Rob Draper
@draper-rob.bsky.social
🎙️Co-host It Was What It Was https://podfollow.com/1745066482
📰@guardian.com https://www.theguardian.com/profile/rob-draper
📕Author Dear England, The Real Story of the Three Lions Rebirth https://geni.us/DearEngland
📰@guardian.com https://www.theguardian.com/profile/rob-draper
📕Author Dear England, The Real Story of the Three Lions Rebirth https://geni.us/DearEngland
Imre Hirschl was the Hungarian migrant who barely played football yet arguably transformed the game in Argentina, Uruguay at #RiverPlate #Peñarol
Peñarol were so good the opposition literally took flight at half time! #ClásicoDeLaFuga
Part 2 with @jonawils.bsky.social
podfollow.com/1745066482
Peñarol were so good the opposition literally took flight at half time! #ClásicoDeLaFuga
Part 2 with @jonawils.bsky.social
podfollow.com/1745066482
November 18, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Imre Hirschl was the Hungarian migrant who barely played football yet arguably transformed the game in Argentina, Uruguay at #RiverPlate #Peñarol
Peñarol were so good the opposition literally took flight at half time! #ClásicoDeLaFuga
Part 2 with @jonawils.bsky.social
podfollow.com/1745066482
Peñarol were so good the opposition literally took flight at half time! #ClásicoDeLaFuga
Part 2 with @jonawils.bsky.social
podfollow.com/1745066482
Imre Hirschl had no playing career, lived in poverty when he emigrated from Hungary + blagged his way to become Gimnasia La Plata coach
Yet he changed the game in South America + arguably was brains behind Uruguay 1950 World Cup win
@jonawils.bsky.social
podfollow.com/1745066482
Yet he changed the game in South America + arguably was brains behind Uruguay 1950 World Cup win
@jonawils.bsky.social
podfollow.com/1745066482
November 11, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Imre Hirschl had no playing career, lived in poverty when he emigrated from Hungary + blagged his way to become Gimnasia La Plata coach
Yet he changed the game in South America + arguably was brains behind Uruguay 1950 World Cup win
@jonawils.bsky.social
podfollow.com/1745066482
Yet he changed the game in South America + arguably was brains behind Uruguay 1950 World Cup win
@jonawils.bsky.social
podfollow.com/1745066482
Jürgen Klopp, experience bias, Sadio Mané and how data won @LFC the Premier League
Part 2 of our mini-series on the rise of analytics looking at Ian Graham and Michael Edwards with @jonawils.bsky.social on It Was What It Was
podfollow.com/1745066482
Part 2 of our mini-series on the rise of analytics looking at Ian Graham and Michael Edwards with @jonawils.bsky.social on It Was What It Was
podfollow.com/1745066482
November 4, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Jürgen Klopp, experience bias, Sadio Mané and how data won @LFC the Premier League
Part 2 of our mini-series on the rise of analytics looking at Ian Graham and Michael Edwards with @jonawils.bsky.social on It Was What It Was
podfollow.com/1745066482
Part 2 of our mini-series on the rise of analytics looking at Ian Graham and Michael Edwards with @jonawils.bsky.social on It Was What It Was
podfollow.com/1745066482
How Data Won the Premier League with the excellent @rorysmith.bsky.social
Today’s It Was What It Was @jonawils.bsky.social traces the long (longer than you think) history of data + football + the rise of Liverpool (Brentford, Brighton + Hearts!)
podfollow.com/1745066482
Today’s It Was What It Was @jonawils.bsky.social traces the long (longer than you think) history of data + football + the rise of Liverpool (Brentford, Brighton + Hearts!)
podfollow.com/1745066482
October 28, 2025 at 8:51 AM
How Data Won the Premier League with the excellent @rorysmith.bsky.social
Today’s It Was What It Was @jonawils.bsky.social traces the long (longer than you think) history of data + football + the rise of Liverpool (Brentford, Brighton + Hearts!)
podfollow.com/1745066482
Today’s It Was What It Was @jonawils.bsky.social traces the long (longer than you think) history of data + football + the rise of Liverpool (Brentford, Brighton + Hearts!)
