These Football Times

The glory and the failure of a brilliant Netherlands in 1974

10 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Netherlands in 1974 is the story of Rinus Michels' beautiful but ultimately heartbreaking World Cup campaign. With Johan Cruyff inspiring a side d...

Euro 88 and Euro 92: from Dutch peaks and Soviet genius to Denmark's improbable glory

04 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The last eight-team tournaments, and the polar opposites of one another, after the stylistic excellence of the Netherlands and the Soviet Union at Eur...

How the 1930 World Cup changed the face of football and politics

31 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Do you think that politic and finance influencing the World Cup is a new thing? In the first episode of Political Football: World Cup, we talk to Paul...

A chat with Abraham Klein, the man who refereed some of the biggest games in history

27 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Abraham Klein is a man who had the best view of some of football's greatest fixtures. Refereeing at three World Cups, and withdrawing from the 1974 fi...

Euro 1980 and 1984: a new format and a new era of continental brilliance

22 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

While Euro 1980 has long since faded to black, it was the first of the new tournament formats as West Germany, fired on by Klaus Allofs, triumphed ove...

The Liverpool magazine: exclusive audio from our Jamie Carragher interview as we discuss the club

19 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Liverpool, with a rich, unique and storied history, to go alongside their hypnotic contemporary resurgence, meant that gravity was always going to lea...

Liverpool, Istanbul and the epic 2004/05 Champions League campaign

14 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah Starkey talks to us about Liverpool's 2005 Champions League campaign, culminating in that epic comeback in Istanbul against AC Milan. From an in...

The European Championship 1960-1976: the old format, coin-toss wins, Panenka and lost glories

08 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The European Championship is a constant shape-shifting entity, though first five finals were only four-nation events. From forgotten legends of yester...

Inside the weird and wonderful world of Club Tijuana, Mexico's maverick outsiders

01 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As well as having a volatile political history, Mexico is one of the world's most passionate football countries, so there's little surprise that these...

How Hungary's Magical Magyars wowed football against a backdrop of uncertainty at home

29 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hungary's Magical Magyars of the 1950s are one of the iconic sides in the history of world football. Their scintillating play took them to a World Cup...

How can CONIFA shape football's future?

23 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to Justin Walley, the president of CONIFA Africa and member of the organisation's Executive Committee, about the work they carry out and how t...

'I can't help falling in love': accepting the changing face of football as it moves through the eras

19 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

For many of us, football is more than a sport. It can act as an anchor, in as pronounced a manner as our loved ones. More important than work, food an...

How populist politics is changing the world of football

11 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Across the world, populist politics - the idea that society is separated into two groups at odds with one another: the "pure people" and the "corrupt ...

Stateside Soccer: a history of the beautiful game in the United States

08 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Football in America has been eclectic and polarising from the very start. From the pre-Wall Street Crash boom to Major League Soccer, via the incorrig...

The controversy and corruption of CONMEBOL

21 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

CONMEBOL is one of FIFA's six continental confederations and, as they cover the South American region, it's also one of the most important, having Wor...

Revolution and rebuilds: AC Milan and the two glorious decades between 1987 and 2007

19 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When Arrigo Sacchi stepped through the San Siro doors in 1987, AC Milan would never be the same again. Through his glorious revolution, Capello's evol...

The Mighty Magyars: Hungary's famed generation of Puskás, Kocsis and Hidegkuti

14 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The team that humbled Wembley and taught England that there was an entirely different footballing world out there, The Lob talks to David Bailey, auth...

Mussolini and the unique propaganda of the 1934 World Cup

05 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The 1934 World Cup is considered one of the most controversial in the history of the tournament. Held in Italy as Benito Mussolini's fascists were loo...

The glory, trials and tragedy of Nat Lofthouse, one of England's finest footballers

31 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Nat Lofthouse is a legendary figure in English football. In this episode, we chat with Matt Clough about his biography of the talismanic striker. We l...

My Side: how England's U17 World Cup win restored belief in domestic player development

27 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

ITV and BT Sport commentator Seb Hutchinson recalls how a team boasting Phil Foden, Jadon Sancho, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Rhian Brewster went to India ...

