Dylan Thomas Centre nets world famous football writers

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IT’S not just world famous players like Robin van Persie and Carlos Tevez coming to Swansea these days -  top football journalists are making a beeline for the city too.

ESPN, London Times and Wall Street Journal writer Gabriele Marcotti is the latest to have signed-up for an evening of football fun and discussion at the Dylan Thomas Centre on Saturday March 16 at 7.30pm.Due to his fluency in both English and Italian, Marcotti writes for and contributes to various publications in both languages.

In the United States, Marcotti's known for his work in Sports Illustrated and The Wall Street Journal, he also writes for Champions Magazine, The Times in England, and the Sunday Herald in Scotland, having previously written for the Daily Mail and the Financial Times". In Italy he is a columnist for La Stampa and is the London correspondent of Il Corriere dello Sport.

After working for talkSPORT radio for six years, Marcotti switched to Radio 5 Live, co-presenting the Friday edition of 5 Live Sport alongside Mark Pougatch to preview the weekend’s fixtures in the Premier League and beyond. When Colin Murray began hosting 5 Live Sport on Friday nights, Marcotti moved to the Sunday night 6-0-6 programme.[2]

He often appears on the sports betting television station, SportsXchange and is sometimes interviewed on Sky Sports News and BBC's Football Focus, particularly when big stories break on Italian football such as the 2006 match-fixing scandal. He has also appeared as a pundit on ITV's UEFA Champions League highlights show, and is a regular guest on ESPN's PressPass.[3]
Podcasts

Marcotti took over the job as host of The Times' podcast, TheGame, in August 2007, along with Guillem Balagué, replacing Danny Kelly. He had previously been a main contributor to the podcast for 2006-07 season. The following season he remained a prominent contributor to the programme, although Phill Jupitus took over as the host. Midway through the 2009-10 season, Jupitus left the show to concentrate on other work and Marcotti was re-appointed to the role of host indefinitely.

Marcotti is now also a regular guest on US based football show Beyond the Pitch where he gives regular updates on La Liga, English Premier League along with all the latest transfer news.

Gabriele Marcotti has written a number of high-profile football books, including biographies on Paulo Di Canio and Fabio Capello. He’ll be taking part in a question and answer session within hours of the Premier League Swans taking on Arsenal at the Liberty Stadium.

Other footballer writers taking part include Blizzard editor Jonathan Wilson and Philippe Auclair - the England correspondent for France Football. The event will be compered by Marcus Speller from sports podcast, The Football Ramble.

Cllr Nick Bradley, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said: “The success of the Capital One Cup-winning Swans is doing wonders for Swansea. The success of the team is putting the city on the map right across the world. This means major international sports magazines and broadcasters are coming to Swansea in their droves and writing great things about our great city and its people.

“The line-up of writers at the Dylan Thomas Centre brings together some of the biggest names in the football-writing world. The event will be a treat for football fans and anyone interested in sports journalism.”

Jonathan Wilson will also speak about his latest book, The Outsider - The History of the Goalkeeper.

Tickets cost £5 and are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/dylanthomas or from the box office on 01792 463980.

Philippe Auclair’s books include a biography on Thierry Henry.

Swans were still scoring in the last minute of play

A MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS 

WELL DONE THE SWANS

Korean support for Wembley-bound Swans

MILLIONS of South Koreans will be learning all about Swansea in the lead-up to the Capital One Cup final.

Reporters and cameramen from SBS ESPN, a 24-hour sports channel based in South Korea, have visited the city to do some filming.

Swansea Castle and the marina were among the locations they filmed. They also visited the Liberty Stadium where South Korean international midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng plies his trade for the high-flying Swans.

The programme will be aired in the build-up to the clash with Bradford City on Sunday (February 24). The final is the first piece of domestic silverware up for grabs this season, with a place in next season's Europa League the incentive for the winners.

Cllr David Phillips, Swansea Council Leader, said: “It’s not just the whole of Swansea that’ll be right behind Michael Laudrup and his team on Sunday - many thousands of ex-pats originally from Swansea and Swansea City fans from Africa to Asia will be tuning in and keeping their fingers crossed for the Swans too.

“You can’t underestimate the popularity of football in countries like South Korea. Swansea is one of the only Premier League clubs with a South Korean international in their squad, and that means the club and the city’s profile there has never been higher.”

Swansea Council is also showing its support for the Swans by putting a huge ‘Good Luck, Swans’ placard outside the Civic Centre.

Cllr Nick Bradley, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said: “Our staff have been doing a terrific job in making the most of the club’s Premier League status by raising the profile of Swansea Bay as a place to visit.

“The good luck message outside the Civic Centre is among the ways we’re showing the team we’re right behind them as they prepare for their Wembley appearance. Hundreds of thousands of motorists, cycles and pedestrians will pass by the sign every day until the weekend.”

The broadcast in South Korea about Swansea comes in the wake of news a big poster has been put up at a major shopping mall in Seoul’s Gangnam district - the same area made famous by popstar PSY last year. His song, ‘Gangnam Style’, was the most-watched video on YouTube in 2012, amassing an enormous 983 million views. 

views.