Hand Of Pod

The sixtieth episode of Hand Of Pod sees Sam, Dan and Dan discuss Boca Juniors' narrow lead in the Clausura, thanks to a spectacular Santiago Silva effort last weekend, and Racing's pitiful performance away to Lanús last weekend. We also give the Copa Argentina a once-over, now that all four quarter-finals are known, and discuss Argentina's sides in the Copa Libertadores, before moving on to listeners' questions which range from books on Argentine football and culture to Argentina's WAG culture. This was recorded on Wednesday but not uploaded until now because Sam, who does the production and uploading, hasn't been well. Sorry.

The fifty-ninth episode of Hand Of Pod features Sam, Dan, Dan and special guest, Turkish TV presenter Asli Pelit, cover an increasingly tight title race; Only two points separate the top six teams, with Boca Juniors and Newell's Old Boys the sides in the driving seat - for now. San Martín de San Juan have changed managers, and former Fulham striker Facundo Sava is the man now in the hot seat for his first job in management. Also as we were talking, the AFA were voting on a league restructure. The relegation system described herein has since been confirmed, but the short championships will remain for next season. As usual, we answer your questions, and this week Mystic Dan is handing over the reins to Asli, and allowing her to predict what will happen this weekend. She gives us reasons and everything.

The fifty-eighth episode of Hand Of Pod is a bumper edition. Not only do we have both Seba and Joel Richards on the same pod for the first time since their short-lived Enganche podcast with Sam four years ago (which spawned the idea for Hand Of Pod when Sam moved to Buenos Aires), but Dan and Dan are both with us as well, and we've got plenty to discuss. Independiente thrashed Racing in the clásico on Saturday, after which Racing striker Teo Gutiérrez almost went postal, Boca Juniors players got into a fight with Tigre fans which left Santiago Silva with fractured fingers, San Martín v Vélez was called off with five minutes left, Racing and Godoy Cruz bade farewell to their managers, and River Plate fans courted controversy with some racist t-shirts. All this and more on the best Argentine football podcast around. Enjoy.

Episode 57 of Hand Of Pod is a long 'un, because Sam, English Dan and Seba have a derby to preivew. It doesn't help, then, that Seba has decided he's going to watch QPR instead of Racing on Saturday morning. We look at the roles of both managers going into Saturday's Avellaneda derby between Independiente and Racing, and also at Tigre's slump in form, the qualifications of Boca Juniors and Vélez Sarsfield in the Copa Libertadores and of Tigre and River Plate in the Copa Argentina, and answer your questions on everything from Pablo Mouche, Jorge Sampaoli, Gerardo Martino, Arsenal de Sarandí and Club Atlético Douglas Haig (yes, there really is such a club). Australian Dan will return next week.

The fifty-sixth episode of Hand Of Pod sees Sam, Dan and Dan discussing Independiente's win over Rafaela last weekend, Racing's defeat away to Newell's Old Boys, Boca Juniors once again topping the Clausura table and more, including the extraordinary start to David Trezeguet's spell at River Plate. San Lorenzo changed managers this week (we recorded just before Ricardo Caruso Lombardi was confirmed as the new man) and Aussie Dan has a bit of a rant about clubs' lack of imagination when appointing new bosses. Paulo Dybala gets a mention again, and there are more live questions, since that was so much fun to do last week. Mystic Dan isn't trying to predict exact scorelines again, sadly.

The fifty-fifth episode of Hand Of Pod sees Sam, Dan, Seba and Dan meet again to discuss yet more crisis in the business of Avellaneda's two giant clubs, Racing and Independiente, as well as how Newell's Old Boys and Estudiantes were the big winners of last weekend. We run the rule over another great performance for second division starlet Paulo Dybala, talk about the 'Law of The Ex', one of the Argentine football media's favourite curses, and when all appears to be heading towards a most disorganised conclusion, answer some listeners' questions tweeted DURING THE PODCAST. This is revolutionary stuff, right here. Also, Mystic Dan's being even dafter than usual this week, and has actually tried to predict exact scorelines for the eight round of the Clausura.

The fifty-fourth episode of Hand Of Pod takes in quite a lot. We begin with Colón's highly controversial equaliser against San Lorenzo at the weekend, a goal which will see referee Diego Abal miss at least a couple of rounds of the Torneo Clausura. After getting some of the weekend Primera scores mixed up, we then take in the revival in the fortunes of both Avellaneda sides in the last two weeks, Tigre's climb out of the automatic relegation places for the first time this season, and discuss whether Estudiantes are finally back, and whether Racing at last have a high enough arsehole quotient in their squad. As well as all this we ask whether Atlético Rafaela and Godoy Cruz are losing it, run a fine-toothed comb over hot European transfer targets Paulo Dybala and Matías Suárez, and discuss why everyone suddenly seems to want Argentine second division players anyway. There's even time for Seba to insult us, when we were only trying to help him with his English.

