Ornstein meets Adam Wharton: “I was born in Blackburn not Barcelona”

Summary

Podcast Summary: Ornstein Meets Adam Wharton – “I was born in Blackburn, not Barcelona”

Podcast: The Athletic FC Podcast
Episode: Ornstein meets Adam Wharton: “I was born in Blackburn not Barcelona”
Release Date: November 12, 2025
Host: Ayo Akinwolere
Guests: David Ornstein (interviewer), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace & England footballer)

---

Episode Overview

This episode features an insightful interview with Crystal Palace and England midfielder Adam Wharton, conducted by David Ornstein. The discussion delves into Wharton’s rise from Blackburn to the Premier League, his approach to fame, his ambitions for club and country, and the grounded perspective he maintains amid growing attention. The tone is candid, reflective, and refreshingly honest, offering a unique glimpse into the mindset of one of English football’s most promising young talents.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Adam Wharton's Background

• Location: Interview conducted at Adam’s new London apartment, his first time living away from his family in Blackburn.
  (02:53) — David Ornstein describes Wharton as “incredibly down to earth, unassuming, relatively quiet and shy… very dedicated, but there’s no sort of exuberance, no flashiness.”
• Personality & Hobbies:
  • Obsessed with collecting Topps trading cards; even seeks out his own cards through trades online and in person.
  • Enjoys cycling around London, walking by the Thames, and is more likely to order Deliveroo than cook for himself.

---

2. England Ambitions and International Call-Ups

• Missing the Previous England Squad:
  • Wharton expresses modesty and realism about his omission from the last squad, not taking it personally.
  • (06:45) Adam Wharton: “Nothing, until you ask me. No, I’m not really thinking about it too much... I’m not expecting to be in the squad. I’m being completely honest.”
• Handling Disappointment:
  • Used the break to visit his grandmothers rather than dwell on missing international duty.
  • (08:48) Adam Wharton: “I went to see my grandma’s. It’s nothing special. Don’t get to see them often, but got to go back north... I wasn’t really complaining too much.”
• Perspective on England & the World Cup:
  • He remains pragmatic about his chances, recognizing the depth and talent in the England setup.
  • (10:01) “There’s another five, six months football before the World Cup… The only person who knows is the manager, and I think he’ll just pick the strongest team he feels possible.”

---

3. Footballing Inspirations & Style of Play

• Growing Up:
  • Wharton enjoyed international football but was equally inspired by Blackburn.
• Role Models:
  • (12:34) “Yeah, I always just loved Messi growing up and always wanted to be like him, wear his shoes… Didn’t quite work out.”
• Playing Style:
  • Noted for technical, passing-oriented play reminiscent of continental midfielders.
  • Teammates and media have compared him to Spanish and Italian midfielders, notably being called “the Wiltsher Pirlo” and “born in Blackburn, plays like he’s from Barcelona."
  • (37:12) “It’s great to receive them sort of compliments, but… I’m not born in Barcelona, I’m born in Blackburn.”

---

4. Approach to Goals, Assists, and His Role

• Statistical Impact vs. Team Role:
  • Wharton doesn’t focus on personal statistics like goals and assists, instead prioritizing the team’s needs and the functions his position demands.
  • (14:28) “I think system, yeah, that impacts it. Not really going to be making runs forward within the system that we play… City’s midfielders probably don’t need to look for goals because Haaland scored, their second top scorer is an own goal.”
• On Improvement:
  • Accepts he can improve on output, but values effective passing and facilitating play above all.

---

5. Handling Publicity, Rumors, and Fame

• Staying Grounded:
  • Despite rising attention, Wharton maintains a low-profile, often going unnoticed even when traveling in Palace gear.
  • (19:12) “I just put my head up, but I had like a full Crystal Palace tracksuit on so I just don’t think the people were too, too bothered. Maybe being a rush but better for me.”
• On Media and Transfer Speculation:
  • Maintains distance from rumors and social media gossip, even when linked to major clubs (Man United, Real Madrid).
  • (31:39) "I see it and I’m just like, okay. And then just carry on with my day… If I’m one in 20, then it’s nothing special."
  • (32:27) “In that sense, you must be doing something right for them sort of clubs to be interested… But until there’s something concrete and direct communication, then I wouldn’t really… stress about it.”

---

6. Crystal Palace's Progress & Management under Oliver Glasner

• Club Achievements:
  • Palace's unexpected successes instill authentic belief among the squad.
  • (22:19) “Nobody thought we’d win anything last year, but we did… even more confidence.”
• Praise for Manager Oliver Glasner:
  • Glasner’s detailed preparation, tactical clarity, and enthusiasm cited as key to progress.
  • (23:03) “For me, he’s a top manager… the way he sort of handles situations within games, within training, how he goes about the training sessions, recovery — everything, all the little details.”
• Speculation over Team and Manager Futures:
  • Both Glasner and teammate Marc Guéhi’s potential departures discussed as major potential blows.
  • (26:38) “Obviously you sort of seen the impact the manager’s had… it’d be difficult for the club to sort of replace him, but they've replaced managers before, so I’m sure they’d be able to do it again.”
  • Guéhi praised for his consistency and maturity, unaffected by a failed transfer on deadline day.

