Football Ramble Presents

Marcus and Luke are back with Lions Watch, your one-stop shop for all things England! This week, we hail Arsenal for doing the right thing and ask how much England’s Champions League and Europa League absences really matter for a team so… completely and utterly well-drilled. Obvs. We also try (and fail) to pick a starter between Luke Shaw and Ben Chilwell and celebrate the year of the waistcoat. That’s right, it’s 2018: Kieran Trippier’s whipping in free-kicks, an Englishman is winning the golden boot, and press relations are actually all right. We speak to Sunday Times chief football writer Jonathan Northcroft to learn more about the charm offensive that was so important to England’s success that summer. Got a question for us? Email show@footballramble.com! ***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!** Featured image courtesy of Anton Zaitsev.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dotun, Andy and Nicky Bandini are here to assess the merits of the PSG project and wonder if things aren't as bad as first thought after Manchester City knocked them out of the Champions League. Elsewhere, with Antonio Conte wrapping up the title, we ask Nicky if José Mourinho can rise Roma from the ruins and put the breaks on another Inter title tilt. Speaking of title races, La Liga's top four all play each other this weekend and Sevilla might well be Spain's kingmakers! ***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The subject of today's episode of the Book Club will likely have voiced some of your most significant football memories. From Solskjaer's volley at the back post to the shoots of an Istanbul comeback, he's called them all – it's commentary extraordinaire, Clive Tyldesley! Clive joins Kate and Jim to discuss some of the most significant figures, moments and themes that make up his new book 'Not For Me, Clive'. From honing his commentary craft to surviving multiple encounters with Sir Alex Ferguson's hairdryer, it's clear that a passionate love for the game is at the heart of his magnificent forty-year career. You can pre-order Clive's book here, ahead of its release on 13th May 2021. Search ‘Football Ramble’ on social media to find us, and email us here: show@footballramble.com.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Marcus and Luke reconvene to discuss the latest developments surrounding the England squad!  UEFA announced this week that countries will be able to take 26 players to the Euros: which is a good thing until you realise it doesn’t just apply to England. We examine which fringe players stand to benefit for the Three Lions. Elsewhere, Luke explains why Phil Foden can be the player of the tournament this summer and we turn the clock back to those halcyon 67 days under Big Sam – ultimately so swiftly followed by a bright new dawn under Mr Reluctant himself, Gareth Southgate. Got a question for us? Email show@footballramble.com! ***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!** Featured image courtesy of Anton Zaitsev.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dotun and Andy are joined by David Cartlidge to reflect on two intriguing Champions League semi-finals. Despite one of their finest first half displays of the season, Mauricio Pochettino was left lamenting his side’s fatigue as Man City muscled their way back into the tie. We look at PSG’s midfield and why Kylian Mbappé seemingly vanished from the pitch. Elsewhere, after Karim Benzema carried Real Madrid to a draw with Chelsea, David explains how he is thought of in Madrid and how his role in the side has evolved since escaping Cristiano Ronaldo’s shadow. And following Bordeaux’s fall into administration, we look at what has gone wrong at this storied club – and whether they can escape disaster. Got a question for us? Email otc@footballramble.com! ***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today’s episode of the Book Club takes you to the heart of what it means to be a football fan. Kate and Jim are joined by journalist and Sunday Times best-selling author Michael Calvin to discuss ‘Whose Game Is It Anyway?’, his deeply personal account of the role football – and sport – plays in everyday life. Mike tells us how he came to fall out of love with the sport he covered for 40 years – and how he eventually rediscovered what football truly means to people at clubs like Accrington and Bury’s phoenix club, Bury AFC.  After a week where the value of community, loyalty and history has never felt so threatened, he also offers his reflections on the Super League and what it tells us about the state of our game. And after decades on the journalism scene, Mike of course shares plenty of tales from his career along the way: from shouting copy down the phone in remote corners of the Eastern Bloc, to dodging punches from Mike Tyson. You can find Mike’s book, ‘Whose Game Is It Anyway?’, here! What book should we read next? Tweet us: @footballramble, @kvlmason and @JimCampbellTFR. ***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Welcome back to Lions Watch, your one stop shop for all things England! This week, Marcus and Luke begin with Harry Kane’s injury, which might lead to only a brief hiatus, but raises all sorts of questions about England’s flexibility as well as that age old dilemma: do you play your star player when he’s not 100% fit? Elsewhere, we discuss John Stones’ familiar downturn in form after a season that has promised so much change and revisit Euro 2016, where the England shirt has perhaps never weighed so heavily. Join us! Got a question for us? Email show@footballramble.com! ***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!** Featured image courtesy of Anton Zaitsev.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dotun, Andy and Miguel Delaney look back on a truly seismic week, as the formation and startling failure of the European Super League represented the most significant story in the history of European football. With the project shelved (for now), we highlight the pivotal moments in the fight between the deluded, monied elite and everyone else. We also wonder what's next for Bayern Munich – whose manager Hansi Flick will be leaving at the end of the season – and we hear from Lars Sivertsen, Nicky Bandini and David Cartlidge about the reaction to the Super League across Europe. Got a question for us? Email otc@footballramble.com! ***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!