Liverpool's iconic 2000/01 campaign, feat. McAllister, Alavés and Owen and more

20 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Internationally-acclaimed comedian Ashley Blaker recalls a season of epic gluttony as Liverpool lifted the League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup, the latter...

The Frying Pan of Spain: the divisions and unity of Sevilla and Real Betis

13 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Out on the southern tip of Spain, Andalusia is an outpost for football in the country, and while other clubs from the region may rise and fall, Sevill...

My Side: how Arsène Wenger's fearless Arsenal became the iconic Invincibles

06 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Chris Weir talks to us about Arsenal's historic Invincibles campaign, which saw them match Preston North End's record of going an entire league season...

My Side: The fear, ecstasy and emotion of West Ham's final season at the Boleyn Ground

30 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A season which started with fear and trepidation would become one of West Ham's most successful in recent times. While 2015/16 was dominated by Leices...

My Side: The impossible dream of Manchester United's iconic treble in 1999

26 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dan Williamson joins us to discuss Manchester United's iconic treble. A season which started on the back of Arsenal winning the double, signalling a p...

A tournament frozen in time: the wonderful randomness of the Cup Winners' Cup

23 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It was a tournament like no other, called the awkward sibling of the European Cup and the UEFA Cup. These Football Times' Steven Scragg talks about hi...

How Guardiola's Barcelona produced a season of exquisite refinement in 2010/11

16 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Scholes talks to us about how Pep Guardiola's Barcelona plan was crystallised into a single season which saw them finish above José Mourinho's Re...

Natural: the story of Jimmy Greaves, England's greatest goalscoring talent

02 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Jimmy Greaves is arguably the greatest goalscoring talent English football has ever known, a precocious teenager at Chelsea who endured a doomed trans...

Bottled: the relationship between alcohol and football, from sponsors to players

29 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Alcohol and football are strange but longstanding bedfellows. From the earliest origins of the game, the financial support of brewers and distillers h...

My Side: the story behind Telé Santana's glorious failure with Brazil at the 1982 World Cup

26 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

An in-depth discussion and misty-eyed reminisce about one of the most exciting and exhilarating team's to ever play the game. Scoring 15 goals in five...

The conflicted world of politics and football in Palestine

15 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In what must be the most powerful and poignant episodes of the Political Football to date, Uri Levy takes us into the conflicted world of politics and...

Another Bloody Saturday: a journey to the heart and soul of lower league football

12 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Searching for games that offer the warm glow of his years spent watching Salisbury with his late grandfather, we caught up with author Mat Guy to disc...

Bilbao, Athletic Club and the tricky world of Basque politics

08 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In the Basque city of Bilbao, supporting Athletic is less a sporting affiliation than an act of faith. Their policy of Basque-only players is a badge ...

Gunshots and Goalposts: author Ben Roberts talks Northern Irish football past and present

04 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The history of football in Northern Ireland is cross-cut with societal divides defined by religion and politics. Throughout the nation's turbulent his...

Political Football: why social turmoil isn't stopping Venezuela from becoming a footballing force

29 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Political Football heads back to South America to take a look at one of the lesser footballing lights of the continent. Political turmoil in Venezuela...

How can women's football fulfil its potential? Lynsey Hooper plots a path

26 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Women's World Cup gave another boost to the growing momentum in women's football, as the success of the Lionesses captured the imagination of so m...

Remembering Subbuteo: the iconic game of so many childhoods

11 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Some lost limbs, even heads; others just pride. Subbuteo was far more than just a game: it was a defining memento, a living organism, for a generation...

The story of football's lost wonderkids, with author Ryan Baldi

03 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Every club can boast one: the gifted youngster who defied expectations by not becoming the next George Best or the next Paul Gascoigne. Fated for grea...

The violence and corruption of Indonesian football: a game in a world of its own

30 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Professional football in Indonesia may be relatively new, but its impact on society and politics has been immediate and far-reaching. Clubs owned by t...

