If GolTV will ever get an opportunity to broadcast Premier League matches in the future, soccer fans in the United States got a preview of what type of coverage they could expect during Tuesday's Champions League qualifying round match featuring Liverpool against Toulouse.

From the second the coverage began, GolTV commentators Phil Schoen and Ray Hudson set the mood and eloquently shared with viewers what makes an Anfield European night so special. Hudson talked first hand about his experience playing for Newcastle against Liverpool at St. James's Park back in the seventies, marking Terry McDermott and remembering the 10,000 Liverpool fans who outsung the Geordies on that night in Newcastle.

That's what sets GolTV apart from its competitors. Hudson, a former player and manager, is able to speak candidly about the game and impart his wisdom on the audience. Schoen, meanwhile, is one of the most knowledgeable commentators in the United States on the world game. The two of them together fuse a formidable partnership.

After returning from commercial, the duo then paused to let the final sounds of Liverpool's anthem "You'll Never Walk Alone" bathe the audience and paid their respect -- along with the players, fans and viewers at home -- to 11-year old Everton fan Rhys Jones who was tragically shot dead last week.

The only shame about the opening coverage from GolTV was that they missed the two teams running out to the "Z Cars Theme" that was Jones's favorite song and traditionally is the song that Everton always runs out to at their Goodison Park ground.

Other than that one oversight, kudos to GolTV for treating viewers to a touching opening for the match which Liverpool convincingly won 4-0 against the French opposition.

Labels: anfield, everton, goltv, goodison park, Liverpool, rhys jones

By The Scout

With former protégés like Martin O'Neill, Roy Keane and Stuart Pearce managing at the top-levels of English football, Brian Clough's name continues to swirl around the game that he was a part of for the bulk of his life. Often the most mentioned aspect of Clough's career in football is that he took an unfashionable, regional clubs like Nottingham Forest to two successive European Cup victories. A recent book by journalist Duncan Hamilton attempts to cast a wider spotlight on the life and career of Brian Clough.

Hamilton became acquainted with Clough through his football reporting for the Nottingham Evening Post and their association lasted for well over a decade. Hamilton was invited into Clough's inner circle and both benefited from the relationship. Clough found himself a ghostwriter to publish columns in the papers and Hamilton found a source of quotes and extra cash. That's not to say that the relationship was sycophantic merely convenient. The two did share some common roots and developed a genuine friendship as well.

As I read Hamilton's book, I was at times bored by the repetition of his repeating Clough's character traits and habits. For example, it is repeated several times that Clough and the English FA would not have been able to co-exist had he been named England manager. These bits are rehashed through the book and while they could be eliminated and the book streamlined, I came to realize that this was not to be taken as a start-to-finish chronological story. Hamilton's book is like sitting down for a pint with an uncle who wants to regale you with stories of the "good old days", he may have a start and end point in mind but it's really the bits in between that are important. Hamilton is a good storyteller and it does not hurt that his material is golden.

Clough's era came and went before I started following the game but in the videos I've seen, he was always a showman and the book is one more stage on which he stars. We get to learn of his time as a player, in which he was a deadly finisher for Middlesbrough and Sunderland (251 goals in 273 appearances) before his career was cut short by a severe knee injury. We get to follow Clough through his managerial career starting with Hartlepool, then leading Derby to the First Division title.

During his time with Derby, there was one incident that reverberates into recent football happenings. Derby reached the semi-finals of the European Cup but were knocked out by Juventus 3-1 on aggregate in very controversial circumstances. It later emerged that the West German referee had received gifts from the Italian side before the match. I found it quite ironic (and sad) considering Juventus' recent banishment from the Serie A for essentially the same thing.

Clough would eventually claim the European Cup with Forest but not before a short, ill-advised and roundly unsuccessful stint as manager of Leeds United. It was a shocking move considering Clough's outspoken criticism of former manager Don Revie and his team's playing style.

Shortly after his appointment Clough infamously told the Leeds players that they should throw all their medals in the bin, since they'd won them unfairly.

Controversy was certainly no stranger to Clough and that's one of the things the book fails to deal with completely. It is well known that Clough developed a severe drinking problem while at Nottingham Forest and Hamilton does well to document the downfall. One has to wonder if it was simply intimidation that kept Hamilton and others from saying anything to Clough about his heavy drinking.

The controversy that was not talked about much was the "bungs" scandal that emerged in the early 1990s. Clough was alleged to have been receiving illegal payments during transfer negotiations and making illegal payments to players. However, due to Clough's declining health when the case was put together, he was never formally charged by the FA. Hamilton scarcely mentions the situation and it leaves you wondering what he knows, if anything. Even if it would just be a mention of "In my time, I heard nothing of illegal payments", it would at least give the sense that Hamilton was not trying to sweep the issue under the rug to protect an old friend.

The book of course ends on a sad note, as Clough passed away in 2004 at the age of 69 from stomach cancer. Hamilton gives us a look into his life outside of football and a true sense of the man and not just the football personality. While Clough is described by Hamilton as 'frightening' and 'obstreperous', he also shows us that he was a kind and generous person who campaigned for coal miner's rights and helped people out when they were down on their luck. He was a complex personality and fittingly the book gives ample time and space to all sides of the man.

Overall, Hamilton's perspective is interesting because he was truly there for most of these famous moments and Clough often confided in him but at the same time he was meant to be a neutral observer. It is a fascinating serious of intertwined anecdotes and Hamilton takes time to comment on the differences in the game from when he first started reporting up until the time he gave it up to pursue Current affairs and political journalism. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the history of the English game or to those simply interested in reading about one of football's celebrity names that will continue to be mentioned for years to come.

Labels: brian clough, duncan hamilton, the scout

The Daily Telegraph has the scoop that Ronaldinho's agent is in talks with Chelsea about a possible move to England for the world's most popular Brazilian.

While he undoubtedly is one of the most skillful players on the planet, the chances of him flourishing in the Premier League are slim. We've seen time and time again how he has difficulty dealing with the more physical nature of the game (especially in international matches like last summer's World Cup) so much so that he often fades away in games.

Bring him out for Champions League matches, sure, and he'll shine. But why pay so much for one player if he would only play every two weeks or so?

Chelsea's move for Ronaldinho is a win-win. If they fail to get him, Chelsea fans will be impressed that the club are trying to make massive transfer signings, while Roman Abramovich's value in the eyes of fans will have risen. If they get the Brazilian starlet, then merchandise sales around the world would go through the roof overnight. Imagine how many kits Chelsea could sell with Ronaldinho's name imprinted on the back.

Labels: Chelsea, ronaldinho

Tottenham Hotspur has hired a company to produce three hours of TV programming weekly to provide to international viewers. In the United States, we've seen Arsenal TV, Liverpool TV, MUTV and Chelsea TV, so don't be surprised if one of the U.S. networks picks up Spurs TV in the near future.

Meanwhile, TV ratings for the Premier League have increased in the UK compared to the same time last season (see here). I'd be interested to see whether there's been an increase in the average attendances for the 20 clubs compared to last year however.

Labels: spurs, spurs tv, tottenham hotspur

• Former Premier League referee Jeff Winter reviews David Beckham's autobiography from the most unusual setting in this brief video here from the Fanbanta website.
  
  
• Splended article here by Martin Smith of The Daily Telegraph on a particular Man United programme from the past and what happened on the field during that day against Spurs. Brilliant idea for mixing the past with the present.
  
  
• Chelsea business affairs director Paul Smith, who was responsible for Chelsea's preseason tour in the United States, has been fired by chief executive Peter Kenyon.
  
  
• Fox Sports in Australia has announced that they'll be providing Premier League matches live (and taped) via broadband to their customers down under. This follows Fox Soccer Channel's launch this August in the United States with a similar offering. More info here.
  
  
• Millions of soccer fans in most sub-Saharan African countries will not be able to watch English Premier League matches following a decision by the league to offer coverage rights to a new company. Read the article here.
  
