Second Captains @ The Irish Times

We had a lot of fun talking about Messi and Maguire this week, and if you want to join in go to secondcaptains.com/join. Its a fiver a month, with no contracts and no obligations, so give it a whirl.This week's taster menu includes Ken V Murph + Eoin on Messi the "ashen faced choker", the brilliant Sid Lowe on the reality that Messi could fail big at his next club, Harry The Greek, and one of our favourite contributors, Caitlin Thompson of Racquet Magazine, on player walkouts in the NBA. MLS, WNBA, MLB and tennis. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bayern Munich have won their sixth Champions League, becoming the first team to win every game on the way to becoming champions of Europe.Hansi Flick took risks, got lucky, and won the treble. For Thomas Tuchel there can only be regrets. Are there any obvious candidates to succeed him as PSG manager? Richie Sadlier and Jonathan Wilson join us to analyse the game. Have the players adapted to the post-fans reality a little too well? Is the job spec for coaches at the biggest clubs changing? And what's the next move for PSG's stars?There's also some initial reaction to Stephen Kenny's first squad announcement as Ireland manager.It's a big week for us at Second Captains with our new international investigative podcast series coming to BBC Sounds this Thursday, August 27th. We're excited to say you can hear the full trailer for Where Is George Gibney? on today's show. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Barcelona have been in slow decline since 2017, but the annual Champions League knockout reminders get more traumatic every year. What needs to happen now? Where can they go from here? And can anyone stop the march to the final of Bayern's eminence grise, Thomas Goal-ler? Eh? Thomas Goal-ler? Meanwhile Man City have Pepped it up again. Why does Guardiola do this to himself? Can Sterling ever live the miss down? And what are the prospects of Pep turning this around? We talk to Raphael Honigstein and Miguel Delaney about those incredible Champions League quarter-finals. Why are German coaches leading the way in Europe? Has Guardiola betrayed his own principles? And how would they each solve a problem like Messi? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Second Captains Snifter Time!We chat to former GAA dual star Jamie Wall about sliding doors moments, a life changing diagnosis and why the constant pursuit of happiness is sure to lead to misery.Brian Murphy was the perfect man to talk to about the USPGA because not only did he predict Colinn Morikawa would win it, it’s also his local course, and he covered it for the New York Times. All of this made for a happy US Murph.Plus Ken has been covering the Champions League, and enjoying the Champions League, which is turning out to be a very tasty tournament.To hear daily Second Captains shows, plus access to years of archive go to secondcaptains.com/join - its a fiver a month with no contracts, no obligations, no minimum sign up... just top top top broadcasting. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The time horizons of the final stages of the 2020 Champions League have been compressed from six weeks down to 12 days. The competition has to make up for lost time. Meanwhile for a generation of stars, time is running out.For David Silva, who has one last chance to win it with Manchester City. For Robert Lewandowski, whose hopes of winning the Ballon D'Or were dashed by France Football's decision to cancel the 2020 award. Lewandowski's stunning achievement in almost single-handedly defeating Frank Lampard's effervescent Chelsea would surely have been enough on its own to seal the award. And most dramatically of all for Lionel Messi, whose Barcelona look hopelessly outgunned in their quarter-final fixture against Bayern, but nevertheless still have a chance because he plays for them.Time has already run out this year for Cristiano Ronaldo, whose Juventus were knocked out in the second round by Lyon. We're joined by The Athletic's James Horncastle to analyse where things went wrong for Maurizio Sarri, what we

