Green and Gold FC

In this episode of Green & Gold FC, Graham is joined by SMFC Mike and SM Pete for an Australia Cup round of 32 preview. The boys start with the headline NPL v A-League ties, including Preston Lions v Newcastle Jets, Sydney United v Central Coast Mariners, and South Melbourne v Adelaide United. Mike and Pete break down which NPL clubs look ready to cause damage, how South Melbourne’s recent sig...

Australia’s World Cup run is over after a flat knockout exit against Egypt, and Graham, Ahmed and DanielTalksFtbl unpack where it went wrong. The boys discuss Popovic’s defensive approach, the Patrick Beach substitution, Irankunda playing through the middle, the penalty shootout, and whether the Socceroos left too much out there. From there, the conversation turns bigger picture: Australia’s lack...

In this episode of Green & Gold FC, Graham is joined by Ahmed and Coach Rory to unpack Australia reaching the World Cup knockouts after a conservative but crucial draw with Paraguay. The discussion begins with the feeling around the Socceroos’ group stage, Popovich’s defensive approach, and whether Australia should have pushed harder after beating Turkey. Graham and Ahmed also look at the wide...

In this episode of Green & Gold FC, Graham is joined by Ahmed to unpack Australia’s World Cup defeat to the USA and what it means for the Socceroos heading into the final group game against Paraguay. The discussion begins with the mood after the loss, including whether the occasion, the Seattle crowd, the pre-game talk and the emotional high from the Turkey win all played a part in Australia’s...

In this episode of Green & Gold FC, Graham and Alex look back on Australia’s win over Turkey and preview the Socceroos’ next World Cup group game against the USA. The episode starts with Alex explaining the wild fallout from his post-match tweet after the Turkey game, including how a football meme spiralled into thousands of replies, threats, media coverage and a very strange few days online....

In this episode of Green & Gold FC, Graham is joined by Mark Crowe, Managing Director of Brand Finance, to discuss the commercial and branding challenges facing Australian football. The conversation begins with Football Australia’s finances, including its record revenue, recent deficits, and whether the Socceroos and Matildas are generating the commercial return their popularity should command...

In this episode of Green & Gold FC, Graham and Alex dive into a huge week of Socceroos news as World Cup fever starts to build. The big headline is Cristian Volpato finally choosing Australia. Graham and Alex unpack the long-running Volpato saga, what may have changed behind the scenes, how big a coup this is for the Socceroos, and why his creativity, technical quality and ability to unlock de...

In this episode of Green & Gold FC, Graham is joined by SMFC Mike and SM Pete to unpack a dramatic few days for South Melbourne. The discussion begins with the shock sacking of South Melbourne coach Sinisa Cohadzic, who leaves after guiding the club away from relegation danger, winning the Dockerty Cup and Australian Championship, and taking South Melbourne all the way to the OFC Pro League fi...

In this episode of Green & Gold FC, Graham and Alex look back on a wild A-League season while also breaking down a huge week across Australian football. The episode starts with the Fed Square live-site controversy, after the Victorian Government’s decision to block public screenings was quickly reversed following backlash from the football community. Graham and Alex discuss what the response s...

In this episode of Green & Gold FC, Graham is joined by Blayne Treadgold from the Football Supporters Association of Australia to discuss the state of fan representation in Australian football, and whether supporters can turn years of frustration into something constructive. The conversation begins with Blayne’s own football story, from growing up in Western Australia during Perth Glory’s rise...

In this episode of Green & Gold FC, Graham and Alex are joined by Aussie Scout to ask whether A-League clubs are still too cautious with young players, and whether Australian football could go even further with youth minutes. The conversation starts with Newcastle Jets’ youth-driven success, before turning to the Young Socceroos, junior national teams, dual nationals, and the need to give Aust...

(Part 2 of 2) James Kitching returns to Green & Gold FC to break down FIFA eligibility rules, dual nationals, and the growing role of diaspora recruitment in international football. Drawing on his time at FIFA, James explains the thinking behind the rules, clears up common misconceptions, and tackles the big question, is international football starting to resemble a transfer market? He also di...

(Part 1 of 2) James Kitching joins Green & Gold FC for a fascinating deep dive into the inner workings of global football governance, the transfer system, and what Australian football must do to grow. As the first Australian to reach director level at FIFA, James reflects on his journey from grassroots club admin in Adelaide to senior roles at the AFC and FIFA, sharing insights into how the gl...