  
• Here's another example of how the Premier League is winning new fans in the United States, even journalists. The article is from The Missoulian newspaper.
  

One of the most competitive leagues in Britain isn't the Premier League. It's the Championship League. Last season's competition was a perfect example as nine to ten clubs battled for promotion during the last few weeks of the season.

To provide you with one podcast featuring news and analysis of the Coca Cola Championship League, EPL Talk has launched a sister podcast and website entitled Championship Talk. The podcast is hosted by Brian Koski and Georgie Frost, two passionate and knowledgeable fans.

To hear the first episode, subscribe via iTunes or visit the Championship Talk website and click on the podcast link in the right column.

Editor's note: Unfortunately the first episode does suffer from some audio problems with the quality of the phone conversation, but I'm sure the audio quality will improve in future episodes, so please be patient.

Labels: brian koski, championship talk, georgie frost

By John Nicholson

If you're an England fan, then I will be telling you what you already know, England are in a crisis.

I don't use the c word very often because in modern day media, a crisis can be anything from a full blown terrorist attack to the local store selling out of bread. The word is used without regard and with no quality control. In fact, in many ways, the only way for anyone to ever get their point of view into the press and on TV is to claim that whatever it is they’re concerned with is 'in crisis,'; that some kind of imminent calamity is about to befall them.

Usually, this is just not true. For example, in the UK we are routinely told the National Health Service is 'in crisis.' You'd think this would mean that there are dead people strewn in the corridors of hospitals and surgeons are performing operations using rusty scissors and a bread knife. But no. Go into any hospital and it looks surprisingly modern and not a corpse rotting anywhere. The crisis, such as it is, is usually the cry of those who want more funding, whether rightly and wrongly. But it's not a crisis in the true meaning of that word.

However with England's national team, as you would have seen on Wednesday, it is not too strong a word to use. Why? Because England, a country of 60 million people and almost as many football clubs, has so few international quality players available that its pitiful manager feels it necessary to field players who have not even played a full game yet this season. He feels it necessary to play a man with jet leg and a painful ankle. He plays people out of position because there is no one to naturally play that position.

A few injuries and withdrawals quickly reduce England to a pile of impotent ashes; burnt out and unable to catch fire, they are a mess.

Although I question McClaren's abilities at this level, I do feel sorry for him. He has so little resources to draw upon. However, there's no point in pretending, as McClaren does, that somehow, we are still a world power in football. That if we can, by some stroke of luck, get out best 11 on the pitch at the same time, we can achieve great things. Not only is this setting a standard we will always fail to deliver, it is delusional and allows some in the game to continue to put their heads in the sand; to continue to just hope it will all be alright somehow. It won't.

With less than 70 Englishman to choose from playing in the Premiership regularly, and with many of those players woefully short of basic skills – yes I am thinking of Titus Bramble, there has to be some fearless and revolutionary thinking about England by everyone concerned.

On the radio in recent weeks, many experienced football men have voiced their fears for the future. The likes of Graham Taylor have said clearly there is little or no young talent coming through the academies. Benitez has also confirmed this. Why this is happening is a discussion for another day, but I firmly believe McClaren needs to stand up and grasp this nettle, not pretend that somehow it will all be alright somehow if he just keeps picking the same players. Palpably, it won't.

He also needs to cast of the yoke of our history and accept we are a second or third rank nation in world football who struggle to beat small east European sides that are drawing on a pool of talent as small as or smaller than our own. If he could do that and if the fans could accept it as the truth, it would free us all up to be more experimental, to try new systems and new players.

England inhibition and conservatism and fear are all borne out of unreasonable expectations. Casting off the notion that we should be really good would remove that expectation. We could take new directions without fear. If they fail to work, at least we'd have learned something but maybe they wouldn't fail. Maybe we'd unearth new quality players who can play at international level. We simply don't give enough players a chance. Why wasn't Derbyshire given a chance on Wednesday for instance?

Maybe we'd develop an ability to play any system, not just 4-4-2. Maybe we'd feel free to play creative football for a change and not just end every game hoofing it long and losing possession which has been our default mode of playing now for at least 35 years.

England is in crisis. You have to say that when we have such a small pool of talent to choose from and no end in sight of that reality. You have to say that when we are beaten at home by a second string German side who themselves at not at any kind of peak of form. We need to accept that reality and start realigning our expectations and ambitions accordingly. It's time for revolution not consolidation. That old ways don't work for England any more and until we free ourselves from those shackles, we will not make progress.

John Nicholson writes each week for Football 365 and EPL Talk. You can listen to John's wonderful stories on episode 30 and 45 of the EPL Talk Podcast, as well as purchase his excellent Footy Rocks book and order one of his unique rock'n roll T-shirts.

Labels: England, john nicholson, steve mcclaren

A GolTV spokeswoman has confirmed that GolTV has decided not to continue its coverage of Arsenal TV and Liverpool TV. The 24/7 soccer network aired the shows last season.

Setanta Sports currently shows MUTV and Chelsea TV. Due to a rule by the Premier League, each soccer network can show no more than two club TV channels. This leaves room for both Fox Soccer Channel and GolTV to add club TV channels in the future to their network.

In the UK and Ireland, Setanta is the exclusive distributor of the new Liverpool TV. There's no word yet whether Fox or any other network will purchase the rights in the United States and Canada.

Labels: arsenal tv, gol tv, goltv, liverpool tv, Setanta

You can always tell a good soccer show but how many things you learn or how many times you laugh. With Setanta's The Friday Football Show, there are few of either but the show definitely has potential.

Featuring James Richardson as the presenter (best known Stateside as the host of the Football Weekly podcast from The Guardian), the Englishman is more subdued and less humorous in the studio but he does slip in a few wisecracks here and there.

In the episode I watched, joining Richardson in the studio were former England greats Viv Anderson and Les Ferdinand. For the most part, Ferdinand and Anderson didn't add much of interest but they both livened up when there was subject matter they could relate to such as their response to the Graham Poll interview where Ferdinand, especially, provided exceptional insight into the relationship between players and referees. Ferdinand explained how he used to know Poll from their days in non-league football.

Speaking of interviews, the show is full of them. In the same episode, Steve McManaman provided his analysis. Boxer Ricky Hatton shared his thoughts on the new Manchester City. Newcastle's Steven Taylor recounted how he used to sit in St James's Park and tried to be a ballboy for the club so he could get closer to the action.

There were also interviews with representatives from Northern Ireland who are involved in the game there and could share their thoughts regarding how former Northern Ireland manager (and now Fulham boss) Lawrie Sanchez was. Getting the insight from several people painted quite an interesting picture of Sanchez (shame he couldn't be interviewed too).

In addition to the interviews, there was the obligatory roundup of midweek match highlights and a focus on the current league table (a poor decision especially this early in the season).

The show rounded out with a couple of humorous moments. The first were some clips of funny moments caught on tape including club trainers, who were very overweight, running on the pitch, and the finale which featured the "Match Day Minstrel" playing acoustic guitar and singing songs about football. The glory days are coming back for Man City, indeed.

The Friday Football Show airs on Setanta Sports in the United States at 6:30pm ET and is shown again at 11pm ET.

Labels: football weekly, james richardson, Setanta, setanta sports, the friday football show, the guardian

Manchester United's poor start to the season has fooled many critics and fans who felt they would storm out of the gates especially with the signing of Carlos Tevez who was so electrifying during this summer's Copa America.

If you think back to one year ago (August 2006), many critics (myself included) predicted Man United would have a bumpy start to the season especially after Ruud van Nistelrooy exited the club and United made no new signings worth mentioning. United, of course, went on to win the league.

Analyzing Man United's tactics in their match against Manchester City, the team looked ordinary without Cristiano Ronaldo. The team also were extremely predictable. Almost all of their attacks seemed to be down the wings where the ineffective Nani was unable to get crosses into the box after the Man City defenders closed down the area almost every single time.