Danny Rose has been one of the most outspoken and arresting voices in English football for the last number of years, and he’s our guest today on The Players Chair - as Richie Sadlier and Ken Early present a change to our regular Second Captains World Service Monday schedule. In this exclusive interview with Richie, we hear Danny’s thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement, and we focus on the incidents of racism he still faces as a premier league footballer going about his daily life. We also discuss why he can't wait to see the back of his football career, the reason he wants another season at Tottenham and why he speaks up on social issues in society and football.And as well as all that, we also find time to briefly touch on Mikel Arteta jumping into the brawny, welcoming arms of serial winner David Luiz ahead of tomorrow’s Football show on the world service. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Premier League is over, and with Man United and Chelsea securing Champions League football it’s time for some seriously vindicated managers to remind the critics that they don’t get everything right either. We try to understand why a zippy zephyr like David Silva has completed his career in England unadorned with individual awards while individual honours pile up at the hairy feet of Hendo. Jacob Steinberg and Jack Pitt-Brooke join us to talk about the climax to the Premier League. With Chelsea spending big what is the outlook for Lampard’s Littl’uns? Can the likes of Spurs meet this renewed challenge from Chelsea? And can Jack finally show Ken the light, David Silva-wise?Plus there's plucky underdogs Man United, Aaron "lightning" Connolly, Grealish goodness and faith healers. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

David Luiz had a busy weekend with his last ditch tackles, accurate passes, aerial dominance, classy interviews and of course silencing all the losers and the haters out there. The debate is over, surely? Richie Sadlier wades into the deep end.The really big news in football land is that lovely lovely Leeds and their genius coach Marcelo Bielsa, are back in the big time. We chat to Phil Hay of The Athletic about Bielsa's remarkable impact at the club, the end of a 16 year journey, and the ambitions they have for next season.Nigel Pearson is out the door at Watford with two league games to go, but have the club really made the right choice? Plus there's Pearson's passengers, John O'Shea's big surprise and Richie Sadlier on playing your way to the chop. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jack Charlton was the most popular Englishman in Irish history, and the news of his death on Saturday morning came as a huge blow to so many people. Today we look back at his career as Irish manager, his upbringing in Ashington, near Newcastle in his beloved north-east of England, his relationship with his brother Bobby, and his enduring love of this country. We speak to his biographer Colin Young about the Jack that he grew to know, his personal warmth, his humility, and his solidarity with the mining communities of his birthplace. And there’s young Eoin interviewing Jack in 2005 - the unabridged version. We discuss the value of a man with a plan coming into a culture of failure, and how Jack made people love a style of football that opponents hated. Amidst it all there was Dunphy, Giles, letters to the editor… and we take a moment to appreciate how lucky we were to have lived through it all. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Manchester City breathe the sweet air of freedom after UEFA's FFP case against them collapsed at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. In the short term, the race for the top four suddenly got a lot more exciting. In the medium term, the future for City, for their coach and top players, is looking much more optimistic. In the long term - the repercussions could be huge.We're joined by Tariq Panja of the New York Times and Miguel Delaney of the Independent to discuss the verdict.Where does the credibility of UEFA's enforcement stand after this verdict? What's the future for the FFP system? Is this a decisive moment in revealing where the power really lies in European football?Plus there's Jack's story, Brendan's bombs and a possible final day face off between Leicester and Man Utd. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Buckle up non members, its time for your weekly World Service test drive.Ken on Vardy's heel, Stephen Kenny's ambition, Man United's (he believes well founded) hope of overtaking Man City next year, and being up at the crack of noon.Plus there's beef and beefs with Bryson DeChambeau, US Murph on NBA in the Covid 19 hot seat and Mahomes' massive money contract, Brosnan does Robin Hood, Connell's GAA twin and Bobby Bonilla day.Its 5 euro a month, no contracts, no obligations - just daily podcast fun. Go to secondcaptains.com/join. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today the Second Captains listeners take centre stage, whether in the form of original music, outstanding Rory Best impersonations or the bumper mailbag on last week's racial-bias-in-commentary discussion that prompts a struggle session for Ken. Fortunately for him, the conscientious self-criticism can be softened with the reassuring balm of some fresh Frank Lampard content. Jonathan Wilson and Miguel Delaney join us to talk about the weekend's football. Who deserves the credit for Manchester United's recent resurgence? Where could Jack Grealish fit in to this more promising picture? And what are the chances of United being the best team in Manchester next season? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Welcome to our weekly Second Captains World Service taster menu:Ken covers Frank Lampard's magnificent leadership, Keir Starmer's defund the police stance and on Friday will discuss Man City Liverpool and Bruno Fernandes' impact at Man Utd.All-Ireland winning Clare hurler and Fulbright Scholar at Harvard Shane O'Donnell on Friday Night Lights and the burden of being a sports star at a young age.What is the function of anger and how has it become the most powerful emotional influence on our politics and economics? Ken talks to the author of Angrynomics, Eric Lonergan.And Irish sprinter Leon Reid, who grew up in England, first in a “crack den” with a drug addicted mother, then in foster homes, on how he finally found a stable home life with his adoptive mother Claire Russell.For the full feast of shows go to secondcaptains.com/join - no contracts, no obligations, no minimum sign up, just a fiver a month for access to all our archives, all new shows, Richie Sadlier's Player's Chair (Andy Cole, Luke Chadwick, Sea