---

7. Personal Mindset: Self-Critique and Drive for Improvement

• Constant Perfectionism:
  • Wharton admits to rarely being satisfied with his performances, driven by high personal standards.
  • (35:58) “It’s difficult because I can say I’m pleased with some of my passes, but then I’m also not pleased with one overpass… I’d say I’m not pleased with pretty much all my games because none of it’s perfect. That’s the beauty of football.”
• Risk and Reward:
  • Willing to accept lower pass completion rates as a byproduct of seeking ambitious, game-changing passes.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Missing England Call-Up:
  (08:48) Adam Wharton: “It’s football. He’s picked the team… we’ve got a very busy schedule this year with four competitions to play in, so, you know, not getting picked, it’s not the worst thing in the world. A few days off, bit of time to rest.”

• On Messi as a Role Model:
  (12:34) Adam Wharton: “I always just love Messi growing up and always wanted to be like him… Didn’t quite work out.”

• On Transfer Links:
  (31:39) Adam Wharton: “I see it and I’m just like, okay. And then just carry on with my day… United, the big teams are all linked to 10, 20 different players. So if I’m one in 20, then it’s nothing special.”

• On Compliments and Origin:
  (37:12) Adam Wharton: “It’s great to receive them sort of compliments, but I don’t know, I’ve just got really high standards for myself and, yeah, I don’t really want to settle for being good… I’m not born in Barcelona, I’m born in Blackburn.”

• On Pressure and Mentality:
  (38:03) David Ornstein: “I feel Adam Wharton has an old head on young shoulders. He was very composed, respectful, took everything in his stride… This is somebody that does not seem to be cowered by the big stage. He is fiercely ambitious.”

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:53 — Introduction to Adam’s personality, home life, and trading card obsession
• 06:45 — Adam’s thoughts on England call-up, missing out and his attitude
• 08:48 — Handling disappointment, prioritizing family and downtime
• 12:34 — Childhood inspirations: Messi and style of play
• 14:28 — Discussion on goals, assists, and the importance of role vs. statistics
• 19:12 — Experiences with fame and anonymity; travel stories
• 22:19 — Palace’s rise, belief in new possibilities, and the impact of winning
• 23:03 — Praise for manager Oliver Glasner’s methods and style
• 26:38 — Speculation around team and management futures, with a focus on Mark Guéhi
• 31:39 — Attitude towards transfer rumors and links to top European clubs
• 35:58 — Perfectionism and approach to self-assessment
• 37:12 — Responding to hype: “Born in Blackburn, not Barcelona”
• 38:03 — David Ornstein’s summary of Wharton’s mentality, ambition, and grounded personality

---

Final Thoughts

This episode further cements Adam Wharton’s reputation as a grounded, reflective, and ambitious young footballer unfazed by hype or speculation. Rooted in Blackburn but admired for a style that’s drawn continental comparison, he displays a rare blend of humility and confidence. Through David Ornstein’s probing but respectful questioning, listeners gain a genuine portrait of a player content to let his football — and not the swirling media circus — define his career trajectory.

---

For more football stories and interviews, follow The Athletic FC Podcast.

Transcript

[Advertiser]

Millions of players, one world, no lag. How's it done? AWS is how epic games turn to AWS to scale to more than 100 million Fortnite players worldwide so they can stay locked in with battle tested reliability. AWS is how leading businesses power next level innovation.

[Maya and Sim]

Hey it's Maya and Sim from the Girls that Invest podcast. If you are an IT or security pro, you know managing devices, identities and applications can feel overwhelming and honestly risky. That's where Trelica by1Password comes in. It helps conquer SaaS, brawl and shadow it by discovering every app your team uses, managed or not. With pre built app profiles you can assess risk, manage access and even optimize your software spend. Plus IT simplifies onboard offboarding and compliance, all while cutting costs by eliminating unused licenses. Take the first step to better security for your team. Learn more at 1Password.com special offer.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

The.

[Athletic FC Podcast Narrator]

Next Evolution in Football Storytelling Football Manager is back in our lives for the first time, Football Manager 26 refreshes the managerial experience and sets the stage for you to define your football destiny. Now chances are that as a listener to this podcast, you've spent hundreds or even thousands of hours on previous iterations of this game. Tommy Svendel laughs and Czerno Samba and are much better in the game than in real life. Toribo west, we salute you. Well, FM26 is going to give you the richest matchday experience ever with enhanced player movement and greater on pitch detail, bringing new levels of depth and drama to every match. For the first time, you can compete at the pinnacle of English football and as the Premier League debuts with fully licensed club badges, kits and official player photos and with a completely overhauled UI by the genius developers at Sports Interactive, every aspect from training to tactics to transfers belongs to you and your vision. Football Manager 26 is out now across platforms. Step into the dugout and change the game.

[Advertiser]

The Athletic FC Foreign.

