The Managers
Hosted by The Managers
Two veteran Premier League managers, Mick McCarthy and Tony Pulis, share unfiltered stories and analysis with fellow bosses and players.
This is a weekly football podcast built around the authority and experience of two long-serving managers. Episodes alternate between topical discussions on the latest Premier League and international news, and long-form interviews with other managers and former players. The show is essentially 'shop talk' for football insiders, prioritizing dressing-room anecdotes and managerial war stories over hot takes.
“The key distinction is the hosts themselves. It's rare to have two managers of their stature and experience hosting a regular podcast, giving them unparalleled peer-to-peer rapport with guests. The conversation is less an interview and more a private chat between old colleagues made public.”
Who hosts this show
The Managers features former Premier League bosses Mick McCarthy and Tony Pulis giving straight-talking football insight. McCarthy is a former player and manager who guided the Republic of Ireland to the knockout stage of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Pulis, a Welsh former player and manager, was named Premier League Manager of the Season in 2014 for his work at Crystal Palace. Each week, the experienced duo break down the biggest talking points and interview managers from all levels of the game.
Credentials & credits
- Mick McCarthy: Manager of Republic of Ireland, Sunderland, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Ipswich Town, Cardiff City
- Tony Pulis: Manager of Stoke City, Crystal Palace, West Bromwich Albion, Middlesbrough
- Mick McCarthy: Guided Republic of Ireland to 2002 World Cup knockout stage
- Tony Pulis: 2013-14 Premier League Manager of the Season
- Mick McCarthy: Two-time Championship title winner (Sunderland, Wolves)
- Tony Pulis: Managed over 1,000 competitive matches
Other ventures
- Mick McCarthy: TV Pundit (BBC, Virgin Media)
- Tony Pulis: TV Pundit (BBC, ITV)
What kind of podcast
When new episodes drop
- 01
- 02
- 03
- 04
- 05
- 06
- 07Pep To Leave City, West Ham Set For Championship & Will Alonso Restore ChelseaMay 19, 2026 · 49 min
- 08
Notable episodes
- 01Dyche On Clough, Hodgson Liverpool Exit, Redknapp Talks Spurs Shock & Crouch On Pulis Stoke Antics
A 'Best Of' compilation that serves as a perfect introduction, featuring classic anecdotes from multiple high-profile guests about legendary figures and career-defining moments.
- 02Why An Expanded Tournament Is BAD, England & Scotland Chances & Ireland 2002 Stories
Showcases the non-interview format where the hosts critique the state of modern football, discussing the 48-team World Cup and sharing personal stories from past tournaments.
- 03Darren Moore: How I Left West Brom, Sheffield Wednesday Comeback & Battle Of Bramall Lane
A typical in-depth guest interview where the hosts' personal connection (Pulis mentored Moore) allows for a candid discussion about a manager's career highs and lows.
What you'll be asked on this show
The show's interviews are peer-to-peer discussions, not traditional Q&As. McCarthy and Pulis use their shared experiences to build immediate rapport, often trading stories with the guest rather than just asking questions. They frequently open by asking about a guest's formative influences or a famous manager they played under. The conversations are informal and anecdotal, often prompted by asking for a 'great story' about a specific player or a reflection on a difficult period in the guest's career. This approach creates a relaxed, 'insider' atmosphere where guests share candid stories they likely wouldn't in a more formal setting.
The format is a conversational two-hander, with both hosts drawing heavily on personal anecdotes from their playing and managing careers. There's a recurring 'grumpy but fair' critique of modern football's commercialization and a clear camaraderie between the hosts. Episodes featuring guests feel like a peer-to-peer debrief rather than a formal interview.
Questions The Managers keeps coming back to
10 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when The Managers reaches for it.
origin
1- Q.01
“Tell us what you learned from the managers you played under?”
A frequent opening move to understand a guest's origin story and early influences.
personal
3- Q.01
“Any great stories about [famous, eccentric player]?”
Used to elicit a specific, entertaining anecdote about a well-known football personality.
- Q.02
“What have you made of the opening days of the tournament?”
A standard opening to get a guest's general impression of a current major event.
- Q.03
“What was the most important thing for you in preparing for a World Cup?”
Draws on the host's and guest's personal experiences at the highest level of the sport.
mindset
1- Q.01
“Looking back, can you make sense of why that bad run of form happened?”
Prompts a guest to reflect on a specific career challenge or difficult period.
controversy
1- Q.01
“Did you think you were in with a shout for the England job?”
Asks guests to address major turning points or high-stakes moments in their careers.
process
2- Q.01
“What's your view on the [new rule or format change]?”
Invites opinion on a topical industry issue, often one the hosts are critical of.
- Q.02
“Did you ever get the famous Tony Pulis half-time team talk?”
A self-referential question to get a player's perspective on one of the co-host's own methods.
advice
1- Q.01
“How do you keep players feeling fresh after a long, hard season?”
A practical, craft-based question that draws on the guest's managerial expertise.
future
1- Q.01
“What would you say represents success for [team] at this tournament?”
Used to define and manage expectations for a team ahead of or during a competition.
Signature segments
- · Host Intro: "I'm Mick McCarthy... And I'm Tony Pulis... And welcome to The Managers."
- · Criticism of modern football's commercialization (e.g., FIFA, water breaks)
- · Drawing on personal managerial war stories
- · Peer-to-peer interviews with other managers
- · World Cup and tournament specials
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are almost exclusively other football managers (current or former) or former professional players who have worked with the hosts. The show books peers like Sean Dyche, Harry Redknapp, and Chris Hughton, ensuring a conversation between equals.
- Chris Hughtonon England's Lack Of Creativity A Concern? Scotland Don’t Play It Out! Plus, Jose's Real Return
- Paul Lamberton Fans Deserve Better, Lambert On Scotland & Can Tuchel’s England Secure Winning Start?
- Sean Dycheon Dyche On Clough, Hodgson Liverpool Exit, Redknapp Talks Spurs Shock & Crouch On Pulis Stoke Antics
- Harry Redknappon Dyche On Clough, Hodgson Liverpool Exit, Redknapp Talks Spurs Shock & Crouch On Pulis Stoke Antics
- Peter Crouchon Dyche On Clough, Hodgson Liverpool Exit, Redknapp Talks Spurs Shock & Crouch On Pulis Stoke Antics
- Darren Mooreon Darren Moore: How I Left West Brom, Sheffield Wednesday Comeback & Battle Of Bramall Lane
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
Sponsors include sports betting companies (Boyle Sports, LiveScore) and e-commerce retailers (ao.com), targeting a mainstream male football audience. Ad reads are integrated directly into the show by the hosts.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who are the hosts of The Managers?
- The hosts are Mick McCarthy and Tony Pulis, two highly experienced former Premier League and international football managers.
- What is the format of the podcast?
- The show alternates between two formats: topical discussions between the two hosts about current football news, and long-form interviews with other managers or former players.
- Is The Managers podcast still being produced?
- Yes, the podcast releases new episodes weekly, as indicated by the recent episode dates.
- What kind of guests appear on the show?
- Guests are typically fellow football managers or former professional players, such as Sean Dyche, Harry Redknapp, and Paul Lambert.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on major platforms like YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Podbean.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
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