podfollow.com/1745066482
Never forget your first Barça-Real Madrid classico….mine was watching a 19 year old Leo Messi score a hat trick + dramatic last minute equaliser
Part 2 of the extraordinary Rise of Messi with @jonawils.bsky.social
tracing the dramatic early Barça years
podfollow.com/1745066482
Part 2 of the extraordinary Rise of Messi with @jonawils.bsky.social
tracing the dramatic early Barça years
podfollow.com/1745066482
October 21, 2025 at 8:23 AM
Never forget your first Barça-Real Madrid classico….mine was watching a 19 year old Leo Messi score a hat trick + dramatic last minute equaliser
Part 2 of the extraordinary Rise of Messi with @jonawils.bsky.social
tracing the dramatic early Barça years
podfollow.com/1745066482
Part 2 of the extraordinary Rise of Messi with @jonawils.bsky.social
tracing the dramatic early Barça years
podfollow.com/1745066482
The extraordinary story of a phenomenon: Leo Messi’s breakout season at Barça
And that beautiful moment Ronaldinho sets him up for his first ever goal at Camp Nou!
Today on @ItWasPod with @jonawils - the making of Messi + building of Barça Dream Team II
podfollow.com/1745066482
And that beautiful moment Ronaldinho sets him up for his first ever goal at Camp Nou!
Today on @ItWasPod with @jonawils - the making of Messi + building of Barça Dream Team II
podfollow.com/1745066482
October 14, 2025 at 10:52 AM
The extraordinary story of a phenomenon: Leo Messi’s breakout season at Barça
And that beautiful moment Ronaldinho sets him up for his first ever goal at Camp Nou!
Today on @ItWasPod with @jonawils - the making of Messi + building of Barça Dream Team II
podfollow.com/1745066482
And that beautiful moment Ronaldinho sets him up for his first ever goal at Camp Nou!
Today on @ItWasPod with @jonawils - the making of Messi + building of Barça Dream Team II
podfollow.com/1745066482
The downfall of Brian Clough is the best episode of @jonawils.bsky.social
superb 4-part series on Nottm Forest in Europe
The descent into alcoholism and complexity of his relationship + break up with Peter Taylor provides rich material
podfollow.com/1745066482
superb 4-part series on Nottm Forest in Europe
The descent into alcoholism and complexity of his relationship + break up with Peter Taylor provides rich material
podfollow.com/1745066482
October 7, 2025 at 1:13 PM
The downfall of Brian Clough is the best episode of @jonawils.bsky.social
superb 4-part series on Nottm Forest in Europe
The descent into alcoholism and complexity of his relationship + break up with Peter Taylor provides rich material
podfollow.com/1745066482
superb 4-part series on Nottm Forest in Europe
The descent into alcoholism and complexity of his relationship + break up with Peter Taylor provides rich material
podfollow.com/1745066482
The miracle of Nottingham Forest and genius of Brian Clough…
What better way to prepare for tonight’s CL fixs than a look back at the greatest ever achievement in the competition?
@jonawils.bsky.social in masterly story telling mode….
podfollow.com/1745066482
What better way to prepare for tonight’s CL fixs than a look back at the greatest ever achievement in the competition?
@jonawils.bsky.social in masterly story telling mode….
podfollow.com/1745066482
September 30, 2025 at 8:33 AM
The miracle of Nottingham Forest and genius of Brian Clough…
What better way to prepare for tonight’s CL fixs than a look back at the greatest ever achievement in the competition?
@jonawils.bsky.social in masterly story telling mode….
podfollow.com/1745066482
What better way to prepare for tonight’s CL fixs than a look back at the greatest ever achievement in the competition?
@jonawils.bsky.social in masterly story telling mode….
