Blood Red: The Liverpool Fc Podcast

Our latest tour diary from America comes direct from our reporting team's hotel - which, given the swelteringly hot temperatures outside, is probably the wisest decision. But is it the wisest decision for Sunday night's clash between Liverpool and Sevilla at Fenway Park to go-ahead? Ian Doyle and Kristian Walsh discuss that before turning their attentions to the Reds' owners FSG, for whom the second friendly of the club's stay in the States will be a particularly proud moment given where it is taking place. Fitness updates on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Nathaniel Clyne and Bobby Duncan follow before talk turns to the fan event at the House of Blues on Saturday night that underlined why Liverpool is a unique club - and why social media plays a big part in that. And then there is the little matter of the interviews Ian and Kristian have conducted with Reds boss Jurgen Klopp, which will be going live on the Liverpool ECHO and liverpool.com sites in the coming days. But, for now, enjoy this podcast, and then enjoy t

Liverpool's first of three matches during their stay in the States ended in defeat in the early hours of Saturday morning (UK time) as they lost an exciting contest with Jurgen Klopp's former club Borussia Dortmund 3-2 at the Notre Dame Stadium in Indiana. There were positives and negatives, which are discussed in this, the Post-Game podcast, which features the verdict of our Liverpool FC reporter Ian Doyle, and then Reds boss Klopp's full press conference in full, which place after the match. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ian Doyle and Kristian Walsh have made it to Notre Dame, Indiana for Liverpool’s opening US friendly and, despite a nightmare couple of days, and despite it being 11.42pm at night, they got straight down to business and recorded this, their second tour diary since landing in the States. It’s a belter. With the strains of Si Señor, You’ll Never Walk Alone and Yellow Submarine playing in the background after a fan event, our duo are joined by a familiar voice to our listeners, Neil Jones of Goal, to look back at Jurgen Klopp’s press conference that took place earlier in the day. Klopp was in, great form and our panel assess his comments about Liverpool’s Premier League rivals, James Milner and Sepp van den Berg. Also on the agenda is the growth – literally – of Ki-Jana Hoever and the position Klopp was talking about when he spoke this week of making one more signing. Without giving the game away, it’s not a striker, and while Neil and Kristian wonder whether that’s the right move, they also explain Klopp’s thin

With Ian Doyle and Kristian Walsh out in America for Liverpool's US tour, and our reporters back at base ready to work some strange hours indeed, we've got your Friday edition of the Blood Red podcast in the can early. Hosted by Sean Bradbury, and featuring Connor Dunn and Theo Squires, we ask and answer the key questions we believe Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp will look to answer in America. We also take listener questions left on our Twitter page and our Blood Red podcast Facebook group page (which you join by clicking HERE). The agenda includes who is the first-choice back-up up front, where Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will play and what the midfield should look like, Joe Gomez or Joel Matip to partner Virgil van Dijk at the back, who could go, and just which position we think Klopp was talking about when he said he needs to fill one more role. Enjoy. And we'll have plenty coverage from the States in the coming days. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy Learn more about your ad

So the Reds have touched down Stateside ahead of gearing up for the upcoming title challenge in the Premier League. But away from Jurgen Klopp’s touring party are a few notable absentees - one of those being one of his high-flying wingers, who rather than check back in for pre-season is still focused on landing yet more silverware. Just 20 days after the Reds lifted number six in Madrid, the Africa Cup of Nations began. Hosted in Mo Salah’s homeland, the Egyptian King returned home heading up a trio of Reds to feature in the competition - along with Naby Keita and Sadio Mane. Only one remains standing, as Mane’s Senegal face Algeria in Friday’s showpiece final. In this special offering, here on the Blood Red channel, we be delve into the key talking points of the tournament as new signing Guy Clarke is joined by African football expert Ed Dove to discuss the following: Salah leading the Egypt charge, only to suffer a shock elimination in the round of 16; just how Sadio Mane has taken Senegal to their maiden A

