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-belongsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AzBek8ub2oEsWLYHWetg7Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/football-belongs-australias-football-identity-by-optus/id1543067162 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.