Second Captains @ The Irish Times

One of Ireland's greatest ever athletes, David Gillick, has retired - he gives his first interview to Second Captains. A 2-time European champion, Gillick looks back on his career on the track, nerves for life, his regrets... and his new sporting pastime. Dublin and Meath have qualified for the Leinster football final - Anthony Moyles and Malachy Clerkin talk to us about what Meath can do to stop the Dublin juggernaut, this morning's qualifier draw, new body types, and why Armagh is one place where no grudge will go un-nursed. Plus we discuss keeping up your tea intake during a World Cup, Costa Rican players re-enacting 'The Crawl', innate athleticism and Ronnie Delaney - Irish sprint king. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There were four extraordinary games over the weekend, but still the world's appetitite is not sated. We talk Holland's high hopes, Van Gaal's self proclaimed genius, the Neymar pressure cooker and Colombiaaaa.Journalist and author Simon Kuper joins us from Brazil to talk about the path to the final for the Netherlands, and how the limited gameplan is a good way of limiting over confidence. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ken is in the jungle, and unfortunately he is the hunted not the hunter. Yes, he had his bag stolen and is grateful to mother nature for teaching him the laws of the jungle.Richie Sadlier joins us in studio to discuss RTE pundit passion, Luis Suarez's options and what the long term reality is for the Uruguayan. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin and Murph discuss runaway labradoodles, American cheer, drinking cans on the Great Wall of China and silver backs.Brian Murphy is driving the US soccer bandwagon, it has its own mini bar and he wants us all to hop aboard. Yes, the Luis Suarez bite has gone 'caost to coast'. Andy Murray has gone from being coached by ice man Ivan Lendl to the famously nervy Amelie Mauresmo. We talk to Jonny Watterson at Wimbledon about women coaching men, good listeners and relaxed Andy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ken was at the Italy Uruguay game to observe one of the strangest moments in World Cup history, and one of the most complex characters in sport, Luis Suarez.We get reaction from the Uruguayan media and analyse what the consequences might be for Suarez, for the team, and for FIFA. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran talk about Andrea Pirlo and the Two World Cups, Luis Suarez strangeness, and Louis van Gaal's fatal flaw.Dion Fanning joins us from Rio to analyse Brazil's improvement against Cameroon.All this plus Murph's elbow in the face, Maradona's kitchen, honest Italy and rest day depression. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With Henry Shefflin starting on the bench yesterday, Joe Canning could have been forgiven for thinking he'd be free of the comparisons for one afternoon. Maurice O'Brien and Nicky English give us their thoughts on what will happen in Shefflin-Canning part 2.Derval O'Rourke is one of our favourite sportspeople, and after her retirement today we're joined by Jerry Kiernan and David Gillick to talk about one of our greatest ever clutch athletes. We have Shane Curran on the weekend's Gaelic football and the future of the minnows in the All-Ireland football championship. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It was a World Cup weekend for the ages, and our man in Brazil Ken Early was there for perhaps the most dramatic 45 minutes so far, as Germany and Ghana played out a thrilling 2-2 draw.Miguel Delaney joins us to talk about the Messi Argentina dynamic and if Belgium's many talents can be unified.And there's the late night habits of the Argentinian sub-goalie in 1986, the mis-firing German charm offensive, and the Jurgen Klinsmann/Jogi Loew love-affair. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

So, one week in and we've already lost our World Champions. After a week of extraordinary football, Richie Sadlier is in studio to discuss what we should have seen coming, and what we could never have guessed would happen.Ken is overcome with emotion when asked to sum up the first seven days, but recovers his composure to ask Jonathan Wilson about the crush at Maracana and whether its the Spanish system or the players that have come to an end.And we reveal the hitherto unknown link between George Bush at Yale, former Irish physio Mick Byrne and Pepe Reina See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The GAA championship would want to be pretty bloody good to distract from this World Cup... so it's just as well hurling has picked up where it left off last summer. The Irish Times' Malachy Clerkin and Kilkenny legend Michael Kavanagh (they have 8 All-Ireland medals between them) they Shefflin, Canning, Cody, consistency.The USA's World Cup win over Ghana took the nation by storm - US Murph tells us how a country that's usually so relaxed about that whole patriotism business got all swept up in patriotic fervour.Plus we have Bobby Kerr's pants, an extended World Cup #pbeso edition, DiCaprio's party, and a half-hearted message from Barack Obama. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today's Irish Times Second Captains World Cup Podcast has Ken Early calling out John Hayes and Neymar for their attention-grabbing anthem antics. Brazil stuttered against Mexico last night, and Big Phil Scolari has decisions to make. Does he jettison the men he pledged undying faith to 12 months ago? We speak to the BBC's Tim Vickery about whether there's a major crisis coming for the Scolari family. The Dunphy F-bomb, Kenny Cunningham, Ken scientist, the future of Spanish football and Tiger Woods also feature. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This World Cup is basically a ruse to allow Ken Early to indulge in his favourite waste of time - star-gazing - so just what were Pepe and Ronaldo doing at the airport in Salvador after their humiliating 4-0 defeat to Germany yesterday? Gabriele Marcotti joins us to talk about the USA's brilliant last-gasp win over Ghana, and we look ahead to the arrival on the scene today of the brightest dark horses to ever play in a World Cup (Belgium.All this plus USA's 37%, games on a plane, macho protests, Ken's cankles, Germany automatic. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin and Murph discuss 'real' sport, dual players, Maradona on loop, goal line technology and meek Phil Neville.Benny Dunne and John Gardiner assess what happened to All-Ireland hurling champions Clare, and Anthony Moyles talks about whether bogey teams really exist after Monaghan finally beat Tyrone in the Ulster championship.Shane Horgan is in Argentina and talks to us about Schmidt's problems at centre and watching the World Cup in 'football loco'.And we talk about Martin Kaymer’s gift to World Cup TV viewers, Eoin ‘Nostradamus’ McDevitt and Murph's Sinatra phobia. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The first weekend of the World Cup exceeded even the most optimistic of expectations with bucketloads of goals, dodgy refs, meek commentators, fallen idols, Brazil getting a few home-town decisions, Holland shocking the world, and England finding their scapegoat - a sweaty sunburnt Ken Early reports from Brazil.Plus we talk to John Brewin and Dion Fanning about the problem Wayne Rooney is presenting Roy Hodgson, we reflect on the eerie prescience of Ken's World Cup Crystal Ball, and how Robin Van Persie's self imposed 10 month break is good for Holland. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ken has arrived in Brazil, he has a ticket and his heart is full of football joy. He talks to Eoin about the local buzz, Messi rule, Neymar photos, the Roy Keane saga, Scholes' attack plan and Rooney relationship.Ken meets with Fernando Duarte and Jonathan Wilson in Sao Paulo to discuss paternal Scolari, Hulk respect and Brazil's overall prospects.Richie Sadlier talks to us about Spanish dominance being bad or good for the game and why Holland don't have to be loyal to their football culture. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin and Murph discuss happy campers, the world's most aloof sportsman, celeb spotting and World Cup journalism.Rory McIlroy is the bookies favourite for the US Open. We talk to the author of Four Iron in The Soul Lawrence Donegan about why Rory is a good bet, the delicate nature of on course rivalries, and the big American Phil Mickelson love in.Andy Lee and his big punch were trending in America last weekend. He joins us in studio to discuss a career changing moment.We also talk to author of Last Man Standing Christy O'Connor about reaction speeds of hurling goalkeepers, Nash, copycats and Clare's seven gameplans. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This weekend's hurling was supposed to be about Sky Sports but Kilkenny's excellence did a pretty good job of stealing the limelight. Malachy Clerkin of the Irish Times and former Tipp captain Benny Dunne cast their eye over the broadcast newcomers, JBM and Brian Cody's re-energised team. Oisin McConville talks about violent parades and Mayo's sleepy start to 2014. And we are joined by Shane Horgan in Tucuman Province and Trevor Hogan in studio to talk about Joe Schmidt's honest appraisals.Plus we have Ken's maritime marathon, hurling goalkeepers bruising like a peach, and an Irishman throwing the knock-out of the year. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On the day Ken departs for Brazil, we present the snappily titled 'Irish Times Second Captains Ken Early World Cup Farewell Show'.Richie Sadlier talks about his World Cup memories and if World Cup performances define a players career. He also reveals the unusual way Irish teams used to relax during big tournaments.Tim Vickery also joins us from Rio to tell us what Ken can expect on arrival and if the Brazilian public are embracing the tournament. Plus, embarrassing interviews with Roy Hodgson, Ken Early's World Cup Crystal Ball and some very good news about our WC coverage. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eoin and Ken discuss how much Eoin would be willing to pay to see Ireland win the World Cup. Also discussed are Roy Hodgson's tournament anxiety and Joachim Low's mixed messages.John Brewin talks through England's clumsy yet entertaining performance against Ecuador.Miguel Delaney explains why he thinks Spain are going to win the World Cup, again. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Both of last year’s All-Ireland finalists are in action this weekend, with the country still wondering if Mayo are the team best set to dethrone Dublin – Dublin legend Jason Sherlock and Shane Curran are in studio to discuss if James Horan has what it takes tactically to get his team over the line. The World Cup goes back to South America for the first time since 1978, when the tournament was hosted by an Argentina in the grip of a military dictatorship. Argentinian journalist Marcela Mora y Araujo joins us from Buenos Aires to tell us how that first World Cup victory is seen now. Plus there’s the return of Pierce Brosnan’s Emigrant Shout Outs, Ken refuses to tell us who he’s tipping for the World Cup (until Second Captains Football), and Eoin tells us the three things he needs to survive an Irish summer… the sun, the Dubs, and three football games a day. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.