Planet Sport Football Africa

It’s an Arsenal special on this week’s show, as we ask if things might improve a bit for the Gunners this season. We speak to Robbie Lyle, the founder and host of the AFTV YouTube channel, formerly known as Arsenal Fan TV. He’s a big fan of captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. We also hear from Gunners legend Thierry Henry on African football. And we hear about the experience of going back to the stadium to watch football, as 2,500 fans attended the friendly between Brighton and Chelsea. Have your say on WhatsApp +44 7955 232 780

On this week’s show we feature an interview with Zambia national team midfielder Enock Mwepu, who plays for RB Salzburg in Austria. Sadio Mane and Takumi Minamino were both at RB Salzburg before moving to Liverpool, so could Mwepu be destined for greater things? Also a look at the African roots of Bayern Munich’s speedy left-back Alphonso Davies, and Stuart assesses the chances of newly-promoted EPL club West Brom.

On this week’s show we talk to young Gambiam Modou Lamin Marong, one of many Africans playing for small teams in Europe. We’ve been catching up with him every few months to find out how he’s been getting on in pursuing his dream of playing for one of Europe’s biggest clubs. Modou is in the fourth tier in Sweden, but feels that something bigger could happen. And there’s so much to talk about in European football, with Barcelona, Manchester City and Manchester United all having experienced disappointments.

On this week’s show we focus on women’s football, as Caf has launched a Women’s Football Strategy, calling it the dawn of a new era for the women’s game on the continent. The plan includes accelerating the growth of the women’s game at all levels all across Africa. We hear from Morocco, where a big project has begun to promote and develop women's football, and we ask if this project is likely to succeed across the continent. Plus, Stuart on newly-promoted Leeds United and a look at the transfer market.

On this week’s show we look at what the future might hold for Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. There’s speculation aplenty over the first African captain to lift the FA Cup – will he stay with the Gunners, might there be a move to Real Madrid, or to another club that can give him Champions League football? Plus Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen becomes the most expensive African footballer ever, and we go to Cameroon, where former captain Stephen Tataw died at the age of 57, another great player to have passed away in financial hardship.

On this week’s show we take a look at the just-ended EPL season – six weeks of action in empty stadiums, and so many talking points. We hear from fans in Ghana. Plus, did Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson deserve to win the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award? And a look-ahead to Saturday’s FA Cup final. 

On this week’s show we hear from Nigeria international Ola Aina, who plays for Torino in Italy. Aina made it through the Chelsea academy thanks to the huge sacrifices of his parents as they helped him follow his dream. Stuart looks ahead to the final day of the EPL, with lots still to be decided, and a Gambian legend is laid to rest. 

On this week’s show we focus on how former South African president Nelson Mandela used the power of football to build his country. July 18th is Nelson Mandela International Day, and 10 years ago South Africa hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup. We hear from Neil Tovey, who captained Bafana Bafana at the 1996 AFCON. Plus Stuart on the Manchester City case as the club is cleared of Financial Fair Play breaches

On this week’s show we hear from Liberian President George Weah, the 1995 World Footballer of the Year, on whether he agrees with those who say that he is the best African player ever. Weah also talks about the hard work that he and other trailblazing African players did in Europe, opening the way for thousands to follow. Plus Stuart on Manchester City’s inconsistency.

We look at the changes to the African football calendar, with the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations moved to January 2022, and the African Nations Championship taking place in January 2021. And in women’s football, the CAF Women’s Champions League launches next year. Can it succeed? Plus, more on the EPL as Liverpool are crowned champions and the games come thick and fast …

As Liverpool are crowned EPL champions, we speak to club legend Ian Rush, winner of five league titles with the Reds, and two European titles. Rush give his thoughts on the African players in the current Liverpool squad. And a CAF document recommends that for the game to resume in Africa, players should have regular Covid-19 tests, and that all teams should gather in one city until the end of the league. We ask how practical this is.