[Ayo Akimolere]

Welcome to the Athletic FC Podcast with me, Ayo Akimolere. Today we're bringing you a very special guest, Adam Wharton, in conversation with David Ornstein, talking about England palace and also his roots as well. But before we hear from him, joining me right now we have David Ornstein. David, you've interviewed a rising star, Crystal palace in England International Adam Wharton set it up for us. Where did you meet him?

[David Ornstein]

Yeah, I went to see him IO at his apartment in Central London. Vauxhall to be precise. It's high rise so you get some incredible views over Battersea Power Station and beyond that sort of West London direction. If your eyes were so Good. You could see long into the distance and you would actually get to the United States of America. And that is a bit of a theme of the interview that we did because of course he wants to go to the World cup with England and, and I mapped it out to be some three and a half thousand miles away is New Jersey and the MetLife Stadium in that very direction that we were looking out of his floor to ceiling windows. And Adam Wharton is a fantastic young man, 21 years old. It's the first time he's lived away from home, which is Blackburn in Lancashire. And he's incredibly down to earth, unassuming, relatively quiet and shy. He loves his football, his profession. He's very dedicated, but there's no sort of exuberance, there's no flashiness, no tattoos, no crazy sort of clothes and cars and, and things like that. He just goes in and trains and plays. He's got a really good work ethic. If he's not training and playing, he's back at the apartment. He's got an obsession with Topps trading cards, which is relatively newfound. You can see a bit about it online. But even that didn't prepare me for what I saw. There's like wallets of cards, there's boxes of cards, there's albums of cards and it's growing. And he actually tells me, which wasn't mentioned within the interview because we had so many other things to talk about, how he's trying to collect at least one of every Adam Wharton Tops card that there is in the world. Which means he's going on to like ebay and trading sites and to actual in person events to try and get hold of these cards. And when he's contacting people online for them, they're like, you, Adam Wharton. No, the real, the actual person. He's like, yeah, that's me. Now can we sort of sort this out and try and get the card? And some of them are just saying, just take the card, maybe send me a signed shirt or something. This is absolutely amazing. So he's got that community forming. But he'll also be predisposed to jumping on a lime bike and cycling around London. He'll pop down to the power station, have a walk through that. It's delightful down there on the Thames as well. These days he'll go to parks. I think Deliveroo is more of a friend of his than cooking. He describes how it's quite difficult when you're living on your own to cook for one. You know, the produce all goes out of date, it Was quite funny, learning sort of bachelor lifestyle and really this is a precocious talent who is. Is making his way for Crystal Palace. He's turning heads with his pretty unique idiosyncratic style. He's a real technician and I think we have a bit of a star in the making here for. For both palace and for England as lot of speculation already about his future because I think there are some big clubs even bigger than Crystal palace, who looked at him when he was at Blackburn, who are probably still looking at him now. And it was just an amazing opportunity to sit down with him and to talk. Candidly, we had plenty of time, we covered a whole variety of areas and we were actually talking on the Monday before the England squad was going to be announced on the Friday. At that point he was bit sceptical about his chances, but he would get a pleasant surprise at the end of the week as he looks to rise in his thrilling early career.

[Ayo Akimolere]

Let's get into this one and have a listen. This is Adam Wharton and David Ornstein.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

I'm really intrigued by you being left out of the previous England squad and at the time of recording, hopefully you'll be in the next one that's going to be announced.

[David Ornstein]

We sit here on Monday.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

What's going through your head in relation to England right now?

[Adam Wharton]

Nothing, until you ask me. No, I'm not really thinking about it too much. Obviously we've got a couple games before. Yeah, I'm not expecting to in the squad. I'm being completely honest. Really, on Friday? No, I think if I was going to be in squad between this one from last month, it would have been last month. So it's anyone's guess. Only he knows.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

I guess in my mind, before you missed the two games through illness, I assumed because he had said that you deserve to be in the last squad. But he basically stayed true to the players that got England very impressively to that point of qualification. But largely an unchanged squad from the previous one, which you weren't able to take part in for the injury. So my presumption was that now it's kind of a dead rubber with England qualified people like you would be brought back in because it's the last chance for him to have a look at you and his staff before March at international level. And those are just friendlies before the tournament, before the squad's picked. So yeah, I would think many people, given how much clamor there was for your selection last time, would be shocked if you weren't in. But obviously you have a slightly different view.

[Adam Wharton]

Yeah. Maybe that's me being critical of myself, but I don't know, I guess from obviously the previous. Previous camp, then that's just how I was sort of thinking. Yeah, if you were to ask me. But like I said, I'm not really too focused on that. I've got a couple games first. Maybe you'll watch them and help out to decide. But I don't know.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

You stung or hurt by not being in the last one. I think you said something like, you're going to see your grandparents using that opportunity. But when they were all meeting up and playing and getting the country on its way to the World cup and loads of people were talking about you and who else? Jack Grealish, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden. Was it upsetting?