podfollow.com/1745066482
Forest back in Europe! What better time to re-visit the glory years of 78-80 with @jonawils.bsky.social
Today in part 2 of our Clough European Cup special we cover the astonishing build up to the Malmö final as Forest win their 1st European Cup
podfollow.com/1745066482
Today in part 2 of our Clough European Cup special we cover the astonishing build up to the Malmö final as Forest win their 1st European Cup
podfollow.com/1745066482
September 23, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Forest back in Europe! What better time to re-visit the glory years of 78-80 with @jonawils.bsky.social
Today in part 2 of our Clough European Cup special we cover the astonishing build up to the Malmö final as Forest win their 1st European Cup
podfollow.com/1745066482
Today in part 2 of our Clough European Cup special we cover the astonishing build up to the Malmö final as Forest win their 1st European Cup
podfollow.com/1745066482
The downfall of Diego Armando Maradona Part 1
This week on It Was What It Was @jonawils.bsky.social starts a two-part series on the extraordinary circumstances that culminate in Maradona testing positive at the 1994 World Cup
A truly compelling story that starts with a 0-5 defeat to Colombia 🇦🇷
This week on It Was What It Was @jonawils.bsky.social starts a two-part series on the extraordinary circumstances that culminate in Maradona testing positive at the 1994 World Cup
A truly compelling story that starts with a 0-5 defeat to Colombia 🇦🇷
June 24, 2025 at 5:56 PM
The downfall of Diego Armando Maradona Part 1
This week on It Was What It Was @jonawils.bsky.social starts a two-part series on the extraordinary circumstances that culminate in Maradona testing positive at the 1994 World Cup
A truly compelling story that starts with a 0-5 defeat to Colombia 🇦🇷
This week on It Was What It Was @jonawils.bsky.social starts a two-part series on the extraordinary circumstances that culminate in Maradona testing positive at the 1994 World Cup
A truly compelling story that starts with a 0-5 defeat to Colombia 🇦🇷
It’s FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP week! 🙌🇺🇸 🥳
But it’s nothing new
Clubs have tried to create a World Cup for more than 100 yrs
Without much success
*Trigger warning* contains distressing scenes as @jonawils.bsky.social bangs on about Sunderland winning this title in 1895
podfollow.com/1745066482
But it’s nothing new
Clubs have tried to create a World Cup for more than 100 yrs
Without much success
*Trigger warning* contains distressing scenes as @jonawils.bsky.social bangs on about Sunderland winning this title in 1895
podfollow.com/1745066482
June 17, 2025 at 4:08 PM
It’s FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP week! 🙌🇺🇸 🥳
But it’s nothing new
Clubs have tried to create a World Cup for more than 100 yrs
Without much success
*Trigger warning* contains distressing scenes as @jonawils.bsky.social bangs on about Sunderland winning this title in 1895
podfollow.com/1745066482
But it’s nothing new
Clubs have tried to create a World Cup for more than 100 yrs
Without much success
*Trigger warning* contains distressing scenes as @jonawils.bsky.social bangs on about Sunderland winning this title in 1895
podfollow.com/1745066482
100 years ago this week football changed to become the compelling game it is today
It wasn’t a star coach or brilliant player that did this
It was a rule change
The Offside rule we (more or less) have today was introduced
With @jonawils.bsky.social @dodo938.bsky.social
podfollow.com/1745066482
It wasn’t a star coach or brilliant player that did this
It was a rule change
The Offside rule we (more or less) have today was introduced
With @jonawils.bsky.social @dodo938.bsky.social
podfollow.com/1745066482
June 14, 2025 at 7:27 AM
100 years ago this week football changed to become the compelling game it is today
It wasn’t a star coach or brilliant player that did this
It was a rule change
The Offside rule we (more or less) have today was introduced
With @jonawils.bsky.social @dodo938.bsky.social
podfollow.com/1745066482
It wasn’t a star coach or brilliant player that did this
It was a rule change
The Offside rule we (more or less) have today was introduced
With @jonawils.bsky.social @dodo938.bsky.social
podfollow.com/1745066482
It’s Good v Evil
It’s forces of light v agents of darkness
It’s Hobbits v Orcs
Yes, it’s Pep v Jose, Barça v Inter, 2010 Champions League semi final with @jonawils.bsky.social
And how the Norse gods controversially came out in favour of Jose 😳🤷♂️ 🌋
🎧 podfollow.com/1745066482
It’s forces of light v agents of darkness
It’s Hobbits v Orcs
Yes, it’s Pep v Jose, Barça v Inter, 2010 Champions League semi final with @jonawils.bsky.social
And how the Norse gods controversially came out in favour of Jose 😳🤷♂️ 🌋
🎧 podfollow.com/1745066482
April 22, 2025 at 9:49 AM
It’s Good v Evil
It’s forces of light v agents of darkness
It’s Hobbits v Orcs
Yes, it’s Pep v Jose, Barça v Inter, 2010 Champions League semi final with @jonawils.bsky.social
And how the Norse gods controversially came out in favour of Jose 😳🤷♂️ 🌋
🎧 podfollow.com/1745066482
It’s forces of light v agents of darkness
It’s Hobbits v Orcs
Yes, it’s Pep v Jose, Barça v Inter, 2010 Champions League semi final with @jonawils.bsky.social
And how the Norse gods controversially came out in favour of Jose 😳🤷♂️ 🌋
🎧 podfollow.com/1745066482
Just how did Man Utd get this bad?
