'It's an absolute soap opera': Hird's new life buying and selling European soccer clubs
theage.com.au/sport/afl/it-s-an-absolute-soap...
theage.com.auPosted Sep 3, 2019, 10:03 AM UTC
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theage.com.auEssendon great James Hird's career has moved in an unlikely new direction since his stint as Bombers coach came to an end – he now works as a broker for the sale of big European soccer clubs and sells boots to Brazilian superstars in China.
Hird opened up on his affinity for the round-ball code and his knowledge of the business side of soccer in an ABC podcast with Santo, Sam & Ed.
In a nearly 40-minute interview conducted by comedians Santo Cilauro and Ed Kavalee, Hird's AFL background was barely touched on and the supplements controversy that led to the end of his stint as Bombers coach was not mentioned at all.
Instead, the entire discussion centred around Hird's new life as a devoted "soccer dad" of three aspiring professionals and his fascinating foray into the European game, acting as a consultant for consortiums looking to buy clubs in Spain, England and Italy.
"One group worked with Suning, a Chinese company and they bought Inter Milan," Hird said. "That was a very small piece of work around that, there were some bigger pieces of work with some English clubs - some of them didn't go through, one of them did go through.
"It's interesting when you get approached to do something like that. It's very much, you get wowed by the name of the club. But when you look at the economics, they're in dire straits. These clubs are on the edge, there's millions and millions of debt, and someone's going to take that debt out.
"Newcastle, there's always speculation [owner Mike Ashley] is trying to sell, but he wants a price. The lady who was trying to buy it won't [meet it]. He won't even sit down with her in a meeting – it's like watching Neighbours, it's an absolute soap opera in front of your eyes."
Hird is also an investor and ambassador for the "Concave" brand of football boots, which recently signed an endorsement deal with Hulk, the former Brazilian international who now plays for Shanghai SIPG.
"We signed him up and had a big launch party in Shanghai. It was great. He had quite a big posse," he said. "We adapted that boot for Hulk and brought out a new prototype. No one knew anything about us in China, but now, the brand's getting some cut-through."
Hird's sons, Tom, Alex and William, are budding soccer players who are currently juniors at NPL Victoria side Port Melbourne. While all would be eligible as father-son selections for Essendon, it seems unlikely they will pursue the code played by their father and grandfather Allan. In fact Tom, the eldest of the three, had a trial at Stoke City two years ago.
"He did really well. But the fact they wanted him to go over there and stay there, at the time he was 15 going into year 10 I think, and there's no way – this child's going to come back and get his education," Hird said.
"They love their football, they're passionate about it, they train really hard, they play for hour after hour and they're definitely going down the football route rather than the AFL route.
"Our boys are playing at Port Melbourne at the moment in the NPL and they're having a great experience – great coaching. They're not the best team, they're not the worst team, but they get good coaching, looked after and if they're good enough, I'm sure there's way for them to find their way to the next level."
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Hird's AFL background was barely touched on and the supplements controversy that led to the end of his stint as Bombers coach was not mentioned at all.
Probably because it would be irrelevant to talk about it in a Soccer podcast.
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Yes, but also that the Age still felt the need to mention that it wasn't mentioned, despite that being irrelevant in a soccer podcast, indicates how difficult it is not to mention it when mentioning Hird, so good on Ed and Santo for not mentioning it.
I think that sentence makes sense.
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the supplements controversy that led to the end of his stint as Bombers coach was not mentioned at all
Good on them. Cudos.
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It was no doubt a stipulation for being on the program at all.
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Was a great listen. Santo and Ed did a really good job.
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I like Ed as an interviewer, he comes off as very sincere and knowledgeable about every guest and their work. The 2 on 1 series has been very good so far.
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Not sure if you listen to their podcast much, but a couple years ago they did an interview series with soccer identities, Ange postagoglu had some brilliant stories about Clive Palmer.
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Tell us the stories m8
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Thank God He's Here
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Don't know why they axed Total Football, I wasn't a huge soccer fan, but the show was so funny
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I believe it was due to a clash in schedules. Sam and Santo are Melb based and Ed in Brisbane at the time, with Sam and Ed working on breakfast radio in the respective states.