The fifty-third episode of Hand Of Pod sees Seba return along with Sam, Dan and Dan, and a special guest appearance from football journalist, author and editor of The Blizzard (www.theblizzard.co.uk), Jonathan Wilson. Topics up for discussion include Boca Juniors' two straight defeats (after an eleven-month unbeaten run), Racing suddenly clicking against All Boys, and how Lionel Messi's brilliance is so consistent we've almost stopped fully appreciating it. Jonathan has a bit of a rant about Juan Román Riquelme, we consider the tactics being used by Alejandro Sabella for the national team, and much more. Enjoy.

The fifty-second episode of Hand Of Pod begins with Sam, Dan and Dan in discussion of Diego Sosa's ridiculous own goal which gifted Estudiantes a win over San Martín last weekend, and continues to take in topics including a double managerial sending-off in the Santa Fe derby, River Plate's latest league result in the second division and Tigre's increasingly impressive battle against relegation, which just might start to look possible if results this coming weekend go the way Mystic Dan predicts. Racing are still rubbish, so for a change we don't spend too long on them this week. Oh, and this week's episode was recorded a few hours before Boca Juniors' 11-month unbeaten run in all competitions came to an end. Enjoy.

The fifty-first episode of Hand Of Pod sees the end of a bit of a break in recording, so it's a bumper edition. Seba is once again, lamentably, unable to attend, but Sam, Dan and Dan are joined by the one and only Joel Richards to bring some sobriety to proceedings. Topics up for discussion include just how high up Argentina's pantheon Lionel Messi will continue to rise, why on earth Boca Juniors are being allowed to use Santiago Silva in league matches all of a sudden, the start of a golden era for Avellaneda football (that's sarcasm, in case you were wondering), why Argentine women's football isn't more visible, and much more. We should be back to something like a normal schedule as from next week.

The fiftieth episode of Hand Of Pod is a weekend release as we weren't able to record earlier in the week. In it, we look back over an interesting first round of matches in the 2012 Torneo Clausura, and also consider Godoy Cruz, Lanús and Boca Juniors in the Copa Libertadores in midweek. Lanús, Rafaela and Boca started well with wins, San Lorenzo were dire, and Racing (in the eyes of Sam and Australian Dan) were pretty poor. English Dan disagrees on that last point, of course. We also discuss the Argentines at Catania, and some others abroad, including new Everton cult hero Denis Stracqualursi's recent upturn in form. Thanks to all our listeners for helping us to fifty episodes (we wouldn't have bothered if you weren't paying attention), and we hope you enjoy the next fifty as well!

The forty-ninth episode of Hand Of Pod is the 2012 Torneo Clausura preview edition, and we begin with a brief discussion of the title name of this year's competition, which has attracted really far more controversy than it merits in the British press. We then move on through our predictions for the next five months, to end by likening each club in the Argentine Primera (including a little-known, easily forgotten side called Boca Something-or-other) to a film genre. In between we discuss the key summer transfers, how much trouble San Lorenzo and Tigre are in and more. Enjoy.

The 48th episode of Hand Of Pod is another summer special for 2012. In it, Seba tells us about the foundation and history of one of the Argentine lower divisions' biggest and most traditional clubs, Platense, who are the club David Trezeguet cut his teeth at. From there we take a diversion through other Argentine clubs and why they're called what they are, in another shortened episode to help you warm up for what's to come in the Clausura. Enjoy.

English Dan is on holiday, but fear not, Dan lovers! The forty-seventh episode of Hand Of Pod - and the first of our summer 2012 specials - features two Dans all the same. And what's more, for the first time ever, BOTH of them are Australian! This won't be at all confusing. Sam and Australian Dan are joined by Dan Cappellaro, a futsal player from Perth who's in Buenos Aires on trial with Deportivo Caseros, one of Argentina's top futsal teams. He tells us how he got noticed by them, compares Argentina's football culture with Australia's, and asks us just why Argentina is so crazy about football. It's a short episode, but a sweet one to whet your appetite for the year ahead. Enjoy.