‘Let me tell you a story about a horse’
Or as David Walsh put it, The Horse That Won Too Much
With @jonawils.bsky.social the long view on Rock of Gibraltar, Glazers, Fergie
No one other than protagonists knew more about this tale than David…
‘Let me tell you a story about a horse’
Or as David Walsh put it, The Horse That Won Too Much
With @jonawils.bsky.social the long view on Rock of Gibraltar, Glazers, Fergie
No one other than protagonists knew more about this tale than David…
April 15, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Just how did Man Utd get this bad?
‘Let me tell you a story about a horse’
Or as David Walsh put it, The Horse That Won Too Much
With @jonawils.bsky.social the long view on Rock of Gibraltar, Glazers, Fergie
No one other than protagonists knew more about this tale than David…
‘Let me tell you a story about a horse’
Or as David Walsh put it, The Horse That Won Too Much
With @jonawils.bsky.social the long view on Rock of Gibraltar, Glazers, Fergie
No one other than protagonists knew more about this tale than David…
To be clear @ItWasPod does not endorse tackling like Cameroon’s Benjamin Massing…
And yet listening to @jonawils describe 1 of most famous ‘challenges’ + astonishing results in WC history made me laugh😀🇨🇲
Part 2 of extraordinary tale of Cameroon 1990 + *that tackle*
podfollow.com/1745066482
And yet listening to @jonawils describe 1 of most famous ‘challenges’ + astonishing results in WC history made me laugh😀🇨🇲
Part 2 of extraordinary tale of Cameroon 1990 + *that tackle*
podfollow.com/1745066482
April 4, 2025 at 8:30 AM
To be clear @ItWasPod does not endorse tackling like Cameroon’s Benjamin Massing…
And yet listening to @jonawils describe 1 of most famous ‘challenges’ + astonishing results in WC history made me laugh😀🇨🇲
Part 2 of extraordinary tale of Cameroon 1990 + *that tackle*
podfollow.com/1745066482
And yet listening to @jonawils describe 1 of most famous ‘challenges’ + astonishing results in WC history made me laugh😀🇨🇲
Part 2 of extraordinary tale of Cameroon 1990 + *that tackle*
podfollow.com/1745066482
‘Let’s do a series on US soccer’ said @jonawils.bsky.social
And yet he managed to make it about Béla Guttman, Hungary! 🤷♂️🙄
Take home is Guttmann played for New York Giants (the soccer team) + USA had pro league in 1921
And soccer is NOT an arriviste sport in USA
🇺🇸🎧 podfollow.com/1745066482
And yet he managed to make it about Béla Guttman, Hungary! 🤷♂️🙄
Take home is Guttmann played for New York Giants (the soccer team) + USA had pro league in 1921
And soccer is NOT an arriviste sport in USA
🇺🇸🎧 podfollow.com/1745066482
March 21, 2025 at 2:15 PM
‘Let’s do a series on US soccer’ said @jonawils.bsky.social
And yet he managed to make it about Béla Guttman, Hungary! 🤷♂️🙄
Take home is Guttmann played for New York Giants (the soccer team) + USA had pro league in 1921
And soccer is NOT an arriviste sport in USA
🇺🇸🎧 podfollow.com/1745066482
And yet he managed to make it about Béla Guttman, Hungary! 🤷♂️🙄
Take home is Guttmann played for New York Giants (the soccer team) + USA had pro league in 1921
And soccer is NOT an arriviste sport in USA
🇺🇸🎧 podfollow.com/1745066482
An astonishing, darkly comedic tale from Davy Corner, the man blamed 4 Sunderland’s ‘85 League Cup final defeat
By ‘blamed’ I don’t mean a hard time in media. I mean physically assaulted
He later joined police + was called out to a man attacked with a samurai sword…
podfollow.com/1745066482
By ‘blamed’ I don’t mean a hard time in media. I mean physically assaulted
He later joined police + was called out to a man attacked with a samurai sword…
podfollow.com/1745066482
March 14, 2025 at 3:36 PM
An astonishing, darkly comedic tale from Davy Corner, the man blamed 4 Sunderland’s ‘85 League Cup final defeat
By ‘blamed’ I don’t mean a hard time in media. I mean physically assaulted
He later joined police + was called out to a man attacked with a samurai sword…
podfollow.com/1745066482
By ‘blamed’ I don’t mean a hard time in media. I mean physically assaulted
He later joined police + was called out to a man attacked with a samurai sword…
podfollow.com/1745066482
The End of Pep?