[Adam Wharton]

No, not really. I don't know. It's football. He's picked the team. Like I said, there's a lot of top English players that you can pick from. Like you just said, there's other players that you'd expect to be picked that weren't. I mean, we've got a very busy schedule this year with four competitions to play in, so, you know, not getting picked, it's not the worst thing in the world. A few days off, bit of time to rest. Yeah, I went to see my grandma's. It's nothing special. Don't get to see him often, but got to go back north. I don't go home often, so, yeah, I wasn't really complaining too much.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Would this be different, though? Because there's nothing to play for in terms of needing to necessarily see the ones that have been in again. So if any opportunity for those that weren't in it, it's obviously now. And also, do you think if you don't make this one, that the World cup dream, if you would call it that, most many people do, would be starting to die or. Not necessarily, no.

[Adam Wharton]

I think there's. What are we in November? There's another five, six months football before the World Cup. So I think if you say you're out of it, then than you probably are. But there's plenty of football, so you. You shouldn't be.

[David Ornstein]

Yeah.

[Adam Wharton]

The only person who knows is the manager and I think he'll just pick the strongest team he feels possible. I mean, I don't know, but I feel like that's how his sort of thinking is and it makes sense. He wants to, you know, get a strong group together and be ready for the World Cup. If that's his way of going about it, then hopefully it's the best thing for England and it works at the local.

[David Ornstein]

Has he or did he.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Has he or any of his staff explained to you why you're not in it last time, and have you heard from them in between on sort of advice on what to do to be in it? Has that discussion sort of taken place?

[Adam Wharton]

No, before the last one, I got a message saying that he's deciding to stick with the same team as the camp before. And then it was something along the lines of, I'm playing well, keep working, like, I deserve to be with us, but I'm not. The competition's on. They're all the best. Yeah.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Was that from him or from the staff?

[Adam Wharton]

Yeah, from the manager.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Okay, good. Do you have memories of England growing up in terms of watching? Are you a really passionate England fan? And did you have, like, memories that helped inspire you from international football?

[Adam Wharton]

Not so much, I'd say when I was younger, I enjoyed watching it. Yeah. You know, when we're in school, you get to watch it if it was on and things like that. And obviously there's no football on, so you always used to just watch it when it was on. I had a few England shirts when I was younger and things like this, so I. I enjoyed watching it.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

But was England part of your inspiration or it was more Blackburn or both?

[Adam Wharton]

I'd say a bit of both, yeah. I mean, because there are a lot of obviously big names in the team there, Rooneys. I feel like I was that young. I didn't really sort of pay attention properly. I just sort of watched the game.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Yeah. Did you sort of style yourself on any of them? England or even other countries and players in that era, or was that not such a thing for you?

[David Ornstein]

Messi?

[Adam Wharton]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I always just love Messi growing up and always wanted to be like him. Wear his shoes. Yeah. Wow. Did quite work out.

[David Ornstein]

Well, you got better than most on. On the path towards Messi. The style.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

It's not you. Well, when we mentioned those names earlier, they weren't English references. Pirlo and.

[Adam Wharton]

Yeah.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Jeremy Pino saying, you play like a Spaniard, so it's quite a different style.

[Adam Wharton]

Yeah, I just. I just love Messi when I was growing up and obviously he's unreal, so. Enjoyed watching him.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Yeah. You've talked in a previous interview about enjoying wrapping passes into a number 10 more than a goal or assist. And your agent spoke on our podcast recently about when I think he first met you. You showed him a clip of chipping a ball into a wheelie bin. To which he said, there are no wheelie bins on a Saturday afternoon at 3 o', clock. Which is lovely, but many would say it's wrong in terms of what you should be focusing on to try and win things. And should you focus on substance over style? You, in a BBC interview, said you're not too fast about goals and assists. Do you see one of the areas that you want to or need to improve being the goals and the assists, the things that makes the difference in matches to the. The casual observer, for example, the midfielders currently occupying the positions that you would presumably be vying for for England, when we look at, say, a Rice, a Bellingham and Anderson, they have a bit more end product in terms of shooting, maybe late runs into the box. You did show that at Blackburn and.

[David Ornstein]

You'Ve showed it less at Crystal Palace.

[Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Is that something you're conscious of and working on or not so much?

[Adam Wharton]

I think system, yeah, that impacts it. Not really going to be making runs forward within the system that we play. That's just how it is. I wouldn't say I'm not working on it, but I wouldn't say I'm working on it. Obviously it would help if I could, you know, chip in with a couple goals here and there, maybe a few more assists. But at the same time, City's midfielders probably don't need to look for goals because Haaland scored. Their second top scorer is an own goal on goals from Burnley. So if I don't get assists and goals, but I know I've played well in myself, how I always look back at the games, then. Then I'm not too fussed. Obviously everyone would want to score goals here and there, but in my position, a lot of my passes, if they're 2 of 10, they might then turn and play the strike and then he scores. I don't get anything, but I don't need to be scored.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

I love that it's not really your function of your role to seek that. And the City example is spot on. Or someone like Kante was PFA Player of the Year. He has a very different role.