In the forty-sixth epsiode of Hand Of Pod, Sam, Seba and English Dan look back on the 2011 Torneo Apertura, which ended on Monday. Boca Juniors ended as undefeated champions, and the champions with the most points difference ahead of the team(s) in second place. We look at Boca's record, Racing's underwhelming campaign, Tigre's ongoing woe and Godoy Cruz's joy at their Copa Libertadores qualification. There's the Hand Of Pod Team Of The Apertura (well, most of it) and a whole glut of readers' questions on everything from the structure of the league to Racing's 1967 Intercontinental Cup win over Celtic. This is the last Hand Of Pod of 2011, so Merry Christmas to all, and a happy new year. We'll see you in 2012.

The forty-fifth episode of Hand Of Pod is introduced by Queens Park Rangers star Alejandro Faurlín, and sees Sam, Seba and English Dan reflecting on Boca Juniors' title win - the media bias, the key players, the impressive record and more. We reflect on Racing's failure to satisfactorily challenge them, Teo Gutiérrez's chances of getting a transfer to Europe, the political machinations behind the postponement of San Lorenzo v Tigre and the challenges awaiting Tigre during the coming Clausura. There's an aside on the stupidity of the three different tables used in Argentina to decide the title, continental qualification and relegation, and we also talk about River Plate's 'hilarious' weekend loss to Boca Unidos and subsequent midweek recovery in the Copa Argentina. We finish with a fairytale story from the Copa, about the president of fourth division Atlético Policial, who on Wednesday beat Nacional B (second division) leaders Instituto 4-1.

The forty-fourth episode of Hand Of Pod sees Sam, Dan, Dan and Seba discussing the reasons for Boca Juniors' title win, which will almost definitely happen this coming weekend since their win at Godoy Cruz took them nine points clear with nine to play for. Leandro 'Vegetable' Somoza is praised, Cristian Chávez and Pablo Mouche are criticised. Elsewhere, there was an entertaining match involving Racing, for a change, and they finally lost, 3-2 at home to Belgrano. Seba Verón scored possibly his last goal as Estudiantes beat Arsenal 201, and we praise Tigre for their great campaign so far. We also have a Hand Of Pod first - an interview with Emiliano Tade, a forward playing for Auckland City FC in New Zealand, who'll be one of six Argentines featuring in the Club World Cup in Japan, which starts next week. Enjoy.

In the forty-third episode of Hand Of Pod, Sam, Dan, Dan and Seba begin with a look at Juan Sebastián Verón's stand against Estudiantes' barra brava, who on Monday caused their match with Banfield to be abandoned after only thirteen minutes. We then move on to talk about Boca Juniors' 0-0 draw with Racing on Sunday, a result that edges Boca a tiny bit closer to the league title, and Racing striker Teo Gutiérrez's idiocy in getting himself sent off, and the effect it's likely to have on Racing's squad for the rest of the season. Sam mentions River Plate's first ever competitive match in Patagonia (a 4-1 win away to Guillermo Brown of Puerto Madryn), we talk about San Lorenzo's woes as they change managers, and after Mystic Dan's predictions we close with a discussion of media bias towards the two giants, and especially Boca.

In the forty-second episode of Hand Of Pod, we turn one year old (well, it was a few days ago). To mark the occasion, we're joined by Joel Richards, and Seba, clearly afraid of being shown up, has scarpered. We discuss a disappointing result for Argentina against Bolivia, a very good result for Argentina against Colombia, and what it means for certain players (we're looking at you, Martín Demichelis...). Joel also does a fine job of justifying José Sosa's existe- sorry, place in the national side. We then shift our focus to the upcoming weekend, which sees first play second in La Bombonera. If Boca win against Racing, they'll need just a point to claim the title. All this, plus another rant about the organisation of the Copa Argentina (a tournament Hand Of Pod is leading the world's media in covering, pretty much). What more could you want?

The forty-first episode of Hand Of Pod is introduced by a real-life professional Argentine footballer, Crystal Palace goalkeeper Julián Speroni. After his dulcet tones, we discuss Boca Juniors' continuing march to the league title, and Racing's first win in six matches on Saturday night, as well as other weekend action including a hideous broken leg at Unión, and a derby win for Lanús (which means they need just a point to completely ensure qualification for next year's Copa Libertadores). Attention then shifts to the upcoming round of World Cup qualifiers and Alejandro Sabella's squad selection, which is starting to annoy us a bit. Towards the end, Ralph Hannah tells us about why he's going to be meeting Paraguay and Vélez legend José Luis Chilavert on Friday, and we discuss some of the great man's finest moments (you'll find a couple of videos on the HOP blog, http://handofpod.wordpress.com).