Sports Journey Podcast

In this deep and honest conversation, Stefan Maierhofer opens up about success, pressure, identity, money, mistakes, and the reality of life after football.

From winning titles with Rapid and Salzburg, playing in the Premier League, representing Austria in front of full stadiums, to experiencing the quiet transition after the spotlight fades — this episode is about what really stays when the noise disappears.

🎧 In this episode of the Sports Journey Podcast, we talk about:

◼️ Dealing with success, expectations, and self-doubt◼️ The emotional highs and lows of a long professional career◼️ Mental struggles and important life lessons◼️ Career-defining decisions and regrets◼️ Trust, relationships, and choosing the right people◼️ Money, financial mistakes, and smart decisions◼️ Life after football and finding new purpose◼️ Becoming a coach and earning the UEFA Pro License◼️ The reality behind fame, status, and applause

🎧 If you enjoy honest, reflective conversations about football and life — this episode is for you. In this deep and honest conversation, Stefan Maierhofer opens up about success, pressure, identity, money, mistakes, and the reality of life after football.

⚽ If you are an athlete or former athlete and you face a challenge during or after your career contact me here: https://bit.ly/45IxVWs

📖 If you are an athlete, a parent of an athlete, a coach, a player representative or even someone interested in moving abroad get the "Winning Abroad" here: https://bit.ly/48wSNOh

💼 If you’re an athlete or former athlete looking for financial planning, investing, and a long-term strategy, check out today’s video sponsor and book a free call here: https://www.zlatar.at/

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🎥 Leonidas Loggidis

There are moments in a footballer’s career that never show up in highlights.

No goals. No trophies. Just pressure, doubt, and the question: How do I keep going?

In this deep and honest conversation, Stefan Schwab opens up about leadership, pressure, emotion, money, and life beyond football.

From growing up in Salzburg and leaving home at 13, to captaining SK Rapid Wien under constant pressure, to experiencing the raw emotion of Greek football with PAOK FC, and now playing in Germany with Holstein Kiel — this episode is about what it really takes to survive and grow in professional football.

🎧 In this episode of the Sports Journey Podcast, we talk about:
◼️Turning pressure into fuel◼️Cultural shock and emotion in Greek football◼️Leadership on and off the pitch◼️Handling criticism, media, and outside noise◼️Big-game mentality and penalty pressure◼️Money, security, and preparing for retirement◼️Education, identity, and building life after football

This is not just a football conversation.It’s about clarity, resilience, and knowing who you are when the noise fades.

🎧 If you enjoy thoughtful, honest conversations with athletes — this episode is for you.

01:09 Intro01:35 Life in Germany vs Greece02:40 Why Thessaloniki is misunderstood03:18 Calm leader vs private Stefan05:00 Leaving home at 13 & growing up in winter sports06:22 RB Salzburg academy years08:10 Learning through smaller clubs08:36 Coaches who shaped his career09:50 Signing for Rapid Wien12:14 Competing against peak Red Bull Salzburg12:40 What Rapid is missing today16:30 Moving to Greece — cultural shock17:05 Greek football emotion & intensity18:38 Fame & recognition in Thessaloniki21:19 Leadership speeches & dressing-room rituals22:23 Speaking from emotion, not preparation25:04 Difficult period at PAOK without European games26:56 How do you manage to have clarity29:49 Winning the Cup & League with PAOK34:26 Saying goodbye to PAOK35:51 Having his brother as his agent38:43 DFB-Pokal night vs Hamburg42:22 Money, security & life after football42:40 Sponsor48:25 The “Play 2 Grow” podcast51:96 Is he afraid of retirement?53:35 Best-case scenario if he stopped tomorrow54:09 What he’s most proud of56:31 What he’d change in his career57:45 One wish as a footballer58:12 Fire Round⚽ If you are an athlete or former athlete and you face a challenge during or after your career contact me here: https://bit.ly/45IxVWs📖 If you are an athlete, a parent of an athlete, a coach, a player representative or even someone interested in moving abroad get the "Winning Abroad" here: https://bit.ly/48wSNOh💼 If you’re an athlete or former athlete looking for financial planning, investing, and a long-term strategy, check out today’s video sponsor and book a free call here: https://www.zlatar.at/✍️ Subscribe to our Newsletter to be the first to know about our next episodes: https://podball.gr/🎧 Listen on:Spotify - https://bit.ly/3VlJXPBApple Podcasts - https://bit.ly/3VlJXPBPlay 2 Grow Podcast: https://bit.ly/49D3AsM⬇️ Follow us on:Instagram - http://bit.ly/4pXKnJATik Tok - https://bit.ly/3Ss8amtLinkedin - https://bit.ly/420W3zW🎥 Leonidas Loggidis

“Niño, con la pelotilla no se come.”Kid, you can’t make a living with a ball.And for a boy from Lora del Río, that sentence could have been the end of the story. But for José Ángel Crespo, it became the beginning. Football took him far from home — through different countries, different languages, different versions of himself. From Sevilla to Birmingham, Verona to Thessaloniki. From young prospect to leader. From player to captain. From ambition to responsibility.

