It Was What It Was : The Football History Podcast

The Overlap
  • 5.0 (144)
  • Soccer
  • Updated Daily

Welcome to The Overlap's football history podcast, It Was What It Was. Each week Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper will be talking about the key episodes in football history that have shaped the footballing world. The show will be discussing the best stories from football's past, giving insights to the personalities involved. the tales from behind the scenes and the impact they left. Join us at Football University! If you enjoy the podcast please hit subscribe to never miss an episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 1d ago

    Total Football: Cruyff, Ajax and the Golden Years | Part Three

    In part three of our Total Football series, Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper arrive at Ajax’s golden age. They explore Johan Cruyff’s development: the precocious teenager shaped by Ajax, Vic Buckingham and Rinus Michels; a player whose extraordinary understanding of space, timing and tactics made him the ultimate expression of individuality within a system. The episode unpicks how Ajax’s 4-3-3 worked in practice. Positional rotations, an aggressive offside trap, collective pressing and the instinctive relationships built through years of playing together. Jonathan also examines the uncomfortable questions around fitness, sports science and alleged stimulant use in the era, before charting Ajax’s first European Cup triumph in 1971 and the arrival of Ștefan Kovács after Michels’ departure for Barcelona. This is the story of how a brilliant group of players, led by Cruyff, turned a tactical idea into the most influential team in European football. You can listen to all the Total Football episodes early right now, here on Patreon. Enjoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Total Football: Cruyff, Ajax and the Golden Years | Part Three

  2. 6d ago

    Franco Baresi Tribute: Jamie Carragher on Milan's Maestro

    *You can listen to the full episode on our Patreon* Rob Draper hosts a bonus edition of It Was What It Was with Jamie Carragher stepping in to pay tribute to the late great Franco Baresi . Carragher explains why Baresi’s name is passed down through generations, calls him the greatest defender he’s ever seen, and hails Sacchi’s AC Milan as the greatest team until Guardiola’s Barcelona, with Baresi and Maldini central to a back four that revolutionised modern football through pressing, a high line and the shift away from the sweeper system. They discuss Baresi’s unique blend of sweeper elegance and aggressive defending in a back four, his extraordinary return from a knee injury for the 1994 World Cup final against Romario, and how his football brain overcame a lack of height. Carragher also shares meeting Baresi at a Milan derby and showing his signed Baresi shirts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Franco Baresi Tribute: Jamie Carragher on Milan's Maestro

  3. Aug 4

    Total Football: Ideas, Architecture and the Feyenoord Breakthrough | Part Two

    In part two of our Total Football series, Jonathan and Rob explore the ideas behind football’s great tactical revolution. From the structuralist architecture and social change of 1960s Amsterdam to Johan Cruyff’s place within a collective system, they trace how a new way of thinking shaped the Dutch game. But it's not all Ajax. Focus shifts to Rotterdam and Feyenoord: Ernst Happel’s 4-3-3, their landmark 1970 European Cup win, and the overlooked tactical breakthrough that helped pave the way for Ajax and Cruyff. Want to listen to the whole Total Football series now? Sign up to our Patreon for full access. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Total Football: Ideas, Architecture and the Feyenoord Breakthrough | Part Two

  4. Jul 28

    Total Football: Where Did The Revolution Really Begin? | Part One

    In the first episode of a new four-part series, Jonathan and Rob examine the origins of Total Football - and why it is far more than simply slick passing or players swapping positions. They explore the overlooked influence of English coach Vic Buckingham at Ajax, the role of Rinus Michels in shaping the philosophy, and the tactical shift from individual battles to coordinated systems. There's why Dutch football’s late professionalisation made it a laboratory for new ideas; how advances in fitness made pressing possible; and why similar thinking was developing simultaneously in Soviet football under Valeriy Lobanovskyi. This is the story of the conditions that made Total Football possible - before Johan Cruyff became its greatest expression. Rob and Jonathan will be back next week for part two. Sign up to our Patreon to get early-access to every episode right now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Total Football: Where Did The Revolution Really Begin? | Part One

  5. Jul 21

    Jordi Cruyff on Father Johan, Total Football and his Lasting Legacy

    Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper are joined by special guest Jordi Cruyff for the first episode in a new series on Total Football: its origins, its legacy, and one of its key architects, Johan Cruyff. Who better than Jordi to reflect on his father's footballing influences and legacy? Beginning with his upbringing in Amsterdam, the hardship that shaped his ambition, and the profound influence of Rinus Michels on his development, Jordi also shares personal insight into Johan’s personality: stubborn, curious, challenging and, of course, never afraid to go against the grain. The conversation explores Cruyff’s football philosophy in detail - his attacking mindset, positional ideas, emphasis on angles and intelligence, and refusal to compromise on style. Jordi also retells the story of being named Jordi in Franco-era Spain, a moment that captured his father’s defiant spirit and deep connection with Catalonia. Rob, Jonathan and Jordi look at Johan’s transformational impact on Barcelona, the 1992 European Cup, his influence on Pep Guardiola, and how Cruyff’s ideas continue to shape elite football - from La Masia to the modern Premier League. Rob and Jonathan will be back next week for a dive into the origins of Total Football itself; the first in a new four-part series. Sign up to our Patreon to get early-access to every episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Jordi Cruyff on Father Johan, Total Football and his Lasting Legacy

