The Game of Football

On this week's show we're joined by Patrick Venn, a financial bodyguard for professional footballers to look at Football Index's collapse and the consequences for football's relationship with gambling from the media to the clubs themselves.

In the third part of our series on football and political extremism we look at some of the most politically charged clubs around from the left and the right and from Europe to the Middle East

In the second part of our series looking at how political extremism has influenced and effected football we examine how communist states have consistently struggled to harness the power of football

Listeners questions podcast this week discusses how referees can be humanised, how more than a salary cap is needed for the EFL and Why concussion subs need to go further. Plus there is some salacious stuff.

In the first part of a new series looking at the ways in which political extremism has manipulated and used football throughout its history.

It's time to delve into the mail bag to talk regional leagues, fan engagement and more.

Its our first pod of 2021 as Alan and Paul go into our third quiz episode tied on one win each. Get your mildly obscure football quiz questions here

OK, WE ARE ALL ILL THIS WEEK, SOME WITH COVID. SO HERE IS EPISODE 138 , AGAIN. We discuss what makes a player a hero? How do styles of play, special and temporal as well as individual moment's effect fans perceptions. We ask are there actually five types of cult hero? Wonder how you can lose your hero status and ask if the heroes of your youth effect how you view the game in the future and ask what that means for the future of football?

The first in our Brits abroad series takes us to Colombia and football El Dorado

its part 2 of our Joy Of series and its those little things from a volley to snow on the pitch, a very deep net and much more.

With the prospect of some fans being allowed back at professional games we discuss the experience of being at a ground and the things, aside from the game itself, that can make that great.

The second part of our quiz series. Join us for rounds on; the Naughties, Euro 96, UCL finals, True or False and Higher or Lower.

Remember when we all did quizes dueing lockdown? 40 minutes of trivia awaits you in episode 169

In episode 168 we discuss footballs great taboos from out players and homophobia to drugs and the diversification of sports media.

After ten days of great incident in football we look at issues around Pickford, Aguero, EFL Bailout and a European Premier League and discuss how football has been reflecting the issues concerning the modern world.

For 75 years football betting in Britain was the pools. In episode 166 we look at the history of the football pools

In episode 166 we ask if there has ever been a higher quality intake of new players to the Premier League?

In episode 165 we preview our podcast schedule for the 2020/21 season and taken a brief look back to a postwar football landscape that parallels the games position today, well sort of. Were back full time from October 7th

in a replay of an episode from earlier this season we look back 100 years ago to the last 19/20 season.

in Episode 164 we look back to football 50 years ago and the triumphs and travails of Leeds, Chelsea, Arsenal and City.

On Episode 163 we look back at the 23 English clubs banned from European football since 1955

In Episode 162 we answer listeners questions on Wigan, relegation, IFAB, racial bias in commentary and Bournemouth's decline.

In Episode 161 we discuss the likelihood of long term Liverpool dominance and the factors effecting it. We also pick a combined League XI with the aim of beating Liverpool, except we are not sure we can...

On episode 160 we ask if the integrity of the Premier League has been compromised by the terms of project restart before we go on to consider if any of the changes to football in England brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic could end up shaping the future of the game? We talk about TV rights, the future of the calendar and more.

In Episode 159 we delver into the murky world of conspiracy to look at six of the most high profile football conspiracy theories.

in Episode 158 we play our new game pitting two hosts against each other to select opposing sides to play a game with no referee.

in Episode 157 Paul and John discuss their favorite ever seasons and how its more than just football that has bearing on how we view football nostalgia. So enjoy our reminiscing ramblings about seasons96-97 and 99-00

In Episode 156 we take a look back at the changing face of football over the Easter weekend looking back at the drama, glory and heartbreak that used to come as teams played 3 games in 4 days. A selection of sources: https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/apr/16/premier-league-bring-back-easter-double-header Free the Manchester United One, by Graham Sharpe http://users.trytel.com/~tristan/towns/florilegium/introduction/intro01.html#p25

Not really a podcast this one, just an update on how we will be podding in the Covid 19 world and a tricky little trivia question. If your mental health is suffering at this difficult time here are some places that might be able to help; https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/mental-health-helplines/

In Episode 155 we discuss the consequences for football if Man City's FFP fine and ban are upheld including for the likes of Everton and Barnsley as well as future takeovers of Newcastle and Leeds. And all the stuff in the title too obviously...