[LinkedIn Jobs Advertiser]

As a small business owner, you don't have the luxury of clocking out early. Your business is on your mind 24 7. So when hiring, you need a partner that grinds just as hard as you do. That hiring partner is LinkedIn Jobs. When you clock out, LinkedIn clocks in. LinkedIn makes it easy to post your job for free, share it with your network and get qualified candidates that can manage all in one place. Here's how it works. Post your job LinkedIn's new feature can help you write job descriptions and then quickly get your job in front of the right people with deep candidate insights. Either post your job for free or pay to promote promoter jobs. Get three times more qualified applicants get qualified candidates at the end of the day, the most important thing to your small business is the quality of candidates, and with LinkedIn you can feel confident that you're getting the best. Based on LinkedIn data, 72% of SMBs using LinkedIn say that LinkedIn helps them find high quality candidates. You can let your network know you're hiring. You can even add a hashtag hiring frame to your profile Picture and get two times more qualified candidates. Find out why more than 2.5 million small businesses use LinkedIn for hiring today. Find your next great hire on LinkedIn. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.combaseballshow that's LinkedIn.combaseballshow to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply.

[Athletic FC Podcast Narrator]

This episode of the Athletic FC is brought to you by AG1. At this time of year, we've all got to stay one scoop ahead of the grand crowd. Flying home can cause strain on our immune systems, while darker and shorter days can throw off your rhythm and make you feel less energized. Plus, with certain members of the family around the Thanksgiving table, you've got stresses and disrupted habits. So why don't you start every morning like I do with A scoop of AG1? That single scoop contains all the nutrients you need to support your gut health and fill in common nutrient gaps. Makes me feel alert and energized long into the afternoon. AG1 is a comprehensive blend of over 70 vitamins and minerals and 5 probiotic strains. It's gluten and dairy free, suitable for vegan, keto and Paleo diets, and contains less than one gram of sugar with zero nasty chemicals. And now AG1's clinically backed formula comes in three delicious new flavors, tropical berry and citrus in addition to the classic original. All you have to do is head to drinkag1.com athleticfc to get a free welcome kit with an AG1 flavor sampler and a bottle of vitamin D3. 3/K2 when you first subscribe, that's Drink AG and the number one slash athletic FC. One last time Drink AG1.com athleticfc.

[Advertiser]

Millions of players, one world no lag. How's it done? AWS is how epic games turn to AWS to scale to more than 100 million Fortnite players worldwide so they can stay locked in with battle tested reliability. AWS is how leading businesses power next level innovation.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

I was fascinated. You said to us before we started recording that you got, got the train back from Liverpool and you weren't noticed by anyone, which surprised me because there's just been this frenzy around you in the recent months. Do you have to cover your head or something?

[Adam Wharton]

I just put my head up but I had like a full Crystal palace tracksuit on so I just don't think the people were too, too bothered. Maybe being a rush but better for me.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

So even then into London, you didn't.

[Adam Wharton]

Get spotted now from, from you. So I just got a taxi. So yeah, I was going to get the underground, but no, it's probably easier to just get a taxi. Yeah. With how I was feeling. So.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Because that's the theme of this that I've, I'm so energized by is like you're, you're the talk of the town in a way for like club and country. Obviously you missed a couple of games but everyone was talking about you. There's like a hysteria and then you get the train back and you don't get noticed.

[David Ornstein]

Does that go through your head when.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Like the football world's talking about you and you just sort of sling through unnoticed?

[Adam Wharton]

Yeah, I think it's just normal. I get the tube all the time. Might get noticed a couple times. Maybe someone will just like maybe have a little double take and ask if I'm out of mortem. I'll say, yeah, and just carry on with my day. Yeah, I think a lot of people in London as well, there's so many people that like 99% of the people have no idea about football or anything like that. So yeah, you could get the tube and walk around London.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

How does the fame sit with you? It's not newfound because you came through at Blackburn and it's a high profile sport and you made a big transfer, but you've kind of boomed in the public consciousness. Like a guy from Lancashire who's so down to earth from a very impressive family. Everything I've read and seen about you and heard you spoken, nobody has their feet more on the ground, but do you ever think through the, the fame and the amount people are talking about you or is it literally water off a duck's back?

[Adam Wharton]

Yeah, I don't really think about that. Like there's always going to be people talking, whether it's good, bad, anything like that. So I don't really think about it. I just sort of get on with my life. I just want to live a normal life. That's why I'll get the Tube and a lot quicker than taxi or things like that. Linebacks are good. I've started using them, so I don't really think about it. I just did.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

So we need to get into some palace stuff and I think most people would agree it's pretty remarkable what's going on there, especially given, you know, historically, they never in this position and they're reaching new heights and you're part of that. It's quite extraordinary that the expectation has gone from trying to stay in the Premier League or try and get to the Premier League when they're in the Championship, but try and survive as a club when they were in financial ruin, to now an expectation to actually win more silverware, but not just like everybody says that, but actually do it because you've done it. So there's almost like proof of concept there.

