The idea for our Between Two Coaches series is simple. It's Bob Bradley having real football conversations with colleagues, competitors, friends, and contemporaries. It's not often you get this kind of insight from a professional head coach, especially one currently working in the game today.
This episode is extra special. We're calling it Between Two Coaches: Ballon D'Or Edition and it features Hristo Stoichkov.
Stoichkov needs no introduction. He currently works as an analyst for TUDN but is better known around the world for his time with Barcelona, the Bulgarian National Team, and as a part of Bradley's Chicago Fire team that won the 2000 U.S. Open Cup.
Speaking of that Open Cup-winning Chicago Fire team, it's a reunion of sorts. LAFC assistant coaches and former players on that team Mike Sorber and Ante Razov join Bradley on the call.
The guys share stories from their time together with the Fire, starting with when Stoichkov first joined the team and his first football conversations with Bradley. Bradley leads the guys in a discussion about the football ideas they shared and how they inform some of what LAFC does today on the pitch. There's plenty of reminiscing about training together in Chicago and stories of past teammates.
And yes, there are even stories about Barcelona, including when Stoichkov invited Bradley to lunch with the legendary Johan Cruyff.
If you prefer, there's even a podcast version of the conversation:
Between Two Coaches on iTunes
Between Two Coaches on Spotify
LAFC
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Between Two Coaches - A Conversation With Bob Bradley & Hristo Stoichkov