Share

cover art for #91 "Are we the baddies?" What constitutes a poorly-run club? Plus, some of the best (and therefore worst) examples in world football!

Soccer 101

#91 "Are we the baddies?" What constitutes a poorly-run club? Plus, some of the best (and therefore worst) examples in world football!

Ryan is joined by Graham and Taylor to... basically do the opposite of what they did last week: discuss the qualities that make the most poorly run clubs in world football deserving of such a prestigious award. You gotta get up preeetty early in the morning if you want to do worse than these folks! The categories we decided upon are:

1) Ownership (financial, corruption, leadership)

2) Expectation of performance and results vs Reality of performance and results

3) Management

4) Recruitment and Development

5) Supporter engagement

How many times Manchester United feature on this list? You'll have to listen to find out... but like... a lot. They feature a lot.

Today's episode is brought to you by... ExpressVPN! Get an extra 3 months of service for free at ExpressVPN.com/soccer

The Soccer 101 theme, and plenty of other excellent music, can be found right here: https://aerialist.bandcamp.com.

More episodes

View all episodes

  • The 21st-century talent pipeline: domestic football in Ecuador

    30:17|
    This week, we head back to South America to do a little World Cup previewing... and this week, it's Ecuador! How have they risen to such prominence so quickly? Where does their talent come from geographically, and what does that say about the socioeconomics of the region? Plus, biggest and most successful clubs, legendary players, and an insane ranking in terms of the league's quality. All that and much more!WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠We're posting all our episodes here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more.
  • Bohemia, Communism and Petr Cech: Football in Czechia

    31:29|
    We spend some time in the country that has been several other countries in its footballing history: Czechia. From uncommon German roots to the impact of The Iron Curtain to modern challengers to the conventional favorites, we get into it all!WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠We're posting all our episodes here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more.
  • Chiefs, Pirates and Sundowns: soccer in South Africa

    35:50|
    This week, we're spending some time in a nation with a complicated soccer history that mirrors its own complicated history: South Africa! From apartheid pitches to match fixing scandals, how soccer in the country has grown from an act of resistance to the nation's most popular sport.WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠We're posting all our episodes here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more.
  • Artificial Intelligence and Soccer: problems solved vs problems created

    45:07|
    This week, we spend some time on a topic that seems absurd but is actually already widespread: Artificial Intelligence in modern soccer. What are its present applications, how common is it today (and who uses it), its positive uses versus negative drawbacks, and its future in the sport.WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠We're posting all our episodes here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more.
  • From the Ottoman Empire to Osimhen: football in Turkiye

    43:52|
    Disclaimer - This is Taylor. I edited this episode. I talk A LOT. Even by my standards. But it's the first time I've gotten to talk about Turkiye in detail in a very long time, from its massive history (soccer and non-soccer), political upheaval, 3-club-dominance, Kemalism, Gulen vs Erdogan, and much much more! Plus, why Hakan Suker went from national superstar and up-and-coming politician, to living in exile and driving Uber in the United States.WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠We're posting all our episodes here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more.
  • Xhaka, Shaqiri and 128 years of footballing history: soccer in Switzerland

    28:31|
    We're traveling to a land that tends to fly under-the-radar when it comes to the hype machine, but has been quietly influential in world soccer since the mid-19th century: Switzerland. What is the history of the country's top flight, how has the league evolved over time, who are its biggest and most successful clubs, and what role has the league played in shaping the Swiss national team. WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠We're posting all our episodes here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more.
  • A tale of two clubs... 81% of the time: domestic football in Uruguay

    35:35|
    This week, we're talking about THE dark horse candidate at every World Cup since 2010... it's Uruguay. The four-time world champion has one of the oldest leagues in South America, but how did it come to be, how has it evolved over time, and who are its dominant clubs? Plus, how Diego Godin helped kill a deal that was hurting the national team, why so many of their best players have so few caps for the massively successful clubs of the league, and much much more!WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠We're posting all our episodes here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more.
  • What are the best World Cup balls, mascots and anthems?

    41:13|
    In an effort to not only be depressing when discussing the World Cup, Graham and Taylor take a look at the lighter side of the tournament, and weigh in on the best balls, mascots and anthems in the tournament's history. Plus, what are sticker albums and why aren't they more common in the US?WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠We're posting all our episodes here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more.
  • Kings, ultras, and unrest: Egyptian football explained

    41:08|
    This week, Graham and Taylor spend some time trying to scratch the surface of the complicated history of soccer in Egypt: how did the sport rise to prominence, which club has dominated both the country and the continent, the occasionally hostile relationship between government and supporters, and much much more! Plus, how has the Egyptian Premier League, the country's top flight, helped shape Egypt national teams, past and present?WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠We're posting all our episodes here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more.