In 30 years, no African team has bettered Cameroon’s quarter-final place at the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Why has no-one done better – and why have Cameroon failed to build on their achievement? Ex-keeper and legend Joseph-Antoine Bell pulls no punches … plus Stuart Weir analyses the EPL’s return. Listen now at planetsport.tv/planetsportfootballafrica and give us YOUR views: comment below or on WhatsApp +44 7955 232 780

On this week’s show we get ready for the resumption of the EPL – it’s just days away now, and Stuart looks at how the remaining games might go. Will there be some surprises with games played in empty stadiums? Also we have an interview with former Gambia national team defender John Bass, whose career was cut short due to a kidney problem. He tells us his story, and about how he’s now raising awareness of kidney disease in The Gambia. Plus, Raheem Sterling speaks out on racism and the Black Lives Matter movement.

On this week’s show we have an interview with Nigeria defender Leon Balogun, he’s on loan at English Championship side Wigan Athletic from EPL club Brighton until the end of the season. He talks about the disappointment of failing to get a regular starting place with Brighton. Balogun also talks about racism in Germany, where he grew up, and on the same theme we look at the Black Lives Matter movement as footballers have spoken out about the death of George Floyd in the USA. 

On this week’s show we look at the future of football in Africa, as an online conference was held to examine the direction that the African sports industry should take post Covid-19. We’ll hear from Liberia’s President George Weah, and from South African sports media consultant Gary Rathbone, who believes that clubs must have a stronger digital presence. We also look at a suggestion that some of Africa’s traditional sports could be commercialised. Our European football expert Stuart analyses the apparent lack of home advantage in the Bundesliga, and whether it will affect the relegation battle in the EPL. Send us your views on WhatsApp +44 7955 232 780

On this week’s show we take a look at transfer fees – how they have risen steeply in the world’s big leagues over the last few years, and whether Covid-19 is going to end this transfer inflation. The biggest transfer deal for an African player is Nicholas Pepe last August, while 222m Euro move to PSG is the world record. But back in 1979 there was excitement when Trevor Francis became Britain's first £1 million player, we speak to him. Plus listeners’ thoughts on lessons that we are learning during the coronavirus pandemic, and Stuart has some great statistics as the Bundesliga resumed in empty stadiums – only one home win and less dribbling.

On this week’s show we talk about playing behind closed doors, as it’s one of the conditions for football to return. Nigeria’s Odion Ighalo scored for Man United in an empty stadium in a Europa League match just before football was stopped in Europe, he tells us about it. And the German Bundesliga is back this weekend – the first of Europe’s big leagues to return to action. Stuart highlights the African presence in the Bundesliga.

On this week’s show we ask if we’re likely to see any more continental competition in Africa this year, given the effects of coronavirus. Also, as the coronavirus pandemic has caused a lot of people to think deeply, to think about what really matters in life, we speak to Yaw Yeboah, the Ghana captain at last year’s Under-23 AFCON in Egypt. He’s based in Spain and he tells us about how life is there. And Stuart looks at the issues that clubs must vote on ahead of a resumption of the EPL, and we ask whether the Uefa Champions League is likely to be completed

On this week’s show we look at how the coronavirus situation is affecting football in Africa. There was good news for national associations as Fifa will give $500,000 of financial relief to all of their member associations for operational costs. But it’s tough for clubs, though Cameroon’s FA, say they will give clubs in the top divisions $2000 each – it’s not much, but they are trying.Ivory Coast legend Didier Drogba’s aim of becoming the next Ivory Coast FA president took a knock in a preliminary vote, where he had no votes. But do we need more former players to get involved as administrators, or do they lack the skills required? Plus Stuart continues his series assessing the African players’ performances in the EPL so far this season.

On this week’s show we remember the Zambia air disaster of 1993, when Zambia lost most of their national team players in a crash off the coast of Gabon. In 2012 Zambia were to go on to win the Nations Cup in Gabon. As mental health is an issue right now, we have an interview with Gambian Cherno Samba. When a dream move to Liverpool fell through, Samba battled with depression and he attempted suicide.And we have a very clever commentary from Sierra Leone to promote coronavirus awareness.