The Sports Agents

This week on The Sports Agents, How and why did an image of Arsenal's Bukayo Saka become the main feature on the back pages of almost every major newspaper following England's 1-0 defeat to Iceland... despite him only featuring as a 65th minute substitute. Football writer Henry Winter and Channel 4 sports correspondent Jordan Jarrett-Bryan joined Gabby and Mark and reveal how these photos are chos...

Does every sport need to professionalise in order to survive?... When plans for a revamped Netball Super League were revealed in May, fans and players were outraged at the exclusion of four franchises, including 5-time Champions Team Bath. Today, on The Sports Agents , Gabby & Mark speak to key stakeholders to find out how those uncomfortable decisions were reached and the effect the new chang...

If you hadn't actually watched England's defeat to Iceland in their final warm-up game ahead of the Euros, you'd have been forgiven for thinking Bukayo Saka was largely responsible... Images of the Arsenal talisman adorned the back pages of almost every major newspaper - despite him only being introduced as a 65th minute substitute at Wembley on Friday night. Today on The Sports Agents , Gabby &am...

This week on The Sports Agents , The extraordinary story of Khalida Popal - the first ever captain of the Afghanistan Women's National Football Team - hounded out of her country by those who believed women have no right to play and who orchestrated her team's daring escape from Afghanistan, when the Taliban returned. Then, as Manchester City announced legal action against the Premier League, Gabby...

As Manchester City go to war with Premier League over its financial rules - how crucial is next week's hearing to the Champions beating their 115 charges once and for all? Sheridan's Sports lawyer Daniel Geey , explains the nuanced differences between the two cases involving Associated Party Transaction Rules , how 'fair market-value' is actually determined and why Man City will have more support...

When Afghanistan's capital city fell to the Taliban back in 2021, life for women across the country changed overnight… The national women's football team faced the real threat of execution, just for playing the game... Already in exile, the country's first ever female football captain Khalida Popal - our guest on The Sports Agents today - orchestrated a massive evacuation strategy to get the playe...

This week on The Sports Agents, UK cyclist Lizzy Banks joined Gabby & Mark in the studio, following her 10-month battle with UK Anti-Doping , for an insight into what actually happens when you fail a drugs test and the reality of trying to live as a 'clean' athlete under the current rules. The youngest executive in English football history, and current West Ham Director, Jack Sullivan , joined...

Today on The Sports Agents - as Bayern Munich announce Vincent Kompany, Chelsea turn to Enzo Maresca and Barcelona appoint Hansi Flick - West Ham Director, Jack Sullivan, gives us an insight into how the big calls are really made at Premier League clubs. Jack reflects on how David Moyes exit was handled, the process of identifying his successor Julen Lopetegui, as well as, the due diligence involv...

* Trigger warning * Some of the themes explored within our interview with Lizzy Banks contains mention of suicide and suicidal thoughts Today on The Sports Agents , what's it really like for athletes living under the cloud of a failed drugs test? Lizzy Banks , the UK cyclist who has spoken out against Anti-Doping authorities following her 10-month battle to clear her name - which ultimately cost h...

This week on The Sports Agents, We brought you an exclusive interview between The News Agents' own Jon Sopel and the Arsenal and Ukraine defender Oleksandr Zinchenko - who reflected Arsenal's season and waning support for the war. A special insight into how world title fights are actually scored from the referee at the centre of what was described as the 'biggest robbery in boxing history'. Gabby...

Ahead of the Championship Play-off Final, dubbed 'the richest game in football', EFL Chairman Rick Parry , joins Gabby & Mark to answer the big questions facing the Football League - What’s the point in Premier League promotion? Is the gulf between the top two tiers of English football too big and how would a Government regulator close it? Plus, with Vincent Kompany set to succeed Thomas...

Was Oleksandr Usyk's split-decision victory over Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight crown the correct decision? Should the referee have stopped the fight in the 9th? Does boxing need VAR?... The Sports Agents brings you a bonus interview with former star referee and judge, Ian John-Lewis , days before the eagerly anticipated rematch between Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall - a fight described...

Today on The Sports Agents, an exclusive interview with the Arsenal & Ukraine defender Oleksandr Zinchenko. In an emotional sit-down with The News Agents' Jon Sopel, Zinchenko talks about football and the war. The pride in representing Ukraine at this summer's European Championships and his 'duty' to use his profile to continue to help. Plus, as the Gunners missed out on the Premier League tit...