James Hendicott talks CONIFA and the untold story of the alternative World Cup

26 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Author James Hendicott, the man behind the excellent CONIFA: the untold story of the alternative World Cup, joins Stuart Horsfield and Jordan Florit t...

My Side: how Bob Paisley's 1978/79 Liverpool team set a new bar in English football

23 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

An in-depth discussion with Steven Scragg and Jeff Goulding on how reigning champions Liverpool - led by Bob Paisley and featuring a star-studded line...

My Side: How Howard Kendall's Everton broke Liverpool's stranglehold on the domestic game in 1984/85

16 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Senior writer Paul Mc Parlan, who watched Everton all season, discusses how Howard Kendall’s Toffees progressed from surprise FA Cup winners in 1984...

The Maradona movie: an exclusive interview with director Asif Kapadia

09 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Academy Award-winning director and the man behind Senna and Amy joins the Lob to discuss his new film Maradona, and in-depth insight into the Argentin...

How football became a potent political tool before and after World War Two

04 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

After previously focusing on World War One, author and journalist David Díaz Bejarano returns to the series to discuss the interaction of football an...

Out of the Shadows: England's 1982 World Cup story

21 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The 1982 World Cup was a tournament of legendary highs, great games, wonderful goals and endless controversy. From Brazil's Ginga and Italy's catenacc...

Recalling the great FA Cup finals and where the competition lost itself

14 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The FA Cup final, once the centrepiece of the football season and the game kids dreamed of scoring the winning goal in, was a unique match for many in...

How football remained relevant and progressed during the devastation of World War One

06 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Author and journalist David Díaz Bejarano focuses on the interaction of football and politics before, during and after World War One. How did the glo...

My Side: how Spain overcame their demons to lift the 2010 World Cup

02 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

With history weighing them down and defeat in the opening game, the world's best team, Spain - champions at Euro 2008 - were expected to crumble at th...

My Side: how Ajax's class of '73, led by Cruyff, completed a hat-trick of European Cups

25 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

An in-depth discussion on Ajax's third successive European Cup-winning campaign for My Side, a celebration of the best teams we've ever seen. What imp...

How contemporary politics in Spain may alter the nation's footballing landscape

23 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Political Football podcast launches into series three with a look at contemporary Spain and, in particular, the issue of potential independence fo...

My Side: in celebration of Newcastle's swashbuckling 1995/96 vintage

17 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to a new series - My Side - discussing writers' and fans' greatest teams over the years. First up is Newcastle's 1995/96 vintage, examining th...

Remembering Thomas 'Mad Dog' Gravesen with author Chris Sweeney

14 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Thomas Gravesen was loved by the supporters of the teams he served, and underappreciated by the wider breadth of football. In the late-1990s he was pa...

Saturday, 3pm: author Daniel Gray talks 50 delights of modern football

11 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Author Daniel Gray returns to discuss another of his evocative books. After a nostalgic ramble through football in bygone days with Black Boots & ...

Euro 2020 or the UEFA Nations League? A debate about international football on the continent

17 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

With the Euro 2020 qualifiers about to begin - six months later than traditionally the case due to the advent of the polarising Nation League - what's...

The murky world of African academies who exclusively sell talent to Europe

11 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

To round off series two of Political Football, we move away from the connection between football and politics in specific countries in favour of a wid...

Justin Walley: the man whose coaching odyssey is unlike any other in football

04 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Justin Walley has enjoyed a footballing odyssey like few others. As well as attending six World Cups, six European Championships, two Copa Americas, a...

Welcome to the world of Peruvian football, from the scintillating to the scandalous

01 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

For many fans, Peru are the hipster team of various World Cups. The iconic white shirts with the broad red sash are instantly recognisable and conjure...

Jeff Goulding talks Stanley Park Story, the benchmark for modern football faction

25 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Crossing football fact with fictional is an art form in itself, which few authors can pull off. A genre popularised by Nick Hornby's iconic Fever Pitc...

