Synopsis
The English-language Argentine football podcast, fuelled by fernet since 2010
Episodes
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Episode 120: previewing River v Boca, and crisis at Racing & Huracán
04/10/2013 Duration: 01h15minThe hundred-and-twentieth episode of Hand Of Pod is the first appearance of Fede González, and it's timed perfectly - he works on one of the most popular unofficial Boca Juniors Twitter accounts around, and has arrived just in time for our big superclásico preview episode. We discuss bad times at Racing and second division giants Huracán and consider another impressive performance from leaders Newell's Old Boys before turning our eye on the weekend's biggest attraction: the super. Both River Plate and Boca Juniors won last time out, so come into this one in rude health and both in the title race for the first time in what seems like a long while. Before closing, we also consider Mauro Icardi's first call-up for Argentina for next week's World Cup qualifiers, in Lionel Messi's absence. Since this episode was recorded, Vélez Sarsfield have advanced in the Copa Sudamericana and Arsenal beat All Boys on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the Copa Argentina semi-final.
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Episode 119: Home teams still dominate, Maxi's wonder goal & an Independiente update
27/09/2013 Duration: 01h16minHand Of Pod episode 119 sees Sam and Andrés discuss the very low number of away wins so far this season, as home sides continue to get by far the better results. Maxi Rodríguez scored a fantastic winner to get Newell's one of the few away wins last weekend, and Newell's are one of only three sides to have managed more than one away win in the league this season. We also discuss River Plate's ongoing struggles to find form and the other highlights of a low-scoring weekend, before turning our eye on Independiente's campaign in the B so far - El Rojo are now five matches unbeaten, having endured an awful start to the season. Questions include 'why fernet?' and 'is Caruso Lombardi really the Argentine Mourinho?'
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Episode 118: No away wins, Racing are awful and Central are almost as bad
20/09/2013 Duration: 47minThe hundred-and-eighteenth episode of Hand Of Pod is recorded unusually early in the day, and features only two voices: those of Sam and English Dan. We discuss River Plate getting upset by refereeing (and why they've only themselves to blame for not winning the match anyway), Boca Juniors being perhaps a tad better than we've given them credit for - at least at home to crap opponents - and the crap opponents in question: Racing, who continue to be awful following the introduction of Carlos Ischia as manager. All this and much more - and it's only 47 minutes long this week! How we spoil you sometimes.
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Episode 117: Argentina secure World Cup place, Argentinos lead league & River finally click
13/09/2013 Duration: 01h20minThe hundred-and-seventeenth episode of Hand Of Pod sees Sam, Joel and Andrés discussing Argentina's confirmation of their place in the Brazil 2014 World Cup, courtesy of an historic 5-2 away win over Paraguay on Tuesday night. After that, we move on to review a surprise-filled weekend of Torneo Inicial action which saw Mystic Sam get only one prediction correct. River Plate's attack finally clicked (as did Olimpo's), Racing avoided defeat, Newell's were tonked by Vélez Sarsfield and more. Independiente also managed their first win in the B on Monday evening, a fact we completely forgot to mention even in passing. There's always next week...
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Episode 116: Racing & Independiente's new management, Argentinos' fine start and much more
06/09/2013 Duration: 01h43minThe hundred-and-sixteenth episode of Hand Of Pod sees Sam welcome German/Swiss/Chinese Dan (who is actually English) to his living room, as well as Andrés Bruckner, who makes his HOP debut. Also appearing is Sam's brother William, who's in town for a couple of months. Topics up for discussion are Racing and Independiente's new managers - both have been announced since we last recorded - Argentinos Juniors' fine start to the season, River Plate's continuing awfulness, Estudiantes' renaissance, and the various Copa Sudamericana ties (as this episode is uploaded, River and San Lorenzo are approaching half time in the second leg of theirs). The uploading of this episode was delayed by Jewish new year festivities - Sam's girlfriend is Jewish - so a belated Shana Tová to all our Jewish listeners!
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Episode 115: Big Five all lose for the first time ever & Argentinos are getting a nosebleed
29/08/2013 Duration: 01h12minIt was an historic weekend in Argentina; for the first time ever, all of the Big Five - River Plate, Boca Juniors, Racing, Independiente and San Lorenzo - lost in the same round of matches. So inevitably, this week's Hand Of Pod, which features Sam and English Dan, focusses on the grandes and their varying states of disarray, with both Avellaneda clubs having fired their managers (since our recording, Omar De Felippe has been confirmed as new Independiente boss). We also consider with incredulity the fact that Ricardo Caruso Lombardi's Argentinos Juniors are still up near the top of the table, and have exclusive not-live coverage of the second half of Newell's Old Boys v Gimnasia La Plata, which was being played as we were recording.
