The Assistant Professor of Football: Soccer, Culture, History.
The academic treatment for English-speakers who get that soccer is more than gamedays, stars and goals. Who wonder about the histories, subcultures and politics that make the game so different from many American sports cultures; and who care about a critical take on soccer as a global capitalist machine. A European-guided journey, with one expert "visiting professor" each episode.
The Assistant Professor of Football: Soccer, Culture, History.
Salzburg's Actual Soccer Club: The Austria Will Outlast You All - Even Red Bull
This story is a journey to one of the original sins of commercialization in modern global football - the 2005 takeover of Austria Salzburg, a former Austrian champion, UEFA cup finalist and Champions League participant by a well known energy drink company that is now active in soccer around the globe, and its subsequent attempt to erase 72 years of footballing history.
But more importantly, it’s a journey to soccer’s original grace as well: community, persistence, humility, euphoria, belonging - the resurrection of Austria Salzburg in its original colors, purple and white, by fans and the return of the Austria to professional football in Austria.
Stefan Wally is the man to tell this story - a lifelong fan of the Austria, and the managing director of the Robert-Jungk-Foundation for Future Studies in Salzburg. He is a political scientist, has taught at different universities for twenty years, and regularly teaches Austrian history to an international audience.
HELPFUL LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE:
Stefan Wally (LinkedIn)
SV Austria Salzburg, website
SV Austria Salzburg, Instagram
Union Ultras Salzburg, website
The Guardian article in English about the Austria after Red Bull
SV Austria Salzburg, English Wikipedia entry
Please leave a quick voicemail with any feedback, corrections, suggestions - or just greetings - HERE. Or comment via Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky or Facebook.
If you enjoy this podcast and think that what I do fills a gap in soccer coverage that others would be interested in as well, please
- Recommend The Assistant Professor of Football. Spreading the word, through word of mouth, truly does help.
- Leave some rating stars at the podcast platform of your choice. There are so many sports podcasts out there, and only ratings make this project visible; only then can people who look for a different kind of take on European soccer actually find me.
Artwork for The Assistant Professor of Football is by Saige Lind
Instrumental music for this podcast, including the introduction track, is by the artist Ketsa and used under a Creative Commons license through Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/