The Stressing Room

It’s the start of a new football league season. And this week we’re talking about everything to do with the Beautiful Game…except for the game itself.

Former player, manager and general manager Gus MacPherson joins us to talk about the stresses and anxieties of a career where all the planning in the world can be ruined by one miskick or one referee’s decision.

We look at the effects of social media on a young player’s confidence, coping with defeat, the meaning of Emotional Intelligence, how pressure affects the families of football people - and why, despite all the strain it puts on the mind, Gus would get back in the merry-go-round in a heartbeat.

It’s a fascinating listen for every football fan. But maybe even more so for those of you who’ve never quite got what the fascination with it is.