[Adam Wharton]

Yeah.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

And validation that you think you can actually do it. You're not just saying it. Yeah, it's quite amazing.

[Adam Wharton]

Yeah. I think nobody thought we'd win anything last year, but we did. So I. I think especially for us as players in a club, we know that we can do it. So there's even more confidence, but, you know, we can't get too, too confident. The gaffer always reminds us of that, you know, keep our feet on the ground, you step up, you know, you fought off the gas for a second in the Premier League, then you'll lose a game. So, yeah, there's having that confidence, but also controlling it and staying sort of focus.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

You mentioned the gaffer. How good is Oliver Galasner and his staff? I don't want to make it just about one person, like, how good is he?

[Adam Wharton]

For me, he's a top manager. Obviously, I've only got so many managers to go on, but I think just the way he sort of handles situations within games, within training, how he goes about the training sessions, recovery, everything, all the little details, I think that's what sort of makes it so much easier for us as players. Dinar sessions we do on the opposition, how he sort of watches their games and analyzes it to then show us clips of how we can play against that. It just makes it so much easier because then we know where space is different, how they play. And he must watch hours of footage every week with. With his staff, which they're sort of the little things you don't see. But, yeah, even on the training pitch, he'll stop sessions just for, like, body Positioning, but explain it to the whole group so everyone knows. And also is his enthusiasm. Yeah, very enthusiastic. You probably see on the touchline, he just loves football, I think, and he gets the adrenaline when he's watching games and training. Sometimes he goes over the top in training and stuff and he'll. He'll own up to that. He's not afraid to say he went over the top. But then this is just him and football. Yeah. How he enjoys coaching it, watching it, getting involved in it. So I think this is all sort of adds up and it's just what makes him so good.

[David Ornstein]

Now, you've not been at one of.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

The biggest clubs, but do you think he is good enough for the biggest clubs from what you feel from working with him? And by that, I mean, like on a football, a tactical level, managing a dressing room, personalities, the media and all of the elements. When you look at the big coaches, despite having not worked under them yet.

[Adam Wharton]

I don't. I don't see why not. I mean, he's playing against some of the top managers week in, week out, and I don't think there's any game we've played that he hasn't given us a solution to beat one of the top teams or any of the teams. And there's a interview after our City game last year at the Etihad, and he was like, he must have said to Pepe, you can't play the system again or something if we played them in the FA Cup. And he backed it up, to be fair. So, yeah, I don't see why not. I think he's. He's won the Europa League at Frankfurt before. I'm sure there was some big names there. Obviously he's. He's had Epps, Michael. They're two big names. You've gone on to, obviously, big clubs now. So. And he's. He's shown he can, you know, manage them and work with them and get best out of them. So, I mean, you're never going to know, but I don't see why not.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Yeah. The bare facts are that Oliver's in his final season of his contracts. So is Mark Gahey. Mark Gahey is expected to. To leave. We don't know about the manager. How big a blow would it be to palace if both of them are to go?

[Adam Wharton]

I think. I mean, massive. I think, obviously you sort of seen the impact that managers had since he came in. We were sort of struggling near the relegation zone, obviously won a couple trophies and we're playing well as a team. So I think you Know, it'd be difficult for the club to sort of replace him, but, you know, they've replaced the manager before, so I'm sure they'd be able to do it again. But obviously, if. If they can keep him, I'm sure they'll. They'll want to.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Yeah.

[Adam Wharton]

And then obviously, Skips. There's obviously so much speculation. I think it's pretty obvious. I think it came out that he was. He wasn't going to sign a new deal. So, yeah, I think obviously he's. He's a top defender. You've seen it week in, week out, and apparently he's seen it at the Euros and after that for England, so, I mean, he's so consistent. You see it in training. Well, I see it in training every day as well. So. Down to earth as well. He never gets carried away. And, yeah, he could literally go to any club in the world for me and be starting comfortable. It's probably just where he goes and when. If he goes in January or in the summer, who knows? I hope he stays until summer so we can have him for a bit longer.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Exactly, yeah.

[Adam Wharton]

We'll have to see.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

You mentioned Mark.

[David Ornstein]

Do you remember what it was like.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

After that crazy deadline day, what he was like in training after that? And what the squad were like was their banter. Was it shock? Was there a bit of settling back in or back to normal?

[Adam Wharton]

I mean, it was. People were probably shocked that he didn't go, because it was. It was all over. He was going. He was basically there. We expected him. I think it was after Bill. Yeah, we pretty much thought he was gone after that, or I did, at least. And then, yeah, end up collapsing and then it was just back to normal. But that's just the type of guy Mark is. He's not going to complain and he won't show his frustrations. He just gets on with it and just shows the type of professional he is. If you looked at his performances, you could tell that he just been, you know, just had a move sort of taken away from him at the last second.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

So not at all.

[Adam Wharton]

That's just credit to him.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Did he say his goodbyes after Villa or around that period, or did they not walk into that?