At PAOK FC, he captained the team through some of the club’s most successful years: four domestic cup victories and a historic league title. Nights in Toumba that became part of the club’s memory. Moments that stayed with the fans long after the final whistle.

Today, José Ángel Crespo works as a player agent at You First, one of the biggest agencies in world football, helping athletes navigate their careers — the decisions, the transitions, the moments that define more than just a season.

🎧 In this episode of the Sports Journey Podcast, we talk about:◼️ What early doubt teaches you about belief, discipline, and long-term resilience◼️ How playing across different leagues and cultures shapes mindset and leadership◼️ What it really means to captain a club like PAOK — responsibility, standards, and trust◼️ The unseen challenges of retirement and rebuilding purpose after football◼️ Why staying in the game matters and how guiding others became his next mission

⚽ If you are an athlete or former athlete and you face a challenge during or after your career contact me here: https://bit.ly/45IxVWs

📖 If you are an athlete, a parent of an athlete, a coach, a player representative or even someone interested in moving abroad get the "Winning Abroad" here: https://bit.ly/48wSNOh

💼 If you’re an athlete or former athlete looking for financial planning, investing, and a long-term strategy, check out today’s video sponsor and book a free call here: https://www.zlatar.at/

✍️ Subscribe to our Newsletter to be the first to know about our next episodes: https://podball.gr/

⬇️ Follow us on:Instagram - http://bit.ly/4pXKnJATik Tok - https://bit.ly/3Ss8amtLinkedin - https://bit.ly/420W3zW

🎥 Leonidas Loggidis

He was born in Prizren, shaped in Austria, and discovered by one of the biggest clubs in world football. Sinan Bytyqi rose from a small town to Manchester City’s academy, working under legends like Pep Guardiola, Patrick Vieira, and Manuel Pellegrini. He was seen as one of the brightest talents of his generation.

But at just 22 years old, everything stopped.A heart diagnosis.A career ending overnight.A young man forced to rebuild not just his future, but his identity.

From the highest levels of European football to suddenly standing on the outside looking in, Sinan’s story is one of extraordinary resilience. Today, he is the youngest head coach in Austrian professional football — proof that a dream ending can also be the beginning of something even bigger.

🎙️ In this episode of the Sports Journey Podcast, we talk about:◼️ Growing up between Kosovo, Austria, and England — and how identity shapes ambition◼️ The pressure, expectations, and reality of being a top prospect at Manchester City◼️ The moment his career ended and the emotional cost of starting from zero◼️ Money, mindset, and the truth about transitioning out of professional football◼️ Becoming a coach so young and leading players older than him◼️ The modern workload crisis in football and why young players are burning out◼️ What Sinan wants his legacy to be as a coach and as a man⚽ If you are an athlete or former athlete and you face a challenge during or after your career contact me here: https://bit.ly/45IxVWs

📖 If you are an athlete, a parent of an athlete, a coach, a player representative or even someone interested in moving abroad get the "Winning Abroad" here: https://bit.ly/48wSNOh

✍️ Subscribe to our Newsletter to be the first to know about our next episodes: https://podball.gr/

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🎥 Leonidas Loggidis

Dani Schahin ging vom Flüchtlingskind zum Bundesliga-Stürmer, traf zweimal bei seinem Debüt für Fortuna Düsseldorf und galt als eines der größten deutschen Offensivtalente. Doch hinter den Toren und Schlagzeilen verbirgt sich eine Geschichte von Identität, Opferbereitschaft und Überlebenskampf.

Zwischen Erwartungsdruck, Einsamkeit, Verletzungen und ständigen Neuanfängen in Europa spricht Dani offen über den wahren Preis, den man zahlt, wenn man seinen Traum verfolgt.

In dieser Folge des Sports Journey Podcast sprechen wir über:
◼️ Wie Kindheitserfahrungen später zur Grundlage für mentale Stärke werden können
◼️ Das Aufwachsen zwischen Ländern, Kulturen und Erwartungen
◼️ Den Druck des frühen Erfolgs und die Kämpfe, die niemand sieht
◼️ Geld, Mindset und die Suche nach Sinn nach der Karriere
◼️ Was „Erfolg“ wirklich bedeutet, wenn das Spiel vorbei ist
⚽ Bist du Sportler:in oder Ex-Sportler:in und stehst während oder nach deiner Karriere vor Herausforderungen? Dann kontaktiere mich hier: https://bit.ly/45IxVWs

📖 Bist du Athlet:in, Elternteil, Trainer:in, Spielerberater:in oder einfach jemand, der sich für einen Auslandswechsel interessiert? Hol dir jetzt das E-Book „Winning Abroad“:  https://bit.ly/48wSNOh

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