Graham Hunter is a high profile journalist who writes for talkSport, ESPN, and Daily Mail. He is one of the men on Sky Sports’ Revista De La Liga. Graham’s book ‘Barca: The Making Of The Greatest Team In The World’ won Football book of the year at the British Sports Book Awards 2013.
Q. How did you break into journalism?
A. A friend, who died tragically young, kept bugging me and bugging me that I should follow him into the profession. He wouldn't stop until I began to do Hospital radio in the mid 80's. Within a couple of years I was writing Division 1 round ups for the Sunday Mirror. The Green Final in Aberdeen started asking me to phone Old Firm players for a Saturday 'Glasgow' column and then the Sunday Times Scotland gave me a column, interviews and weekly match reports.
Q. Would Rakitic be suited to the pace of the Premier League?
A. Pace is a relative concept. Lots of football in Britain is fast but not particularly intelligent. Players with pace will usually flourish because, irrespective of outright talent, there's some coaches who will premium 'quick' players. And if you are both talented and quick then the world is your Ostrich. But the 'pace' of the Premier league leaves room for footballers of technique and intelligence to do things which some pundits and fans then declare are jaw-droppingly amazing. Simply because they don't play harum-scarum football. Talent technique and vision will always have a place in any league. So, Rakitic... Yes.
Q. Bacca's really filled in for Negredo, just how good is the Colombian?
A. I think Bacca is a talent. To the point at which when a Premier League manager asked me for a list of my top three or four strikers in La Liga who I thought he could afford and who would go to his club Bacca was number 1 on my list. Think he's a feisty character in person and not necessarily an easy guy to manage. But quick, finishes both feet, works to close down and opens space with his runs and their timing, not world class. But well worth investment from a certain type of club who wants a high return on moderate investment.
Q. Is there any friction between Messi and Barcelona, or is Lionel happy at the club?
A. Of course there's friction. When a director publicly says that he doesn't see why Messi's contract should be renewed that causes friction. Nor do I think that Messi enjoys the brand of football which has been promoted this season. However I believe he still envisages staying long term. Football being football though you must never close your mind to things changing.
Q. Who do you think is the best Liverpool player of all time?
A. Not easy to answer. I'd pay to look Heighway, McDermott, and Rush was a machine. Keegan immense and Souness is, i think, underpraised Souness was immense in that era, as was Ray Kennedy in his. But Dalglish was football's Da Vinci. So, Kenny (Daglish).
Q. Neymar hasn't quite lived up to everybody's expectations this season; where does he improve that next season? Is it a personal issue or is Martino at fault for his average games?
A. Self discipline. Fitness. Upper body strength. Pressing, Efficiency in finishing. More team focus. Experience. Intensity. Martino seems a decent and likeable man. I think that the reasons behind his appointment, ie Sandro Rosell's agenda, are what have caused the greatest degree of ongoing problems. However while I've defended Martino from some knee jerk criticism this season he's made some repetitive tactical mistakes and he's failed to create the absolute daily intensity of work, which this squad required. Two key flaws.
Q. Spaniards opinion of Liverpool, used to be a great bond a few years ago, with Rafa, Garcia, Alonson, Nunez, Joesmi, Torres etc. what it's like now?
A. For a variety of reasons, not least club history, Liverpool retain a very high and affectionate profile in Spain.
Q. Will you be following Spain to this year’s world cup as you did in 2010? What would be your world XI be right now?
A. Yes, I've been appointed their HBS TV director., identical to World Cup 2010. World XI is very difficult. But personal preference would be Iker, Ramos, Silva, Piqué, Lahm: Pogba, Busquets, Iniesta: Reus, Messi, Ronaldo
Q. Favourite German to play in La Liga?
A. Probably (Paul) Breitner
Q. What centre-halves should Barca be looking to bring in? An entirely new partnership or should Pique/Bartra remain in the line-up?