[Adam Wharton]

He didn't. I don't think he said. Well, he didn't. He didn't say it to me. So maybe he knew he won't go in. I hope so. No, he didn't say anything like that because obviously nothing was sort of confirmed. But I think it was. It was kind of in the air. People was maybe talking about it, but not talking about it, but. Yeah.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Is your own future in. In question in your head?

[Adam Wharton]

Not really, to be honest, I don't really sort of look into it or think too much about it. There's always room as floating about on social media and things like this. Is it true? Is it not true? You tell me. Like, honestly, I get my friends or message me of all my family, my brothers, or everyone will message me and they'll be like, oh, is this true? This club's interested, or whatever. I'm like, thanks for telling me because I didn't know before you told me. So. Yeah, I don't really sort of take an interest to it too much. I don't really think about it. If something's gonna be serious, then I can maybe thinking about it. Yeah. If it's not sort of very serious, if there's interest, I'm not. Not interested in knowing, because interest, you can be interested in anything. Nothing can come through it.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Yeah, that's very mature. Do you not see it? Are you not really on social media, you're saying other people tell you or you do see it yourself?

[Adam Wharton]

Oh, a bit above, yeah. I'll see it if I go on Twitter just for, like, there's a lot of football sort of results, highlights, things like that. And then it's going to come up because it's my sort of type of content algorithm. Yeah, it's football, so it'll come up. But, yeah, I don't really lean into it too much.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

It's remiss of me not to ask you, with all due respect, because it's how this industry operates. There's an absolute frenzy of links for you and Man United that you must have seen or been alerted to.

[David Ornstein]

What do you think when you see that?

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Despite how you've explained your approach, like.

[David Ornstein]

It'S a bit wild.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Yeah.

[Adam Wharton]

I mean.

[David Ornstein]

And others, by the way.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

It'S not just Man United. You get linked with everybody. Real Madrid.

[Adam Wharton]

I don't know who's linked, like sort of linking that, who's spreading it. I don't know who at United's looking at it or.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Yeah, exactly.

[Adam Wharton]

I don't know. Yeah, I see it and I'm just like, okay. And then just carry on with my day. United, the big teams are all linked to 10, 20 different players. So if I'm one in 20, then it's nothing special. So. Just doesn't really mean too much, does it, at all.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

And this is no reflection on palace in the slightest, but does it give you some sort of validation that you're being talked about in the brackets of the biggest clubs so called on the planet. Because you've spoken in the past about your level of ambition, Champions League football, on the record, and, and these clubs are playing in, in that competition. Does it say to you you're regarded, you know, as a potential player for one of these elite clubs?

[Adam Wharton]

Yeah, I think, I guess in that sense it's sort of you must be doing something. Yeah. Something right for them sort of clubs to be interested or wanting you. But yeah, like I said, if it's good. But until there's something sort of concrete and direct communication, then I wouldn't really, I wouldn't stress about it too much.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Would your mindset be that we need to talk about a renewal or are you talking about a renewal or do you think a move is coming? How soon do you want to pursue that Champions League aim?

[Adam Wharton]

I mean, yeah, I don't really sort of plan too far ahead. I'm still 21. I've got plenty of time, you know, hopefully if I keep working, improving and playing as well as I can, then, you know, hopefully that day will come.

[Maya and Sim]

300 sensors over a million data points per second. How does F1 update their fans with every stat in real time, AWS is how from fastest laps to strategy calls, AWS puts fans in the pit. It's not just racing, it's data driven innovation at tech. 200 miles per hour. AWS is how leading businesses power next level innovation.

[Advertiser]

You hired a new employee. Time to get to work, right? Not quite. First comes HR software for payroll and benefits. Then IT tools to manage devices and app access and finance software for expenses. Oh, and none of these softwares work together. That's sad. Software as a disservice. Rippling lets you run hr, IT and finance on one unified platform with automations that save time and connect your workflows. For a limited time, you can get six months of rippling free when you sign up at rippling.com podcast. That's R-I P P L-I N G.com podcast terms and conditions apply. If you're a maintenance supervisor at a manufacturing facility and your machinery isn't working right, Grainger knows you need to understand what's wrong as soon as possible. So when a conveyor motor falters, Grainger offers diagnostic tools like calibration kits and multimeters to help you identify and fix the problem. With Grainger, you can be confident you have everything you need to keep your facility running smoothly. Call 1-800-GRAINGER clickgrainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Do you look at clubs and managers and players and styles? Because I can just tell how deep thinking you are. And you've talked about how you discuss these things with your agent and sort of think about best fits for the future.

[Adam Wharton]

Yeah, I think you definitely want to think about that, but at the same time about myself. To play in any sort of formation or style, I'd like to think I'd be able to adapt. As long as I'm on the pitch and playing, then I'm happy.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Is there anything specifically at the moment you're really pleased with and anything you're particularly not pleased with?

[Adam Wharton]

It's difficult because I can say I'm pleased with some of my passes, but then I'm also not pleased with one overpass.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Yeah.

