BONUS: Mark Schwarzer x Brad Friedel - Forging a career as an American footballer | Jumping through hoops to Liverpool | Professionalism + intelligence = extreme longevity

Current holder of the most consecutive Premier League games played, USA legend Brad Friedel joins Socceroos and Premier League great Mark Schwarzer for a fascinating discussion on:

• How the US college system compares to league academies – and which option current players should strive for.
• Why the MLS was so difficult to get started.
• The differences between his early days at Denmark’s Brondby compared to his time at Turkey powerhouse Galatasaray.
• The hoops he needed to jump through to get some international matches under his belt before making it to Liverpool in the late 90s – and the reaction Stateside when he was signed by the Reds.
• Two players he considers the best he ever played against, including one Arsenal player - and not who you might think!
• Brad’s career twilight at Spurs, and the one player who left a lasting impression on him, describing him as a mix of Robbie Fowler and Alan Shearer.
• The steps he took to manage his body, to play professionally until the age of 44.
• Management ambitions into the future.

Listen to Optus Sport's award-winning limited series: Football Belongs, charting the cultural threads of Australian society through the lens of nine football matches:

Acast: https://play.acast.com/s/football-belongs

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AzBek8ub2oEsWLYHWetg7

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/football-belongs-australias-football-identity-by-optus/id1543067162

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