In episode 154 we look at the charges against Man City and what strategy may or may not work in an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport?

episode 153 is for you if you don't know your CAS from your CFCB or what any of them can do and why. This is the first of three episodes on the FFP scandal engulfing UEFA and Manchester city and will be followed by a detailed look at what city are accused of in part two (episode 154) and what the implications for all of football are (episode 155).

Reforming the Football Calendar: UEFA Vs FIFA In episode 152 we look at the proposed reform of the Champions League, the new World Club Cup and the power struggle between football's governing bodies. Plus the Premier Leagues Neflix style plans and football video games.

in episode 151 we cover the origins and 60 year reign of the maximum wage in football and chart how it came to be abolished so laying the groundwork for today's massive sums.

On episode 150 we are discussing the prominence of the modern fullback at the elite level and what the evolution of the position can tell us about how the role has developed.

On episode 149 we answers some very fine listeners questions on the future of the domestic cups, the timing of the new winter break and the scourge of tactical fouling.

On Episode 148 we are discussing the build up to the Qatar World Cup. The Final of that tournament will be on December 18th so with almost exactly three years to go we will look at the preparations, controversy and even the team itself to get a glimpse of what is in store for us in 2022.

The first part of a series on how football spread around the world,this pod deals with Argentine footballs links to Britain and will be updated with the Brazilian and Chilean experience and then re-released when illness abates!

In episode 146 we consider whether a manager has to win trophies to be considered a success. We talk about those managers who get big jobs without winning, those who's trophy wins don't save them from the sack as well as the tactical innovators and the managers who didn't in with great sides. Join us for a conversation that takes us from Mourinho to Guardiola via Taylor, Allerdichi, Sebes, Lobanovskyi and Michels.

Episode 145 looks back at the history of South American and European clubs competing for the title of club world champions.

On episode 144 we are entirely in the hands of our listeners as we'll deal with three great questions on the nature of football club ownership, if too much focus on club rivalries caused the Sterling Gomez fallout to be as toxic as it appeared? and weather international fixtures could be the victims of the fixture congestion caused by the club game?

In episode 143 to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall we look back at East German football and how the game changed for its clubs and players after reunification. Join us for tales of huge aggregate scores, defections and drama as we explore the History of East German Football. Reading List of Sources https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50289343 https://www.dw.com/en/stasi-club-bfc-dynamo-what-happened-to-the-record-east-german-champions/a-51084561 https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50225455 https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50363141 https://thesefootballtimes.co/2018/03/30/the-east-german-curse-how-footballing-reunification-failed/ https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2009/oct/22/ddr-oberliga-football-east-germany

In Episode 142 we are asking where the line is for fans when it comes to defending their clubs and players? We discuss what behavior, if any is beyond the pale in modern football.

We combine over 50 years experience watching football to come up with a, worst players we've ever seen XI. If you're in the market for some mean-spirited nostalgia we feel very guilty about, we have you covered here!

In episode 140 we look back to football 100 years ago and find intrigue, controversy, clubs expelled and players auctioned off.

On episode 139 we discuss the three football bodies that runs the game in England; the FA, The Premier League and the EFL. In the pod we talk about how their interests converge and where they come into conflict as well as how their successes and failings shape what can seem an increasingly dystopian football landscape. And by way of contrast we also have the first round of feedback on our potential new intro music. Please note the episode was almost called the Three Body Problem but it was decided that would be too obscure.

On episode 138 we discuss what makes a player a hero? How do styles of play, special and temporal as well as individual moment's effect fans perceptions. We ask are there actually five types of cult hero? Wonder how you can lose your hero status and ask if the heroes of your youth effect how you view the game in the future and ask what that means for the future of football?

In Episode 137 we are joined by our newest contributor Rob Day who talks to us about his impressions of Soccer in the USA after three years watching and playing the game in New York. We discuss access to playing football, fan culture, how the game is covered by broadcasters and more. And for the first time ever there is even a bit of romance.

Join us for Episode 136 to look back again on the cup competitions that either never quite made the grade or just faded from memory.

Episode 135 is the second part in our series on youth football in which we look at what can happen to kids who don't make it in the academy system and ask; what clubs responsibility are and is the approach to coaching sufficient to ensure that kids are given a comprehensive education in the game? We also touch on football club's engagement with wider social issues including knife crime and even find time to answer a couple of listeners questions.

In episode 134 our resident goal keeper Tom Martin joins John Collins to discuss perceptions of goalkeeping. We ask, are keepers judged fairy by fans and media?. Do we really know what makes a good keeper? What role do perceptions of a keepers' age, nationality and ethnicity play in fans perception of their ability?