Outlines - a podcast about sport, stories and the media

37: Ken Mainardis: the power of a World Cup photograph

Getty Images global head of editorial Ken Mainardis talks about the role of photography in sports storytelling at the FIFA World Cup and beyond.  He explains how the world-leading agency processes thousands of images for publishers, each sent within seconds of the action, in every World Cup game, and lays out its creative approach to finding the angles that will set those shots apart.  And he discusses what makes for great sports photography, while exploring the influence of smartphones, social media, resurgent analogue trends and AI. Outlines is presented, produced and edited by Eoin Connolly. Instagram: @outlines_podcast [https://www.instagram.com/outlines_podcast/] Threads: @outlines_podcast [https://www.threads.com/@outlines_podcast] Bluesky: @outlinespodcast.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/outlinespodcast.bsky.social] TikTok: @outlines.podcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@outlines.podcast] Check out the newsletter: Outlines – notes in the margins of the sports industry [https://open.substack.com/pub/eoinfconnolly/p/marty-supreme-with-a-side-of-fries] Theme music from Upbeat: Crush - Kaleidoscope

36: Lawrence Booth: Wisden and the stories of an English cricket summer

Lawrence Booth reflects on his role and responsibilities as editor of one of the most enduring publications in sport: the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, now in its 163rd annual edition.  He explains how the title comes together each year, where he sees its place in the cricket landscape, and how he has tried to update its remit to reflect wider change in the sport while staying true to its traditions.  And speaking in his more regular role as cricket correspondent for the Daily Mail, he picks through the narratives that could define the 2026 season in England – from the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, to two home men’s Test series in the aftermath of the Ashes, and a changing relationship between the Hundred and the rest of the domestic game.  Outlines is presented, produced and edited by Eoin Connolly. Instagram: @outlines_podcast [https://www.instagram.com/outlines_podcast/] Threads: @outlines_podcast [https://www.threads.com/@outlines_podcast] Bluesky: @outlinespodcast.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/outlinespodcast.bsky.social] TikTok: @outlines.podcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@outlines.podcast] Check out the newsletter: Outlines – notes in the margins of the sports industry [https://open.substack.com/pub/eoinfconnolly/p/marty-supreme-with-a-side-of-fries] Theme music from Upbeat: Crush - Kaleidoscope

35: Philippe Auclair: plotting the path of Kylian Mbappé

French football writer Phiippe Auclair discusses his latest book, The Mbappé Project: Making a Football Superstar, about the careful orchestration of the career of France icon Kylian Mbappé. Philippe explains how Mbappé’s family and a tight-knit group of advisers have set a professional and commercial course from Monaco to Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, and discusses how the complications of that club career have affected perceptions of the FIFA World Cup-winning striker. He also explores the differences between Mbappé’s public profile and those of earlier French heroes – including the likes of Eric Cantona and Thierry Henry, subjects of previous Auclair biographies – and what that might tell us about footballers and the media in 2026.  Outlines is presented, produced and edited by Eoin Connolly. Instagram: @outlines_podcast [https://www.instagram.com/outlines_podcast/] Threads: @outlines_podcast [https://www.threads.com/@outlines_podcast] Bluesky: @outlinespodcast.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/outlinespodcast.bsky.social] TikTok: @outlines.podcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@outlines.podcast] Check out the newsletter: Outlines – notes in the margins of the sports industry [https://open.substack.com/pub/eoinfconnolly/p/marty-supreme-with-a-side-of-fries] Theme music from Upbeat: Crush - Kaleidoscope

34: Tim Percival: how coaches play the media game

England Rugby team communications lead Tim Percival talks about his award-nominated debut book, On The Record & On The Ball: How Elite Coaches Master the Media.  He runs through the lessons of his conversations with 30 top-level operators – including Eddie Jones, Roy Hodgson, Emma Hayes, Ange Postecoglou, Zak Brown and Mickey Arthur – and his own career helping to navigate narratives on and off the field.  He reveals the goals of coaches’ media strategies, explores the influence of personal philosophies and the importance of managing relationships, discusses the implications of diverse digital media storytelling, and much more. Outlines is a 26 Forty [https://www.26-forty.com/] original and is presented, produced and edited by Eoin Connolly. Instagram: @outlines_podcast [https://www.instagram.com/outlines_podcast/] Threads: @outlines_podcast [https://www.threads.com/@outlines_podcast] Bluesky: @outlinespodcast.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/outlinespodcast.bsky.social] TikTok: @outlines.podcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@outlines.podcast] Check out the newsletter: Outlines – notes in the margins of the sports industry [https://open.substack.com/pub/eoinfconnolly/p/marty-supreme-with-a-side-of-fries] Theme music from Upbeat: Crush - Kaleidoscope

33: Matthew Barrett: Goal Click into place for the World Cup

Goal Click founder and CEO Matthew Barrett talks through the evolution of the first-person sports storytelling platform, which has helped unearth original perspectives from surprising locations and communities around the world. He explains where the company finds its storytellers, and how it has expanded its horizons – moving into sports beyond football, while incorporating video and live storytelling events alongside written accounts and its signature photographic projects.  And he maps out Goal Click’s plans for the FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the US, from its plans and partnerships to its approach to the controversies, sensitivities and complexities surrounding a mammoth tournament. Outlines is a 26 Forty [https://www.26-forty.com/] original and is presented, produced and edited by Eoin Connolly. Instagram: @outlines_podcast [https://www.instagram.com/outlines_podcast/] Threads: @outlines_podcast [https://www.threads.com/@outlines_podcast] Bluesky: @outlinespodcast.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/outlinespodcast.bsky.social] TikTok: @outlines.podcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@outlines.podcast] Check out the newsletter: Outlines – notes in the margins of the sports industry [https://open.substack.com/pub/eoinfconnolly/p/marty-supreme-with-a-side-of-fries] Theme music from Upbeat: Crush - Kaleidoscope