He may have two La Liga titles, a Copa Del Rey and a Spanish Super Cup to his name, but privately at least, Philippe Coutinho must have regrets at the way his move from Liverpool to Barcelona has worked out. But while the man Reds fans affectionately dubbed the Little Magician has struggled in Catalonia, back on Merseyside his former club have gone from strength to strength, a rapid and significant improvement that culminated in the triumphant Champions League campaign, which of course, included that famous semi-final success over Coutinho’s Barcelona. To all intents and purposes, Liverpool have moved on from the Brazil international, but if the comments made by his agent Kia Joorabchian are anything to go by, Coutinho hasn’t quite moved on from Liverpool. So much so that if the 27-year-old does indeed call time on his 18-month stay with Barcelona this summer, the Reds would be his only destination of choice if he was to return to the Premier League. But do Liverpool need him? Would he be welcomed back? And w

This was supposed to be our 'arrival' podcast at Liverpool's South Bend training base in Indiana. But missed and delayed flights mean Ian Doyle and Kristian Walsh, at the time of recording, find themselves hanging around in LaGuardia Airport. But their desperation for a well-deserved pint aside, the pair are in chipper mood as they provide their first tour diary entry from America. On the agenda, apart from the weather, in-flight entertainment, and kicking toddlers (not actually kicking toddlers), is the venue for the Reds' opening friendly, the difference between now and tours past and why no member of Jurgen Klopp's squad is likely to be pulled away from training for a Dunkin' Donuts meet and greet, plus the return of some of the big hitters. However, news broke before this podcast was recorded that Klopp will be without his feared front three for a little while longer yet and that leads to an interesting discussion over Rhian Brewster, Harry Wilson and Ryan Kent. Enjoy. For information regarding your dat

Counting down the days until the start of the season? Or still revelling in the fact that Liverpool are champions of Europe and what was a glorious weekend of sport? Allez Les Rouges host Peter Hooton and regular guests Ste Monaghan and John Nicolson are in the latter camp and, judging by Jurgen Klopp's demeanour at the start of pre-season, the Liverpool manager is completely relaxed too. And no wonder when he has young talent ready to burst through like Rhian Brewster. Our panel discuss the 19-year-old's flying start to the summer, and how his setback last season could actually be a blessing in disguise, but also why there is a danger of being branded the next 'big thing'. Klopp has also been boosted by the return of senior players to full fitness but Peter, Ste and John argue that does not mean the Reds can afford to be letting players leave. Talk then turns to transfers and reports linking Philippe Coutinho with a move back to Anfield. When Paul Pogba is valued at £150m by Manchester United, how much would

Hopefully you've heard by now, but we're expanding Blood Red, particularly when it comes to video content. And one of the shows we will be shooting in the coming weeks will be called The Agenda, a bite-sized look at the latest Liverpool news and related news before we serve up some of our established productions, like the Blood Red podcast, later in the day. But with the Reds jetting of to States, we thought it'd be good idea to film and record an early edition of The Agenda, featuring Daniel Austin and Joel Rabinowitz of our brand-new website liverpool.com, which is dedicated to the club’s US fanbase. And we liked it so much that we've also decided to stick it on here, as a podcast, too. On the, er, agenda, is Sepp van den Berg, Andy Lonergan and why it's not the first time the Reds have made a surprise move for a goalkeeper, transfers (or the lack of them), Rhian Brewster and, of course, what lies in store in the States. Admittedly, there's no discussion over Philippe Coutinho or the latest comments from hi

There may have been a Wimbledon classic and a scarcely believable Cricket World Cup final on Sunday but the Blood Red podcast is all about Bradford City 1 Liverpool 3 and the latest talking points from Anfield. In the host seat is Sean Bradbury, and answering the questions are Paul Gorst and Ian Doyle, who kicks things off by assessing the Reds’ pre-season so far. It’s a pre-season that will significantly step up a gear in America, but with trophies on offer so early in the campaign, and the challenge of Manchester City to overcome, is that just what Jurgen Klopp’s side needs? Ryan Kent will certainly be looking to impress in the States but will he be a genuine option for Klopp once the real action gets underway? Ian and Paul discuss that before turning their thoughts to James Milner and what lies in store this season for the evergreen midfielder, ‘proper striker’ Rhian Brewster, and the crossroads Dejan Lovren finds himself at. Also on the agenda is cover at left-back and the goalkeeping issues that have led

