The Gentleman Ultra

Richard and Emmet are joined by Serie A commentator David Ferrini to talk about Italian football's forgotten Baggio - Dino Baggio. The former Parma, Juventus and Lazio midfielder lived firmly in the shadow of his more famous namesake, but was one of the finest Italian midfielders of his generation. TGU pays tribute to Dino by dissecting his career, his obscure UEFA cup record, and who in the curre...

Richard Hall and Emmet Gates are joined by Doug Bierton, co-founder of the world's biggest classic football shirt website, classicfootballshirts.co.uk, to talk shirts. Doug tries to name his top five favourite calcio shirts of all time, whilst reminiscing about the players who wore those majestic pieces of cloth. This is a podcast that could've lasted another hour, or four!

Richard Hall and Emmet Gates analyse the opening weekend of the new Serie A season, and discuss how their respective fantasy football teams performed, and who sparkled in game day 1.

As a new Serie A season kicks off, we at TGU have started a new fantasy league in association with Mystery Kits, with the winner netting a mystery calcio shirt at the end of the season. Richard Hall and Luca-Hodges Ramon sit down to discuss which players to buy, and the prospects for the new campaign.  If you'd like to join the TGU league, hit us up on Twitter for the link!

Richard and Luca break down Livorno’s stringent left-wing political ideology. On the backend Cristiano Lucarelli’s fantastic career is overviewed and his background as the hero of the port city.

Richard Hall, Emmet Gates and Luca Hodges-Ramon return to discuss the comeback of Pazza Inter, with the news that Romelu Lukaku could be sold by the club due to their crippling financial situation. The three TGU stalwarts compare the events of 2021 to that of 2010, when Inter squandered their lead over the rest of the Italian game in the aftermath of the treble and the departure of Jose Mourinho....

Richard Hall and Emmet Gates speak to Parma owner Kyle Krause about his plans for the club, bringing Gigi Buffon back to the Stadio Ennio Tardini, renovating the stadium and the training ground, growing Parma's brand and next season's challenge of playing in Serie B. Apologies for the sound quality issue, there was mistakes made in the recording of the interview, so it's advised that you turn the...

Luca Hodges-Ramon and Emmet Gates are back to inspect Italy's Euro 2020 victory against England at Wembley. We review the final, take a look at where it was won and lost, how Roberto Mancini's side will look ahead of the 2022 World Cup, and whether Giorgio Chiellini will retire from Gli Azzurri or stay for one more tournament. As it's the 15th anniversary of Italy winning the 2006 World Cup, we al...

Richard and Emmet return to preview the final of Euro 2020, which has caused an endless amount of inner turmoil for Richard. Who will he support, England - the team of his homeland - or Italy - the country he idolises - on Sunday? Emmet has no doubts about which side he's backing. We break down where the final could be won and lost, and talk about Roberto Mancini's elegance.  *Apologies for t...

FINALLY! TGU's next entry in our look back at Italy at the Euros is here, after many delays.  Luca Hodges-Ramon steps in for Richard, as he and Emmet delve deep into Italy's shambolic Euro 2004 campaign. Giovanni Trapattoni was in charge of Gli Azzurri, who somehow hung on to his job following Italy's equally disastrous 2002 World Cup run. This tournament is chiefly remembered for the 'biscot...

Richard and Emmet return to discuss Italy's run to the final of Euro 2000. After the failure of not even qualifying for Euro '92, and the disastrous Euro '96 under Arrigo Sacchi, Italy, now coached by Dino Zoff, brought Gli Azzurri to the edge of glory at the turn of the century. Should Italy have won the tournament? How bad was Alessandro Del Piero in the competition? Should Roby Baggio have got...

Richard and Emmet return to discuss Italy's foray in England in the Brit-pop tinged summer of 1996. Gli Azzurri actually made it to the competition this time, after the doomed attempt to qualify for Euro '92. Now under the tutelage of Arrigo Sacchi, Italy went into Euro '96 as one of the favourites, and Sacchi had an embarrassment of riches to choose from. Things however didn't pan out like everyo...

With Euro 2020 (or 2021) on the horizon, TGU will look back at Italy's recent history at European Championships. We start with Gli Azzurri's failure to qualify for Euro '92, the forgotten tournament of the 1990s. Richard and Emmet delve into Italy's doomed campaign, looking at some of the puzzling decisions made by coach Azeglio Vicini, his relentless rotation of players, and the games that well a...

Luca Hodges-Ramon and Richard Hall dive into the fandom of arguably Italy’s most historic club, Milan. Narrated by Wayne Girard.

Inter Milan’s alternative club guide written by Richard Hall, narrated by Wayne Girard. Surveying the ultras, the history, the story...

We're back with another episode in our 'Classic Game' series. This time we are travelling back to April 1st 2001, as Carlo Ancelotti's Juventus side welcome Roberto Baggio's Brescia to the Stadio Delle Alpi. This game is of course famous for one of the greatest goals of Baggio's career, as he put a massive dent in Juve's Scudetto hopes. To talk Richard and Emmet through the action is David Ferrini...

As voted for by the TGU fans, Richard and Emmet discuss the top 10 greatest Italian goalkeepers of all time. From Buffon to Zoff, Zenga to Peruzzi, Italy have had a constant source of world class shot-stoppers throughout the decades. Who is No.1?

We're back with another entry in the TGU 'Classic Game' series. This time we skip back to October 1994, as newly promoted Padova take on reigning champions Milan. Richard Hall and Emmet Gates are joined by guest David Amoyal to talk us through the action. David was born and raised in Padova, so this game is close to his heart. We also investigate the impact Alexi Lalas had on Serie A, as the first...

In the aftermath of Serie A's disappointing performances in the Champions League Round of 16, Richard Hall and Emmet Gates dissect the biggest problem hurting Italian progress in the competition - the modernising of Italy's ancient stadia. Will the Italian government relax the laws permitting to renovating or building new stadia in the country in the near future? Can Serie A as a league collective...

...

With the announcement this week that Inter and long-time sponsors Pirelli will part ways at the end of the current campaign, TGU decided to rank the best shirts of the 26-year Pirelli era at Inter. Richard Hall and Emmet Gates discuss which shirts became iconic, and which shirts should be entered into a hall of shame. What's your favourite shirt from the Inter-Pirelli parternship? Let us know! Ple...

On the back of our recent TGU interview with Sven-Goran Eriksson, Richard Hall and Emmet Gates discuss whether the Lazio side of 2000/01 - Eriksson's last at the club - was the greatest side in the history of Italian football never to win a major honour. Lazio had maintained the core of their title-winning side from 1999/00, and broke the world transfer record to sign Hernan Crespo from Parma. Cla...

Ahead of the most highly anticipated Derby della Madonnina in years, Richard Hall and Emmet Gates look at some of the players who have worn both the Nerazzurri and Rossoneri shirt down the years.  Some players have excelled for one half of the city over the other, whilst some, like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, thrived for both.

Richard Hall is joined by Editor Emmet Gates and TGU regular Sam Brookes for another episode of TGU Calcio Castaways. Sam recalls his favourite goals, game and player from the recent history of Italian football.

December 2020 marks the 25th anniversary of the landmark Bosman ruling, which forever changed the dynamics of the modern game. Players could now leave for free once their contracts expired. TGU's Richard Hall and Emmet Gates break down the five best and worst free transfers since the ruling came into effect. Don't agree with our choices? Let us know on our social media channels!