Football in Egypt: the nation that defines the relationship between politics, society and football

20 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We talk to Uri Levy, the founder of BabaGol, about Egyptian football, a country that defines the intricate relationship between politics, society and ...

Managerial rivalries in the 1990s: Keegan, Dalglish, Ferguson, Wenger and more

18 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Bringing our managerial rivalries series to a close, we move to the 1990s, a decade that began with the Dalglish-Graham head-to-head seemingly set to ...

The socio-political influence that makes up the threads of Northern Irish club football

07 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We return to Northern Ireland in the company of Ben Roberts to explore the various clubs based there and examine how history, location and fan base ha...

A history of the League Cup: a tournament that once had the power to change the course of history

05 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The League Cup, with its countless changes of sponsorship and trophy, is a tournament has been a part of the English football calendar for almost 60 y...

Author Lionel Birnie talks Graham Taylor: the revolutionary, the saviour and the vilified

03 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A polarising figure who became an icon at some of the clubs he passed through, the game sadly lost Graham Taylor over two years ago. A revolutionary a...

Spanish football in the Franco years

28 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Following the Spanish Civil War, Francisco Franco’s nationalist forces took control of the country and introduced a reactionary government, centred ...

Kevin George, footballer, author and expert, delves into the psychology of football

23 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Kevin George is a former professional footballer who played for West Ham, Charlton and Lincoln. After finishing his playing career, he took courses in...

How will the divisive new political landscape in Brazil affect football?

20 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As well as being the home of Jogo Bonito, Brazil has a history of political discord that so often in the past has impacted on football. The recent ele...

Adam Summerton gives an insight into the unique world of a commentator

13 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What is life like for a commentator? How do they prepare for one of the most important and iconic roles in sports coverage? Adam Summerton, from BT Sp...

How Liverpool's dominance was expertly challenged by various managerial masterminds in the 1980s

10 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The 1980s were a decade dominated by Liverpool, where they were led in the dugout by Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Kenny Dalglish, all of whom kept the A...

Football in the 1970s and 80s, the Thatcher government, and a clash of classes

06 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In the first episode of series two of Political Football, we examine the UK in the 1970s and 80s, the tensions between football, its supporters and th...

How savage social and political upheaval shaped football management in the 1970s

03 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The savage 1970s was a decade in which social and political upheaval was equally matched in the football world. As a generation of iconic managers sto...

Managerial rivalries in the 1960s: the decade that redefined the role of a manager

20 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The 1960s was the decade in which the role of the football manager changed dramatically. With more autonomy from directors, the giants of English mana...

Is a European Super League inevitable in the modern game?

14 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

For 20 years, the concept of a European Super League has periodically risen. The idea that the elite of the European club game congregate to play each...

How managerial rivalries in the 1950s heralded a new dawn for modern football

10 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The more football changes the more it stays the same. The managerial rivalries and differences in approach taken to the contemporary game, from the mi...

Exploring the women's game with author Chris Slegg and expert Rich Laverty

06 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Chris Slegg, BBC journalist and author of the excellent 2018/19 Women's Football Yearbook, joins expert Rich Laverty and hosts Stu and Steven as they ...

Author Daniel Gray talks 50 lost wonders of football

02 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In a sport losing touch with its lengthy and unique history, author Daniel Gray is shedding light on 50 lost wonders of the game, from goalkeeping tro...

Bob Paisley: the unassuming Liverpool legend who rewrote English football history, with Ian Herbert

21 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Lob speaks to Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday sportswriter Ian Herbert about his book Quiet Genius, which shines a light on the most unassuming but ...

Remembering the European Cup: the triumphs, talents and the tragedies

15 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

For many, the European Cup remains the greatest tournament in football history, its iconic knockout format featuring just the champions of each nation...

Political Football: the compelling world of FIFA

30 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

With one hand, FIFA have helped make the game truly global, giving the fans a sport like no other in the process. But with the other, they've often ta...

In celebration of the Cup Winners' Cup, a tournament like no other

22 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

For 39 years, the Cup Winners' Cup was the black sheep of European club tournaments. An often random generator of sides qualifying for it via their do...

