Football Today

Music:

The music for this episode was provided under the Creative Commons license by Blue Dot Sessions.

The Summit by K2

Junca by Orange Cat

Highway 94 by Truck Stop

Cases to Rest by Bodytonic

Cicle Veroni by Cicle Kadde

Wahre by Cloud Harbour

Peacetime by TinyTiny Trio

Why Brazilian Fans Are Falling Out Love With Their National Team Nov 16, 2020

Show notes

If you go back to the mid-2000s which was the coolest football team in the world?

Was it Mourinho's Chelsea? Maybe Fergie's United or Madrid's Galacticos? Or possibly Ancelotti's Milan?

For me and millions others, there was only one answer…. It was the Brazilian national team Brazil had it all. It had the Nike 'Joga Bonito’ commercials, it had the likes of Roberto Carlos, Ronaldinho, and Ronaldo, it had the step overs, and of course, it had the classic yellow shirts.

It was mesmerizing and millions around the world agreed. Within a decade the Brazilian national team would be touring the world entertaining fans from Switzerland to Singapore.

But all good things in life come at a cost.

Today, we ask: Are Brazilian fans falling out love with their national team?

Guests:

Joshua Law (@JoshuaMLaw) is a freelance writer and was previously an editor of Yellow and Green football, which focuses on Brazilian football.

Steve Menary (@MenarySteve) is a freelance journalist and contributes to World Soccer and When Saturday Comes.

Support Us:

Music:

The music for this episode was provided under the Creative Commons license by Blue Dot Sessions.

‘The Summit’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Copper Halls’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Three Stories’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Castor Wheel Pivot’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Rose Ornamental’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Solemn Application’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Peacetime’ by Blue Dot Sessions

Clips used: Nike, Fox Sports, FIFA, ESPN Classic

Do We Still Need International Football in 2020? Nov 12, 2020

Show notes

In 1872, two football teams met together at Hamilton Crescent in Partick to play a football match.

In the end, neither England nor Scotland would do enough to win the game which ended in a 0-0 draw. But international football had been born.

Nearly 150 years later, international football continues to take place. But football has changed irrevocably.

In that time, the domestic game has outstripped its international counterpart and many fans consider international football an annoyance to be endured rather than the pinnacle of the sport.

In this episode, we ask: do we still need international football in 2020?

Guests:

Jonathan Liew (@jonathanliew) is a Sports Writer at The Guardian.

Grant Jendo (@odneJ) is a Scotland fan and has written for World Football Index (@WorldFootballi).

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Music:

The music for this episode was provided under the Creative Commons license by Blue Dot Sessions.

Topslides by Blue Dot Sessions

Drizzle by Blue Dot Sessions

Cab Ride by Blue Dot Sessions

Nesting by Blue Dot Sessions

Lost Shoe by Blue Dot Sessions

Walking Shoes by Blue Dot Sessions

Why Real Sociedad's Success Shouldn't Surprise You Nov 09, 2020

Show notes

If you look around Europe you'll see some unlikely clubs leading their domestic leagues. Leicester City sits atop the Premier League, AC Milan leads Serie A, but maybe the biggest surprise is in Spain…

Through 9 rounds, Real Sociedad are in pole position in La Liga. The club boasts the most prolific offense and the league's top goalscorer.

Today we analyze La Real's start and ask: what makes this Real Sociedad team so special?

Guest:

Alexandra Jonson (@AlexandraJonson) is a freelance journalist and covers Spanish football.

Support Us:

Music:

The music for this episode was provided under the Creative Commons license by Blue Dot Sessions.

‘The Summit’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Copper Halls’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Three Stories’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Castor Wheel Pivot’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Rose Ornamental’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Solemn Application’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Peacetime’ by Blue Dot Sessions

Clips used: Premier Sports, Eleven Sports, Bein Sports, ESPN, Sky Sports, La Liga

When Football Disappeared From Argentina Nov 05, 2020

Show notes

Today, England began its second national lockdown. Meanwhile, 7,000 miles away, Argentina entered it's 231st straight day in lockdown or partial lockdown, the longest streak in the world.

Unlike Britons, Argentinians haven't had domestic football as an escape from the mundane. So what happens, when you cross a football-mad country, with a 7-month lockdown and no football?

Today we ask, what happened when football disappeared from Argentina?

Guest:

Daniel Edwards is a writer for Goal and the Buenos Aires Times.

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Music:

The music for this episode was provided under the Creative Commons license by Blue Dot Sessions.

‘Valantis’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Tuck and Point’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Algea Trio’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Steadfast’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Rodney Skopes’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Peacetime’ by Blue Dot Sessions

Clips used: Al Jeezera, Roja Directa, Copa90, Ultras Avanti

Do Elite Players Make Elite Managers? Nov 02, 2020

Show notes

One year ago, Andrea Pirlo was just beginning his UEFA Pro License course, at Italy's famed coaching school, Coverciano. Now one year later he's learning on the job in the Champions League and Serie A.

