Jackson Irvine has played for the Socceroos in 3 World Cups. He's played for Celtic, Hull City, Hibs, FC St. Pauli and is now getting at taste of the J-League with Cerezo Osaka. He's a box-to-box midfielder of the type that isn't so common anymore. And he definitely knows what it takes to make it as a footballer and avoid the 'failed' label.

He tells OlanTekkers how he made it, how he got through countless trials with European clubs and how Japanese football compares to the German, Scottish and English style of play.

Plus, his life outside football and what he gets up to: DJing, fashion and learning Japanese. If you're wondering how the A-League compares to European leagues, or what you need to do to get to the top of football anywhere in the world, this is the conversation for you.

 

In this episode:

00:00 Jackson Irvine on Life in Japan & the J.League

01:10 Culture Shock: Germany vs Japan

02:14 Learning Japanese & Language Barriers

03:59 J.League vs Bundesliga: Which League Is Better?

05:39 Why Japanese Players Are So Technical

07:03 Jackson Irvine's Journey from Victoria to Celtic

10:05 Does Australian Football Let Talents Slip Through the Cracks?

12:03 How Jackson Irvine Earned a Celtic Contract at 16

15:00 What Is Australia's Football Identity?

16:58 Why This Socceroos Generation Is Different

20:02 Jackson Irvine Reflects on the FIFA World Cup

23:51 Do Australians Only Care About the Socceroos During World Cups?

26:41 The Most Underrated Socceroo Ever? 28:46 Football, Fashion & Jackson Irvine's Style

29:52 Jackson Irvine's Music Career & Radio Show

31:01 Why Footballers Need Passions Outside the Game

32:39 Brazil, the Socceroos & What's Next for Jackson Irvine

 

Follow the Failed Footballer: https://www.instagram.com/failedfootballerpod

Follow Olan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olantekkers 

Follow Olan on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@olantekkers

The Failed Footballer is an iHeart podcast. Watch, listen and discover more podcasts, playlists and live radio on the FREE iHeart App. 

Olan may have failed as a footballer. So do 99.9 of players who try and make it, but how many of them can say they got a podcast out of it? Here you'll get unqualified takes from Olan, and expert commentary from football legends who actually made it. All the goals, all the drama, all the ammo for your group chat from football's biggest leagues around the world.

Jackson Irvine has played for the Socceroos in 3 World Cups. He's played for Celtic, Hull City, Hibs, FC St. Pauli and is now getting at taste of the J-League with Cerezo Osaka. He's a box-to-box midfielder of the type that isn't so common anymore. And he definitely knows what it takes to make it as a footballer and avoid the 'failed' label.
He tells OlanTekkers how he made it, how he got through countless trials with European clubs and how Japanese football compares to the German, Scottish and English style of play.
Plus, his life outside football and what he gets up to: DJing, fashion and learning Japanese. If you're wondering how the A-League compares to European leagues, or what you need to do to get to the top of football anywhere in the world, this is the conversation for you.
&nbsp;
In this episode:
00:00 Jackson Irvine on Life in Japan &amp; the J.League
01:10 Culture Shock: Germany vs Japan
02:14 Learning Japanese &amp; Language Barriers
03:59 J.League vs Bundesliga: Which League Is Better?
05:39 Why Japanese Players Are So Technical
07:03 Jackson Irvine's Journey from Victoria to Celtic
10:05 Does Australian Football Let Talents Slip Through the Cracks?
12:03 How Jackson Irvine Earned a Celtic Contract at 16
15:00 What Is Australia's Football Identity?
16:58 Why This Socceroos Generation Is Different
20:02 Jackson Irvine Reflects on the FIFA World Cup
23:51 Do Australians Only Care About the Socceroos During World Cups?
26:41 The Most Underrated Socceroo Ever? 28:46 Football, Fashion &amp; Jackson Irvine's Style
29:52 Jackson Irvine's Music Career &amp; Radio Show
31:01 Why Footballers Need Passions Outside the Game
32:39 Brazil, the Socceroos &amp; What's Next for Jackson Irvine
&nbsp;
Follow the Failed Footballer: https://www.instagram.com/failedfootballerpod
Follow Olan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olantekkers&nbsp;
Follow Olan on TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@olantekkers">https://www.tiktok.com/@olantekkers</a>
The Failed Footballer is an iHeart podcast. Watch, listen and discover more podcasts, playlists and live radio on the FREE iHeart App. 
Olan may have failed as a footballer. So do 99.9 of players who try and make it, but how many of them can say they got a podcast out of it? Here you'll get unqualified takes from Olan, and expert commentary from football legends who actually made it. All the goals, all the drama, all the ammo for your group chat from football's biggest leagues around the world.

