The Blizzard

This week, Harry Pearson joins Jonathan Wilson and Marcus Speller to discuss the third fixture of the 1998 World Cup – Italy 2 Chile 2.

 

Having reached the final four years ago, Cesare Maldini’s Who’s Who of Italian football in the 90s were hoping to get off to a flyer against Chile. However, with one of the tournament’s most exciting strike partnerships headlining Chile’s starting XI, this World Cup 98 fixture wasn’t to go as entirely expected.


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Sid Lowe joins Jonathan Wilson and Marcus Speller to discuss a game, a team and a Spanish principality close to his heart – this week’s Greatest Game is the Asturian derby of January 1997 – Sporting Gijón 0 Real Oviedo 0. 

 

Managed by Juanma Lillo, now assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, Real Oviedo headed to the Molinón followed by thousands of away supporters – some of whom were sporting a workman’s helmet to avoid head injuries from the expectant missiles fired from distance by rival fans. In this episode, hear how Sid developed his infatuation for Spanish and Asturian football and what it was like for a group of English lads to follow Real Oviedo in the mid-nineties.

 

We've been recording episodes of Greatest Games remotely – firstly to ensure social distancing measures are being adhered to – but also to allow us to invite guests from around the world, like Sid, to appear.  

We apologise for any audio lapses which occur within this episode, in particular the opening 18 minutes.


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Jeff Brown is this week’s guest on Greatest Games as he joins Jonathan Wilson and Marcus Speller to look back on Sunderland’s unexpected 4-1 win against Chelsea at the Stadium of Light.

Heading into the 1999-00 campaign, Gianluca Vialli’s Chelsea were looking to mount a genuine title challenge – asserted after an opening day 4-0 win against the Black Cats at Stamford Bridge. But any serious challenge to the league leaders was undone by Sunderland on the return fixture as Peter Reid’s men put four past The Blues in the first 38 minutes.

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This week on Greatest Games Priya Ramesh joins Jonathan Wilson and Marcus Speller to discuss the 1994-95 Champions League final at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna.

The youthful Ajax side which Louis van Gaal had assembled were heading into the final in unassailable form, having lost just one game in all competitions all season. In their way of winning a first European title since 1973, and asserting themselves as one of the greatest teams in European club football history, were the reigning champions, AC Milan.

About the panel:

Jonathan Wilson founded The Blizzard in 2011 and is editor of the magazine. He’s contributed to a number of publications including The Guardian and Sports Illustrated as well as having authored  Behind the Curtain, Inverting the Pyramid, The Outsider, Angels with Dirty Faces and most recently The Names Heard Long Ago, among others. 

Marcus Speller is a host of the Football Ramble podcast as well as Answerable Questions with Questionable Answers. Marcus also regularly hosts our live Q&A events across the country alongside Jonathan.

Priya Ramesh is a football writer specialising in Dutch football, contributor to the Guardian, The Blizzard, FourFourTwo and many more. 

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On Greatest Games this week, Jonathan Wilson and Marcus Speller are joined by Alex Holiga to discuss the final game of Euro 2008 qualifying in Group E between England and Croatia.

A late winner for Israel against Guus Hiddink’s Russia just four days beforehand meant the task required to achieve qualification for the 2008 European Championships was simple for England. Or so they rather obnoxiously thought. As the rain poured on Wembley, the well-equipped Steve McClaren failed to prepare England for the draw they needed.

About the panel:

Jonathan Wilson founded The Blizzard in 2011 and is editor of the magazine. He’s contributed to a number of publications including The Guardian and Sports Illustrated as well as having authored  Behind the Curtain, Inverting the Pyramid, The Outsider, Angels with Dirty Faces and most recently The Names Heard Long Ago, among others. 

Marcus Speller is a host of the Football Ramble podcast as well as Answerable Questions with Questionable Answers. Marcus also regularly hosts our live Q&A events across the country alongside Jonathan.

Mark Langdon is the head of content at the Racing Post, contributor to talkSPORT, Football Weekly and many more. 

Join Jonathan, Marcus and guests for our upcoming Live Q&A event – Live At Your Place 2: theblizzard.co.uk/news/your-place-again

Order Issue 38, our newest release, here: theblizzard.co.uk/shop/product/issue-thirty-eight

Unlock our archives with a subscription from just £20: theblizzard.co.uk/subscriptions

For commercial enquiries, contact: [email protected]

In this week’s Greatest Games Jonathan Wilson and Marcus Speller are joined by Mark Langdon as they look back to the 2004 Champions League quarter-final between Deportivo and AC Milan

A 4-1 loss at the San Siro, a Milan fortress at the time, gave Deportivo an almost hopeless task at the Riazor in the second-leg – overcoming a three-goal deficit against the current champions and tournament favourites. A game to keep half an eye on very quickly became something extraordinary as Javier Irureta’s team flew out the blocks and got at Milan’s famous backline early doors. 

About the panel:

Jonathan Wilson founded The Blizzard in 2011 and is editor of the magazine. He’s contributed to a number of publications including The Guardian and Sports Illustrated as well as having authored  Behind the Curtain, Inverting the Pyramid, The Outsider, Angels with Dirty Faces and most recently The Names Heard Long Ago, among others. 

 

Marcus Speller is a host of the Football Ramble podcast as well as Answerable Questions with Questionable Answers. Marcus also regularly hosts our live Q&A events across the country alongside Jonathan.

 

Mark Langdon is the head of content at the Racing Post, contributor to talkSPORT, Football Weekly and many more. 