What United needs is their blazing attacks down the middle that were at their best when Ronaldo and Rooney linked up time after time. Ronaldo is irreplaceable (the closest to come to him is Anderson, but he's injured). If the Red Devils can make it through the next two matches until Ronaldo returns, the side should be able to get back to their winning ways.

Labels: anderson, carlos tevez, cristiano ronaldo, manchester united, nani

Watching the Chelsea against Liverpool match on Fox Soccer Channel courtesy of TWI, commentators Ian Darke and Robbie Earle were puzzled whether Chelsea's Michael Essien was awarded two yellow cards without being sent off or not.

At first, they seemed sure the mistake had happened. Then later, after receiving confirmation from assistant referee Phil Dowd, they appeared to change their mind and believe that referee Rob Styles had shown the yellow card to John Terry.

Problem solved, or so we thought.

After the match ended, I went back through the tapes to see what I could uncover. Essien received his first yellow card early in the first half after fouling Liverpool's Arbeloa. Then around the 74th minute, Styles brandished Terry with a yellow card for JT's reaction to Fernando Torres crashing into Ben Haim. Watching the game in slow motion, it's clear to see that Styles then went ahead and awarded a yellow card (his second) to Essien presumably for standing in front of the resulting free kick that Torres was trying to take. That yellow card, without a doubt, was not intended for Terry and Essien should have been sent off. No questions about it.

According to The Guardian newspaper, the head of Professional Game Match Officials Keith Hackett said, "I have been informed that Styles was adamant he issued the yellow card to John Terry," added Hackett. "I can tell you that John Smart, from Sky television, said to the fourth official, 'The guys upstairs are saying that he's cautioned Essien twice.' At that point Phil Dowd went back to Rob Styles and said, 'Will you please confirm to me the player you have cautioned?' He quite clearly stated it was John Terry. Dowd asked the question again. They are adamant John Terry was cautioned."

Clearly Styles was either completely confused or is trying to hide the fact that he made a blatant mistake. Styles already faces a week away from refereeing Premier League matches, which may be extended to one month. But with the critical mistake of awarding Essien two yellow cards without sending him off, you have to wonder whether Styles's "ban" will be longer.

Sure, everyone makes mistakes but two crucial mistakes in one game cost Liverpool two valuable points.

Labels: premier league, rob styles

The major British newspapers are reporting that Sevilla manager Juande Ramos may be appointed the new manager of Tottenham Hotspur by the end of the week to replace Dutchman Martin Jol after a poor start to the season.

Rather than ridicule Spurs for the potential decision to remove Jol so quickly, let's take a minute to compare the reporting of the story by The Guardian, The Independent and The Daily Telegraph newspapers.

As is quite common in British newspapers, two of the above three publications have printed articles without attributing who provided the papers with the inside information. As a former journalist, this irks me quite a bit. Without knowing who the source of the article is, it reads to me as if the article is simply paraphasing what other newspapers are reporting.

For example, Sid Lowe in The Guardian reports that "Juande Ramos has declared his readiness to resign as Sevilla coach." Says who? Did Ramos state this publicly or in an interview with Lowe or is it simply conjecture?

Sam Wallace at The Independent, meanwhile, at least mentions "sources at Tottenham Hotspur" in his article regarding Spurs' alleged dissatisfaction with the results against teams in the top four last season. However, it's unclear who Wallace's sources are regarding how Ramos's meeting with Spurs last Friday went.

Out of the three lead reporters, David Bond at The Daily Telegraph does the best job at relaying the facts and providing sources by at least quoting a club spokeswoman and naming which Sevilla newspaper confronted Ramos with photographs of him meeting with Spurs. That said, the official spokespeople -- although quoted in the articles by The Telegraph -- appear reluctant to say anything newsworthy and are spinning their responses to cause as few ripple effects as possible at Tottenham.

I have no issue with newspapers quoting unnamed sources. However, they should state that instead of leading the reader to guess whether the article is paraphrasing what's written elsewhere.

Whatever happens, the future looks bleak for Martin Jol.

Labels: daily telegraph, juande ramos, martin jol, sevilla, spurs, the guardian, the independent, tottenham hotspur

If you're searching for a way to experience Sunday's match between Liverpool and Chelsea online, join the EPL Talk Chat hosted by BC John.

We'll have Liverpool, Chelsea and neutral fans from around the world chatting in real-time about the final. We'll also be able to tip you off regarding the Reds against the Blues radio coverage and how to listen live (depending on what part of the world you live in). The match kicks off on Sunday, August 19th at 11am ET/4pm GMT. You can access the EPL Talk Chat from the EPL Talk homepage.

If you have your own webcam, feel free to switch it on and point it at you so we can see you wearing your club's colors with pride whether it be Liverpool, Chelsea or any other team.

Labels: Chelsea, Liverpool

If you're searching for a way to experience Sunday's match between Manchester City and Manchester United online, join the EPL Talk Chat hosted by BC John.

We'll have Man City, Man United and neutral fans from around the world chatting in real-time about the final. We'll also be able to tip you off regarding Manchester C against Man Utd radio coverage and how to listen live (depending on what part of the world you live in). The match kicks off on Sunday, August 19th at 8:30am ET/1:30pm GMT. You can access the EPL Talk Chat from the EPL Talk homepage.

If you have your own webcam, feel free to switch it on and point it at you so we can see you wearing your club's colors with pride whether it be City, United or any other team.

Labels: manchester city, manchester united

If you're searching for a way to experience Saturday's match between Newcastle United and Aston Villa online, join the EPL Talk Chat hosted by BC John.

We'll have Toon, Villa and neutral fans from around the world chatting in real-time about the final. We'll also be able to tip you off regarding Newcastle against Villa radio coverage and how to listen live (depending on what part of the world you live in). The match kicks off on Saturday, August 18th at 12:15pm ET/5:15pm GMT. You can access the EPL Talk Chat from the EPL Talk homepage.

If you have your own webcam, feel free to switch it on and point it at you so we can see you wearing your club's colors with pride whether it be Newcastle Utd, Aston Villa or any other team.

Labels: aston villa, newcastle united

If you're searching for a way to experience Saturday's match between Spurs and Derby online, join the EPL Talk Chat hosted by BC John.

We'll have Spurs, County and neutral fans from around the world chatting in real-time about the final. We'll also be able to tip you off regarding Tottenham Hotspur and Derby County radio coverage and how to listen live (depending on what part of the world you live in). The match kicks off on Saturday, August 18th at 10am ET/3pm GMT. You can access the EPL Talk Chat from the EPL Talk Chat page.

If you have your own webcam, feel free to switch it on and point it at you so we can see you wearing your club's colors with pride whether it be Tottenham Hotspur, Derby County or any other team.

Labels: derby county, spurs, tottenham hotspur

If you're searching for a way to experience Saturday's match between Portsmouth and Bolton online, join the EPL Talk Chat hosted by BC John.

We'll have Pompey, Trotters and neutral fans from around the world chatting in real-time about the final. We'll also be able to tip you off regarding Portsmouth against Bolton Wanderers radio coverage and how to listen live (depending on what part of the world you live in). The match kicks off on Saturday, August 18th at 7:45am ET/12:45pm GMT. You can access the EPL Talk Chat from the EPL Talk homepage.

If you have your own webcam, feel free to switch it on and point it at you so we can see you wearing your club's colors with pride whether it be Portsmouth, Bolton or any other team.

Labels: bolton, portsmouth

It's absolutely ridiculous that this much pressure is being placed on Premier League managers already so soon into the season. If this much talk about managers getting the sack so early in the season was in place during the past five to 10 years, then EPL managers such as Alex Ferguson and David Moyes would have gotten the heave-ho a long time ago.

Both Fergie and Moyes have gone through very rough patches with their respective teams teetering close to the relegation drop.

What's important for soccer fans is to have patience but to also see that progress is being made. For Martin Jol, his side looked impressive during preseason (similar to last summer) but have whimpered to defeats against Sunderland and Everton.

