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The Second Captains Podcast

Madrid Dump Man City Out Of Europe, Nerd Backlash, Fillet Of Hurling, McConville's Garden Path

Welcome to our world service best of show which this week features reaction to Man City's dramatic loss to Madrid, a backlash to the relationism backlash, a meaty hurling preview and Oisin McConville explains why he is so open with the media.


Monday’s shows are free to all. To listen to our programming throughout the rest of the week, join the Second Captains World Service. There’s no contracts, no hidden fees and shows can be listened to on all good podcast apps, on Spotify or through our website. It’s independent, commercial-free and member-led with feature interviews, breaking news, Ken’s Football Show, The Politics Podcast, The “I’ll Tell You Who Wrote It” Book Club and lots of added extras. You’ll also be supporting the development of our longer-form work, such as our international series  ‘Where Is George Gibney?’.

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  • Episode 3089: Winds Of Change, James McCarthyism, NZ Prune Roses

    43:27|
    The mighty (?) All Blacks are in town this week, fresh from a narrow, opportunistic win over England. They weren't outstanding.... besides the three incredible tries they scored. Post-peak NZ are not great, but still very good, and will take some beating on Friday night in Lansdowne Road.Jamie Wall is in studio to talk about Ballygunner's path to All-Ireland club glory, the breath of fresh air provided by new champions and new names at the top table... and the legacy of James McCarthy, the Dublin football legend who retired earlier today. He might just have been the greatest footballer on the greatest team of all time. We also salute the exquisite news-nose of Eoin's 5-year old son, and there's an extremely wholesome story related to the 2024 Footballer of the Year, Galway's Paul Conroy. 
  • Ep 3088: Duff's Guts, Shels Triumph, Liverpool's Weekend, The Bournemouth Supremacity - 04/11/24

    01:11:49|
    They've only gone and done it... we talk about Shelbourne's title win and how Damien Duff has succeeded where some illustrious predecessors failed.The season keeps getting better and better for Liverpool as Arne Slot keeps winning matches and rivals keep having problems.Mark Critchley and John Brewin join us to talk over some more of the weekend's football. How did Manchester United's thinking evolve since last month, when Mark felt sacking Erik ten Hag would be too embarrassing for the club's hierarchy? Has Enzo Maresca finally found a Chelsea midfield combination that works? How did Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth beat Manchester City on Saturday afternoon? And what do they think of the news that Edu is leaving Arsenal when glory seems almost within their grasp?
  • Stupid Sexy Amorim, Duffer's Everest, Lawrence Donegan On The Campaign Trail

    37:55|
    On this week's edition of our World Service tasting platter; we look forward to the grand finale of the League of Ireland which sees Damien Duff's Shels needing a win to ensure their first league title in 18 years, Ken hones in on what exactly makes Ruben Amorim an exciting prospect for Man United and Lawrence Donegan fills us in on his cross-country expedition ahead of November's US Presidential Election. Plus, we pay audio bed tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Rumble in the Jungle. Join the party for just a fiver a month—no contracts, no sign-up fee, no minimum stay, no hidden charges, and no ads. Head to secondcaptains.com/join for more details.
  • Ep 3083: Interrupted By Erik's Exit, Mbappé Agonistes, Arsenal v Liverpool - 28/10/24

    01:38:08|
    Just as we were about to wrap up today's bank holiday football pod recording, the news came through that Manchester United had finally fired Erik ten Hag. The very-much-in-studio-and-not-on-holidays Ken gives his live initial reaction to the most overdue story in football. (1.25.18)Saturday night saw a sensational return to form for the Real Madrid v Barcelona fixture - and a stunning personal humiliation for Kylian Mbappé - which dangles the tantalising prospect of old-fashioned intrigue and backstabbing at the Galactic club. (1.30)And Lars Sivertsen and Nick Ames join us to talk about Arsenal v Liverpool (a failure of nerve by the man some people are calling the new Mourinho?), Chelsea v Newcastle (is it coming together for Enzo or is Cole Palmer just really really good?), and the ongoing will-he-or-won't-he-abandon-his-beliefs-and-principles drama around Russell Martin. (40.10)
  • King Of The Mountains, You've Been Mikel'ed!, Mentor Sexton