Welcome to the Post-Game podcast to react to Liverpool’s win at Bradford City on Sunday afternoon. The 3-1 victory meant Jurgen Klopp’s side continued their perfect start to pre-season after winning 6-0 at Tranmere Rovers on Thursday night. But more important than the result was the fact that the money raised from the friendly will go to the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation, which was launched by former Liverpool and Bradford defender Stephen Darby after he was diagnosed with MND and his subsequent retirement from football last September. It is a subject touched upon by both our Liverpool FC reporter Ian Doyle and Reds manager Klopp in their post-game verdicts, which make up the podcast. We start with Ian – and then we hear from Jurgen, who also talks cover at left-back, Adam Lallana in a new position, and Simon Mignolet’s future.  For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Forty days after the Champions League final - Liverpool are back! Back in style, too, as they swept aside Tranmere Rovers in their opening pre-season firnedly on a night that, according to our Blood Red panel, brimmed with possibilities. And what a panel we have, too, as host Sean Bradbury is joined by Caoimhe O'Neill and the returning Kristian Walsh. After reporting on her first Reds match for the ECHO, Caoimhe takes the lead on looking back on a 6-0 success in which a number of youngsters grabbed the opportunity to impress. No more so than Rhian Brewster, whose two goals and all-round performance had Caoimhe and Kristian purring, even if Jurgen Klopp understandably tried to play down the hype. Another teenager, Yasser Larouci, also caught the eye, and Caoimhe reckons, like Brewster, a path to the first team beckons. After a quick chat about the change in Divock Origi, that dovetails nicely into the impending arrival of Harvey Elliott, who watched the game from the stands, and what it says about Liverpool's

Close to six weeks since their sixth European Cup success, Liverpool were back in action on Thursday and fittingly they marked their return with a 6-0 victory over neighbours Tranmere Rovers. Ian Doyle and match-reporting debutante Caoimhe O’Neill were at Prenton Park for the ECHO – and their thoughts on what way a very satisfying evening, particularly for the youngest members of Jurgen Klopp's side, gets this podcast under way. We’ll then get the highlights of Klopp’s post-match press conference in which the Reds boss talked the two-goal Rhian Brewster, the business he has done so far this summer and the potential for more signings, and Sepp van den Berg, the club's sole new recruit. Enjoy - and we'll be back on Friday with Blood Red. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you improve a squad that has just won the Champions League and recorded a club-record Premier League points tally? It's a question Jurgen Klopp, Michael Edwards and Liverpool's razor-sharp recruitment team will no doubt have the answer to, but it is also one that forms the basis of our latest View from the Kop fans' podcast, featuring Dan Kay, Paul Philbin, debutant Peter Harris, and hosted by Paul Wheelock. It may not even have been six weeks since Madrid, but one look at social media would suggest that some supporters are concerned that there haven't been any significant additions just yet. Our panel discuss whether those concerns are justified and argue that they while it appears all quiet on the transfer front, important business has been and will continue to be done behind the scenes. And the Reds have proved in recent seasons that when they identify a target, they waste little time in getting their man. But is that task made more difficult this summer? Dan explains why he feels like that could be

Nearly six weeks since that glorious weekend in Madrid, the best team in Europe are back in action on Thursday night when Liverpool make the short trip to Tranmere Rovers for their first pre-season friendly of the summer. So what should Reds fans heading over to Prenton Park expect? That's the first talking point of another brilliant edition of the Poetry in Motion podcast, hosted as ever by Neil Fitzmaurice and featuring Paul Gorst and Caoimhe O'Neill. There's two highly rated 17-year-old Dutch defenders, there's a Colombian left-back who could be sensing an opportunity now that Alberto Moreno's left, and there is Rhian Brewster, whose role next season comes under big discussion. Fitzy also explains why he's worried about Naby Keita and asks why Liverpool have been linked with big-money moves left, right and centre even though it is becoming clear what the club's transfer policy will be this month and next. Also on the agenda is Jurgen Klopp's faith in Marko Grujic, the importance of Dejan Lovren and Simon M