A win by Spurs on Saturday against Derby at White Hart Lane (10am, Saturday, Setanta Sports) will deflect the media and fan pressure away from them and on to the next likely suspect.

Who's the next lamb for the slaughter? West Ham's Alan Curbishley, Bolton's Sammy Lee, Middlesbrough's Gareth Southgate or Birmingham's Steve Bruce?

This season, more than any other, Premier League managers are under immense pressure to succeed due to the enormous amounts of money the clubs will receive at the end of the season from the TV networks.

As a result, more teams, managers, players and chairmen suffer from the fear. The fear of defeat. The fear of relegation. The fear of anger from fans. The fear of the nagging from the 24/7 media.

Part of the problem is that chairmen, board members, players and managers allow the pressure to get to them. The perfect example is Newcastle United. Their fans know that whenever they gather en masse at St. James's Park and lead protests to throw the current United chairman out of office, that the chairman will back down and sack the manager. Chairmen and board members need to listen to the voice of their fans, but the executives sometimes need to have a backbone and stand up rather than make kneejerk reactions.

Can any of you blame Paul Jewell for his decision to resign from Wigan after the end of last season? He saw the writing was on the wall and that Wigan would be unable to replicate its success of its first season in the league. He bowed out at exactly the right moment. Whether he's mad enough to become a Premier League manager again is doubtful. Maybe he'll decide to go to the continent and manage a side like Chris Coleman did in Spain. If so, it's probably the smartest move he could make right now.

With the growing popularity of podcasts, it's a shame that more media organizations aren't embracing the technology to provide content to their readers and viewers (and an opportunity to generate new streams of revenue).

Soccer/football podcasts are a perfect example. The Guardian has expanded its Football Weekly podcast to a twice weekly show (with its typical Monday episode plus a new Football Weekly Extra episode released on Thursdays). The Times, meanwhile, is back with its weekly The Game Podcast albeit without host Danny Kelly who has been replaced by Gabriele Marcotti. The good news about Kelly's departure is that Marcotti's lead role may result in Guillem Balague appearing on the show more often.

While The Game Podcast and Football Weekly were cordial last season, this year they seem to be trying to outdo each other (with The Guardian going twice weekly and Marcotti adding more of a serious touch) with The Times venturing into the daily email newsletter service and blogs, which could be tantamount to copying The Guardian's formula of success.

Outside of these two leading UK publications, the quality and quantity of soccer podcasts look bleak. The Beautiful Game completed its final episode after a stint of 18 months. Soccer Shout has decided to hang up its boots after publishing hundreds of episodes.

In the United States, there are radio shows which are also released on podcasts (World Soccer Daily and Champions Soccer Radio), the network of EPL Talk Podcasts (EPL Talk, Major League Soccer Talk, Serie A Talk and La Liga Talk) and several podcasts with smaller audiences. And from the United Kingdom, there's the twice-weekly ESPN Soccernet Extra Podcast, the 606 Podcast from BBC Five Live, while Australia offers A Game of Two Halves, which is back from the brink.

Meanwhile, what is most surprising is that media organizations haven't produced their own soccer podcasts. Media companies such as The Daily Telegraph, The Independent newspaper, Fox Soccer Channel and Setanta Sports. The Daily Telegraph has tried podcasts in the past (Telegraph Fantasy Football Podcast and Champions League Podcast with Henry Winter) but both of them were fundamentally fixed on making money for The Telegraph's fantasy football product.

Part of the issue with these media corporations being slow to publish their own podcasts is bureaucracy and resources. It's much easier for a soccer fan to produce a podcast out of his own bedroom than it is for a massive company with layers of middle management to get a new "product" created such as a podcast. Some companies just don't have the bandwidth to handle another project. And, of course, there are many media companies who aren't Internet-savvy or simply don't have a clue.

Imagine podcasts featuring Bobby McMahon, Henry Winter, Des Lynam, Steve McManaman and James Lawton. The quality of presenters is out there. Now we have to wait for these media companies to get their act together and to create remarkable podcasts before they're left in the dust.

Labels: champions soccer radio network, daily telegraph, football weekly, the game, the guardian, The Times, world soccer daily

In the past month, the EPL has taken on a fresh new look. The letters and numbers on the kits have been enhanced to improve the readability on TV. Sky Sports and the Premier League have launched their redesign of their web sites. And now Sky Sports's "Through The Night" program has a completely new look and feel, which debuted on August 5, 2007.

The format of the show is very similar, but what is different is the new set (is it really necessary to have that many banks of computers and TV screens in the background?), the new graphics and titles, what appears to be a longer tease at the beginning of the show where they highlight the main stories of the day and perhaps, which is hard to tell, more intelligent programming.

The new music for the show is more anthemic sounding like something you'd expect to hear in a Hollywood movie such as Gladiator. While it's quite stirring, it does add a level of professionalism to the show.

Speaking of professionalism, a couple of stories that "Through The Night" touched on this week were more intelligent than usual. One was an interesting piece on the history of football boots and how the new designs from Nike compare with the old-fashioned shoes from the earlier times of football. The other news story was about Portsmouth FC and how they've made upgrades to their ground to add roofing to the away end (finally), better facilities for the media, extra seats and a new megastore. Both news stories were of a far better quality than what we're used to seeing on "Through The Night."

The show's graphics and titles are much improved and cleaner, making them a lot easier to read than in the past. For example, the league tables and the two tickers near the bottom of the screen are better organized and less distracting than the previous versions.

I'm glad to see that Sky decided to keep the 'In The Papers' section near the end of the show. While it's somewhat tacky, it's always refreshing and lighthearted to see what the British tabloids and broadsheets are reporting and how many of them often print conflicting stories based on inconsistencies and mistakes in reporting.

PS - For those readers in the United States who were wondering what happened to Through The Night last week, Fox Soccer Channel informed me that they were experiencing technical difficulties. As you know, everything is fixed now.

Some Man United fans may be worried after tonight's 1-1 draw against Portsmouth and the fact that United now only has two points from as many matches.

The fact is though that United have faced difficult opposition in both of those matches. Reading and Portsmouth are never easy teams to beat and Pompey, especially at Fratton Park during night matches, is a formidable force.

More worrying to Man United is the sending off of Cristiano Ronaldo who will now miss the next three matches. Perhaps its time for Anderson to make his Premier League debut although Sir Alex Ferguson may be tempted to slot the dependable Darren Fletcher into the right wing position instead.

The good news for Man Utd is they'll be able to play on a larger pitch than Fratton Park on Sunday at the City of Manchester Stadium where the red half of Manchester will be able to play more of the attacking game they're used to. Manchester City's pitch is five metres wider than Portsmouth's field.

Man United may be finding the new season tough so far but it'll take time for new players such as Nani and Tevez to integrate into the side. The Red Devils are creating chances. They just need to put them away.

Labels: fratton park, manchester city, manchester united, portsmouth

Was I the only one who was completely bored while watching the new season debut of Fox Football Fone-In last night on Fox Soccer Channel?

A lot of the boredom was due to the show's decision to go as far back as June and conjure up stale topics such as the Gold Cup and the U-20 World Cup, and then July events such as David Beckham's debut and the Asia Cup, etc.

While they did mix in some news and discussion from the past week, I felt the show could have been much more interesting if they focused on timely topics such as:

• Jack Warner's comments about England and his snub against England which could impact their chances of hosting the 2018 World Cup,
  
  
• The U.S.'s upcoming friendly against Brazil and why the match against Mexico was cancelled because of infighting between Telemundo and Univision,
  
  
• The Premier League's latest sweeps across YouTube this past weekend where goal highlights have been removed within minutes -- and whether this is a good or bad thing for soccer fans,
  
  
• And what's going wrong (again) at White Hart Lane and whether Martin Jol has what it takes to be Spurs manager (I recommended last season that he get the sack because he his team consistently underwhelms and he's done as much as he can at the club).
  