In this episode of Green & Gold FC, Graham and Alex react to the Socceroos’ FIFA Series matches against Cameroon and Curaçao, asking the uncomfortable question that sat behind the 5–1 scoreline: why did it still feel so unconvincing? They break down Tony Popovic’s starting selections, the use of a more conservative setup against modest opposition, and whether Australia’s short-term results are...

In this episode of Green & Gold FC, we’re joined by Jake Entwistle of Scouted to examine what the data is really saying about the A-League’s latest youth wave. Australia’s top flight is getting younger, and in many ways more technically refined, but Jake explains why the physical data points to a potential problem. We break down the key metrics behind his analysis, including sprinting, high-sp...

In this episode of Green & Gold FC, Graham and Alex follow up on last week’s dual national discussion after Tony Popovic’s recent comments on selection and recruitment. Is Popovic right to focus only on the best players available, or does that approach risk costing Australia key talent in an increasingly competitive international landscape? We then break down the latest Socceroos squad, lookin...

Emergency dual-national episode. We unpack the latest blow for the Socceroos after Adrian Segecic’s decision to switch to Croatia, with fears Daniel Bennie could also be lost. What does this say about Tony Popovic’s man-management, Football Australia’s approach, and Australia’s broader struggle to hold onto top dual-national talent? Alex joins to give a passionate take on Popovic’s role, whether t...

In this episode of Green & Gold FC, we’re joined by Bruce Media COO Matt Windley to discuss the promotion and relegation debate in Australian football and the thinking behind the A1/A2 model. Drawing on his experience as a former News Corp journalist, leading the Team 11 South East Melbourne A-League expansion bid, project managing Melbourne City’s move to Casey Fields, and working on expansio...

In this episode of Green & Gold FC, Graham and Alex are joined by Mexican football journalist Alejandro Orellana of Goal.com to examine the suspension of promotion and relegation in Liga MX and what it signals for the direction of Mexican football. Why was the system halted? Who benefits from its removal? And what has it cost the second tier? We discuss the financial strain on expansion clubs,...

In this episode of Green & Gold FC, we break down Newcastle Jets’ relentless run and what it means for the A-League landscape, while examining Perth Glory’s tactical issues and whether Adam Griffiths needs to adjust his approach. We also assess Brisbane Roar’s recent improvements, their January additions, and whether better squad balance can translate into consistency. Later in the episode, we...

Hat-tricks framed the week in Australian Football. Mo Touré’s debut in England, Clayton Taylor’s Jets performance and Michael Krslovic for Sydney United set the tone. We assess Riley McGree’s Championship form, Melbourne City’s ACL push and coefficient implications, Ange Postecoglou’s vindication at Spurs, the U17 Asian Cup draw, Brisbane’s downturn and Perth’s adjustment under Adam Griffiths. Joi...

In this episode of Green & Gold FC, Graham is joined by Olympic Kingsway president Steven Nelkovski, Marconi head coach Peter Tsekenis, MetroStars head coach Danny Graystone, and South Melbourne supporter Mike to preview the 2026 NPL season. The panel discusses key transfer moves, the financial realities shaping the competition, reported seven-figure player budgets, and how youth rules and dev...

Nick Stoll joins Green & Gold FC to argue that the A-League is simply too fun not to love, while openly acknowledging fans’ very real frustrations around promotion and relegation, governance, and how supporters have been treated. It’s a fan-first, conciliatory conversation about why people drifted away, what fractured fan culture, and what still has the power to pull supporters back in. Join t...

In this episode of Green & Gold FC, South Melbourne FC general manager Strati Xynas joins the podcast to reflect on the Australian Championship win and preview the inaugural OFC Pro League. Later in the episode, Paul Mavroudis, South of the Border, offers a fan perspective on South Melbourne FC, the OFC Pro League schedule, travel demands, broadcast access, and what it could mean for Australia...

Danny Graystone (MetroStars coach and former Melbourne Victory academy coach) and Jon Price (NTC advocate and former technical director of Tilford Zebras) join Green & Gold FC for an open conversation about youth development, coach education, and the National Curriculum. They look at what the curriculum set out to achieve, what it has genuinely improved, and why it became so divisive. From cos...