    55:46|
    It’s been another hectic week on the Second Captains podcast, we’ve had the Champions League, the addition of Johnny Sexton to the Ireland rugby brains-trust in a non-executive capacity, and we also had Eddie Dunbar in studio, one of the best road-cyclists in the world. While Ken, told us about Oleksandr Zinchenko’s new book, written by FriendOfTheShow Raphael Honigstein.Join the party for just a fiver a month—no contracts, no sign-up fee, no minimum stay, no hidden charges, and no ads. Head to secondcaptains.com/join for more details.
  • Ep 3078: Gaelic Football But Better? Murphy And Flynn On The Weekend's Trial Games - 21/10/24

    53:22|
    The Gaelic football patient checked itself in at the weekend, gladly submitting to extensive, experimental surgery in full view of the watching public. We speak to Paul Flynn and FRC member Michael Murphy about the new rules (or enhancements, as Jim Gavin insists we call them) that worked, the rules that jarred... and the rules that our Murph reckons they put in just so we could get rid of them and feel like we were being critical.  There's also the latest earth-shattering press release from the World Conkers Confederation/Corporation, GAA arithmetic, and Paul Flynn looking to double his career points tally with Dublin.
  • Ep 3077: All Change At Liverpool, Refs Keep Us Guessing - 21/10/24

    01:10:52|
    Howard Webb provided some good grist to the conspiracy mills over the weekend by getting himself filmed texting and earpiecing before Saliba's yellow card was changed to a red. But maybe the PGMOL supremo deserves some praise to go with the flak. At least his referees are providing an element of unpredictability otherwise missing from a lot of overcoached Premier League football.Branno brings us up to speed on his trip to Sligo to see Bohemians play their small role in the climax to the League of Ireland season. We also talk about how in a few short weeks under Arne Slot, Liverpool have undergone a complete transformation from the side they have been for years under Jurgen Klopp. And Neil Atkinson and Rich Jolly join us to talk about the game at Anfield. Could Slot's start have gone any better? Are the regular complaints about the poor atmosphere at Anfield and other Premier League grounds based on reality or nostalgia? And does the increasingly convergent style of play we see in the Premier League give the crowds much to work with?
  • Tuchel Tears A Nation Apart, Joe Canning In Studio, Little Englanders And Merchants Of Woke - 17/10/24

    39:07|
    The appointment of Thomas Tuchel as England manager has divided both the proud nation of England and the ignoble profession of football journalism into two camps: Little Englanders and Merchants of Woke. Yesterday we heard from The 42's Gav Cooney and Rory Smith of the New York Times, and today had his say. Have the FA made the right choice in appointing a foreign coach? Earlier in the week we were joined in studio by one of the all-time greats of hurling, Joe Canning to talk about his new autobiography, whether he thinks he max-ed out on his potential and how he and his family have dealt with the loss of their mum. For daily independent, member-led journalism, sign up to the Second Captains World Service now at secondcaptains.com/join. 
  • Ep 3072: Sexton's Obsession, Deep Reds, RWC QFs, The ROG Relationship, Confrontation And Reconciliation - 14/10/24

    01:05:13|
    Johnny Sexton has won European Cups, Grand Slams, has the all time Irish and Six Nations points records and is a former world player of the year. It takes talent but also an obsessive drive to get this good, and his new autobiography, Obsessed, explains the mental toll this took on Sexton.He joins us in studio to discuss his big breakthrough in 2009 at Croker, his pattern of bust-ups followed by regret, Lancaster's personality test, about needing to change how he communicated with teammates and refs, how he feels about the RWC 2023 QF loss, and his relationship with ROG.Plus there's the contrasting management styles of Schmidt and Farrell, Snyman's paws, Doris the Swiss Army Knife and over-confident Scots.