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Episode 114: Teo Gutiérrez's never-ending transfer saga, Argentinos leading the way & more
22/08/2013 Duration: 01h40minWe're only three rounds into the season, but all the same it's a little bizarre to be looking at a league table and seeing Argentinos Juniors on top of it. In the hundred and fourteenth episode of Hand Of Pod, Santiago sings the praises of their manager Ricardo Caruso Lombardi, Sam continues to get exasperated by River Plate's eternal struggles to get Teo Gutiérrez registered to play, and Joel is the usual voice of calm reason. We also consider Boca Juniors' and Estudiantes de La Plata's improvement, why Rosario Central haven't yet lived up to the promise of the opening weekend, and how much trouble Luis Zubeldía is in at Racing, as well as Gerardo Martino's barely acceptable start as Barcelona manager. Listeners' questions include whether Lionel Messi really needs to win a World Cup before he'll be considered better than Diego Maradona.
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Episode 113: reviewing the first two rounds of the season
12/08/2013 Duration: 01h22minEpisode 113 of Hand Of Pod sees Sam, English Dan and Joel review the first two rounds of the 2013 Torneo Inicial, in which we've learned that River Plate still have a lot of improving to do, Boca Juniors' defence might be as bad as it was during the first half of the year, and San Lorenzo could well be the team to beat this term. There have been mixed showings from Godoy Cruz and Rosario Central among others, and Mystic Sam has had an equally turbulent time; from 7/9 in the first round to 2/9 in the second. His predictions for round 3 - and for Boca Juniors v Newell's Old Boys in the postponed first round match - are towards the end of the pod, as usual.
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Episode 112: Previewing the 2013 Torneo Inicial
02/08/2013 Duration: 01h22minThe hundred-and-twelfth episode of Hand Of Pod sees Sam and Santiago reviewing the couple of weeks of transfer activity that have followed episode 111, and previewing the 2013 Torneo Inicial. First, we answer the question on everyone's lips: 'What is a Gerardo Martino, and why has it been chosen to manage FC Barcelona?' after which we get into the important stuff. You know - the domestic stuff. Who have been the winners and losers in terms of players out and in? Which club have decided to get around restrictions on non-Argentine players by, erm, completely ignoring said restrictions? Can Boca possibly do any worse than they did in the first six months of the year? And how have the AFA managed to make twats of themselves since you last heard from us? Step this way, and we'll fill you in.
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Episode 111: Newell's pain, AFA indecision and some winter transfer talk
16/07/2013 Duration: 01h31sThe hundred-and-eleventh episode of Hand Of Pod sees Sam, English Dan and Santi meet for a mid-winter fernet and to discuss Newell's Old Boys' exit from the Copa Libertadores, the AFA's bizarre decisions regarding the validity of championships won both this year and back in 1936, violence at Independiente, where the club president was attacked by the barra brava a couple of weeks ago, and various winter break transfer issues. In a couple of weeks, we'll be back to preview the 2013 Torneo Inicial.
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Episode 110: Reviewing the Torneo Final & looking at the main moves in the winter break
26/06/2013 Duration: 01h43minThe hundred-and-tenth episode of Hand Of Pod sees Sam, English Dan and Joel meet to look back on a memorable Torneo Final - what seemed like an emphatic championship win for Newell's even though they only ended up three points clear of second placed River Plate, San Martín's last day relegation, Boca Juniors' hideous campaign, River's qualified success - and forward to the main talking points of the winter break. We ask which players will be moving on and staying, what the main movers and shakers have to do with their squads, and attempt to explain how continental qualification works. There's also the Hand Of Pod Best XI of the championship, and a look at how the Torneo Final would have looked had every match gone exactly as Mystic Sam predicted...
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Episode 109: ¡Newell's campeón!, Independiente relegated & Lanús thrash River
21/06/2013 Duration: 01h29minThe hundred-and-ninth episode of Hand Of Pod sees Sam, English Dan and Santi return to discuss an eventful week in Argentine football. Independiente were relegated last Saturday courtesy of a 1-0 defeat at home to San Lorenzo; Newell's Old Boys won the championship on Wednesday without kicking a ball as Lanús - who'd thrashed River 5-1 on Sunday - failed to overturn a 2-0 half time deficit in completing their postponed match against Estudiantes. We discuss how deserving Newell's win was and look at how they and Independiente had such wildly different seasons, having started 2012-13 on exactly the same (poor) standing in the relegation table. As ever, there's a lot more besides.
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Episode 108: World Cup qualifiers, police shooting fans, tense title/relegation run-ins and more
15/06/2013 Duration: 01h25minThe hundred-and-eighth episode of Hand Of Pod is a bumper one, during which Sam, English Dan and Joel look back on Argentina's two World Cup qualifying draws to start with, before getting into the serious stuff in the domestic league; two called-off matches and one fan shot dead by police, a restaurant looted by Independiente fans after defeat to River Plate left their side's survival hopes hanging by the slimmest of threads, the possibility that Newell's Old Boys could win the league on Sunday, the question of whether anyone at all involved in Argentine football pays their taxes, and much, much more besides. Enjoy.
