NPLH Studio

Dakota Fox Graf is a photographer with one of the less conventional routes into the industry, having swapped the front line of combat for the side lines of Major League Soccer. With a big interest in health and fitness and little interest or involvement in the game beyond the odd kindergarten kick about and a few World Cup games on TV whilst serving in Afghanistan, the path he’s on could not have...

Tommie Battle is an NYC-based self-taught and published Black photographer specialising in portrait, photojournalism, and sports photography. In this episode he opens up on life as a kid in a military family, how the experiences that came with it shaped his life and how, along the way, Roberto Baggio planted a seed that would bloom into not only a passion for the game but a career in it. The NYCFC...

Drake Ramberg needs little introduction, but I'll give him one anyway. An Oregonian born and raised in the vicinity of Nike HQ, he would go on to spearhead the brand's drive into the football space, revolutionise kit design, and build a legacy over the next three decades. Over to Drake. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maya Stephen is the definition of a versatile creative with an appetite for change. Born in Florida and made through her experiences in New England, California and now New York, Maya is a flowing tap of self-expression using football, fashion, poetry and photography as both a means to create and reinvent. She also has a flagrant disregard for limits; those set by the self and imposed by others. Al...

A break from the norm to share the work of a creative from another landscape. Dan King is not a football photographer. But he is aware of the game and the quality of his work needs to be seen so we’re golden! His route into photography will be familiar to some and inspiring to others. Unfulfilled in his day job as a website designer he set some intentions for change – ditch the boring stuff and fo...

David Furzer-Jones is co-Founder of Cult Kits , the destination for football fans to find their favourite shirt. David discusses the brands evolution, from a side-grind blog to the extensive archive of iconic jerseys we see today, as well as his own journey running parallel to it. We touch on nostalgia and its role as one of the pillars of the brands identity and how walking your own path, with in...

Gabriel Nava is a multi-faceted creative from Riverside, California. Growing up playing the game and following Barcelona, it’s little surprise his creative talents have found a home in the game, with both his photographic and graphic design skillset positioning him as a double threat in the landscape. Gabe walks us through his early days in the game, why following the creative path is important to...

I’m taking a short break to spend time with my boys and will be back on Tuesday, 4 February , with more conversations from the legends shaping the football landscape. Until then, there’s plenty to catch up on—dive in and enjoy! JF Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US photographer Matthew Stith is a creative shunning the concept of boundaries.  A broken foot in college put his goalkeeping gloves on ice, guiding his hands away from the ball and towards a camera. When opportunity knocked—through a friend in MLS—Matthew seized it, setting off on a path that’s more about discovery than destination.  For him, photography is just one medium to explore the world, w...

Lucas Mendes is what you would call a multi-faceted talent in the football landscape — professional player, club owner, and community builder decorating a CV belying his 26 years. In this episode, we explore his journey, from his roots in the D.C. United Academy system to how he’s using Virginia Dream FC not just as a football club giving a platform to players, but a creative house giving a collab...

Richard Gordon a photographer/director and Co-Founder of Forty One Magazine and its football-focussed creative studio. Rich shares how the '94 and '98 world cups opened his heart to the game, his gateway into photography and when these two passions finally caught up with each other, giving rise to a creative career spanning over a decade. Rich's career is built on both passion and a drive to push...

Jenny Simmons’ story is one of passion, purpose, and paving the way for meaningful change. Whether it's pursuing progress or practicing the transformative power of manifesting, following her vision and creating impact has always been the common thread. We discuss her journey from Lancaster to playing college football in the U.S, before landing at Nike where her time on the Jordan brand steered her...

Jake Nolan is the Co-Founder of Sefton Park Rangers and Creative Agency, All Our Friends . He shares the club's evolution, from its founding to the meaningful impact it has on both the local area and Jake himself and how his experiences with the club opened the doors to creative projects within Liverpool and beyond. We also explore the delicate balancing act of fatherhood and work, why pursuing a...