Sure, the combination of Nick Webster and Steven Cohen works well. The two of them together allow the conversations to flow a lot more freely and it sometimes feels like you're watching and listening to two blokes at the pub discussing topics. But what matters most is that the topics need to be of interest and timely.

Based on the show last night, Fox Football Fone-In must believe that the majority of viewers have been hibernating the past two months. Rather than talking down to their viewership, I'd much prefer to see topics discussed that aren't covered on World Soccer Daily and are deeper in context.

With a two hour show, there's plenty of time to get into some very analytical topics about soccer that would be perfect for TV (and I don't mean the ones mentioned above in the bulletpoints). I'll give the show a chance and will see if they go down that path. I'm willing to forgive them for one poor show, but let's see where they go from here.

Fox Football Fone-In airs every Tuesday night during the season at 8pm ET on Fox Soccer Channel.

Labels: fox football fone-in, fox football friday, fox soccer channel, nick webster, steven cohen

I finally got caught up on my soccer watching. In 12 continuous hours, I managed to squeeze in five matches in the following order: West Ham United v Manchester City, Aston Villa v Liverpool, Derby County v Portsmouth, Arsenal v Fulham and Manchester United v Reading. Here are some of my observations from the matches:

Times change but team’s habits rarely do. Arsenal still is wasting too many clear- cut chances in front of goal, taking one touch too many or making the extra pass when an earlier shot would have resulted in a goal. Against Fulham the Gunners were guilty once again.

Liverpool is the type of team that needs half a dozen opportunities in front of goal before they can score. Think back to the Champions League final against AC Milan in May and how many chances Liverpool had to win the match, while AC Milan made the most of the very few chances they received.

Against Aston Villa, Liverpool could have won the match 4-1 or 5-1 if Torres, Kuyt and others were more incisive in front of goal. Instead, just like Arsenal, they squeaked through with a 2-1 win grabbing the winning goal near the end of the match.

Watching the highlights of Tottenham’s two matches thus far, the North London team is still guilty of horrible defending and marking. Why oh why does Tony Soprano continue to buy more midfielders when everyone knows they need more quality defenders? Against Sunderland and Everton, Spurs had plenty of defenders in the box to prevent the opposition from having a shot on goal, but even though they outnumbered the attackers, they seemed flat-footed once again.

West Ham’s defensive frailties were exposed once again. How soon we quickly forget that their M.O. last season was to score more goals than they let in and now that Tevez is gone, they need to realize they’ll be scoring fewer goals overall this season, so Curbishley needs to find a way to lock down its defense.

What surprised me the most was Reading’s desire to shut their game down against Man United at Old Trafford. Reading, ever the attacking team last season and everyone’s secret admirer, played a match that Sam Allardyce would have been proud of when he was at Bolton. The disappointing thing for me is that Reading’s performance sets a precedent. Expect the majority of clubs to employ the same tactics this season.

The one thing that came out of this game was the heroic efforts by Marcus Hahnemann. My prediction is that Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger will both keep a close eye on Hahnemann to replace their current goalkeepers. Don’t be surprised if the American goalkeeper will be sold before the end of the August 31st transfer window or, more likely, in January if he can continue to keep his form up.

Congratulations to Derby County, meanwhile, who put together a very pleasing performance in front of their fans at Pride Park. They’re no Reading, but I’m predicting they’ll avoid the drop this season due to their difficult to breakdown defenders and incredible determination and never-say-die attitude.

Labels: Arsenal, aston villa, derby county, fulham, Liverpool, manchester city, manchester united, portsmouth, reading, sunderland, tottenham hotspur, West Ham United

By John Nicholson

There was this woman called Candy. And there was this Motel 6 room on the 101 outside of San Luis Obispo. She suffered from premature ejaculation. Oh yes. And I was thinking this weekend that she was just like so many football fans.

Not only did she actually – well, squirt is how I'd have to put it – she did so after little or no stimulation. It was quite a performance to behold and it made an adverse impact on the soft furnishings and mattress of this particular Motel 6 I can tell you.

I encountered her while living out my rock n roll road dreams with a Stratocaster and three stoned lunatic musicians.

Her substantial orgasmic response to my ham-fisted pawing was such a shock to me that at first I thought she was simply incontinent, which all in all, is likely to put you off both rumpy and pumpy. Then I considered that she might be just crazy and all the thrashing and thrusting was just some amateur dramatics. But no, it was all for real. She could have an orgasm almost instantly at almost any time. While this must have been at least somewhat pleasurable, I would have thought it was also a tad inconvenient when traveling on a bus over a bumpy road and if someone is drilling the road up outside.

Outwardly you couldn't tell. There was nothing physical to suggest she was a walking orgasmatron. In truth you had to put towels down to do any serious humping, it was very messy because she would just keep on doing it and every time it was like turning on a garden hose.

Having had to work hard in the past to get ladies to this state of climax and frequently failing, it was surprisingly unsatisfying to be presented with a lady who would go off like a hand grenade as soon as look at you.

I was reminded of her this weekend when I heard the first fan reaction to the first games of the season. Just one game down and they've already shot their wad like teenage boys being seduced by the cute looking 23 year old substitute games mistress.

Instant and absolute judgments have already been made and conclusions drawn. Spurs are rubbish, 4th place? Delusion. Man United have already lost the title and Ferguson hasn't a clue what he's doing tactically compared to that nice man Coppell. Newcastle are now officially brilliant, Allardyce is a genius and Bolton are going down. Sven is now a football hero and not the cold, heartless, useless gimp that he was made out to be. It's all so clear now, after just 90 minutes of football. It all comes out in one massive orgiastic splurge of opinion.

This is one of the unintended consequences of the interactive media. Everyone gets to tell you what they think instantly without any pause for consideration. Which is all fine, but we shouldn't take it with any degree of seriousness. It sets a hysterical tone and makes all concerned look a bit mad.

Football eventually makes fools of all of us who think we know something about it. You need about 10 games in a new season to really figure out what is happening, anything quicker than that is simply premature football ejaculation!

John Nicholson writes each week for Football 365 and EPL Talk. You can listen to John's wonderful stories on episode 30 and 45 of the EPL Talk Podcast, as well as purchase his excellent Footy Rocks book and order one of his unique rock'n roll T-shirts.

Labels: john nicholson

The latest episodes of the podcasts from the EPL Talk sister sites are now live:

• Major League Soccer Talk, episode 12. Visit the web site, podcast page or subscribe via iTunes.
  
  
• La Liga Talk, episode 2. Visit the web site, podcast page or subscribe via iTunes.
  
  
• Serie A Talk, episode 2. Visit the web site, podcast page or subscribe via iTunes.

Just a reminder that all three of the first episodes of these podcasts have debuted on the same EPL Talk Podcast stream but if you want to continue getting them each week, you need to subscribe to each podcast individually via iTunes.

Regarding the EPL Talk Podcast, we may try to get an episode out later this week depending on how I'm feeling and if I can get a guest on at short notice. Otherwise, we'll return to our regularly scheduled programming beginning this Sunday night or Monday morning.

Labels: EPL Talk Podcast, epl talk show, la liga talk, major league soccer talk, serie a talk

Now that I'm home recovering, I'm living in a bizarre world of not knowing what any of the scores were from this past weekend's opening season. Reason being is that I don't want to spoil the pleasure of knowing the score as I watch each of the matches that taped via DVR. Unfortunately I haven't been able to watch the matches that played on Setanta because I own an ITVN player and, of course, on-demand or DVR are not available with that IPTV solution.

The first program on my list to watch was Fox Soccer Channel's new "Fox Soccer Match Day," the channel's new Saturday morning show starring Christian Miles and Andy Houlihan.

Soccer fans in the United States have been quick to criticize Fox Soccer Channel's original programming in the past. Sure, I agree that much improvement is needed but I must admit that I was thoroughly impressed with the debut episode of "Fox Soccer Match Day."