This week on The Sports Agents former England defender Rio Ferdinand joined us to discuss the stigma around mental health in football and whether teams are now better equipped to work with players who are struggling. We were also joined by Jadon Sancho's former youth coach and mentor Sayce Lewis-Holmes to find out more about the level of pressure on aspiring footballers today. Plus, with a huge fi...

Today on The Sports Agents , is it ever OK to want your own team to lose, would Manchester City's historic fourth consecutive title require an asterisk and how do you move on from legendary managers like Jurgen Klopp and Emma Hayes... Writer Henry Winter joins Gabby and Mark in the studio to debate the big stories heading into the final weekend of the Premier League and WSL seasons. Running order:...

Rio Ferdinand joins The Sports Agents to discuss the stigma around mental health in sports and a new campaign aimed at helping children to understand their emotions. As more Premier League stars open up about their own mental health struggles, Gabby & Mark asked the former Manchester United defender if his old club has been equipped to help players like Marcus Rashford & Jadon Sancho. Late...

This week on The Sports Agents, Gabby & Mark took a closer look at a controversial new rule in cricket - the impact player in the IPL - and whether it's introduction became a threat to the fabric of the sport. The Telegraph's Nick Hoult joined us in the studio to discuss it's impact on the game and whether the current domestic schedule demands too much from players. And with the 'fight of the...

Today on The Sports Agents - with 'The Fight of the Century' between Fury and Usyk just over a week away - how damaging is its latest drugs scandal? Gabby & Mark are joined by the former two-weight World Champion Carl Frampton and broadcaster Adam Catterall to reflect on one of the most bizarre chapters in recent boxing history - involving Ryan Garcia . Handsome, talented and unstable. So why...

Today on The Sports Agents - Has the introduction of 'impact players' in the Indian Premier League become a 'threat to the fabric of the sport?' The Telegraph's Nick Hoult joins Gabby & Mark to reflect on a rule change which has divided cricket fans all over the world... While the IPL's franchises, big broadcast deals, and brilliant blend of Bollywood has been widely celebrated - have they mad...

This week on The Sports Agents , Gabby & Mark explored whether a Premier League salary cap will actually help smaller clubs bridge the gap to the 'Big 6' and if it could lead to a bigger drain on top English talent... Former Lioness Jill Scott was in the studio to explain why Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham is the obvious candidate to succeed Bayern Munich's Harry Kane as England captain - as th...

Today on The Sports Agents , a fascinating interview with legendary boxing promoter Frank Warren... Nothing was off-limits, including his long-standing rivalry with the Hearn family, Tyson Fury's remarkable comeback, Riyadh Season coming to Wembley and that fateful night back in 1989 when he was shot outside one of his own shows. Also on the podcast - Gabby & Mark discuss Sancho's starring rol...

As Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane prepare to face off in the Champions League semi-finals, The Sports Agents explore whether plans to introduce a Premier League salary cap , could lead to a drain on top English talent? Former Lioness Jill Scott joins Mark and Gabby in studio, to reflect on their success at Real Madrid and Bayern Munich respectively, and if the Premier League's loss could still be...

This week on The Sports Agents... A Premier League launched an attack on VAR via their social media account - and threatened legal action... Is there actually any legal recourse for victims of a dodgy offside decision? The Athletic's David Ornstein joined us on the pod to discuss the chaos at Nottingham Forest. Ultra-marathon runner Jasmine Parris then spoke to Gabby & Mark about becoming the...

Today, The Sports Agents catch NFL Draft fever and are joined by former cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys Jason Bell to explore how one pick can transform the fortunes of their beloved team, overnight.  Colleen Wolfe then joins us live from Detroit to discuss the global audience for the 3-day event and why it represents the kind of league parity that European football fans can only dream of.....

After an explosive statement from a Premier League club alleged that a video-assistant referee, with allegiances to a rival team, should have been removed from their game on Sunday - The Sports Agents reflects on more unintended consequences of VAR and the growing threat to the sport's integrity... Should a 'melodrama' between Nottingham Forest, the Premier League and the FA ever play out on socia...