By TSS
All the soccer history and explainers you can handle
Graham and Taylor are here to discuss a topic 21 years in the making: the FIFA video game series. How long has it been around? How have the games evolved over time? What are the different options to play and...
Graham and Taylor head to South America to discuss one of the longest-running, most prestigious club competitions in world soccer: the Copa Libertadores. What is it, how does it work, who can play in it, and how do they qualify?...
It's a Ripped-from-the-headlines-of-the-life-of-Graham Special! What are match programmes and why are they still around? Do they exist in other sports and in other countries around the globe? How long have they been a thing? What are some of Graham's favorites,...
On this week's episode, Graham and Taylor don their respective armbands to discuss captains in soccer. What do they actually do? For how long has the role existed? What are the different types, and styles? Who are some of the...
MONEY PLEASE! On this week's episode, we're discussing Parachute Payments! What they are, how they work, and why they exist. Plus, the benefits and drawbacks to their usage in England, the role they've played in further stratifying the English football...
On today's episode, Graham is fresh from some injections and ready to join Taylor in discussing doping in soccer. What is it? How many different forms of doping are there? How do players get tested and what happens if they...
This week, Graham and Taylor avoid fisticuffs to instead talk out the history of hooligans (and hooliganism) in football! We answer a variety of questions on the topic, including... 1) What does the word "hooligan" mean, and from where does it...
A bonus episode this week! We're cross-posting an episode from our friends over at the Can I Kick It podcast. Host Elliot Bar sits down with Greggo from For the Culture to discuss the new joint Anti-Discrimination Policy by MLS,...
This week, Graham and Taylor discuss a topic that they somehow haven't yet discussed on the podcast... Designated Players! What is a DP? Why does the concept exist in the first place? How has the reliance on DPs evolved over time?...
On this week's episode, Taylor (who could be sacked at any moment) and Graham (waiting to take over as Interim Podcast Host) discuss Interim Managers. When should a club appoint one? Are there different types? Is it always a bad...
Graham and Taylor don their tin foil caps to discuss soccer's greatest conspiracy theories, and attempt to determine which ones are completely fictional (most of them) and which ones have some truth to them (some of them). Topics covered include... 1)...
This week, Graham and Taylor make sure not to record on Saturday at 3pm, so they aren't in violation of any sort of blackout rules. Is that how it works? Well, if you aren't certain either, this episode is for you!...
This week, Graham and Taylor delve into the history of the Asian Cup, and there's a lot of surprising history there for the delving. When did it first begin? Who are its most successful competitors? What are the factors holding...
Graham and Taylor discuss everyone's favorite hype-train-generator: the wonderkid! Why is there such fascination with these players? What are the pitfalls of being one? Who are some of the most memorable wonderkids in soccer history, and which ones actually came...
With the 2024 (but actually 2023) iteration of the Africa Cup of Nations about to kick off, Graham and Taylor spend some time on the history of the tournament itself. When was the first AFCON? How has the tournament grown...
On this episode, we get into the past, present and future of Gianni Infantino's current favorite child: The Club World Cup! What is it, how has it evolved over time, who are its most successful competitors, and what will future...
With the recent news that Everton would be docked 10 points for violating Financial Fair Play rules, Graham and Taylor spend some time discussing points deductions. What are they, who hands them out, and why do they feel like the...
On this episode, Graham and Taylor toss themselves into the world of the throw-in. It's more interesting than it sounds, I promise! What is a throw-in? What is its history? Who are the great Champions of the Throw? How could...
Graham and Taylor discuss a moneymaker... the expansion of the record transfer fee over the years. Why did the transfer record grow so quickly? Which ones have worked out and which ones weren't exactly a bargain? Which ones are responsible...
Graham and Taylor discuss your grandmother's favorite topic... scarves! How did they first become common in football, how have their usage and sales evolved over time, why half-and-half scarves are a sign you're a tourist, and much more! Plus, some...
Graham and Taylor get into a topic that just sorta... keeps on going: the English league pyramid! How many different levels are involved and how many clubs does that cover? What is life like for the smallest clubs in the...
PRIZE TIME! We're answering all your questions about prize money in soccer, including how do teams get it, how does it differ between club and international levels, which leagues pay the most, and much much more!
This week, Graham and Taylor tackle a concept that is ubiquitous in soccer (and sport in general) but simultaneously seen as a problem and potential source of a conflict of interest… gambling! How long has gambling been intertwined with soccer?...
On this episode, Graham and Taylor dive deep into the branding statement/actual sports team known as Team GB. What is it, which countries are involved, how does it work when it comes to the Olympics, why is it controversial, and...
On this week's episode, we answer a question from the Discord, courtesy of Scouto: What are coefficients, what are they used to determine, how are they calculated, and why do they matter? We have answers, and Graham attempts to explain...