In the last 2+ years, we've seen Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer all signed by big clubs despite having limited prior success or experience.

Today we ask: do elite players make elite managers?

Guest:

Alex Stewart (@AFHStewart) is a Senior Content Strategist for The Athletic and covers tactics for Tifo Football (@TifoFootball_).

Les Ferdinand is the Director of Football for QPR and was an elite player for Tottenham, QPR and Newcastle amongst others…

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Music:

The music for this episode was provided under the Creative Commons license by Blue Dot Sessions.

‘JoDon’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘La Inglesa’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Gullwing Sailor’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Fifteen Street’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Milkwood’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Step in Step Out’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Lobo Lobo’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Peacetime’ by Blue Dot Sessions

Clips used: BT Sport, Totally Football Show, ESPN, Juventus

Who is Roberto De Zerbi? Oct 29, 2020

Show notes

Three seasons ago, Benevento were in trouble in Serie A. 14 games into the season, they had 14 losses to their name.

But then, the most unlikely thing happened... A 2-2 draw with Rino Gatusso’s Milan stopped the rot and gave Benevento a chance of turning things around.

In the end, it wasn’t to be, but their manager that day, Roberto De Zerbi, had done enough to impress another club, Sassuolo, and, when Benevento eventually went down, De Zerbi made the move North.

Since then, De Zerbi has impressed and his Sassuolo currently find themselves third in the Serie A table.

In this episode, we ask: who is Roberto De Zerbi? And how good are his Sassuolo side?

Guest:

Nicki Bandini (@NickyBandini) is a sports writer and broadcaster specialising in European football and she appears regularly in the Guardian, ESPN, Talksport and elsewhere.

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Music:

The music for this episode was provided under the Creative Commons license by Blue Dot Sessions.

Neon Drip - RadioPink

Mood Unit - Kittyhawk

Closet Interlude - Union Hall

Deixa - Orange Cat

Pastel de Nata - Orange Cat

The Provisions - K4

Peacetime - TinyTiny Trio

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly: The State of Football in 2020 Oct 26, 2020

Show notes

If you were in a coma for the last month, you might be waking up today, wondering what in the world has happened to football.

On the pitch, Everton is top of table, Aston Villa is in the top four and both Manchester clubs are in the bottom half of the table.

Off the pitch, Premier League games are being played on PPV, people are talking about something called Project Big Picture, there are suggestions of B-teams in the lower leagues, hundred-year-old clubs are on the brink of financial ruin and a European Super League is being discussed.

October has been one of the craziest months, in the craziest year, in recent history. But the year is nearly finished and 2020 has seen the game transformed in unimaginable ways.

Today, we zoom out and look at the wider trends in football and ask: what is the state of football in 2020?

Guest:

David Goldblatt(@Davidsgoldblatt) is an author, journalist, historian, and academic. His latest book is The Age of Football: The Global Game in the 21st Century.

Support Us:

Music:

The music for this episode was provided under the Creative Commons license by Blue Dot Sessions.

‘More Weather’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘The Records’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Dialtone 11’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Tanguedo’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Wisteria’ by Blue Dot Sessions

‘Peacetime’ by Blue Dot Sessions

Would an Ultras Culture Benefit English Football? Oct 22, 2020

Show notes

I don’t know about you but I’m finding it harder and harder to be a football fan.

It’s not that I’m not enjoying the standard of football - the quality of the elite game has probably never been better across the top European divisions.

It’s just that I feel increasingly disconnected from the whole charade.

Every year, elite football feels more oriented around the spectacular: it is a show that I am invited to view from a distance but one in which I am less and less able to take part.

I want to feel like a fan again. I want to be part of a community. I want to feel like I belong.

In this episode, I tried to get to the heart of the question: does English football need a more active fan culture?

Guests:

Stevie Green (@StevieGreenXI) is a writer, editor and podcaster, and a member of Clapton Community Football Club.

Mark Doidge (@markdoidge) is a Principal Research Fellow at the University of Brighton focuses on the sociology of European football fan cultures. He is also a fan of Whitehawk FC.

Support Us:

Music:

The music for this episode was provided under the Creative Commons license by Blue Dot Sessions.

Slate Tracker - Glacier Quartet - Araby

Willow Belle - Little Rock

Easement - The Bulwark

JoDon - Orange Cat

Rapids - Grey River

Setting Pace - Duck Lake

Peacetime - TinyTiny Trio

Women in Football: Are Conditions Improving? Oct 19, 2020

Show notes

On Saturday in Manchester City's game against Arsenal Sergio Aguero grabbed a lineswoman's neck. Some people on Twitter criticized his actions as sexist.

Often these moments aren't captured on camera in front of millions. More commonly gender discrimination happens in offices, training grounds and board rooms.

How common is gender discrimination in football? How supported are women who suffer from abuse or harassment?

Today, we analyze Women in Football's landmark survey and ask: what are working conditions like for women in football?

Guest:

Ebru Köksal (@ebrukoksal1) Chair, Women in Football. You can read more about their landmark survey here.

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