Sports Journey Podcast

In this episode of the Sports Journey Podcast, I talk with Zeljko Zlatar, from Finanzfuchsgruppe, one of Austria’s most dynamic financial advisory firms based in Vienna. They’ve grown rapidly in recent years with thousands of clients and a mission to help people make smarter financial decisions instead of falling for dangerous shortcuts.

We dig into what really matters for athletes who often have good money for the first time in their lives but no roadmap for keeping it.

We talk about:◼️ Why players are easy targets for scams◼️ The difference between saving, investing and gambling◼️ Why high income without structure is dangerous◼️ What a real first step looks like for a player earning €2,000–3,000/month◼️ The warning signs you should never ignore◼️ And what smart financial planning really means — long term

🎧 If you’re serious about making smart decisions with your money, this conversation is for you.

⚽ 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

In this deep and honest conversation, Richard Windbichler opens up about identity, courage, leaving comfort behind, and what football really teaches you beyond the spotlight.

From starting in Scheiblingkirchen to playing 138 games in the Austrian Bundesliga, representing Austria up to U21 level, and stepping out of his comfort zone to compete on four continents — Asia, Europe, Australia, and the USA — this episode is about growth, perspective, and the unseen side of a global football journey.

But this conversation goes far beyond matches and contracts.
It’s about what happens when you are the foreigner.
When you start over again and again.
When success looks different in every country.
And when you eventually return home as a different person.

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

◼️ Leaving Austria Wien and stepping into the unknown◼️ Playing football across Japan, China, Australia, and the US◼️ Being “the outsider” and what that teaches you◼️ Identity shifts and belief-shattering moments◼️ The sacrifices of a nomadic football career◼️ Family, stability, and the desire to build roots◼️ Traveling the world again — this time without football◼️ Success, humility, and redefining meaning◼️ Life after professional football and shaping the next generation◼️ Faith, perspective, and creating meaning beyond sport

🎧 If you enjoy thoughtful, reflective conversations about football, life abroad, identity, and what truly matters beyond trophies — this episode is for you.

⚽ 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/

⚖️ Professional footballer in Austria? Protect your rights and your career. Become a member of the Austrian players’ union (VdF – Die Spielervereinigung) here: https://www.vdf.at/

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🎥 Leonidas Loggidis

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/

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

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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