He may have failed as a footballer, but luckily you don't need to have made it to have an opinion. OlanTekkers knows football, and with some icons of the game past and present - who've actually made it - he gives you bold takes on the Premier League, A-League, La Liga, Serie A, Champions League and beyond.

How do you actually make it as a pro footballer? The Failed Footballer gives you everything you need to know from football's top leagues around the world: news, goals, player stories and more. 

This is your front‑row seat to all the action from football around the world - the goals, results and most shocking stories. You’ll also get insight from emerging talent, analysis of tactics, coaching decisions, and hear what it really takes to avoid the dreaded 'failed footballer' tag.

He may have failed as a footballer, but luckily you don't need to have made it to have an opinion. OlanTekkers knows football, and with some icons of the game past and present - who've actually made it - he gives you bold takes on the Premier League, A-League, La Liga, Serie A, Champions League and beyond.
How do you actually make it as a pro footballer? The Failed Footballer gives you everything you need to know from football's top leagues around the world: news, goals, player stories and more.&nbsp;
This is your front‑row seat to all the action from football around the world - the goals, results and most shocking stories. You&rsquo;ll also get insight from emerging talent, analysis of tactics, coaching decisions, and hear what it really takes to avoid the dreaded 'failed footballer' tag.

The Failed Footballer

He failed as a footballer, but luckily you don't need to have made it to have an opinion. OlanTekkers knows football, and with some expert guests he takes you through the biggest stories, the best goals and all the results from this year's World Cup.

This is your front‑row seat to all the action from Canada, Mexico and the US, as we follow Australia (and England) through the group stage and beyond. 

The Failed Footballer covers all the essentials football fans are searching for, including World Cup analysis, football match recaps, tactical breakdowns, and reactions to the biggest results. There’s a strong focus on the Socceroos, tracking Australia’s journey on the world stage, alongside key coverage of England and other international heavyweights. You’ll also get insight into emerging talent, football tactics, coaching decisions, and the storylines driving global conversation, making it a go-to football podcast for both hardcore fans and casual viewers.

New episodes drop twice a week, keeping you up to date with every major development across the World Cup and the wider football world, perfect for staying across results, analysis and talking points as they happen.

Each episode features a rotating lineup of former and current players, football legends, pundits and iconic voices from the game. These expert guests bring firsthand experience, unique insights and strong opinions, adding depth and credibility to every conversation.

If you enjoy football podcasts like The Rest Is Football, Football Weekly, Suited and Booted, or anything that blends match analysis with personality and strong takes, you’ll feel right at home here. OlanTekkers delivers the same mix of insight, humour and fan-driven energy, with his own unmistakable voice.

This show is not affiliated with FIFA or Football Australia

He failed as a footballer, but luckily you don't need to have made it to have an opinion. OlanTekkers knows football, and with some expert guests he takes you through the biggest stories, the best goals and all the results from this year's World Cup.
This is your front‑row seat to all the action from Canada, Mexico and the US, as we follow Australia (and England) through the group stage and beyond.&nbsp;
<hr><hr>
The Failed Footballer covers all the essentials football fans are searching for, including World Cup analysis, football match recaps, tactical breakdowns, and reactions to the biggest results. There&rsquo;s a strong focus on the Socceroos, tracking Australia&rsquo;s journey on the world stage, alongside key coverage of England and other international heavyweights. You&rsquo;ll also get insight into emerging talent, football tactics, coaching decisions, and the storylines driving global conversation, making it a go-to football podcast for both hardcore fans and casual viewers.
New episodes drop twice a week, keeping you up to date with every major development across the World Cup and the wider football world, perfect for staying across results, analysis and talking points as they happen.
Each episode features a rotating lineup of former and current players, football legends, pundits and iconic voices from the game. These expert guests bring firsthand experience, unique insights and strong opinions, adding depth and credibility to every conversation.
If you enjoy football podcasts like The Rest Is Football, Football Weekly, Suited and Booted, or anything that blends match analysis with personality and strong takes, you&rsquo;ll feel right at home here. OlanTekkers delivers the same mix of insight, humour and fan-driven energy, with his own unmistakable voice.
This show is not affiliated with FIFA or Football Australia

Socceroo legend Jackson Irvine on Aussie football's identity problem, the J-League vs the Bundesliga, and the most under-rated Socceroo ever

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/fcde88b8-df9d-4af2-8e7c-b4c80050702f/transcript