Second Captains @ The Irish Times

Novelist, stand-up comedian and long-standing football fan David Baddiel joins us for the last of our shows celebrating our 250th podcast with the Irish Times this week.The creator of Fantasy Football League talks to us about supporting Chelsea when they were terrible, making one of the most impactful tv shows of the last 20 years, and why money hasn't tarnished sport in the same way it's tarnished the music industry. Enjoy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As part of our week long '250th show' celebrations we're looking back at some memorable moments, giving away SC survival bags, launching our new website and today we even dragged our Richie Sadlier soundboard into studio.Oisin McConville and Anthony Moyles reckon Donegal will employ the most defensive, most aggressive most severe defensive system in the history of football. Other topics include James Horan's room to improve, the Lee Keegan and Limerick venue distractions and McGeeney's managerial career.We talk to US Murph about sports stars' non reaction to the events that have unfolded in the town of Ferguson in recent weeks, the link to corporate America, and how 'the man' has won. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin, Ken and Murph discuss the possible return of Shay Given to the Irish squad, and the rise and rise of Captain Wayne Rooney. Sid Lowe explains why managerial ambitions could explain why Xabi Alonso is joining Bayern Munich.And Tim Vickery is more excited about what Angel Di Maria will bring to Manchester United, than what Dunga will bring to Brazil in his second stint as manager. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As part of our week long '250th show' celebrations we're looking back at some memorable moments, giving away SC survival bags, and catching up with some special guests. Today we welcome Bill O'Herlihy into studio.We talk to Bill about Ireland's relationship with football, Italia 90, the Giles, Dunphy, Brady gang, the irrelevance of sport, RTE, the art of television, PR Versus journalism and how to fill 10 minutes of dead air. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran discuss Angel Di Maria, the MOTD50 documentary and managerial brainwashing techniques.We ask Jonathan Wilson whether English football is culturally resistant to 3-5-2.And Ed Malyon joins us to explain Crystal Palace's next step. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

To celebrate our 250th show with The Irish Times we're broadcasting 6 shows this week, including two specials which will include Second Captains memories, special guests, Second Captains survival kits and other sports related fun.Today we talk joyous football, Mayo's recovery, Kerry's tenacity, Limerick vs Croker, GAA planning skills, taking a stand and replay repercussions with Shane Curran, Aindriu Mac Lochlainn and Murph.And with the start of the US Open, we look at Serena Williams – last seen in the popular consciousness a physical wreck at Wimbledon, and yet the unbackable favourite for her 18th Grand Slam event this week. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin, Ken and Murph discuss Balotelli's move to Liverpool, the Malky Mackay scandal, the new Ireland squad and Paul Scholes' prescription for what ails Manchester United.Richie Sadlier joins us in studio to talk about the mystery of strikers' confidence. Murph provides insight into his own predatory mindset.And Gabriele Marcotti is convinced Liverpool are in a no-lose situation with the signing of Mario Balotelli. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Are Mayo past their peak or coming to the boil at just the right time? Oisin McConville believes his tip for the All-Ireland this year are timing their run beautifully – Karol Mannion joins Eoin and Murph in studio. We talk to US Murph about the Little League World Series, a baseball tournament for kids that’s watched by millions, is shown live on ESPN, and makes heroes and villains out of pre-teens. Plus we talk about Mario Balotelli, we reveal US Murph’s calamitous coaching career, and Eoin reveals his inner Maude Flanders. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran discuss the new, angry Jamie Redknapp, and the new, relentlessly self-critical Wayne Rooney. John Brewin dissects Manchester United's opening-day defeat and fact that Van Gaal is 33/1 to be next sacked manager in PL.And Jacob Steinberg analyses Big Sad Sam Allardyce's troubled relationship with his bosses at West Ham. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tipperary stormed into the All-Ireland semi-final, but the question on everyone’s lips now is – have they done enough to impress Eoin McDevitt? The man who could put out a patent on the “back Kilkenny regardless of form or circumstance” mindset talks to Malachy Clerkin and Maurice O’Brien. The European athletics championships were a successful few days for a new-look Irish team – we’re joined by our 800m medallist Mark English, and David Gilllick is in studio to talk to us about English, oxygen deprivation, and the most violent 1500m final any of us can remember. Plus there’s the never-ending battle between athletes and cuddly computer-based mascots, when GAA surgeons go wild, and the return of the premier league – the football fan’s tripe and onions. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin and Ken talk about the start of the Premier League season, potential top 4 and whether Louis van Gaal is feeling the same love for his club officials that Jose Mourinho professes to feel for the Chelsea hierarchy.Miguel Delaney joins us to explain why Chelsea are so many people's favourites for the title.And Rob Smyth talks to us about Danish Dynamite, the book he recently co-authored with Lars Eriksen and Mike Gibbons about the brilliant Danish team of the 1980s. