Second Captains

Frank Lampard returning to Stamford Bridge as interim manager is a twist nobody saw coming, in a season that’s already been packed with surprises. While we wait with giddy anticipation for Franks's presser, we have a chance to look back over the week that was on the Second Captains World Service. 

Unlikely podcasting partners Joe Brolly & Dion Fanning stopped by the studio to chat about their new project ‘Free State’. Ken and Murph chatted to them about Gurus, Twitter madness and GAA exceptionalism. We play a short extract today. 

Plus, Ken sees an opportunity to add some drama to his life - Netflix documentary style. 

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The moon boot, the limp, the grimace of pain - Katie McCabe looked badly injured against Bayern in the Champions League on Wednesday night, but played 80 minutes and scored a beauty against Man City this weekend. We were all fooled, except for one Second Captains presenter.

Ulster didn't do much wrong in the rain against Leinster and still couldn't get within two scores. We chat to Lions, Ireland and Leinster backrower Jack Conan about playing in a downpour, his red hot form over recent weeks and the good friday QF against Leicester.

We also discuss Munster melting in the African sun and why we it will be a long time before the Irish women's team will be compettiive again. 

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There are seasons when nothing happens and there are weekends when seasons happen... the weekend just gone left us with a lot to get stuck into on today's pod.

Graham Potter's nightmare is over, Brendan Rodgers too has skiied off leaving Leicester to fight their way out of the relegation zone without him, and an angry Manchester United fan has been in touch demanding the smooth head of Erik ten Hag.

We discuss why Newcastle players run so much, and why Liverpool players don't, before John Brewin and Jonathan Wilson join us to talk about why didn't it work out for Potter. Can Nagelsmann skate straight in and sort it all out? Where does Brendan Rodgers go next? And do they agree with Ken's sick FSG apologism?

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On Saturday evening Sligo play Wicklow in the Div 4 league final, and it will be an emotional occasion for all involved as it falls on the one-year anniversary of the death of Red Óg Murphy, a hugely talented Sligo and DCU footballer.

Last year, aged 21 and just a few days before he was due to collect an award for being named in the Sigerson Cup Team of the Year, Red Óg died by suicide.

Today we welcome his parents Geraldine and Redmond into studio to talk about his life, his career as a footballer, his impact on them and the community, how they are processing it all now, and why they wanted to talk to us on the show.

If you’re affected by anything you hear please ask for help from groups such as the Samaritans or Pieta House. You can go to samaritans.ie or call them on 116123. For Pieta go to pieta.ie or call them on 1800 247 247 or text HELP to 51444

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Ken went on the attack in the wake of Ireland’s gallant scoreboard-defeat / moral-victory against France on Monday night. Yes, the image of Jason Molumby prowling around the Aviva launching into tackles and revving up the crowd was great to see, but the overriding emotion following the game was one of frustration. How can we keep doing this to ourselves? Will this anger spur us on to greener pastures, or are we doomed to side-pass our way in circles forever more?

Plus, we ponder why Dublin are getting the old band back together, why is freed from desire played so quickly and what is the best stadium song of all?

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Stephen Cluxton's desire to lead a quiet life is constantly being undermined by his habit of dropping major bombshells in the most dramatic fashion possible. 

His return to the Dublin senior football squad over-shadowed much if not all of the football played yesterday - but salt a de earth true Dub Eoin McDevitt isn't sure it's the right idea. 

On the field, Oisin McConville guided Wicklow back to Division 3, winning promotion on a tension-filled last day. We welcome him back to the podcast to talk about the steep learning curve, the stuff he got wrong, and the priorities for teams in his position.  

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Ireland have Evan Ferguson, Bossman Steo, a fan base that loves their team again and Ken argues that France's 4-0 win over the Netherlands is, surprisingly, yet another reason for us to be hopeful! But as the World Cup finalists comes to town we have oh so many fears too - welcome to our Ireland V France preview show!  

Is Kenny a slave to the system to the detriment of the team's chances? Is there a chance Evan Ferguson won't start? And will Nathan Collins' fast mind beat Mbappe's fast feet? 

We chat to Philippe Auclair about France's destruction of The Netherlands, turmoil in the French FA and Deschamps' homework on the plucky Irish.

We also discuss the Griezzmann - Mbappe fake news, Ireland's possession game, fault de Giles, and "stone age stuff".

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Antonio Conte took the opportunity of a 3-3 draw at Southampton to point the finger at the real enemy - all the losers and failures who have represented Tottenham on the field for the last 20 years. How can even a great coach such as he be expected to overcome the mediocrity which is hard-wired into the very bone marrow of Spurs?

We also talk Evan Ferguson, Arsenal’s too hot for broadcast title challenge, and the disappointing quality of the secret football IP which is leaking out of the super-FCB clubs.

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Even with a grand slam fresh out of the oven and a historic series win over NZ in his back pocket, Andy Farrell was already looking ahead to the World Cup in his post-match press conference on Saturday evening; unlike other big Irish moments in the past, this one felt more like the start of something, rather than the end.

We get Andrew Trimble and Shane Horgan on to put this title in context, to explain why Ireland played so badly for an hour, to examine the evolution of Johnny Sexton and to marvel at Ireland's ability to get out of sticky situations.

We discuss the Freddie Steward red card, Ireland's incredible defence ad discipline stats and how nice it is to see the players be backed to express themselves, on and off the pitch.

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Grand Slam weeks don't come around too often (for now) so we went all out this week with Connacht's Andy Friend dropping by on Wednesday to chat about Mack Hansen's Snake Hips, versatility and general ‘looseness’.

Fresh from offering the best analysis around on the Gary Lineker Tweet debacle, Ken dusted down his Columbus Egg as proof he had been right about Trent Alexander-Arnold all along.

Plus, there’s Guardiola on how a Julia Roberts trip to Old Trafford both hurt and motivated him in equal measure. 

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