  6. Jul 14

    1930 - 2022: The Best Ever World Cup Finals

    In World Cup final week, we just had to ask Jonathan and Rob to decide on the best World Cup finals of all time - and they certainly delivered. From Uruguay in 1930 to Qatar in 2022, there's no better way to whet your appetite for Sunday evening than by taking a trip down memory lane with the guys. From the drama of that very first final in 1930, to the political tension and selection intrigue of Hungary’s defeat to Italy in 1938, they trace how the World Cup final quickly became a stage for far more than just football. Along the way they revisit the heartbreak of the 1950 Maracanazo, the tactical and cultural significance of West Germany’s win over the Netherlands in 1974, and the extraordinary scale of the 1954 Miracle of Bern, when Hungary’s great side were denied by West Germany. They also reflect on the modern classic of Argentina v France in 2022. Will we have another classic on our hands in 2026? 00:00 Uruguay 4–2 Argentina (1930) 17:45 West Germany 2–1 Netherlands (1974) 30:15 Uruguay 2–1 Brazil (1950) 40:55 Italy 4–2 Hungary (1938) 47:50 Argentina 3–3 France (2022) 54:55 West Germany 3–2 Hungary (1954) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  7. Jul 7

    Eusébio, Messi and the Best Ever World Cup Quarter-Finals

    Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper pick their favourite World Cup quarterfinals while previewing the upcoming last-eight: Portugal’s 5–3 comeback against North Korea at Goodison Park in 1966, highlighting Eusébio’s peak display, disputed refereeing, and the enduring Middlesbrough bond with the North Korean team; Germany–Argentina in 2006 as a pivotal step in Klinsmann’s cultural and tactical reset with Löw, Lehmann’s sock note in the shootout, and debate over Pekerman’s substitutions; and Argentina–Netherlands in 2022, remembered amid Grant Wahl’s death, for Messi’s pass, a record 18 yellows, a late Weghorst equaliser from a worked free kick, and a combustible shootout and aftermath. Wilson also covers Italy–Spain in 1934 as Mussolini’s World Cup’s key test and Draper adds Italy–Brazil 1982 and France–Brazil 1986 as defining classics. 00:00 Quarterfinal Classics Setup 00:47 Portugal vs North Korea 1966 03:40 Goodison Shock and Comeback 08:32 Eusebio Takes Over 10:10 Legacy and Middlesbrough Bond 16:19 Germany vs Argentina 2006 17:20 Klinsmann Revolution Explained 23:27 Match Drama and Lehmann Note 26:11 Argentina vs Netherlands 2022 30:33 Battle of Lusail Chaos 34:48 Penalties And Tragedy 36:04 Mussolini World Cup Clash 41:41 Replay And Brutality 42:58 England Debate Sunderland Joke 44:43 Rossi Sinks Brazil 1982 49:50 Romance Dies Guardiola Inspired 51:57 France Brazil 1986 Classic 57:43 Shootout Controversy Carlos Story 01:00:31 Legacy And Wrap Up Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  8. Jul 3

    World Cup Mailbag | Patreon Sneak Peek

    Throughout the World Cup Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper are recording weekly live Q&As, exclusively for our Patreon subscribers.   This week, all eyes were on England's win over DR Congo, sparking a debate on their reliance on Harry Kane. A worry, or a strength? There's a look at Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay, a debate on what's happened to Germany, and so much more in this week's World Cup mailbag.   Want in? Then all you need to do is head over to www.patreon.com/ItWas and sign up for £4.99 a month. That'll get you access to Rob and Jonathan's live Q&As and a whole host of bonus content, including: The World Cup Collection - dissecting every tournament since 1930.Retro Magazine Collection - flicking through the archives of classic football culture.Lots of bonus, one-off IWWIW specials.Plus, you'll become part of our growing IWWIW community on Patreon. Sign up today to hear the full episode - and we'll see you on Patreon. Thanks for listening!   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    World Cup Mailbag | Patreon Sneak Peek
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Welcome to The Overlap's football history podcast, It Was What It Was. Each week Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper will be talking about the key episodes in football history that have shaped the footballing world. The show will be discussing the best stories from football's past, giving insights to the personalities involved. the tales from behind the scenes and the impact they left. Join us at Football University! If you enjoy the podcast please hit subscribe to never miss an episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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