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin is feeling sore after England's women's rugby team trampled on his dreams and Ken thinks Tiger's mum may have sent him some mixed messages.In the wake of a heavy semi final defeat to England we discuss success, failure, the end of a generation and future prospects for women's rugby in Ireland with team captain Fiona Coghlan.US Murph talks to us about the post Tiger era in America, Rory's tv charm and the Nascar disaster involving Tony Stewart and the young driver Kevin Ward. And Benny Dunne and Christy O'Connor explain why they are both going for Tipp this weekend See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin and Ken talk about Arsene Wenger's optimism, Aaron Ramsey's dynamism, and Liam Brady's pessimism about the future of Irish football. Jonathan Wilson tells us whether this really is going to be Arsenal's year. And Henk Ten Cate joins us to talk about what he's learned in a football life that's taken him to Ajax, Barcelona and Chelsea among many other clubs. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Rory McIlroy showed that he could tough it out in the majors when he took the USPGA title again last night. We discuss the remarkable performance, where Rory goes from here & the slow play of Mickleson and Fowler with Dave Hannigan and Malachy Clerkin.Nicky English will dissect yesterday's dramatic match at Croke Park between Kilkenny and Limerick and Anthony Moyles and recently retired Meath footballer Seamus Kenny join us in studio to painfully discuss the seemingly unbeatable Dubs.We'll also talk uncomfortable Sheikhs, awkward cameramen, Fun Robbie Keane and a new edition of Ken Early's Women's Rugby World Cup Crystal Ball. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran discuss the new MOTD panel, the attractiveness of the Celtic job and the pre-season sourness of Pep Guardiola. Alex Massie joins us to talk about the Hearts team of 1914 who volunteered en masse to fight in the First World War.And with Liverpool having already spent about £88m on new players this summer, Tony Barrett assesses whether even more investment is needed. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Irish women's rugby team's defeat of New Zealand on Tuesday evening was a monument to hard work, belief, and skill - we speak to Ireland's most capped player and friend of the show Lynne Cantwell about where she thinks this team can go in the tournament. Do Limerick have it within them to beat Kilkenny this weekend - at least one member of the Second Captains is willing to stake whatever's left of his reputation (admittedly not a lot) on the men in green. And Kildare's Emmet Bolton joins us to talk about what the week after you're knocked out of the championship is like for an inter-county footballer, and whether Monaghan have what it takes to beat the Dubs. World War 1 documentaries, the world's leakiest media ban, and the return of Ken Early's World Cup Crystal Ball all in the mix too. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran discuss the perils of commentating off tube and the difference between upward and downward communications. Andrew Mangan of Arseblog joins us in studio to talk about the growth of football in the US and Arsenal's smooth, suave pre-season. And John Brewin analyses the state of Manchester United after they shook up the world by beating Liverpool 3-1 in The Game America Wanted To See. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ken Early makes his triumphant return to studio after a week of foam parties in Playa Des Ingles, and there's plenty to discuss. Aindriu Mac Lochlainn and Karol Mannion tell us why we need more pre-match WWE-style grandstanding by GAA managers, and we add further fuel to the vile anti-Colm Cooper propaganda currently sweeping the nation. Rory McIlroy is back at number 1 in the world rankings, and is on a molten hot streak ahead of start of the US PGA championship this Thursday. And with Dustin Johnson and Tiger Woods absent for different reasons, he looks well set to put 3 wins back to back. And we have Ponies, donkeys, deer-antlers, and other hooved quadripeds all featuring prominently. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Everyone said they'd like to be the man AFTER the man chosen to replace Alex Ferguson at Manchester United - Louis van Gaal is the man in that enviable position now, and he appears not to have put a foot wrong. He's winning friendlies, glorying in the comparisons between him and Moyes... the only dark cloud on the horizon for him is that at some stage the Premier League season is going to have to start. And Irish football legend Kevin Sheedy joins us to talk about a stellar couple of days for Everton, with Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley both committing themselves to the club. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The action in the gaelic football and hurling championships is now focused solely on Croke Park, and with four games this weekend, Oisin McConville and Anthony Moyles tell us about how the stadium itself elevates this to another level of competition altogether. Conor McGregor's win in the UFC in the o2 was one of the most talked-about sporting events of the year so far. We talk to his coach and the Godfather of MMA in Ireland, John Kavanagh, about how the hype helps McGregor, and what McGregor has to do for his achievements to catch up to his acclaim. And we talk about the bloodiest challenge matches ever played, fulfilling the siege mentality quota for one summer, and a tradition as old as the GAA itself - pinning up hostile articles on a dressing-room wall. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.