In 1956 a young Senator named John F Kennedy wrote a bestselling book, Profiles In Courage, about eight times American political leaders had demonstrated outstanding courage, leadership and integrity in the line of duty. The collection of inspirational stories about inspirational men would win the Pulitzer Prize for Biography.It is a pity Kennedy was shot dead in 1963, for if he were still alive today the 103-year-old ex-President would at this very moment be sitting at his desk composing a ninth Profile in Courage, to be added to an all-new edition of his classic work, as the only fitting way to mark Frank Lampard's triple substitution at Leicester City yesterday afternoon.After paying our own humble respects to the deeds that took place at the King Power yesterday we talk to Richie Sadlier about how much political activism was going on in the Millwall dressing room 20 years ago, and what he has made of the tortured efforts to get Irish football going again. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out info

Ahoy Liverpool fans and haters, we have so much to discuss and learn together. After all, its not that long ago that Liverpool were a rabble, and now they are the most dominant Premier League winners English football has ever seen. How did they turn it around so quickly, is it sustainable, and is it mostly down to Klopp?This thimbleful of the Second Captains World Service can be turned into a waterfall by joining for 5 euro a month - no contracts, no obligations, no minimum sign-up, just daily gulps of podcast joy. Go to secondcaptains.com/join See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

David turns the polytunnel into a musical recording studio for an emotional final Tops Off Thursday.Join the World Service now for just €5 + VAT a month: www.secondcaptains.com/join/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The solstice has passed and David begins the slow trudge into Winter’s loveless arms. Contains the inspirational story of Randall the Starling and the truth about David's listener emails.Join the World Service now for just €5 + VAT a month: www.secondcaptains.com/join/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We can bet that Roy Keane might not be waiting too long to sign a contract for his TV punditry services next season, the legendary former United captain having worked out that when analysing goalkeeping errors, "I'd be throwing punches at that guy" generates more engagement than "He'll be disappointed with that."Contrasting Keane's words and demeanour with those of a much younger footballer in a different interview over the weekend, we talk about how and why young footballers today sound so different from their counterparts of 20 years ago. Then we're joined by David Sneyd and Mark Critchley to talk about the Premier League weekend. How has behind-closed-doors football been to cover? Was Roy Keane for real? And is it really taxi time for David De Gea? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ken makes surely his last ever defence of David Luiz's defending by attacking the people who attack Luiz.Plus the Premier League starts for real this weekend and the voice of the greatest moment in Irish sport, George Hamilton, tells us about that time a nation held its breath.Join now for a fiver - no contracts, no obligations, no ads - just heaps of podcast fun at secondcaptains.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It’s Tops Off Thursday and Susan The Satanic Hare has tried to murder David.Join the World Service now for just €5 + VAT a month: www.secondcaptains.com/join/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.