Ranks FC - A Football Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Ranking the Most Important Player for Premier League Front-Runners Nov 15, 2023

Show notes

Hello Rank Squad!

We're delighted to welcome back Ranks FC Head Coach Harry Brooks for today's episode, in which we're taking a look at the Premier League's current Top Five teams and examining which player is the most important for each of their respective ambitions this season.

It's a journey that takes us through all parts of the pitch, with Harry analysing why each of his picks is the most important member of the team for Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City respectively.

There's also a discussion on why it's hard to pick one for Manchester United, and a look at some other players who are very clearly the MVP on their own teams.

There's a Things We Love first, where Dean discusses the call-up for Cole Palmer to Gareth Southgate's England Squad, and Jack goes deep on why Girona's incredible start in La Liga could be something more - and why it should be given more respect.

And we wrap things up with a bit of a play on Hot Takes, examining a viral tweet from the weekend which picked the Best XI in World Football right now on both talent and form.

It's Ranks!

And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon?

Champions League Takeaway: United's Copenhagen Nightmare, Group F for Fun, Benfica in Trouble, Brahim the Boy, Griezmann Shines Again, Barcelona Wobbling, Arsenal's Dovetailing Trio & Everything Else Nov 08, 2023

Show notes

Hello Rank Squad!

It's time for another Champions League Takeaway - a midweek bonus meal on all the week's UCL action. The biggest competition in Europe returned for Matchday 4, and we’re amongst it to take a look at the action from both Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

We start with Wednesday's action, with three big takeaways on Manchester United's visit to the Theatre of Nightmares in Copenhagen, Benfica coach Roger Schmidt being in trouble, and Brahim stepping into Bellingham's boots at the Bernabeu, before rounding up the rest of the action.

Then in Part Two, we take a look at Tuesday - talking the sheer chaotic fun of Group F after it flipped on its head when Borussia Dortmund beat Newcastle, Antoine Griezmann being a class apart as he tore apart Celtic, and Barcelona having something of a wobble, and then run through everything else that happened too.

It’s Ranks!

If you want to take advantage of our free trial going on on Patreon right now, why not join us at patreon.com/ranksfc?

Ranking Football Records Ready To Be Broken Nov 08, 2023

Show notes

Hello Rank Squad!

We're back to look at something a little more abstract this week, having a look at the season so far and seeing where we think records might be broken in the year ahead.

There's a discussion on whether Harry Kane could break Robert Lewandowski's Bundesliga goal record (or a more obscure one currently held by a former Japanese international), when Erling Haaland will become the fastest player to score 50 Premier League goals, whether Nice can become the best defensive team in Ligue 1 history, which plaques Lamine Yamal will next add to his already-ridiculous records haul, and if James Ward-Prowse will overtake his hero David Beckham for the most PL free-kicks scored.

Before all that, we take 15 minutes to break down the madness that occurred on Monday night between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea; and in Part Three, there's a Gibberish spin on the main ranking, with Jack finding some fun obscure records that you might not have heard of.

It's Ranks!

Ranking New Transfer Targets in 2024 Nov 01, 2023

Show notes

Hello Rank Squad!

There's some new names firmly in the transfer conversations as we speed towards the end of 2023, with previously unavailable players and ones who have emerged as major talents now amongst the most coveted targets on the planet.

We discuss what the future looks like for Victor Osimhen, Arthur Vermeeren, Aaron Ramsdale, Florian Wirtz and Serhou Guirassy, and which clubs lead the way in terms of their interest.

And, of course, after Lionel Messi won his 8th Ballon d'Or yesterday, there's time for us to reflect on the ceremony and the rankings, throw around some entertaining Messi facts, and for Jack to bring back the poems for another Ode to the King.

It's Ranks!

Champions League Takeaway: La Masia Powering Barca Again, Jesus' Seville Miracles, PSG Move Through the Gears, Redemption Night at Old Trafford, UCL Classics, Brais Mendez & Everything Else Oct 25, 2023

Show notes

Hello Rank Squad!

It's time for another Champions League Takeaway - a midweek bonus meal on all the week's UCL action. The biggest competition in Europe returned after the international break, and we’re amongst it to take a look at the action from both Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

We start with Tuesday's action, with three big takeaways on La Masia powering Barcelona once again, Newcastle & Dortmund giving us a UCL game for the ages, and PSG moving through the gears against Milan before rounding up the rest of the action.

Then in Part Two, we take a look at Wednesday - talking Manchester United's problems despite the win (and some positives), Gabi Jesus turning on Champions League mode, the emergence of Brais Mendez for Real Sociedad, and then run through everything else that happened too.

