Football Today

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RB Milan? Could Ralf Rangnick Work in Italy? Feb 12, 2020

Show notes

When Ralf Rangnick took over as Sporting Director and manager of RB Leipzig in 2012 the club were in the 4th division of German football. Now the club has been transformed. They have qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League and are pushing Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga title.

However, just last week German newspaper Bild reported that Rangnick, who is the Head of International Relations and Scouting at Red Bull, was set to join AC Milan as a manager and sporting director.

Yesterday, La Gazzetta dello Sport in Italy contradicted Bild's report and said Milan wouldn't be hiring him.

So today, we ask, what is next for Ralf Rangnick and can he replicate his success elsewhere?

Guests:

Raphael Honigstein (@honigstein) German Football Writer/The Athletic

Gabriele Marcotti (@marcotti) Senior Writer/ESPN

www.FootballTodayPodcast.com

Octopus Balls, Mascots and Samba: Japan's Fan Culture Feb 10, 2020

Show notes

On Saturday, Vissel Kobe beat Yokohama F. Marinos in a 3-3 thriller to win the Japanese Super Cup. The game went into penalties and at one point the two teams missed 9 penalties in a row. But the game played second fiddle to many of the fans in attendance.

With the new season around the corner, we explore Japan's Mascot Election and find out what else makes Japanese fan culture special.

Guest:

Dan Orlowitz (@aishiterutokyo), Sports Writer at the Japan Times

On Twitter: @FT_podcast_

www.FootballTodayPodcast.com

Music provided by: Poddington Bear (Sepia, Refraction) & Celestial Aeon Project

How is the Coronavirus Affecting Football? Feb 07, 2020

Show notes

The coronavirus is turning megacities into ghost towns and cruise ships into floating prisons. But despite travel bans and the World Health Organization declaring it a public health emergency, the death toll continues to rise. Now, it's not only affecting people's health, but every aspect of society

Coming up on Football Today, how is the coronavirus affecting football?

Guests:

Jonathan White (@jmawhite) is the Senior Production Editor at the South China Morning Post.

Cameron Wilson (@cameronwef) is the founder of Wild East Football and lives in Shanghai.

www.FootballTodayPodcast.com

Are Spurs Stuck in the Past? Feb 05, 2020

Show notes

On Sunday, Tottenham managed to pull off an unlikely victory over Manchester City, putting them in prime position to break into the top four of the Premier League. But although they won, the chasm between the two teams was notable.

It is now three months since Jose Mourinho came into the club. But do Spurs really look like a team who are taking the next step?

In this episode, we cast an eye over goings-on at new White Hart Lane and ask: are Spurs stuck in the past?

We're joined by Nathan Clark (@NathanAClark), an analyst working in media and football and Seb Stafford-Bloor (@SebSB),a journalist whose work can primarily be found at Tifo Football, FourFourTwo and Football365.

www.FootballTodayPodcast.com

Paolo Dybala Unmasked Feb 03, 2020

Show notes

After a rough season last year, Paolo Dybala is back. Through 20 games he has 5 goals and 8 assists for Serie A leaders Juventus.

However, as 2020 begins could he be on the move? Today we talk with Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) who recently traveled to Turin to interview the Juventus star for the Guardian. He spoke to Dybala about his future, why he feels more Polish than Italian and the reason he's having a renaissance season.

www.FootballTodayPodcast.com

Bombs, Referees and Match-fixing: Cyprus' fight to purify football Jan 31, 2020

Show notes

For more than a decade Cyprus football has been plagued by bomb attacks, match-fixing and corruption.

But new allegations of match-fixing and recent attacks have energized football authorities and government officials to clean up the game. Can they? Or will these deep-rooted issues persist? We examine that and more.

Guest:

Jonathan Shkurko (@JonathanShkurko) Journalist/Cyprus Mail

Twitter: @FT_podcast_

www.FootballTodayPodcast.com

Courtesy of our friends at Classic Football Shirts (@classicshirts), we're giving away this 2019/20 Parma away shirt!

To enter:

1. Follow us on Twitter

2. Retweet this post

3. Tag a friend in the comments

When did God become so important at Liverpool Football Club? Jan 29, 2020

Show notes

Earlier in the month, Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker posted a video of himself and teammate Roberto Firmino on Instagram.

Nothing surprising there, you might think. But in this video, Alisson was baptising Firmino.

Having seen the video, the Athletic's Simon Hughes (@Simon_Hughes__) wanted to dig a little deeper into the topic of religion and football, asking the question: how did religion come to play such an important role at Liverpool Football Club?

In this episode, Simon joins us to tell us what he learned.

Twitter: @FT_podcast_

www.FootballTodayPodcast.com

Courtesy of our friends at Classic Football Shirt (@classicshirts), we're giving away this 2019/20 Parma away shirt!

To enter:

1. Follow us on Twitter

2. Retweet this post

3. Tag a friend in the comments

A Trip To Quique Setien's Hometown Jan 27, 2020

Show notes

Richard Fitzpatrick (Bleacher Report) tells us about his recent trip to Barcelona manager, Quique Setien's hometown of Liencres.

Courtesy of our friends at Classic Football Shirt (@classicshirts), we're giving away this 2019/20 Parma away shirt!

To enter:

1. Follow us on Twitter

2. Retweet this post

3. Tag a friend in the comments

Has West Ham Lost its Soul? Jan 24, 2020

Show notes

On January 19th, 2010, David Sullivan and David Gold bought their hometown club West Ham United, saving it from financial ruin. They then pledged they'd turn the club around and take it to new heights.

Fast forward to last Saturday and instead of celebrating their 10th anniversary, West Ham's owners were greeted by fan protests. Now, the club sit in 17th place, mired in a relegation fight, just like the day they bought it.

Today we look at the last decade and ask, has West Ham United lost its soul?

Guest:

Roshane Thomas (@RoshaneSport) West Ham Correspondent/ The Athletic

Twitter: @FT_podcast_

www.FootballTodayPodcast.com

Not on yer head, son! How Scotland is tackling head injury in football Jan 22, 2020

Show notes

For years, there have been tentative links made between heading and neurodegenerative diseases.

Following the release of a report that suggests those links are increasingly credible, the Scottish FA have decided to take a stance on the issue.

In this episode, we look at the SFA’s proposed ban on heading in youth football and ask: is this the best approach to preventing head injuries in football?

We're joined by Chris McLaughlin (@BBCchrismclaug), the sports correspondent at BBC Scotland (@BBCSportScot) who broke the story, and John Curtis (@JCurtisSoccer), a former player, USSF A Licence coach and the founder of the National Centre of Excellence Programme, who has experienced similar rule changes in the United States.

Twitter: @FT_Podcast_

www.FootballTodayPodcast.com

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