Come for the Covid-19 talk - but stay for the riveting events of the final day of the 2008 J1 season!

Honestly, it is crazy. But here is what you need to do to really appreciate it: 

Cue up this YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjVM1jxf0Nw

Listen to our podcast from 9:55

Be amazed!

Thank you so much to all the Patreons - we know that there are many other things in the world that you could spend your hard-earned money on at this particular time. But we really appreciate it and we hope that you enjoy this special episode.

Don't want to get your J.League hopes up with the episode title, but it refers to our friend Cesare Polenghi, who joins Sam and I on the pod after a lengthy absence.

After an initial catch up, we dive in to a few J.League-resumption contingency proposals, a 20 team top flight, and discuss Monday's announcement that (at the time of recording) seven prefectures were entering a state of emergency with the worst of the coronavirus seemingly yet to come here.

If Cesare's impassioned plea at the end of the episode has inspired you to join our growing band of over 30 true believers and become a supporter of the podcast on Patreon, please head to patreon.com/jtalkpod and sign up for as little as $1 a month.

Follow us all on twitter:

The Pod - @JTalkPod

Sam - @FRsoccerSam

Cesare - @CesarePolenghi

Jon Steele & Stuart Smith don't have a lot of football to talk about, but that doesn't mean there is NOTHING to talk about.

Player mindsets, training regimes, future projections, and when we think the J.League will resume are all discussed, as are Avispa Fukuoka fashion, Go West and the things we do when drunk. Enjoy!! And more importantly, stay safe out there. 

Stuart - @sushi_football

Jon - @J2KantoBites

Patreon - patreon.com/jtalkpod

A special thank you to the Patreons of the podcast. We know that during these times especially that money/enthusiasm can be a bit scarce, but we thank you for allowing to try and bring a little light relief into your listening routine.

We wondered if it was worth doing an episode this week, then news of Gotoku Sakai's positive test for Covid-19 broke on Monday evening, we got Scott McIntyre on the line, and the rest is history.

 

Scott is with us until about the 27:30 mark (with a cameo from his travel companion, Alex Bishop), then Sam and I soldier on.

 

Lots of negative J.League and Japanese society-based news here, but on the flip side, I don't think I've ever had more fun in the editing suite.

 

Follow us on twitter:

The Pod - @JTalkPod

Sam - @FRsoccerSam

Scott - @mcintinhos

Alex - @Abishop32

Jon Steele & Stuart Smith return to take listeners over: 

The phased restart plans of the J.League

No relegation this year

Will going to watch football be viable in April and May?

Another 13-1 scoreline 

It wasn't an easy pod to be clear & concise in due to all the uncertainty, but we hope you'll find it a bit of light relief. Stay safe out there, and keep your distance. Let's look out for one another. 

Consider supporting us on Patreon. We appreciate all the support the community gives.

Kak varvi? In this week's episode Dan Orlowitz from The Japan Times joins Sam and myself as we edge closer to the J.League's originally proposed date for the league to resume (or begin, in the case of J3). We discuss the likelihood of that (Spoiler Alert: Not very likely), a more realistic resumption schedule, and the possible easing of fixture pressure on the J.League that would result from a postponement of the Olympics.

Follow us on twitter:

The pod - @JTalkPod

Sam - @FRsoccerSam

Dan - @aishiterutokyo

Stuart Smith is joined by Paul Neat for this very special look at the second divisions in Japan & Korea. 

You'll hear about the similarities & differences between clubs in K-2 and J2, difficulties that second tier clubs face, and difficult promotion routes. But you'll also hear about:

Players getting married on the pitch

Hedgehogs & aliens

Pensioners leading teams out

Idol groups

Smoke breathing magpies

Because, let's face it: Second tier football is the best tier football.

Follow Stuart: @sushi_football

Follow Paul: @NeatPaul

Follow K-League United: @KLeagueUnited

Follow J-Talk Podcast: @JTalkPod

Visit K-League: https://www.kleagueunited.com

Support K-League United: patron.com/KLeagueUnited

Support J-Talk Podcast: patreon.com/jtalkpod

Still no J.League? Still no problem!

Jon Steele is in the host's chair as he and Stuart Smith go over the latest Corona Virus influence on the J.League schedule, tell our favourite relegation escape stories, and explain what keeps us ticking over while the J.League is on hiatus. Enjoy!

Stuart - @sushi_football

Jon - @J2KantoBites

Patreon - www.patreon.com/jtalkpod

A huge thanks to all the listeners, especially the Patreons who keep us going. Stay safe, wherever you are in the world.

Dan Orlowitz guests as we bring you up to date with what we know around a possible resumption of the J.League, and contingency plans that might have to be implemented should the restart be pushed back further.

Follow us on twitter:

The pod - @JTalkPod

Dan - @aishiterutokyo

No J.League? No problem! Well, kind of a problem if your podcast is focused on talking about the J.League. Still, Jon Steele & Stuart Smith manage to fill up 45 minutes with (mostly) football talk. Some very serious, some not so. In the absence of any football to watch, we hope you enjoy it. 

Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/jtalkpod

Follow Stuart: @sushi_football

Follow Jon: @J2KantoBites