Join Jonathan, Marcus and guests for our upcoming Live Q&A event – Live At Your Place 2: theblizzard.co.uk/news/your-place-again

Order Issue 38, our newest release, here: theblizzard.co.uk/shop/product/issue-thirty-eight

Unlock our archives with a subscription from just £20: theblizzard.co.uk/subscriptions

For commercial enquiries, contact: [email protected]

This week, Jonathan Wilson and Marcus Speller are joined by Nihal Arthanayake to discuss Spurs’ dramatic 2019 Champions League semi-final second-leg in Amsterdam against Ajax.
There was disappointment at the recently opened new home of Tottenham Hotspur in the first-leg and after de Ligt and Ziyech increased Ajax’s aggregate lead to three, a depleted Spurs looked vastly on the verge of crashing out of the Champions League whilst Ajax fans bellowed Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds at half-time. But Lucas Moura and a load of cojones ensured an emotional second-half and a remarkable comeback.


About the panel:

Jonathan Wilson founded The Blizzard in 2011 and is editor of the magazine. He’s contributed to a number of publications including The Guardian and Sports Illustrated as well as having authored  Behind the Curtain, Inverting the Pyramid, The Outsider, Angels with Dirty Faces and most recently The Names Heard Long Ago, among others. 

Marcus Speller is a host of the Football Ramble podcast as well as Answerable Questions with Questionable Answers. Marcus also regularly hosts our live Q&A events across the country alongside Jonathan.

Nihal Arthanayake is a broadcaster and TV presenter. He currently presents a daily daytime show on BBC 5 Live between 1-4PM.

Order Issue 38, our newest release, here: theblizzard.co.uk/shop/product/issue-thirty-eight

Unlock our archives with a subscription from just £20: theblizzard.co.uk/subscriptions

For commercial enquiries, contact: [email protected]

This week, Jonathan Wilson and Marcus Speller are joined by Carl Worswick to discuss the 1994 World Cup qualifier which saw Argentina host Colombia in Buenos Aires. 
Heading into the match, qualification for the 94 World Cup was not yet confirmed for either side, however Colombia's successful campaign so far meant they were only required to avoid defeat. But they were facing an Argentina side which had recently won a second of consecutive Copa América titles and hadn’t recorded a loss on home soil in six years.

About the panel:
Jonathan Wilson founded The Blizzard in 2011 and is editor of the magazine. He’s a contributor to a number of publications including The Guardian and Sports Illustrated as well as having authored  Behind the Curtain, Inverting the Pyramid, The Outsider, Angels with Dirty Faces and most recently The Names Heard Long Ago, among others. 

Marcus Speller is a host of the Football Ramble podcast as well as Answerable Questions with Questionable Answers. Marcus also regularly hosts our live Q&A events across the country alongside Jonathan.

Carl Worswick is a British journalist based in Bogata, dedicated to Colombian football. Carl has contributed to the Guardian, World Soccer, The Blizzard and many more.

Order Issue 38, our newest release, here: theblizzard.co.uk/shop/product/issue-thirty-eight

Unlock our archives with a subscription from just £20: theblizzard.co.uk/subscriptions

For commercial enquiries, contact: [email protected]

In episode two of Greatest Games, Jonathan Wilson and Marcus Speller are joined by Daniel Edwards to discuss the 1967 Intercontinental Cup play-off between Copa Libertadores and European Cup winners, Racing Club and Celtic. 

After a pair of acrimonious games in Glasgow and Buenos Aires, the tie would have to be decided on neutral ground at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, Uruguay. Billy McNeill captained the European champions, with Jock Stein on the sidelines, into a game has since been dubbed “The Battle of Montevideo”.

About the panel:
Jonathan Wilson founded The Blizzard in 2011 and is editor of the magazine. He’s a contributor to a number of publications including The Guardian and Sports Illustrated as well as having authored  Behind the Curtain, Inverting the Pyramid, The Outsider, Angels with Dirty Faces and most recently The Names Heard Long Ago, among others. 

Marcus Speller is a host of the Football Ramble podcast as well as Answerable Questions with Questionable Answers. Marcus also regularly hosts our live Q&A events across the country alongside Jonathan.

Daniel Edwards is an Argentina-based football journalist regularly contributing to Goal, Bleacher Report and appears on English-language Argentine football podcast, Hand of Pod.

Order Issue 38, our newest release, here: theblizzard.co.uk/shop/product/issue-thirty-eight

Unlock our archives with a subscription from just £20: theblizzard.co.uk/subscriptions

For commercial enquiries, contact: [email protected]

In this first episode of the new season of Greatest Games, Jonathan Wilson and Marcus Speller are joined by Oluwashina Okeleji to discuss Nigeria’s victory over Ivory Coast in the quarter-finals of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. 

Ivory Coast’s squad full of players plying their trade across Europe were widely fancied to win their first Afcon title since 1992. In contrast, Nigeria were wallowing under Stephen Keshi after a poor group stage, which convinced Nigerian FA executives to book flights back home from South Africa days before their quarter-final against the tournament favourites.

About the panel:
Jonathan Wilson founded The Blizzard in 2011 and is editor of the magazine. He’s a contributor to a number of publications including The Guardian and Sports Illustrated as well as having authored  Behind the Curtain, Inverting the Pyramid, The Outsider, Angels with Dirty Faces and most recently The Names Heard Long Ago, among others. 

Marcus Speller is a host of the Football Ramble podcast as well as Answerable Questions with Questionable Answers. Marcus also regularly hosts our live Q&A events across the country alongside Jonathan. 

Oluwashina Okeleji is a multimedia sports journalist for the BBC, having also contributed to World Soccer magazine, Al Jazeera and of course, The Blizzard.