On this episode, Taylor and Graham spend some time discussing a few terms that get commonly thrown around, but can be a little more challenging to understand if you're new to the game: 1) Ball recovery 2) Duel 3) Hospital pass 4) Mickey Mouse...
Graham and Taylor explore the history of the historic rivalry between England and Scotland. What is the history of England v Scotland in soccer? Why did this fixture happen in the first place? Does this rivalry matter in the 21st...
On this week's episode, Graham and Taylor delve deep into a topic that isn't at all divisive and doesn't make people completely lose their minds... VAR! What is it, why was it implemented, how does it work, how has it...
On this week's episode, Graham and Taylor discuss a phrase that gets thrown around a lot but might not be as easy to understand: half spaces. What are they, why are they important, and which players are best at operating...
On today's episode, Graham and Taylor go deep on World Cup preparations! When do teams announce their squads for a World Cup? What do warm-up friendly matches achieve? How do national federations decide on a training base? What do players...
On today's episode, Graham and Taylor delve deep into season tickets: what are they, what are the benefits and drawbacks to becoming a season ticket holder, how has the process evolved over time, and what does the future hold? All...
Graham (who managed to keep his top on the whole show) and Taylor answer the following listener question: Taking a shirt off is an iconic football celebration. Except that for a good long while now it has been punished with a...
With the 2023 iteration of The Concacaf Gold Cup right around the corner, Graham and Taylor discuss the history of the competition, how it has evolved over time, the various guest nations that have played, and the most successful teams...
The season is coming to a close, which means the silly season insanity is about to ratchet up! But instead of looking at specific rumors or pending transfers, they're discussing the speculation itself. How does transfer speculation come to be?...
Graham and Taylor discuss all-things Australia, without attempting to do accents or make jokes about shrimp and barbies. Instead, they focus on The A-League Men: the history of the league, how it has evolved, why it rebranded, current controversies, and...
I joined my buddy Elliot Barr on his podcast Can I Kick it, and we went way way over time. So, we split our chat into two segments. Part 1 is available over on their feeds and Part 2 is...
On this episode, Graham and Taylor delve deep into an increasingly common setup: multi-club ownership. Along the way, they answer questions like... What is the difference between a selling club, a feeder club and a sister club? What are the...
As a logical counterpoint to last week's Promotion special, this week we're tackling Relegation! What sort of damage can relegation cause? How do relegated teams respond to dropping down a division? What does relegation change for fans? All that and...
This week, Graham and Taylor dive into one of the happier things that can happen to a club: promotion! What are the approaches to getting promoted and then staying up, what are the obvious benefits and the less obvious drawbacks,...
With Graham thoroughly enjoying his 4th cancellation of the season courtesy of Dumbarton, we discuss why a match might be postponed, who makes the decision, what happens after the decision is made, and much more!
This week, Graham and Taylor are taking a look at a big ol' concrete structure of a topic: stadiums! What makes a great stadium? What are the main differences between the facilities of the past and those of the present?...
Graham and Taylor spend some time discussing the historic rivalry between Scottish clubs Celtic and Rangers, AKA The Old Firm Derby. How did the rivalry originate, how has it evolved over time, the key figures and moments in the derby's...
This week, Graham and Taylor do their best to avoid having to sing while discussing anthems in soccer: when did the tradition begin, how do they differ between club and international competitions, which ones work and which ones don't, and...
On this week's episode, it's a look at not-quite-ready-for-primetime competitions, aka development leagues. What is a reserve league, is it different from a development league, how do they differ from country to country, and much much more!
Graham and Taylor take a look at a narrative that pops up every time a coach gets sacked: The New Manager Bounce. When things aren't working and clubs decide to sack their manager, it's often expected that with the hiring...
We don't know about you, but we're pretty excited for the USMNT's game against England that's coming up next week. On this special episode of Soccer 101, courtesy of The Backheeled Show, we dig into that matchup and answer questions...
What if we told you there were some tricks that your team could use to boost their odds of making a deep run in the World Cup? Sounds pretty good, right? Today, we’re talking about some of those tricks. On...
On this week's episode, Ryan and Taylor answer a listener question that felt Soccer 101 appropriate: why do little kids walk onto the pitch with players before games? Who are these children, how did they get such a good gig,...
On today’s episode, we're tackling a topic that won’t cause any furor online, never has copious columns written about it in newspapers, and always makes Piers Morgan keep a level head: politics in football! Does politics belong in soccer? What are...
The 2022-23 Women's Champions League season is underway, so Ryan, Graham and Taylor are here to explain the history of the competition, its dominant teams and players, and its outlook for the future! The Soccer 101 theme, and plenty of other...