**  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Joining Mark Pougatch on today's episode of Ramble Meets... is former Newcastle, Tottenham and England midfielder turned TV pundit, Jermaine Jenas! Jermaine talks Mark through his impressive career that began in the aftermath of Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest and saw him experience some of the game's grandest occasions at both Spurs and Newcastle. He also reveals some of the regrets around his England career, where miscommunication with Fabio Capello halted what should've been a long and illustrious stint on the international stage. Search ‘Football Ramble’ on social media to find us, and email us here: show@footballramble.com. With fans missing from the stadiums this FA Cup season, Jermaine Jenas has been working with heycar, official broadcast sponsor of the FA Cup coverage on BT Sport, to bring supporters close to the game and the magic of the cup to life. Jermaine has chatted to fans about their own FA Cup memories and favourite road trips to games, as well as sharing his own experiences of football’s most famous cup competition and his thoughts on this season’s tournament. To see all of Jermaine’s interviews and find out everything heycar has been doing to bring fans closer to the Cup, visit www.heycar.co.uk/fa-cup-stories.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Marcus and Luke are back with a brand new edition of Lions Watch, the show dedicated to all things England! We are stumbling over ourselves with excitement for this one. Jesse Lingard is the form player in the Premier League – but should Gareth Southgate give him the keys to the kingdom? And where does all this leave poor old Jack Grealish? Elsewhere, if we needed any further evidence, Jude Bellingham was jaw-droppingly good this week: we drill down into his qualities. And the next stop on our journey through the 2010s brings us to World Cup 2014, where a young England squad came away with some stark truths, a glimmer of hope, and the prestigious honour of playing out the most forgettable football game in World Cup history. Join us! Got a question for us? Email show@footballramble.com! ***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** Featured image courtesy of Anton Zaitsev.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dotun is joined by Lars Sivertsen and Miguel Delaney to look back over the week’s Champions League action! While Pep Guardiola finally overcame his Champions League hoodoo with Man City, Dortmund now desperately need to rescue their season with a top four finish. We look at the implications for Erling Haaland and why he may well be heading to Real Madrid rather than Man City. Elsewhere, PSG and Bayern served up another cracking tie, but one which threw up more questions than answers about both sides. We discuss Hansi Flick’s future and what next for Bayern after some miserly transfer windows. And with PSG and Man City back in the last four of the Champions League, we look at what sportswashing in football really amounts to. Got a question for us? Email otc@footballramble.com! ***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We're joined by one of Europe's most exciting young coaches on today's episode of Ramble Meets... as Andy sits down with RB Salzburg head coach, Jesse Marsch! Jesse's obsession with soccer was born in his native Wisconsin and has taken him across the United States and Canada, before he arrived in Leipzig in 2018 as Ralf Rangnick's assistant. Now at Champions League newcomers RB Salzburg, Jesse talks Andy through his untraditional journey as well as the misconceptions around American coaches and how he has honed his leadership techniques across different teams and cultures. Search ‘Football Ramble’ on social media to find us, and email us here: show@footballramble.com. ***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Welcome to our brand new addition to Football Ramble Presents, Lions Watch, a show dedicated to all things England!  Every Saturday, Marcus Speller and Luke Moore discuss the latest stories around Gareth Southgate’s squad in the build-up to the Euros. Who’s waiting by the phone? Who’s metatarsal is plastered on the front pages? And what does it all mean for that final 23-man squad? We will also be revisiting tournaments and matches gone by to trace the evolution that has shaped Southgate’s England side today – and watch out for interviews and plenty of your correspondence, too!  This week, we look at the repercussions of Declan Rice’s injury and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s inconsistent form. We also take you back to the dark days of Fabio Capello, the scorching heat of Bloemfontein, and Roy Hodgson’s baptism of fire. The journey to Euro 2020 starts here. Join us! Let us know the overlooked players you’d like to see in the England squad. Email show@footballramble.com! ***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** Featured image courtesy of Anton Zaitsev.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Welcome to a new edition of On The Continent, your one-stop shop for all things European football. Dotun, Andy and Nicky Bandini wrap up an eventful week in the Champions League and beyond! Bayern Munich fell to their first home defeat in all competitions since November 2019 – and it took a monumental effort from PSG to overcome the Bavarian giants. We reflect on the reasons behind Bayern’s rare lapse and what this means for Mauricio Pochettino’s side after a gutless defeat to Lille last weekend. There was also a landmark result for Zinedine Zidane in midweek, who showed that he really can mix it with the very best tactical minds in Europe. And after a turbulent past few weeks, Juventus landed an important win against Napoli. Got a question for us? Email otc@footballramble.com! ***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***    See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Joining Kate and Jim on today's episode of the Book Club is Luton Town legend who played over 400 matches throughout the most successful stint in their history and earned an England call up under Sir Bobby Robson: it's Ricky Hill! Ricky joins us to reflect on an impressive career marred with frustration and disappointment. He rose through the ranks at Luton Town at just 17, and was an integral part of the side that won the League Cup in 1987/88 – however, obstacles entirely out of his control meant his subsequent managerial career was more challenging. We discuss the impossible task he faced in the Luton dugout and how that unfairly tarnished his reputation, the need for greater diversity across the entire non-playing staff of English football clubs and his pioneering work around the game's equivalent of the NFL's 'Rooney Rule.' Ricky's new book, Love of the Game, is available here! Search ‘Football Ramble’ on social media to find us, and email us here: show@footballramble.com. ***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.