. What were the principal factors that propelled the club’s return to football’s Promised Land? And how do they stay there?  City owner Doug King breaks off from the much-deserved festivities around Coventry to join Christian and Henry and discuss the club’s remarkable odyssey, his experiences as a football owner and the plan for...

Arsenal fans may be licking their wounds after another defeat to Man City, but do the reasons to be cheerful still eclipse any sense of gloom over the Emirates? Christian and Henry put the business into the business end of the season as they assess the Gunners’ financial firepower and overall strategy and look at the profiles of the people pulling the strings behind the scenes. They also discuss t...

Another Premier League sacking and that can mean only one thing at The Football Boardroom…time for another emergency pod! Henry and Christian react to the breaking news of Liam Rosenior’s Stamford Bridge exit.  Why now? What were the key factors behind the decision? And what next for Chelsea? Email in via: getintouch@thefootballboardroom.co.uk  Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFootbal...

It’s been anything but quiet on the West London front this season at Chelsea. Ill-discipline on the pitch, fallings out off it at both boardroom and dressing-room level, financial losses, a controversial fine, question marks around the head coach… And it promises to be a summer of discontent in SW6 should the club fail to qualify for the Champions League.  What exactly is the owners’ strategy? And...

Portsmouth's chairman just rang the alarm bell on Championship finances. So we did what we do — pulled the accounts, ran the numbers, and asked the uncomfortable questions. Why do these clubs keep losing money? Why does anyone still want to own one? And is there a solution to the crisis? Email in via: getintouch@thefootballboardroom.co.uk  Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFootballBoar...

After a flurry of breaking news stories, we’ve finally managed to dive into the mailbag for our Q & A episode! Christian and Henry tackle a host of your questions, from price rises at Anfield to ways to maximise commercial revenue at Villa and how a club on the verge of promotion gets Premier League ready off the pitch. Email in via: getintouch@thefootballboardroom.co.uk  Watch on YouTube: https:/...

Another week, another Spurs manager. This time it’s Roberto De Zerbi taking his place in the Tottenham Hotspur hot seat.  How did they get the deal over the line? What’s the nature of the agreement? And is he the man to keep Spurs in the Premier League? Christian and Henry get into the thickets of the deal as they talk numbers, clauses and boardroom dynamics in what is a season-defining moment for...

It’s the end of an era at Liverpool as Mo Salah heads towards the Anfield exit. But what’s behind the timing, who benefits most and what’s next for Mo? Henry and former Liverpool MD Christian dive into the details and crunch the numbers of the deal. Plus, as Henry returns from his trip to St George’s Park in the midst of the international break, should Premier League owners care more about the suc...

We were all set to answer your audience questions this week - but then one of the most significant boardroom stories in Premier League history dropped into our lap. Chelsea have been hit with a record £10.75m fine after admitting to £47.5m in secret payments during the Roman Abramovich era.  Former Chelsea head of commercial activities Christian Purslow gives an inside perspective that few else ca...

This season’s race to avoid relegation is a gripping one. But if you’re in the boardroom of one of the clubs involved in the scrap, the drama comes with a swarm of concerns, consequences and questions.  In this week’s episode, Christian and Henry step into the drop zone to analyse the main issues facing the owners and executives running Tottenham, West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Leeds.  Who has th...

Takeover dramas, relegation dogfights, shifting dynamics in the modern game. Sean Dyche has seen it all.  In his first interview since leaving Nottingham Forest, the former Burnley and Everton manager joins Christian and Henry to talk money, power and politics in football, breaking down just how complex and challenging life in the Premier League can be. From heavily incentivised contracts for play...

Gareth Southgate discusses the risks and rewards of being England boss, whilst shining a light on the unexpected challenges that an elite manager must deal with at every twist and turn. Email in via: getintouch@thefootballboardroom.co.uk  Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFootballBoardroom Follow us on Instagram: @footballboardroompod Follow us on TikTok: @footballboardroompod Follow u...

It is the biggest story in English football. But the wait for a verdict on the 115 charges Manchester City are facing for allegedly breaching financial regulations goes on. Why such a delay? Where are we at with the case? And what comes next? Christian Purslow and Henry Winter tackle the topic that could have seismic repercussions for the Premier League and beyond, debunking myths and preconceptio...

Mid-table heading into the final block of the Premier League season, it’s fair to say things haven’t quite gone as planned for Newcastle or Eddie Howe this season. But why not? As the fifth anniversary of the PIF takeover looms large, Christian Purslow and Henry Winter look under the bonnet at Newcastle to examine the impact of FFP, the role and future of the manager, and why some big decisions ju...

Henry Winter and Christian Purslow react to the latest Premier League managerial departure after Evangelos Marinakis called time on Sean Dyche’s tenure. One manager who is sticking around for a bit longer is Thomas Tuchel at England. They give their verdict on the FA’s decision to extend his contract ahead of the World Cup. Email in via: getintouch@thefootballboardroom.co.uk  Watch on YouTube: htt...

Was Thomas Frank always on borrowed time at Tottenham? And where do Spurs go from here? In this bonus episode, Christian Purslow and Henry Winter dive into the breaking news around Frank’s departure and examine what comes next to arrest the decline. Email in via: getintouch@thefootballboardroom.co.uk  Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFootballBoardroom Follow us on Instagram: @football...

On the face of it, the transfer window might have appeared relatively uneventful - but dig into the weeds and you find all kinds of juicy stuff. How much did Raheem Sterling’s exit end up costing Chelsea? And what is behind the evolution and ever-increasing intricacy of loan deals in football? Christian Purslow and Henry Winter put a different lens on the January window and focus on three differen...

What does Marc Guéhi’s move to the Etihad tell us about the current positions of Man City, Liverpool and Crystal Palace? In this bonus episode of the new podcast The Football Boardroom, Christian Purslow and Henry Winter delve into the far-reaching impacts of the Guéhi transfer. They dissect the timing, cost and wider implications for a host of clubs and the league itself- shining a light on the w...

What do Man Utd do next? And which factors will decide whether Michael Carrick lands the job? A fast start has done wonders for Carrick, but is he the right man to lead long-term?  In the first episode of the brand new podcast The Football Boardroom, Christian Purslow and Henry Winter hone in on the appointment that Manchester United simply cannot get wrong.  If Carrick stumbles, what are the pros...

Former Premier League executive Christian Purslow has run three of the biggest clubs in the country: CEO at Liverpool and Aston Villa, managing director at Chelsea. Henry Winter is a pillar of British football journalism who has spent decades chasing the stories that matter, the ones often hidden behind boardroom doors. Now, he doesn't need to knock. He's got an access-all-areas pass. Money. Power...