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Episode 107: Looking back at a big domestic weekend & forward to a pivotal World Cup qualifying one
06/06/2013 Duration: 01h34minIn the 107th episode of Hand Of Pod, Sam, English Dan and Santi are joined by prodigal son Joel Richards to look back on a weekend of domestic action and look forward to a weekend of both domestic and international matches. Argentinos Juniors' 2-0 win over River Plate had ramifications for both the relegation table and the title race, and means Independiente could (though it'd be a stretch) be relegated this coming weekend. Newell's Old Boys missed the chance to pull five points clear, whilst Racing and San Lorenzo are both close to securing Copa Sudamericana places. We also look forward to Argentina's World Cup qualifying double-header; they'll play Colombia at home on Friday, and Ecuador away on Tuesday. It's longer than the last few, but we hope you like it.
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Episode 106: reviewing the Newell's v Boca mini-series & more
01/06/2013 Duration: 01h22minThe 106th episode of Hand Of Pod sees Sam, English Dan and Santi convene to discuss what we were previewing in episode 105 - the three matches (two in the Copa Libertadores, one in the league) which Newell's Old Boys and Boca Juniors have played since then. Newell's were the happier side, with a 4-0 league win and a penalty shootout win in the Libertadores after two dull 0-0 draws. We also ask whether River Plate can challenge for the league title, whether Independiente can catch Argentinos Juniors in the relegation battle, and whether Quilmes v Racing (which was played a few hours before this episode was uploaded, and ended 1-0 to Quilmes) was likely to be fixed, among much more. Oh, and we tell you our favourite ratios for mixing a fernet and Coke.
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Episode 105: Meltdown at Argentinos Juniors, no-one wants the title, & previewing Boca v Newell's
24/05/2013 Duration: 01h14minSam and English Dan are joined by Santiago for this week's Hand Of Pod, in which we begin with a discussion of an astonishing couple of days at Argentinos Juniors, including manager Ricardo Caruso Lombardi losing his rag on live TV (hardly for the first time, it's true) and much more. We also talk about the top three all failing to win in the Torneo Final at the weekend, Independiente edging closer to an unlikely survival, and promotions for Rosario Central (back to the Primera) and Talleres de Córdoba (back to B Nacional), before previewing the mini-series of games that Newell's Old Boys and Boca Juniors will play in the next few days. Listeners' questions include European transfer targets and Buenos Aires' most dangerous stadia.
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Episode 104: Argentina's Libertadores involvement, Migliore's release & the relegation scramble
18/05/2013 Duration: 01h14minIn episode 104 of Hand Of Pod, Sam and English Dan are joined by Mariano in a later-than-usual recording, which enables us to look back at (most of) Argentina's Copa Libertadores involvement during this week - Boca Juniors eliminating Corinthians in controversial circumstances, and Newell's Old Boys sending Vélez Sarsfield out on away goals (in the remaining fixture, which ended an hour and a bit after we stopped recording, Tigre were eliminated by Olimpia). We discuss the relegation battle, which could see Unión relegated next weekend, and an ever-intriguing title race, as well as the news that Pablo Migliore, now released on bail, has had his contract rescinded at San Lorenzo. Listeners' questions include the signings of the championship so far, and Argentine footballers' wages.
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Episode 103: Reviewing Boca v River, Lanús top the table again & more
09/05/2013 Duration: 01h16minIn the hundred-and-third episode of Hand Of Pod, Sam, English Dan and Joel get together to discuss the main talking points from last week's superclásico, which, being a superclásico, weren't so much on the pitch (although there was a record-breaking goal scored) as off it, particularly thanks to Boca's barra brava and River's manager, who both made fools of themselves on, admittedly, slightly different scales. Sam was at Argentinos Juniors to watch Lanús retake leadership of the Torneo Final, helped a couple of days after their own match by two fine goals from Arsenal's Darío Benedetto which downed Newell's Old Boys. Independiente might be going down, but they're going down kicking and screaming at least, and we've got some awful puns for you. Enjoy.
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Episode 102: Trying and failing to keep it short, & previewing the superclásico
03/05/2013 Duration: 01h29minIn the hundred-and-second episode of Hand Of Pod, Sam, English Dan and Joel have a running order for once, in an effort to get the show's length down below an hour and a half. They succeed by a matter of seconds; don't worry folks, we'll get better at this, we promise. We discuss Independiente and Estudiantes finally winning matches, Boca Juniors equalling their worst ever domestic run (since we recorded, they've beaten Corinthians in the first leg of their Copa Libertadores tie), Newell's going out on their own at the top of the league and much more, including a preview of this weekend's superclásico between Boca and River Plate in La Bombonera. Enjoy.
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Episode 101: some awful refereeing, an enthralling title race and the return of Mystic Dan
25/04/2013 Duration: 01h44minThe hundred-and-first episode of Hand Of Pod sees Sam and English Dan welcome Joel back from his holiday, and the three are joined by Santiago again. We're also reunited with Australian Dan, making a brief return to say hello and to resurrect Mystic Dan as a late marker of HOP's 100th edition last week. We talk about some major refereeing controversies in four different matches at the weekend, the tightening title race (the top two are now level, and third placed River Plate are just two points further back) and ask whether Boca Juniors might be gradually showing signs of life, as well as Argentina's representatives in the Copa Libertadores, the knockout stage of which began on Wednesday evening as this episode was being uploaded. Enjoy.