Second Captains

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran talk about water bottles, Man United Versus God goalies, and the visible and invisible tightropes managers have to tread, and the need for them to balance stick and carrot when motivating their players.Sid Lowe joins us to talk about Barcelona losing their fizz a week ahead of the showdown with Real Madrid. And John Brewin analyses Chelsea's victory over Spurs as Antonio Conte's team continue their impressive title charge.

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Paul O’Connell joins us in studio to talk about his new book, The Battle. Ken and Paul share old swimming gala stories, and reveal contrasting attitudes to the sweet allure of the humble cigarette.Katie Taylor makes her professional debut this weekend so we invited Monaghan fighter Christina McMahon in to discuss the hard road that is a career in women's pro boxing.Plus there’s podcast polygamy, Paul O’Connell’s guinea pig putting greens, Ireland V Australia chat and the mask that eats into the face.

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Eoin and Ken talk about Steve Gerrard, the Euro 2020 launch in Dublin, and the week's Champions League action. Are our eyes deceiving us or are Barcelona slowing down a bit?Richie Sadlier joins us in studio to discuss the belated emergence of the child abuse scandal in English football.

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New Zealand scored three tries, and we scored none, and that should be the end of the matter. But in a brutal second test against the All-Blacks, did the world’s number 1 side go over the line? Gerry Thornley and Matt Williams on Saturday’s 21-9 defeat. Barney Ronay talks to us about the very un-British rise of Andy Murray to world number 1, plus we discuss Planet Earth II, and contemplate unleashing Bono on the New Zealanders.

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Eoin, Ken and Ciaran argue about whether Wayne Rooney deserves to be singled out for doing what every other drinker does.We talk to cartoonist David Squires about turning football into comic strips and his brilliant new book "The Illustrated History of Football".And Philip O'Connor reports from Sweden where Helsingborgs fans are in no mood to respect their club legends.

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Ireland face New Zealand for the second time in 14 days, and this time the All Blacks are trying to install themselves as the underdogs. Shane Horgan is on hand to preview the game. Live from Hawaii US Murph tells us about the NBA coaches expressing their disgust at recent events in America, and there's our latest email scumbag, McGregor fallout, and Ireland's bid for the Rugby World Cup in 2023.

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Eoin, Ken and Ciaran talk about the open season on Wayne Rooney and Jurgen Klopp's effort to persuade Philippe Coutinho that his future lies at LiverpoolJohn Brewin joins us to discuss Rooney's problemsAnd Marcela Mora Y Araujo tells us why Lionel Messi is leading Argentina's players in a press boycott.

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Ireland did the necessary against Canada last Saturday, and now attentions can turn to the rematch with New Zealand, the build-up to which is now all about whether we can back up the heroics in Chicago. Gerry Thornley joins us in studio. Conor McGregor has achieved immortality, according to the man himself, by becoming the UFC's first ever simultaneous dual-weight champion. Dave Hannigan was there, and he tells us what he made of it all. Plus there's that Lebanese ad that continues to ensorcell us, Eamon Dunphy fires a shot across Ken's bow, and the tiresome Muhammad Ali comparisons that won't go away.

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Ken and Ciaran discuss plans for their Russian vacation in 2018, smart Ireland, the San Marino press officer's dubious retort to Thomas Müller, and the world's highest-paid sports teams. Dion Fanning joins us in studio to look back on James McClean's glory night.Plus there's Andre Rieu atmosphere, the Viennese buffet, and Frau Early.

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We felt bad for US Murph this week... so bad in fact, that before we talked Trump with him, we invited him over to Dublin for a few days in December! Full details and a shocked Brian Murphy on the show. Conor McGregor will become immortal if he wins this Saturday, according to himself at any rate. Jeremy Botter previews the fight. Plus we look ahead to Ireland-Canada, Murph challenges Finlay Bealham to a sprint, and we consider moving to Lebanon.

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