I agree, I don’t follow soccer but the chemistry on the show was hilarious.
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I just found out they interviewed Paul Barber from my Brighton!
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"Newcastle, there's always speculation [owner Mike Ashley] is trying to sell, but he wants a price. The lady who was trying to buy it won't [meet it]. He won't even sit down with her in a meeting – it's like watching Neighbours, it's an absolute soap opera in front of your eyes."
This paragraph is what alerted me to the fact that is was a real article and not satire.
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Tbh Mike Ashley refusing to sit down for a meeting probably saved that woman's life. That guy is known for his meetings to be absolutely off the rails.
Sources: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/jul/03/sports-direct-founder-pubs-mike-ashley
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A shame that three boys are lost to the code and moved to a competitor
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Not if Uncle Sheedy has anything to say about it.
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The competition between soccer and Australian football is like the competition between a hammer & a nail.
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[deleted]
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soccer and Australian football
*Football and Australian Rules Football
*Soccer and Australian Rules Soccer
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Whatevs.
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I read that line and died a little inside. I hope things change but no one could blame them if they don't.
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For a minute there I thought you were referring to Santo, Sam and Ed.
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Get 'em all as Cat B rookies in a couple of years. All part of the plan.
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He mentions the coaching in soccer in terms of skill development is a lot better than footy.
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Soccer doing to the Hirds what Aussie rules did to the Jack family.
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Guess we know who the real genius is now - James Joyce can get fucked.
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Huh, I've seen Hird a few times this year in the office building I work at atm - never would've suspected he'd be in this kind of work given most of the stuff in our building is nothing like that.
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If I recall correctly he also runs or at least used to run a large property business
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As a Carlton supporter is warms the cold dark chambers of my frozen blackheart to hear Hirds children playing soccer
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Soccer doing to the AFL what AFL did to the Hirds
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Not even Hird could save Bury FC
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I remember when Matt Tomas (friend of Mick Gatto) tried to buy Hajduk Split. Didn't happen.
Matt Tomas has since, had all his assets stripped by the ATO and his wife has left him and lives with his mother.
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I travelled to Dalmatia this year and was amazed by how popular Hajduk is in the region. I saw Hajduk crests everywhere.
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That his sons play soccer does not surprise me at all
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Makes me so happy seeing his sons play football. Love AFL but love my round by game just as much. We need football in this country to thrive as the potential is there as long as the higher ups pull their fingers out.
My dream is for football and Aussie Rules to be 1 and 2 (either order) and get ahead of sports such as cricket, and the rugby codes.
Football is already a world game and imagine if it captures Australia?
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Makes me so happy seeing his sons play soccer. Love AFL but love my round by game just as much. We need soccerin this country to thrive as the potential is there as long as the higher ups pull their fingers out.
My dream is for soccer and Aussie Rules to be 1 and 2 (either order) and get ahead of sports such as cricket, and the rugby codes.
Soccer is already a world game and imagine if it captures Australia?
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Yeah I dont mind Football, but its not as good as Football. Its just that other type of Football I cant stand though.
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That T20 football is shit though - much prefer Test and One Day football
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Happy for him. But worried for what this means for the future of Aussie Rules. Soccer is growing, and I don't want it to overtake our native game, Australian Rules Football
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Soccer has always been #1 for junior participation, and is bloody popular for mens participation also. Thankfully for the AFL, soccer here has and always will be run by people who make Gil and Hocking look like Mensa members. Also luckily for AFL is that while soccer is fun to play, it's awful to watch (coming from a soccer fan). The AFL has nothing to worry about with soccer here. Basketball is growing faster than soccer is, if anything soccer is going backwards...
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Soccer in Australia is still a long way off AFL's popularity but there's definitely some infrastructure and support put into local clubs at the moment.
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Please keep in mind. I don't hate soccer. It's a great sport and it's the number 1 game for a reason. I just don't want to be forced to watch it because it killed off AFL.
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Sounds like really interesting job
Better than the frozen water business.
Not long ago he was in a psych ward after an overdose, so he's done really well to get himself back together.
Absolutely. There's a lot of intrigue in soccer finances.