The graphics, titles and presentation of the programming are top rate. The studio set was impressive and the claret and blue backdrop reminded me of Aston Villa (sorry Hammers fans). Hosts Christian Miles and Andy Houlihan meanwhile had an excellent rapport and on-screen presence between the two of them and delivered the news, analysis and previews in a professional manner instead of hyping it up too much which has often been my complaint of fellow Fox Soccer Channel media personalities.

One of the most impressive aspects of the show, for me, was the way they integrated the show into the Premier League action. Beginning at 9:30am ET, the show had an opportunity to present the latest EPL news (John Terry being out injured for a month, etc) and then previewing the weekend's action before coming back and talking about the Major League Soccer match of the day that Fox would be showing.

But the way that the "Fox Soccer Match Day" then led right into the Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester City, and the way that the half-time and post-match analysis went back directly to the "Fox Soccer Match Day" program and set was fantastic. It really felt like Fox Soccer Channel was an extension of the Premier League action rather than in the past where a voiceover would annoyingly cut into the TWI commentators immediately after the match concluded, etc.

My only two criticisms for the debut show was that they were late in handing over the commentary to the TWI commentators for the West Ham match, which resulted in us hearing from the English commentators several seconds after the match kicked off. And Christian Miles uttered the following statement at the end of the Hammers match before they went to break: "You're watching the Barclays Premier League and it's only on Fox Soccer Channel." I'm sure Setanta Sports wouldn't have been too pleased with that statement.

For soccer fans who only have Fox Soccer Channel or who watch Premier League matches on DVR (and are able to tape both Setanta and FSC), "Fox Soccer Match Day" is a must-watch TV program.

The challenge though is for the soccer die-hard fans who have both FSC and Setanta Sports and who prefer to watch their matches live. The 7:45am ET match on Saturdays doesn't end until 9:50am ET, which means that soccer fans have to decide whether to miss the last 15-20 of the match shown on Setanta or watch turn the channel and watch "Fox Soccer Match Day" from 9:50am ET onwards instead.

Because of the time when the show begins, "Fox Soccer Match Day" is "a nice program to watch" instead of must-see. If I was in charge of Fox, my recommendation would be to begin "Fox Soccer Match Day" at 9:45am ET (after the 7:45am ET match concludes) and continue the show all the way through to the conclusion of the 12:15pm ET match, which finishes around 2:15pm ET.

This way, Fox would be able to preview the 10am ET match from 9:45am to 10am ET, return for the half-time analysis and highlight, come back at 11:50am ET for post match analysis and news about the other matches on Fox that day (MLS, Serie A, etc), go back to the live football match at 12:15pm ET, step in for the half time and then wrap up everything after the conclusion of the game from 2:15-2:30pm ET.

This way, Fox will provide approximately 75 minutes of expert coverage on "Fox Soccer Match Day" between 9:45am ET and 2:30pm ET. It would be a long day for Miles and Houlihan but it would go a long way to enhancing the Fox Soccer Channel viewing experience and would enable Fox to consistently carry the "Fox Soccer Match Day" brand throughout the entire day of Premier League soccer on Saturdays.

If Fox is completely against beginning their show at 9:45am ET on Saturday, a solution could be to begin the "Fox Soccer Match Day" at 9:30am but spend the first 15 minutes focusing on Major League Soccer and Serie A. And then at 9:45am, Fox could then start talking about the English Premier League.

Labels: andy houlihan, christian miles, fox soccer channel, fox soccer match day, setanta sports

The past few weeks for EPL Talk have been extremely hectic (and that was even before the hospital episode). In addition to helping launch two new podcasts (La Liga Talk and Serie A Talk), I've been working on the redesigned web site, launching SoccerOnDish.com, interviewing people for the EPL Talk Podcast and more. What I found is that I ran out of time to add my predictions for the 2007/2008 Premier League season.

So slightly delayed, here are my predictions for the 2007/2008 Premier League season:

1. Manchester United
---------------------------------
2. Chelsea
3. Arsenal
4. Liverpool
5. Blackburn Rovers
6. Tottenham Hotspur
7. Everton
8. Manchester City
9. Aston Villa
10. Portsmouth
11. Newcastle United
12. Sunderland
13. Fulham
14. Middlesbrough
15. Reading
16. West Ham United
17. Derby County
---------------------------------
18. Bolton Wanderers
19. Birmingham City
20. Wigan Athletic

Who are your picks? Share them below by clicking the 'comments' link and we'll compare and contrast on the EPL Talk Blog at the end of the season.

During the past few days, I’ve felt like I’ve been stranded on a deserted island. Instead of being in the Caribbean however, I’ve been stuck in a hospital after being rushed to the hospital on Wednesday night diagnosed with blood clots in my lungs. The good news is that I’m fine and I’m recuperating at home – thanks to everyone for your best wishes. I’m already fast on the road to recovery.

The bad news, for me, is that I’ve missed the opening of the Premier League, which I’ve been looking forward to for months.

Laying in the hospital bed knowing that the matches were on this past weekend was frustrating. I had a laptop in my hospital, but no wireless Internet access. I had TV, but of course no Fox Soccer Channel or Setanta Sports. So, I had plenty of time to sit back and reflect (and catch up on reading; I finally finished Alex Ferguson’s autobiography “Managing My Life,” an excellent read). Here are a couple of my revelations:

1) U.S. television on Saturdays is absolutely dreadful. There really is nothing on. Thankfully, FSC and Setanta are perfectly placed to attract new fans to their network to watch the EPL and other leagues. Their biggest challenge is to make fans aware of their networks and encourage them to watch. I’m still amazed by how many soccer fans I run into in the States that aren’t familiar with what networks carry the Premier League.

2) I’ve been grappling with what the identity of EPL Talk is or should be. Since it launched in November 2005, it’s morphed itself a few times based on what has and hasn’t worked. For example, when it first launched, it was primarily a one-stop-shop online guide to help fans in the U.S. find the TV listings, news, fixtures and radio listings for Premier League games.

Since the launch, I’ve found that the audience overseas has grown considerably so the blog has taken on more of global topics rather than U.S. centric. Of course, the addition of the EPL Talk Podcast in April 2006 has taken the site down a whole different path, too.

My aim is to clearly differentiate the site so it doesn’t become just another one of a hundred football sites focused on the Premier League.

So I’ve decided to focus EPL Talk on what it does best and that’s covering the media coverage of the Premier League. For example, zeroing in on the phenomenal growth of EPL coverage on TV worldwide, reviews of new footy web sites, latest news about Premier League-related podcasts, interviews with companies about the latest football trends in broadband and technology and articles about fantasy football leagues and soccer video and computer games.

If you think back, most of the stories that EPL Talk broke during the past twelve months have involved media coverage. For example, in July 2006, we broke the news about Setanta being available on ITVN. In August 2007, we had the first exclusive interview with Setanta to break the news about the network being available on the DISH Network. In the summer of 2006, we broke the news about The Treble moving from World Soccer Daily network and joining The 2 G’s network, and so on and so forth.

Does this mean that EPL Talk will change? That’s very unlikely. Instead we’ll focus on what we do best which is providing you with the news and analysis of the Premier League media coverage. The key aspects of the site will continue such as the blog, podcast, chat, community, etc.

We’ll still continue to provide analysis and commentary of the actual matches too, but if that’s all you’re expecting, you may be a bit disappointed.

With EPL Talk’s focus on the media coverage of the English Premier League, you’ll get to hear more interviews on the podcast from people inside the game reflecting on the growth of the league and how far its come along.

In the coming days, expect to see the relaunch of EPL Talk as well as, in the coming weeks, new features such as EPL Talk TV and much more. It’s good to be back!

EPL Talk is proud to announce that we've doubled the number of podcasts on our network and now offer La Liga Talk and Serie A Talk in addition to Major League Soccer Talk and, of course, EPL Talk.

