The J-Talk Podcast

Jon Steele flies solo with a wrap-up of preseason news from J2.

Notable friendly games, JEF United analysis, and Tokyo Verdy's pop-up store in Shibuya.

We begin this episode with a look back at Saturday's wild and woolly Super Cup between Kobe and Yokohama, then our countdown of all top flight sides continues with Kansai rivals Gamba Osaka and Vissel (to 18:55).

Oita leads off Part 2, then things get a bit murky as we plough through Sapporo, Sendai, Shimizu, Nagoya and Urawa (to 45:55), before we finish off with Tosu, Shonan and promoted sides Kashiwa and Yokohama FC.

We're throwing the doors open to questions on anything and everything top flight-related in next week's pod, so get them in to @JTalkPod and/or @FRsoccerSam and we'll answer your queries in the next episode.

After warming up, Jon Steele & Stuart Smith are here to give a deep dive preview of the 2020 J2 season. Featuring a look at all the clubs and what they've done to strengthen and/or how they've been weakened. Also featuring computer metaphors, foreign goalkeepers, a stray f-bomb, a half time break and many other cool things.

It is a lot, but it is well worth your time. Any feedback is absolutely welcome, so you can contact us at:

Stuart - @sushi_football

Jon - @J2KantoBites

Consider supporting our efforts on Patreon: patreon.com/jtalkpod

Guess who's back? Stuart Smith & Jon Steele open the 2020 season with a brief (by our standards) and breezy introduction to J2. Who has the best kit? Who does Jon think could beat him up? What's going on in Gunma? Who will bring shithousery back to J2 this year? 

It will all become clear in the J-Talk: Extra Time season premiere! Enjoy. 

Follow us:

Stuart - @sushi_football

Jon: @J2KantoBites

Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/jtalkPod

We're baaaack, and we begin to get you ready for the start of the new J1 season with an in-depth look at last year's top six with new co-host Sam Robson, and special guests Stuart Woodward, Alex Bishop and Neil Debnam.

After Sam and I briefly round up last week's ACL playoff games, we welcome in Stuart for a chat about how defending champions Yokohama will fare in 2020, the key additions to their squad and how they will approach their return to the ACL (to 26:20).

Then Alex pops on to discuss FC Tokyo, and if they can go one better than last year's second placed finish (to 42:09), Sam and I chat about Kashima, and Neil joins us for a look at Kawasaki, who like Antlers don't have the distraction of the ACL this year, and can go all out for the J1 title (to 1:17:50), before we finish up by running the rule over Cerezo Osaka and Hiroshima.

Follow our guests on twitter:

Stuart - @stuartcw

Alex - @Abishop32

FC Tokyo KaiGuys

Neil - @frontalerabbit

Kobe claimed their first ever major trophy in the Emperor's Cup final on New Year's Day, defeating Kashima 2-0 at the new National Stadium, and Alan Gibson, Chris Hough and Sam Robson guest as we review Vissel's big day.

After our discussion on the game, we also chat about how big Kobe might go in the transfer market as they approach their first ever ACL campaign (from 24:10), Chris shares his experiences from inside the stadium as his Road to the Final came to a conclusion (from 38:20), and Alan and Sam run through some of the early transfer window activity (from 47:05).

#As outlined in the intro, friend of the podcast Scott McIntyre is currently being held by the authorities in Japan after being arrested attempting to get information on the whereabouts of his missing children, Hinata and Harugo, who were abducted by his wife and mother in law back in May. Please support Scott by signing the change.org petition addressed to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and by donating to the GoFundMe page set up to help with his legal expenses.#

Follow my guests on twitter and elsewhere:

Sam - @FRsoccerSam

Alan - @JSoccerMagazine

JSoccer.com

Chris - @LiFJapan

The Lost in Football Japan YouTube channel

At Christmas, people say (don't quote me on that) that good things come in small packages and arrive late. Or something like that. It is in that spirit that I (Stuart) present the "latest" Extra Time - a week late. 

Jon & I talk about Tokushima's "defeat", we make what turn out to be correct predictions on the Emperor's Cup, and what turned out to be a wrong prediction about Jordy Buijs's destination. 

Enjoy - and Merry Xmas!! Happy Holidays!! Have a great Festivus!!

Apologies for the delay - but Jon Steele & Stuart Smith are back to preview Tokushima Vortis' date with J1 destiny; The final day of the J3 season; The managerial merry-go-round and pay tribute Mr. Ben Maxwell on the occasion of his 300th podcast. Tremendous!!

You can help the podcast by supporting us on Patreon - go to patron.com/jtalkpod to join our squad!

If you want more from Jon Steele: @J2KantoBites

More from Stuart: @sushi_football

If you download on Apple Podcasts please rate & leave a review. Arigato!!

After Yokohama claimed their 4th J1 title, and first in 15 years, on Saturday, Sean Carroll, Sam Robson and Stuart Woodward guest as we celebrate their stirring achievement.

F.Marinos chat with Stuart dominates Part 1 - his enjoyment of the day and post game celebrations, Ange Postecoglou's impact on the club and how they will approach 2020, but also events on the pitch on Saturday of course, as Yokohama withstood some early FC Tokyo physicality to ultimately cruise to a championship-sealing 3-0 win (to 32:53).

After we bid Stuart farewell, Sam, Sean and I discuss the two big games at the foot of the table that saw Tosu survive despite losing at Shimizu thanks to Matsumoto's late equalizer against Shonan - and we look ahead to Bellmare's playoff against Tokushima this Saturday - before we run through all of the other games from J1 Matchday 34, with snippets on each top flight club as we close the book on the 2019 J1 season.

On this, the occasion of our 300th episode, I'd like to thank all of our guests for making themselves available to chat about this league we all love, and of course, as I always say, thanks to you for listening wherever you are. But the biggest thanks of all has to go to our supporters on Patreon, who have enabled us to grow in 2019 and made it possible to launch the Extra Time podcast. If you'd like to get on board for the 2020 season, please visit patreon.com/jtalkpod.

After Yokohama moved within touching distance of a first J1 title since 2004 with a big away win over local rivals Kawasaki on Saturday, Sam Robson and Stuart Woodward guest as we round up Matchday 33 in the top flight.

Stuart shares his experiences from the away end at Todoroki, after F.Marinos scored early for the third straight game, and then turned on the boosters in the second half to blow Frontale away. Sam extols the merits of a couple of key mid season signings that have helped Yokohama in the closing stages of the season, a fact in stark contrast to their title rivals FC Tokyo, who sat on their hands in the summer and now look set to be without their two main strikers for this Saturday's title decider, which is now looking like a simple coronation of Ange Postecoglou's men as champions. We also discuss another afternoon of frustration at home for Tokyo, who failed to beat a bottom half opponent at Ajinomoto Stadium for the second straight week (to 50:57).

After we bid Stuart farewell, Sam and I round up the rest of the games, with Shonan snapping their long winless run and looking decent bets to avoid the playoff place on the final day, while we look ahead to the crunch clash between Shimizu and Tosu, and commiserate with relegated Iwata and Matsumoto.

Follow my guests on twitter:

Stuart - @stuartcw

Sam - @FRsoccerSam