Drewe Broughton opens up about elite performance coaching in football

18 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In a special edition of The Lob, we talk to former footballer Drewe Broughton about his highs and lows in the game and how he forged a new path as a p...

Political Football: the culture and politics that shaped Scottish football and what Brexit means

08 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Football in Scotland is the product of a particular history, and the ideologies formed from that past shape some of the major clubs that play there. R...

Political Football: how the game gave hope during the worst of Northern Ireland's Troubles

02 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In the post-war years, Northern Ireland was crosscut with strident political, religious and ideological divisions. In such an atmosphere the very exis...

In celebration of the UEFA Cup, from underdog wins to eras of dominance

24 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The UEFA Cup has been going since 1971 and this week's podcast is dedicated to the first three decades of the competition, when a number of incredible...

Political Football: The power, passion and dark underbelly of Turkish football at all levels

19 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Football in Turkey is often turbulent but always passionate. Join us as expert James Kelly explores how politics, geography and a thirst for power fue...

Sócrates: the talent, the icon and the activist, with author Andrew Downie

16 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

He was a footballer with a drink problem and various inner demons. And yet he was a genius; one of the greats. He was also a doctor and political acti...

Political Football: How football overcame brutal military juntas in Argentina and Chile

11 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

At a time when brutal military regimes were stifling society and the economy, football underwent vast changes in Argentina and Chile. From the decline...

The Champions League and Europa League preview show

06 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Ahead of what promises to be another epic season of European football, our experts sat down to discuss who's looking strong,, the underdogs, the weak ...

Political Football: the magnificent, murky world of Soviet, Ukrainian and Russian football

03 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We examine the footballing history of the USSR. Not just those iconic red shirts with CCCP emblazoned across the front in bold white letters, but also...

Michael Calvin talks State of Play, an exploration of football beneath its skin

27 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Award-winning author Michael Calvin joins the panel to discuss subjects from his outstanding new book State of Play, which explores football beneath i...

Previewing the Serie A and LaLiga season and a tribute to Jim Hart

20 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

With Cristiano Ronaldo now leading the Juventus charge but their rivals also strengthening, how will Serie A - slowly returning to glories of old - pl...

The Premier League 2018/19 season preview

06 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Premier League season is upon us, and a raft of questions and queries surround each team. Whose made the best signings? Who has gone backwards? Ca...

The philosophies that changed football forever

24 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Football is an ever-evolving sport, often shaped by the minds of a few. The dreamers. The thinkers. What we have today is the result of systems that h...

The post-World Cup show

19 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's a fickle business, that of predicting football; even more so when it's the World Cup in question. So how did panellists from The Lob fare during ...

Previewing the 2018 FIFA World Cup

14 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's that time again: the 2018 FIFA World Cup is upon us, so join hosts Jim Hart and Steven Scragg along with guests Stuart Horsfield and Gary Thacker...

The World Cup Series: 2010 and 2014

06 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

As Spain shook off their demons playing a brand of football as good as anything in World Cup history in 2010, Germany emulated them with a devastating...

Cheers, Tears and Jeers: A History of England and the World Cup

28 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We review senior writer Gary Thacker's brilliant new book, Cheers, Tears and Jeers: A History of England and the World Cup, chronicling the story of t...

Previewing the CONCACAF nations at the 2018 World Cup

21 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Outside of the region, little is known about Costa Rica and Panama ahead of their odysseys on the global stage. Along with powerhouse Mexico, we previ...

The World Cup Series: 2002 and 2006

14 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The first World Cup held outside of Europe and the Americas, 2002 in Japan and South Korea was a momentous event, full of surprise, intrigue and contr...

The World Cup Series: 1994 and 1998

09 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Join host Jim Hart and World Cup experts Steven Scragg and Dan Williamson as they look back at the iconic USA 94, inclusive of Brazil's stunning win a...

The Coaches' Forum talks to Oliver Sifkovits

26 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Oliver Sifkovits is a high-performance coach who has worked with athletes from different sports, levels and age groups since 2009 in multiple countri...