Both La Liga Talk and Serie A Talk are brought to you by Forza Futbol. Their knowledge of the game and the Spanish and Italian leagues respectively can be heard on episode 1 of each podcast, which were released within the last 24 hours and available via the EPL Talk podcast stream from iTunes if you're already a subscriber.

In order to continue to receive the La Liga Talk and Serie A Talk podcasts, you'll need to subscribe via iTunes or from the podcast pages.

While the podcasts are the finished deal, the websites for both of the new podcasts are currently being redesigned and should be enhanced within the coming days.

EPL Talk's philosophy is that we want to provide you with content about the leagues you're interested in. Instead of fast forwarding through other shows when they get to leagues that you have no interest in, EPL Talk's decision to give leagues their own podcast will allow the podcasts to go into more detail about the history, news, tactics and people inside those leagues.

Both La Liga Talk and Serie A Talk will feature exclusive interviews in the future. Guests such as Bobby McMahon and Phil Schoen have been lined up as well as other surprises. If you enjoy Italian and Spanish league football, please give your support to La Liga Talk and Serie A Talk brought to you by Forza Futbol.

Labels: EPL Talk Podcast, forza futbol, la liga talk, serie a talk

It's hard to believe that the season is almost here. I can't wait! If you're searching for a way to experience Saturday's first match of the new season between Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur online, join the EPL Talk Chat hosted by BC John.

We'll have Sunderland, Tottenham and neutral fans from around the world chatting in real-time about the final. We'll also be able to tip you off regarding Sunderland v Spurs radio coverage and how to listen live (depending on what part of the world you live in). The match kicks off on Saturday, August 11th at 7:45am ET/12:45pm GMT. You can access the EPL Talk Chat from the EPL Talk homepage (near the center of the page).

If you have your own webcam, feel free to switch it on and point it at you so we can see you wearing your club's colors with pride whether it be Sunderland, Tottenham or any other team.

Labels: epl talk chat, spurs, sunderland, tottenham hotspur

In news that is bound to shock many soccer podcast listeners, the hosts of The Beautiful Game Podcast have decided to pack it in after publishing their final episode released on August 6, 2007.

According to TBG host Chris Slegg who broke the sad news on Facebook, "Unfortunately we're going to be unable to continue producing The Beautiful Game Podcast this season, but we just wanted to say a big thankyou to everyone for their support over the last 18 months. We're especially grateful to those of you who got in touch with your football stories, voicemails and photos. We've really enjoyed making the show and hope you've enjoyed listening. Have a great 2007/08 season."

I had the pleasure of meeting Chris last November outside the Emirates Stadium where I interviewed him (and he interviewed me). He's as pleasant and knowledge about his football as he sounds on the podcast. What many people don't realize is that quite a few of TBG staffers have experience in broadcasting and journalism, hence the top notch quality of their podcasts and professionalism which is rarely heard on other shows.

Of course, the news regarding the end of The Beautiful Game Podcast comes as a shock to me as well as you. I'm going to request an interview with one of the blokes from the show for an episode of an upcoming EPL Talk Podcast, so if you have any questions you'd like to ask, please post them here under the comments section or email them to thegaffer[at]epltalk[dot]com. If your question is read on-air, your name will be mentioned in the podcast interview with TBG.

As an admirer of the work that The Beautiful Game Podcast has done, I'd like to thank Chris, Alex R, Noel and Alex K for their groundbreaking work as trailblazers in soccer podcast history. It will not be forgotten.

Labels: beautiful game podcast, chris slegg, the beautiful game

There's a lot of change happening in Canada for this upcoming 07/08 Premier League season and some of it can be quite confusing. That's why EPL Talk decided to interview Shane O'Rourke from Setanta Sports to learn more about the Premier League coverage being available in Canada this season and what this means for the people across the country.

Thanks to you, the readers, I was able to ask Setanta some very pertinent questions as well as a few of my own.

Listen to the interview today and enjoy. Or better yet, subscribe via iTunes so you don't miss a single episode of the only Premier League interview show on the Internet.

Labels: canada, english premier league, premier league, rogers canada, Setanta, setanta sports

In this week's episode of the EPL Talk Podcast, we feature an interview with two executives from Fox Soccer Channel where we discuss the 07/08 Premier League season and what we can expect to see and hear on the channel in relation to new shows, matches available via broadband and more.

Just some of the topics discussed are:

• The delay of the Saturday 10am ET matches and why they sometimes start a few minutes late (or more)
• Whether Ant & Dec will be joining Fox Soccer Channel as reported in the Sunday Express newspaper
• Will FSC incorporate matchday TV shows and analysis from Sky into its broadcasts
• The latest developments regarding Fox Soccer Channel and broadcasts in high-definition (HD)
• Which matches will be shown on broadband on FoxSoccer.com as well as more details about the EPL highlights package available via the web and mobile phones
• And much more.

Listen to the interview today!

Labels: dermot mcquarrie, ed derse, fox soccer channel, fsc

It's back again and it feels just as good as it did in May. Of course, I'm talking about English soccer and the Community Shield final, which kicked off today on Fox Soccer Channel.

It wasn't a classic (the Community Shield rarely is) but the quality of play on the pitch was more impressive than I expected. I'll dissect the performance on the pitch in tonight's EPL Talk Podcast but will focus here on the coverage.

First, Fox Soccer Channel's coverage kicked off with an impressive 2-3 minute introduction to build up excitement for the match. On the pitch, everything looked new and polished. The new lettering on the back of the shirts. The new Man United jersey. The different way the team names are displayed (font and type size) in the top left corner (courtesy of BBC).

Second, I was annoyed by the shadows on the pitch. In the first half it was so bad that practically three-quarters of the pitch was in darkness making it extremely difficult to see the action at times. I can't even remember the last time I remember the first half of a match being ruined so much by shadows. Even the Copa America match between Brazil and Uruguay that was in darkness from a faulty floodlight had a better picture clarity than today's charity match.

Third, it was a pleasure to watch the camera work on display today in comparison to the dizzying effects and overhead cameras that ESPN usually employ.

The match, overall, was an enjoyable experience with penalties being a fair outcome seeing that both sides had their chances to put the game away. With their win, Man United can mentally prepare for the new season. Chelsea, meanwhile, played better than I expected but need to hope that their injury crisis subsides before the season kicks off on Saturday.

Labels: Chelsea, community shield, manchester united

I know that there's a large number of Canadian residents who read the EPL Talk Blog each day. It looks very likely that I'll have an interview later today with Setanta to discuss the upcoming launch of their network in Canada and their Premier League TV rights. So, if you have any specific questions you'd like me to ask the executive, please post them in the comments with your name or e-mail them to thegaffer[at]epltalk[dot]com

If your question is asked during the interview, I'll mention your name on the podcast.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Labels: canada, rogers canada, Setanta, setanta sports, the score

If you're searching for a way to experience Sunday's Community Shield match between Manchester United and Chelsea online, join the EPL Talk Chat hosted by BC John.

We'll have Chelsea, Manchester United and neutral fans from around the world chatting in real-time about the final. We'll also be able to tip you off regarding Man Utd v Chelsea radio coverage and how to listen live (depending on what part of the world you live in). The match kicks off on Sunday, August 5th at 10am ET/3pm GMT. You can access the EPL Talk Chat from the EPL Talk homepage (near the center of the page).

If you have your own webcam, feel free to switch it on and point it at you so we can see you wearing your club's colors with pride whether it be Chelsea, Man United or any other team.

Labels: Chelsea, community shield, manchester united

It's been one of the busiest weeks ever for EPL Talk and the season hasn't started yet. We worked hard on getting you the world exclusive on breaking the official Setanta Sports news about being available on DISH Network including an interview with Setanta's Shane O'Rourke.

And we're pleased to say that this weekend's episode of the EPL Talk Podcast will feature two back-to-back interviews with executives from Fox Soccer Channel regarding exciting developments for the 07/08 season (as well as answering your questions you posted on the EPL Talk Community).

