The 3rd Circle

This is the second part of Jamie and Martin's discussion around Karl Marius Aksum's implementation of a perception-based coaching methodology with Swedish champions Mjallby.Despite the meagre resources of the small fishing village, Mjallby were able to gain significant advantages as a result of Aksum's innovative techniques.But how does a concept as vague as 'perception' actually cash-out in the real-world of football tactics?The 3rd Circle follows in the footsteps of Kandinsky, Boulez, Cantor and Deleuze by positing the relevance of diagonality.In doing so, we transcend the straight line logic of the vertical and horizontal by setting course on a new, oblique trajectory for football coaching.

In David Cronenberg's body-horror cult classic "Scanners", members of the public with special psychic and telekinetic powers are recruited by weapons manufacturer ConSec.Jamie and Martin do not mention the Canadian director's 1981 film, but they do discuss scanning.Visual perception is the topic du jour in The 3rd Circle, and unlikely Swedish champions Mjallby AIF are our entry point.How did a tiny fishing community and a 'football doctor' get their hands on the Allsvenskan title? Were telekinetic powers involved?Enter The 3rd Circle to find out.This discussion has been split into two parts.This episode is Part 1.Part 2 will be available soon.

In a recent post-match interview, Manchester City playmaker, Rayan Cherki, dared to let slip that he had gone against his manager's wishes.Pep Guardiola is arguably football's greatest ever tactical mastermind, but on this occasion, it appears that his plan was trumped by Cherki's intuition.What does this episode tell us about the relationship between Guardiola and Cherki?Is it a case of trouble in paradise, or could it be a classic example of opposites attract?Jamie and Gorka analyse Cherki's role in this season's Manchester City and assess how Guardiola can get the best out of the maverick forward.We also hear Arne Slot's theories about breaking down low-blocks and end up wondering: where has all the combination play gone?

The 3rd Circle shines its analytical lens on Glasgow to investigate some unusual happenings in the city's East End.Jamie and Gorka piece together the logic behind the playing style of Celtic's divisive new Head Coach, Wilfried Nancy.What is Nancy trying to do? Why is he trying to do it?What's he building in there?Can Nancy's odd mix of influences come together to create something beautiful?Stranger things have happened...

Like Santa returning from his annual eleven-month luxury cruise, The 3rd Circle is back just in time for Christmas.And what better gift for the well-behaved kids of the tactics-sphere to receive than this brand new episode?While ruthless tyrants like Mr Claus delegate their elf workforce to trawl through billions of messages and make sense of endless communications, Jamie and Martin can afford no such luxury.Our intrepid hosts dive headfirst into the chaotic maze that is football communication, and soon realise that nothing is what it seems.Deception, encryption, misdirection. Can The 3rd Circle break the codes that are holding football hostage?Modern systems are fed through The 3rd Circle's network of bespoke tactical ciphers, but what information will be revealed?What signals are hidden within the noise?

With the match analysis done and dusted, Jamie and Martin delve into the broader narratives surrounding the current footballing moment.The 3rd Circle cross references perspectives and reaction from Rio to Catalonia and wrestles with the complexities of the resultant parallax view.What are the limits of control in contemporary football coaching?How much freedom can be afforded to the players?Is there a deeper symbolic significance to PSG's Champions League victory?There's only one way to find out...