Basques v Catalans, modern football v juego de posición, possession v progressive
@jonawils.bsky.social charts how Guardiola came to dominate world football
And how for first time in his career, he’s fallen behind the tactical trend …
podfollow.com/1745066482
Basques v Catalans, modern football v juego de posición, possession v progressive
@jonawils.bsky.social charts how Guardiola came to dominate world football
And how for first time in his career, he’s fallen behind the tactical trend …
podfollow.com/1745066482
March 4, 2025 at 11:34 AM
The End of Pep?
Basques v Catalans, modern football v juego de posición, possession v progressive
@jonawils.bsky.social charts how Guardiola came to dominate world football
And how for first time in his career, he’s fallen behind the tactical trend …
podfollow.com/1745066482
Basques v Catalans, modern football v juego de posición, possession v progressive
@jonawils.bsky.social charts how Guardiola came to dominate world football
And how for first time in his career, he’s fallen behind the tactical trend …
podfollow.com/1745066482
The final part of the incredibly poignant story of the Busby Babes, told beautifully by @jonawils.bsky.social
Today, the partial redemption of the 1968 European Cup final
🎧 podfollow.com/1745066482
Today, the partial redemption of the 1968 European Cup final
🎧 podfollow.com/1745066482
February 14, 2025 at 9:23 AM
The final part of the incredibly poignant story of the Busby Babes, told beautifully by @jonawils.bsky.social
Today, the partial redemption of the 1968 European Cup final
🎧 podfollow.com/1745066482
Today, the partial redemption of the 1968 European Cup final
🎧 podfollow.com/1745066482
Todays @ItWasPod sees @jonawils.bsky.social describe the horror of Munich and its awful aftermath….
podfollow.com/1745066482
podfollow.com/1745066482
February 11, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Todays @ItWasPod sees @jonawils.bsky.social describe the horror of Munich and its awful aftermath….
podfollow.com/1745066482
podfollow.com/1745066482
“Duncan Edwards, the koh-i-noor diamond among the Busby Babes”
Following on from @GNev2 episode on Tuesday, here @jonawils beautifully tells the story of the rise of The Babes in part 1 of our series on the Munich Air Crash
podfollow.com/1745066482
Following on from @GNev2 episode on Tuesday, here @jonawils beautifully tells the story of the rise of The Babes in part 1 of our series on the Munich Air Crash
podfollow.com/1745066482
February 7, 2025 at 12:31 PM
“Duncan Edwards, the koh-i-noor diamond among the Busby Babes”
Following on from @GNev2 episode on Tuesday, here @jonawils beautifully tells the story of the rise of The Babes in part 1 of our series on the Munich Air Crash
podfollow.com/1745066482
Following on from @GNev2 episode on Tuesday, here @jonawils beautifully tells the story of the rise of The Babes in part 1 of our series on the Munich Air Crash
podfollow.com/1745066482
The extraordinary + tragic story of Munich air disaster + its role in Man Utd’s subsequent history discussed this week on @ItWasPod with Gary Neville + @jonawils.bsky.social
It wasn’t just @ManUtd but the whole football world that was impacted
podfollow.com/1745066482
It wasn’t just @ManUtd but the whole football world that was impacted
podfollow.com/1745066482
February 4, 2025 at 12:53 PM
The extraordinary + tragic story of Munich air disaster + its role in Man Utd’s subsequent history discussed this week on @ItWasPod with Gary Neville + @jonawils.bsky.social
It wasn’t just @ManUtd but the whole football world that was impacted
podfollow.com/1745066482
It wasn’t just @ManUtd but the whole football world that was impacted
podfollow.com/1745066482