[Adam Wharton]

So it's. I don't know. I. I'd say I'm not pleased with pretty much all my games because none of it's perfect. Yeah, I wish it was, but I don't think it ever will be. But that's. That's the beauty of football. That's why I enjoy playing it, because that's the challenge. I want to be as good as possible and make as less mistakes as possible. Yeah. Whilst taking a lot of risk.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

Yeah, that's brilliant. And it explains a lot of the stats. When I've been reading about how your pass completion percentage is perhaps lower than many players, but it's because you take on more ambitious passes. And I. I don't mean to keep banging on about the sort of hysteria point, but the nicknames, like the Wiltshire Perlo, and I saw someone wrote, Born in Blackburn, plays like he's from Barcelona. And your teammate, Jeremy Pino, in an interview with us at the Athletic, said that you could absolutely play for Spain. He was glowing in his tribute of your game. When you hear other people talking about you, they seem to have more appreciation of you than you do of yourself.

[Adam Wharton]

Yeah, I think so. And it's. It's great to receive them sort of compliments, but I don't know, I've just got really high standards for myself and, yeah, I don't really want to settle for being good or just doing well. I want to be even better than that. So, yeah, it's great to hear them comments. But I'm not born in Barcelona, I'm born in Blackburn.

[Ayo Akimolere]

I mean, look, what a fascinating interview, David. And on a previous podcast on the Athletic, we had his agent on, and what he painted was A picture of a young man who's super, super grounded. But what I kept thinking of was there's also a lot. A young man with a lot of pressure on his shoulders. You're thinking about potential England clubs. You're thinking about trying to drive his team up the Premier League, and he's pivotal to that. Did you get a sense of how he wore that pressure as well through interview?

[David Ornstein]

I did, yeah. It was a topic that I honed in on at a couple of times because there's always teams being linked with him. Man United, Liverpool, Real Madrid and various others. I didn't sense that he feels the pressure at all. I actually asked him about sort of mental health. He was extremely calm and he's been brought up very well. I feel Adam Wharton has an old head on young shoulders. He was very composed, respectful, took everything in his stride. And he's clearly learned from having an older brother who's playing in football. He's clearly learned from a supportive family around him. I feel, you know, the way that he did well at school, the way he's at a very impressive club now in Crystal palace with good people and professionals around him, makes me feel that, you know, he won't be daunted by.

[Interviewer (Athletic FC Podcast Host)]

This journey that he's on now.

[David Ornstein]

He's already played in and won an FA cup final against the mighty Manchester City. He's already played in and won a Community Shield against Premier League champions Liverpool. He has beaten Liverpool again in the Premier League. This is somebody that does not seem to be cowered by the big stage. He is fiercely ambitious, and so, you know, whatever the pressures on him, whatever the. The scrutiny and the speculation, he brushed off when I talked about the links to other clubs. It's water off the duck's back. He's really fascinating in breaking it down. Where are the links coming from? Who's putting them out? No one said it to me. If it's just interest, I'm not interested, because unless it's something that's concrete and we know and it's a negotiation, then we might have something to think about. So very logical, very pragmatic. There's no grandstanding. There were no sound bites to try and be more popular or to try and provide a better interview. He is who he is.

[Athletic FC Podcast Narrator]

And.

[David Ornstein]

And that engenders a lot of goodwill from those that are with him, from me, from friends, from family, from colleagues, staff players. Let's see how he gets on over this international break and beyond, because I think he's a real gem of English football. And you can, but wish him well for sure.

[Ayo Akimolere]

Well, great interview David. Really look forward to more interviews, more conversations on the Athletic FC podcast. Thank you so much for doing that and also thank you guys for listening as well. We rock.

[Adam Wharton]

Soon.

[Athletic FC Podcast Narrator]

You'Ve been listening to the Athletic FC Podcast. The producers were Guy Clark, Mike Stavroo, and Jay Beal. The executive producer was Aidy Moorhead. To listen to other great athletic podcasts for free, search for the Athletic on Apple, Spotify and all the usual places. The Athletic FC Podcast is an athletic media company production.

[Maya and Sim]

If you're a custodial supervisor at a local high school, you know that cleanliness is key and that the best place to get cleaning supplies is from Grainger. Grainger helps you stay fully stocked on the products you trust, from paper towels and disinfectants to floor scrubbers. Plus, you can rely on Grainger for easy reordering so you never run out of what you need. Call 1-800-GRAINGER, click granger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done. We all love our pets, but we love to travel too, and sadly they can't always come along for the ride. Don't stress. Trusted House Sitters connects you with verified sitters who will stay in your home and care for your pets, all in exchange for a place to stay on their travels. So while you're off exploring, your pets get to stay safe and happy at home, right where they belong. Find a loving in Home pet sitter [e-mail] Get Thanksgiving ready at Whole Foods Market with so many ways to save, their 365 brand has great prices and the high quality you expect. No antibiotics ever. Turkeys start at 1:49 a pound with Prime. Round out your spread with mashed potatoes and condensed soups, plus fresh organic produce like green beans, white mushrooms and carrots for casseroles and sides. Shop low prices and quality at Whole Foods Market in store or online terms apply.