It’s Ranks!

If you want to take advantage of our free trial going on on Patreon right now, why not join us at patreon.com/ranksfc?

Ranking the MLS Cup Playoffs Oct 25, 2023

Show notes

Hello Rank Squad!

We're going Stateside for today's podcast, with the MLS postseason kicking off this week. Our MLS correspondent and writer Owen Murray is back on the pod to talk through his favourites to lift the trophy, some wild card picks to watch, and the games you can't be missing as we head into crunch time over the next month or so.

Before that, Dean and Jack have Things We Love, where Dean discusses Ange Postecoglou's revolution at Tottenham Hotspur, and Jack raves about Sergio Ramos' performance for Sevilla against former club Real Madrid at the weekend.

And it's something slightly different to round it off - with Jack & Dean keeping the MLS flavour by picking three players each we'd like to see Stateside for next year's league.

It's Ranks!

Ranking the Ballon d'Or Contenders for 2022/23 Oct 18, 2023

Show notes

Hello Rank Squad!

It's that time of year again, where the crème de la crème of world football dust out the old tuxedos and head for Paris for the glittering Ballon d'Or ceremony - the home of the famous incident where Virgil van Dijk was once asked if he wears aftershave on the pitch by some eejits.

We look through the 30 man shortlist for football's most prestigious individual prize and whittle it down to 10, before giving our thoughts on the ranking of the top 10 footballers in the world last year.

Will Lionel Messi claim his 8th trophy? Will Erling Haaland's ridiculous goal record put him on top of the pile? Or could World Cup Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappé finally get his hands on the trophy after his sixth nomination - a reminder that he's only 24.

We look through it all, and the best of the rest. It's Ranks!

Ranking the Best Players in Europe This Season Oct 11, 2023

Show notes

Hello Rank Squad!

With the wheels on Europe's top five leagues squealing to a halt as we hit the second international break of the season, we thought it would be an interesting time to sit back and reflect on what's gone on so far this year, and which players have stood out.

So, we've taken a look through the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga and Ligue 1, to pick out the best player so far in each competition, and then stack them against each other to decide Europe's best so far - with a little help from our brilliant Ranks Community.

There's a Things We Love, where Dean discusses the competitiveness of the Premier League this season, and Jack talks about two young Andalusian starlets in Bryan Zaragoza of Granada, and Assane Diao of Real Betis; before Hot Takes brings us some thoughts on Federico Valverde, and the future of Lamine Yamal.

It's Ranks!

Our Patreon community get two extra episodes a week, access to our brilliant Discord server, and loads more from us here at Ranks FC. Free trials are open, so why not give it a whirl?

Champions League Takeaway: United Return to Hell, The Saka Situation, Heartbreak in Berlin, PSG - Pretty Sensational Geordies, Atleti Getting it Done & Everything Else Oct 04, 2023

Show notes

Hello Rank Squad!

It's time for another Champions League Takeaway - a midweek bonus meal on all the week's UCL action. The biggest competition in European football returned to it's chaotic best, and we’re amongst it to take a look at the action from both Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

We start with Tuesday's action, with three big takeaways on Manchester United's lack of streetwise nous, Arteta's decision to play an injured Bukayo Saka, and perhaps the best game of the season between Union Berlin and SC Braga, before rounding up the rest of the action.

Then in Part Two, we take a look at Wednesday - talking Newcastle's demolition job on PSG at St. James' Park, Atleti continuing to get the job done whatever the weather, and Dortmund & Milan playing out one of the maddest 0-0 draws you will ever see, and then run through everything else that happened too.

It’s Ranks!

If you want to take advantage of our free trial going on on Patreon right now, why not join us at patreon.com/ranksfc?

Sacking or Saving Europe's Under-Fire Managers (v3) Oct 04, 2023

Show notes

Hello Rank Squad!

It's tough out there as a manager. You can be winning trophies and be the designated Chosen One one minute, and then on the verge of losing your job the next. It's tough, it's brutal, but it's the way football works, so we wanted to revisit an old staple and take a look at some of the managers under the cosh this season, and what the future holds for them.

We visit Jose Mourinho at Roma, Erik ten Hag at Manchester United, Maurizio Sarri at Lazio, Sean Dyche at Everton, Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth, and Maurice Steijn at Ajax, to take a look at what their situations are right now and assess whether they have the potential to turn things round at their respective clubs.

Before that though, we take a look back at last week's episode and how the teams we discussed have fared since, and in our Hot Takes section this week, Saber from Sydney throws around an idea as to how to stop time-wasting and make football more efficient.

It's Ranks!