Welcome to It Was What It Was, the football history podcast.

Liverpool wrapped up their 20th English league title at the weekend, so today co-hosts Jonathan Wilson and Rob Draper focus on the fascinating career of manager Arne Slot who has won the Premier League at his first attempt at Anfield.

Beginning with his unique upbringing in a football-centric Dutch Bible Belt town, we explore how watching his father coach from a young age shaped Slot's tactical mind, travel through his early playing days, his reputation as a tactician, and his impressive managerial stints that led him to win the Eredivisie with Feyenoord and now the Premier League with Liverpool.

On Friday, Jonathan and Rob will assess where Slot's Liverpool title winners sit in Liverpool's glorious history.

00:00 Introduction: A Coach's Son

00:40 Early Life and Background of Arne Slot

01:26 The Dutch Football Culture

03:01 Influence of Johan Cruyff and Total Football

05:02 Arne Slot's Youth and Early Football Education

07:11 Professional Career Beginnings

13:40 Tactical Innovations and Coaching Philosophy

21:58 The Early Coaching Journey of Arne Slot

23:14 Challenges and Successes at Cambuur

25:56 Influence of Pep Guardiola and Data Analytics

29:10 Rise at AZ Alkmaar

34:43 Success at Feyenoord and Coaching Style

43:45 Legacy and Future Prospects

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Welcome to It Was What It Was, the football history podcast.

It's time for Part Two of Pep vs Jose! As Barcelona and Inter prepare to face off once again in this year’s Champions League semi-final, we look back at the original - a tie that shaped modern football.

Guardiola vs Mourinho. All-out attack vs. tactical defiance. Ideology, rivalry - maybe even good vs. evil?

Fifteen years ago, Pep’s all-conquering Barcelona met Jose's Inter Milan in a Champions League semi-final that didn’t just decide who reached the final - it helped define a footballing era.

Having set the scene in part one, Rob and Jonathan relive the incredible semi-final battles, where Mourinho would ultimately dethrone Guardiola in an incredible second-leg at the Nou Camp - which saw a controversial sending off, late drama and an iconic pitch celebration.

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00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene

00:45 The Clash of Philosophies: Mourinho vs. Guardiola

01:32 The Tactical Battle Begins

04:32 The Volcano Eruption and Its Impact

10:24 First Leg Highlights and Analysis

13:18 Ibrahimović's Conflict and Mourinho's Mind Games

18:06 The Build-Up to the Second Leg

25:23 The Myth of the Decision

25:41 The Controversial Red Card

26:54 Conspiracy Theories and Psychological Influence

27:52 The Clash of Good vs. Evil

28:34 Tactical Fouling and Pep's Cynical Side

29:59 Marina's Critique of Barcelona's Tactics

31:37 Inter's Defensive Masterclass

34:13 The Struggle Against Possession Football

36:38 The Final Moments and Disallowed Goal

40:03 Marino's Triumphant Celebration

43:16 The Aftermath and Legacy

46:43 The Tactical Evolution in Football

48:58 The Importance of Non-Possession Football

50:28 Conclusion and Reflections

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to It Was What It Was.

As Barcelona and Inter prepare to face off once again in this year’s Champions League semi-final, we look back at the original - a tie that shaped modern football.

Pep Guardiola vs. José Mourinho. All-out attack vs. tactical defiance. Ideology, rivalry - maybe even good vs. evil?

Fifteen years ago, Pep’s all-conquering Barcelona met Mourinho’s Inter Milan in a Champions League semi-final that didn’t just decide who reached the final - it helped define a footballing era.

In Part One, Rob and Jonathan set the scene: how Mourinho’s Inter came to challenge the most dominant team in the world, the tactics he used, the battles he fought in Italy, and how both sides arrived at this collision point chasing domestic and European glory.

Part Two drops Friday, where Rob and Jonathan break down the epic semi-final itself.

00:00 Barcelona's Football Perfection

01:48 Mourinho vs. Guardiola: A Rivalry Begins

02:47 The Dark Side of Mourinho

03:25 Star Wars Analogies and Football Tactics

06:53 Mourinho's Seven-Point Plan

07:45 Mourinho's Philosophy and Evolution

08:43 Mourinho's Journey to Inter Milan

09:58 Cultural Expectations and Pragmatic Football

12:23 Mourinho's Press Conference Antics

13:44 Mourinho's Linguistic Brilliance

14:49 Mourinho's Training Philosophy

20:04 Key Matches and Tactical Shifts

21:16 Mourinho's First Season at Inter

22:27 Transfer Drama: Stars on the Move

23:51 Barcelona's Dominance and Challenges

26:40 Inter's Journey to the Semifinals

28:57 Mourinho's Tactical Mastery

32:29 Controversies and Confrontations

40:24 The Road to the Semifinals

43:57 Setting the Stage for the Epic Semifinal

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.