Alexis James is a freelance writer, journalist, and podcaster, focussing on human stories from the fringes of sport and society. Used to asking the questions for countless pieces over a two-decade career, including several pieces for NPLH Magazine, he switches seats to answer a few. From placements in local news as a teen to BBC features and much in between, Alexis shares some of the realities of...

The football podcast that isn't about football will be back on Tuesday 12 November, 2024. I'm taking a little break to spend some time with my new family and get the boys on some drills and ready for West Ham's academy. In the meantime, there's plenty of gold in this resource we've built, most recently with SEASON ZINE founder, Felicia Pennant. See you on the other side. JF Hosted on Acast. See ac...

Felicia Pennant is, in my friend Madison's words, the real deal. After speaking with her for an hour, I'm inclined to agree. A self-confessed book worm as a kid, she shares her journey from hiding out in the library to leading the line with the seminal football and fashion platform SEASON zine . Felicia highlights the importance of adding value through her work whilst providing a platform for othe...

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. In New Hampshire, a movement to impact a thousand lives began with a simple Instagram post Despite the lush green forests and quaint towns of the Granite State, the football scene is pretty barren. Well, it was until Chris Pinkham and Yusufu Juma set out to change that in the form of Beech Street FC. Through a love for their community and a...

** Please excuse audio imperfections ** Mike Geddes has worn many hats throughout a varied career, from his beginnings as a BBC journalist to co-founding football club Oakland Roots and lots more in between. But beyond the titles, his focus lies on the impact he can make. His journey is a blend of passion and purpose, whilst searching for balance between the demands of his professional life with t...

Cody McCullough is a multi-faceted creative with a client list to make your eyes water – EA Sports, MLS, Adidas, Venezia, it goes on... and on. Incredible to think it all began with a basic camera and a speculative message to the SoccerBible socials! He discusses his 'say yes now, figure it out later' approach, his experiences of the creative industry within the game, how they've impacted his enjo...

Eric Beard is, on paper, a Creative Director and the final co-Founder on my Where is Football , bingo card. Off paper, he's a creative in the purest sense of the word, prioritising collaboration and connection which is not only at the root of the Where is Football platform, but his creative output across the board. Whether working for global brands, such as EA or Nike, collaborating on freelance p...

Zito Madu is a man very much marching to the beat of his own drum.  Growing up in Nigeria, football played a prominent role in his life and nothing changed when moving to the US in 1998; A successful college career with the University of Detroit preceded signing for USL’s Detroit City before heading to Turkey’s second division.   It’s here it all gets interesting.  Wanting to learn about himself o...

EL Johnson is a multi-disciplined creative with a co-founders list as long as your arm: the 2 Cents FC podcast, Forty One Magazine and it's football-focussed creative studio and MLS Next Pro's The Town FC all wear his fingerprints. A self-taught creative with an unorthodox route into the football space, EL discusses the entrepreneurial inspirations behind his stable pursuits, the challenges of jug...

Ian Harkes is a professional footballer currently playing for New England Revolution in MLS. Sarah Teegarden-Harkes enjoyed her own professional playing career with stints in the US, Sweden, France and Scotland before heading down a new path in 2022 with non-profit Boston Scores. Sharing experiences of their respective professional landscapes, they walk through the realities of maintaining a relat...

Photographer Eduardo Villalobos' journey began in a way you're unlikely to guess: photographing a snowman on an iPhone 7! It wasn't long before he picked up a 'real' camera in 2016 as a way of becoming closer to the game he loved and the trajectory remained sharp, first shooting local high school teams before skipping several steps on the experience ladder and answering an ad to shoot in MLS. A su...

Born in Bogotà, Colombia, Diego Hurtado grew up knowing two things; hustle and football. So it's no surprise he earned money in the playground and became an academy player in his teens. Injury and an ultimatum from an impatient coach coincided with his Mum's move to the US and he had a decision to make: stay in Colombia, alone, and hopefully recover in time, or head to Miami for a fresh start. He...