Welcome to the first Behind Enemy Lines podcast of the new season. For new listeners, this is the podcast in which we get the lowdown on Liverpool's next opponents, who just happen to be Tranmere Rovers. The League Two play-off winners will play host as the European champions get their preparations for the 2019-20 campaign under way on Thursday night. Regular host Paul Wheelock is joined in the ECHO studio by our Tranmere Rovers correspondent Tom Cavilla for a chat about the friendly, the Wirral outfit's thrilling rise back up the pyramid, and the Liverpool Champions League winner who has just arrived at Prenton Park. You will then be able to hear Tom's interview with Tranmere chairman Mark Palios, who shares his thoughts on the relationship between the two clubs, the support Liverpool showed when their neighbours slipped into non-league, the common bond between the two teams, and why Prenton Park could become a destination for some of the Reds' top young talent. Enjoy. For information regarding your data pr

It's our first Blood Red podcast of the week - and our first since James Pearce upped and left us. Little wonder, then, that Paul Gorst, Caoimhe O'Neill and Sam Carroll are feeling a little sad. That, and hungover, too, after a long and lively leaving do for our former Liverpool FC correspondent. Now James leaving was a shock for us and Reds fans the world over, but his decision would be eclipsed if Jurgen Klopp called it quits. There is no suggestion - or chance, let's face it - of that happening anytime soon and the club is completely relaxed over the fact that he has yet to pen a fresh contract in the aftermath of the Champions League victory. That's no surprise when his current deal does not actually run out until 2022. Koppites would like nothing more than for the German to remain in charge of the Reds for many years after that. So our panel look at how long the 52-year-old's could stay at Anfield or whether history will repeat itself. Also on the agenda is the imminent arrival of 16-year-old Premier Lea

Peter Hooton is back with his brilliant Allez Les Rouges podcast and for this latest episode he is joined by journalist and author Brian Reade, George Sephton, who has been the stadium announcer and matchday DJ at Anfield since 1971, show debutant Peter Harris, who is the Live Content Editor at the ECHO, and for a little while at least, a certain James Pearce. The podcast was recorded immediately after our now-departed Liverpool FC correspondent delivered a magnificent leaving speech and before he went out and got very, very drunk indeed. But he still found time to pop into the studio to have a quick word with Peter and Co before the show got on the road. James has been covering the Reds for eight-and-a-half years, but for George, his association with the club goes back much longer. It is welcoming, then, to hear what he says about the current crop compared to the great Liverpool teams of the 80s. George then takes us back to that famous win over Barcelona before the panel discuss Pep Guardiola's comments abo

It's your Friday Blood Red podcast - AKA James Pearce's last as the ECHO's Liverpool FC correspondent. To steal the words from host Sean Bradbury's brilliant intro, this is not 'This is Your Life' - that came on Wednesday when James sat down with Joe Rimmer to look back on his eight-and-a-half years covering the Reds. If you haven't listened to that, you can do so HERE (it's great). Instead, this show is mainly concerned with the subject James has probably been pestered about the most during his time as our man in the know at Anfield - transfers. Should Liverpool act now Manchester City have started to flex their financial muscle again with the £62.8m acquisition of Rodri? And when even Tottenham Hotspur have spent big? Caoimhe O'Neill and Theo Squires have their say while James reveals the one area of the squad he does feel needs to be strengthened. But how does Jurgen Klopp feel? James gives us an insight into the thought process of the Reds manager while also clarifying the club's stance on Divock Origi an

About a year ago we caught up with Liverpool Under-23s goalkeeper Andy Firth to reflect on an unforgettable loan spell at Chester FC, which coincided with the club losing players left, right and centre - and very nearly going out of business. Safe to say it was an experience he wouldn’t forget in a hurry. But after signing a new contract with the Reds, the youngster decided to make the move back into National League football, but this time on a permanent basis, and this time with Barrow. It was a move that started well. But come November he had lost his place in the team, and you wouldn’t have blamed him for having second thoughts about leaving Liverpool, the club he has supported all his life. But then he didn't know what was just around the corner. In December, Andy took a call from his agent informing him that his idol, and Reds legend, Steven Gerrard wanted to sign him for Rangers. He did not need asking twice – and come the end of the season he had not only experienced a famous Auld Firm win from the ben