Behind the scenes, I'm working on launching the redesigns of EPL Talk, Major League Soccer Talk, La Liga Talk, Championship Talk, Champions League Talk and the soon-to-be-available Serie A Talk. As soon as they're ready, I'll be sure to let you know here.

But enough about us. Here's some of the stories we've uncovered during the past 24-48 hours that should peak your interest:

• More details about the launch of the Sky Sports redesigned website can be found here.
  
  
• Setanta in Ireland and the UK have announced more of their new shows they'll be debuting across the pond in this article including Macca's Monday Night (featuring Steve McManaman), Back of the Net and Football Matters. According to Setanta USA, they're trying their best to get as many of these shows on their network as possible. I can't wait.
  
  
• I have one beta invite for the BBC iPlayer tool that hasn't been launched yet but will allow website visitors to view original programming from the BBC such as TV shows, etc. If you're interested in reviewing the iPlayer for EPL Talk, please e-mail me at thegaffer[at]epltalk[dot]com and I'll provide one person with the beta login details in exchange for a review (after you've had time to kick the tires of the new tool, etc).
  
  
• This week's episode of the Major League Soccer Talk Podcast (an EPL Talk sister site) is with Sean Wheelock, one of the veteran US soccer commentators who is the chief American soccer correspondent for BBC Radio Five Live. It's an excellent interview by Kartik Krishnaiyer.
  
  
• Squadgod, a remarkably different approach to fantasy football/soccer, has launched. When I have an opportunity, I'll write a review about the new fantasy site which has many interesting concepts that you won't find elsewhere. Check it out at http://www.squadgod.com/
  
  
• BBC's Match of the Day and Match of the Day 2 (god, without those, what soccer coverage would the Beeb have left?) will be launching a new look-and-feel for both shows in the coming weeks including new sets.
  
  
• Setanta's network chief in the US has some promising news regarding Setanta being available on HD and cable systems in the coming year or so.
  
  
• Sirius Satellite Radio has signed an exclusive agreement with Celtic football club so listeners in the U.S. can hear the radio broadcasts from the green and white hoops side. More info here.
  
  
• West Ham United has signed an agreement with the USL in the US to open an academy in Florida to promote talent that could end up playing in England. Thanks to the Dunord Blog for the tip.

Thanks for your patience while the EPL Talk site is being redesigned behind-the-scenes. In the meantime, I'm thoroughly looking forward to the Community Shield match on Sunday. Both teams, Chelsea more-so, seem to be crumbling in the preseason friendlies with defensive frailities exposed and injuries rampant (at Stamford Bridge, at least). Could we be on the verge of Chelsea's worst start to the season in recent memory?

Labels: english premier league, epl, sirius, West Ham United

More than 250 of you have already signed up for the EPL Talk Fantasy Premier League. If you haven't had a chance to register for free yet, sign up today and see if you're a better manager than Sven, Fergie, Jose, Rafa and 'Arry.

But if you're in the mood for a change of pace and you want to sign up for something even more challenging (some would argue), register today for the EPL Talk Premier League Prediction League. Again, it's for free and you can test yourself against the other EPL Talk readers from around the world as you guess what the scores will be for the different matches each week.

After you register, be sure to join the EPL Talk private league by clicking the "mini-leagues" text link near the bottom right corner. On the next page, scroll down and enter the following code into the 'Join A Private League' box:

23fZ-EIPK

The prediction league is using the I Know The Score system from the redesigned Premier League website.

As with the EPL Talk Fantasy Premier League, you'll win prizes if you finish in first place in the EPL Talk Premier League Prediction League. May the best person win!

Labels: prediction league, premier league

I've got to hand it to the bloggers on the EPL Talk Community who have been volunteering their time and writing lots of intelligent thought provoking articles over the summer (and last season).

If you haven't had a chance to catch them, you're missing out. Some of the highlights include:

• Several pithy articles from Football Weekly cult hero BillEShears on his Odds and Sods blog about whether Arsenal can make a run for the title in the 07/08 season, the bumbling bureaucracy in the Premier League and more.
  
  
• Major League Soccer Talk host and head chief Kartik Krishnaiyer delves into plenty of topics on his South Florida Citizen Blue blog regarding Sven Goran-Eriksson's buying spree and ideas for how to improve Superliga.
  
  
• The Scout has been keeping readers updated on the transfer scene in England (which could be a full-time job if Eriksson continues the way he's doing so).
  
  
• LFC Dave is keeping readers up-to-date on all things Liverpool FC related.
  
  
• EPL Talk Chat host BC John has been busy on his blog, The Third Half, providing you with a new match report format that's sure to please as he's been focusing lately on Superliga. I'm one, for sure, that's looking forward to his reporting for the upcoming Premiership season.
  
  
• And last, but not least, Michael James has been cranking out articles galore on his English Soccer Talk blog with previews of the teams for the new season, and interesting rule changes that you'll either love or hate.

These are just a few of the bloggers on the EPL Talk Community. And keep an eye out for more bloggers coming on board in the near future including one well-known soccer aficionado from Los Angeles.

If you're interested in blogging for the EPL Talk Community, e-mail thegaffer[at]epltalk[dot]com

Labels: bloggers, epl talk community

The Premier League today launched the redesigned version of their website at http://www.premierleague.com

Designed and programmed by PremiumTV, the new web site is a stark improvement in design compared to the previous site which looked quite outdated. The colors red, white and blue are pretty dominant throughout the site.

New features worth mentioning are the 'tickets' section, which allows fans to easily locate and purchase tickets online. Previously fans had to hunt through the different club web sites and Ticketmaster for details. There's also a video section from the homepage which could be promising depending on how often it's updated and what the content is.

There seems to be a few glitches on the web site, so it could be that PremiumTV is testing those as the site just launched in the past 12 hours. PremiumTV launched the Chelsea website late last year (hear an interview with PremiumTV here from the EPL Talk Podcast). PremiumTV also is in charge of most of the Premier League and Football League websites. An interview with Phil Lines from the Premier League where he discusses the new website can be heard here.

Eerily, the new Premier League website looks very similar to the redesigned version of the SkySports website which was just launched yesterday. Take a look and compare.

Nevertheless, the Premier League has given us a site that's worthy of visiting -- as opposed to the previous version which was pretty horrid except for the Fantasy Premier League section.

What do you think of the new Premier League site at http://www.premierleague.com? Share your feedback by clicking the 'comments' link below.

Labels: english premier league, premier league

It's official. Setanta Sports has signed an agreement with DISH Network. In an exclusive interview with Setanta's President of North American and Australian operations for Setanta Sports Shane O'Rourke, he details how soon DISH will be ready to accept orders, how much it'll cost and what the announcement means to Setanta.

Listen to the interview now on the EPL Talk Podcast. Or, better yet, subscribe to the feed via iTunes so you don't miss a single episode of the only Premier League interview show on the Internet.

In addition to the DISH Network news, O'Rourke discusses the upcoming 07/08 Premier League season and what fans of Premier League clubs can expect to see in regards to Setanta Broadband, ITVN and how much additional coverage will be available from Setanta's studios in Dublin, Ireland.

Speaking of additional coverage, the debut episode of The Friday Football Show from Setanta Sports featuring host James Richardson (from Football Weekly podcast fame) and Des Lynam (former Match of the Day and Grandstand presenter) will be shown on Friday, August 10th at 6:30pm ET on Setanta and Setanta Broadband in the United States.

If you don't have Setanta for the 07/08 Premier League season, you'll be missing a ton of matches in addition to other valuable content. Sign up today for DISH Network at http://www.soccerondish.com and get over 100 channels for $19.99 with a free movie package, free 4-room system installation, free DVR upgrade and much more (including no contract commitments).

Via Soccerondish.com, you can order online or find out more details about how to order via phone. At the time of installation, you can then add Setanta Sports to your package.

Labels: des lynam, DISH network, friday football show, james richardson, premier league, Setanta, setanta broadband, setanta sports