A. If I were in charge I'd sign Kompany before anyone else.
Q. Could Jese's injury hamper his progression at Madrid?
A. Obviously Jesé's injury could hamper his progression not simply because it's such a long recuperation but because it's a complicated one and it's started quite badly with repeat infection of the wound. Nevertheless, the record of rehab from this kind of problem is now very good, So I thoroughly hope not. Pace, which he had, is the first thing I'd look to check in the months after recovery.
Q. Greizmann and Vela; could either leave Sociedad in the summer?
A. Of course it's feasible. In fact Griezmann and Vela have each made gentle noises that they might like a test elsewhere and while La Real have made decent money recently through sales and UCL revenue and don't require to sell stars the loss of UCL football next season is a blow to their hopes of persuading the two to stay
Q. Who do you think from Spain is the next big thing?
A. I'm not a NBT kinda guy. However the players I like and want to see more of would include Moreno, Bernat, Oliver Torres, Munir, Samper
Q. Any targets for Manchester United in Spain?
A. I'm sure there will be if Louis Van Gaal takes over. David Moyes liked Song but whether Louis Van Gaal does we'll have to see. Cavani, Kroos, Reus were in frame previously
Q. What do you think the biggest differences are between Spanish and German football?
A. Outright world-class talent is a main difference. Other than that Spain simply further down the road of development than Germany. Further down the road because believed in home grown talent from Academies with a precise footballing philosophy for longer. Which is not to say that Germany isn't positioning itself to take over in terms of top spot. The chance in Bundesliga soccer over the last ten years has been marvellous to see. It is run better, more fairly and more healthily than La Liga in many ways other than talent development and the talent gulf is to do with the financial situations of FCB, RM and Atletico Madrid. Both revenue and debt.
Q. Favourite moment in Football, and why?
A. In the Bronze position, being pitch side, right next to the Spain dugout when Iniesta scored in World Cup final. In the Silver medal position the Leo Messi header over Edwin Van der Saar in Rome 2009. In Gold Medal position the Mighty Dandies beating Madrid 2-1 in CWC final 1983
Q. Bundesliga clubs as well as Premier League club have struggled with the demands of the Europa League, how do you think the format can be corrected so the teams participating do not suffer as much in their league campaigns?
A. I haven't spent long enough looking at alternative structures. However I think a lot of the criticism of the UEL is maladroit. Atletico Madrid won it twice and the revenue plus the experience are both central factors in them now being UCL semi finalists. There's a lot to learn and gain from going far in the UEL, potentially at least.
Q. What is the funniest and wildest rumour you have ever heard?
A. I hear so many wild rumours that you process and forget them as quickly as possible. The wild rumour that Ronaldo had suffered a fit and was going to be left out of the 1998 WC final seemed too wild to be true. But was. Then wasn't. Starting XI named and printed without him with Edmundo O Animal starting. Then the coach had a change of heart and dumped Edmundo so that Ronaldo could start and he hardly 'showed' all game. Just a bizarre night.
Q. Who do you think will win Bayern or Real Madrid?
A. Bayern should win. They have history on their side; RM travel very badly to Germany and FCB dominated the first leg. However, I've a sneaky feeling that RM possess a combo of team spirit, luck and excellence in some zones which might just see them through. RM
Q. What are you best memories of Tito?
A. I wrote a piece about Tito for ESPNFC (http://www.espnfc.com/blog/_/name/laliga/id/1756?cc=5739) it's been a very sad couple of days and I'd rather leave it at that.
Q. Finally, if you could interview a footballer past or present, who would it be?
A. Interesting question. I'd give anything to be the ghostwriter of the Cruyff autobiography. So, him. But to cheat, as you allowed, and do ANY player past or present I've always wondered what kind of player Hughie Gallacher was to look and how the hell he was so prolific. When I was young I was terribly moved by how his life ended. So I'd like to chat to him, find out about his football and persuade him not to commit suicide.
We at VAVEL would like to thank Graham for his time and appreciate his co-operation and would like to wish him all the best in the future.