The Second Captains Podcast
Listen to the award winning Second Captains free to air podcasts featuring The Second Captains Podcast and Second Captains Football. Join The Second Captains World Service and get access to our daily shows and much more. Become a Second Captains member at secondcaptains.com. - iTunes Podcast of the Year - iTunes Essentials Top 10 Podcasts of All-Time - The Guardian's 50 Podcasts You Need To Hear - Ireland's Most-Downloaded Podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Recent Episodes
Salah Week, Ken Called It, Chess Cult
Dec 11, 2025We’d another barn-storming week this week, with the main story being Mo Salah’s rapidly-deteriorating relationship with Liverpool Football Club, which we covered in depth. We had a brilliant chat wi...
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This episode features highlights from Second Captains World Service, including an in-depth interview with Danny Wrench, co-founder of Chess.com, who discusses growing up in a cult and his chess prodigy background. The main focus is an analysis of the escalating conflict between Mo Salah and Liverpool FC, particularly examining Jamie Carragher's heated Monday Night Football segment where he criticized Salah's public comments about being dropped from the team.
- Growing Up in a Cult: Danny Wrench's Story
- Carragher's Controversial Attack on Mo Salah
Ep 3423: Rio's World Cup Jitters, Munster Take A Bath, Rieko Arrives, Dingle At The Death - 08/12/25
Dec 08, 2025Permutations Man had a rough week last week and he is back on air today to explain what happened. Ken asks if Rio Ferdinand was the worst possible choice for a complex World Cup tv draw? The Champ...
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The memory of Friday's FIFA draw continues to linger like the smell of a dead rat under the floorboards. As he whines about middle-of-the-night kick offs, people are accusing Ken of being 'eurocentric...
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In this Monday Football Pod, hosts Ken and Owen discuss major Premier League developments including Aston Villa's dramatic late winner against Arsenal, Mohamed Salah's explosive post-match interview criticizing Liverpool's management, and the controversial 2026 World Cup draw featuring FIFA president Gianni Infantino's theatrical presentation. The episode features an in-depth interview with Guardian journalist Ben Fisher about Villa's title credentials and includes analysis of Liverpool's ongoing crisis.
- FIFA World Cup Draw Spectacle and Infantino's Theatrics
- Ireland's World Cup Draw: Good Group, Terrible Kick-Off Times
Jimmy Dunne On The Miracle Of Budapest, A Szoboszlai Never Forgets, Hasan Piker On The American Berserk
Dec 04, 2025We've seen it all this week on Second Captains, from ultrarunning with 100 mile world record holder Caitriona Jennings to 'American ultraviolence' with Hasan Piker on Ken's Politics Podcast, taking in...
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Ep 3417: Caitriona Jennings On Her 100 Mile World Record, Saint Charlie, Rugby Loses Its Marbles - 01/12/25
Dec 01, 2025Caitriona Jennings is the proud World Record holder over the terrifying distance of 100 miles, and she spoke to us in studio about her training, what it feels like mid race, her harrowing London Olymp...
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Katrina Jennings discusses her remarkable achievement of breaking the 100-mile world record in her debut at the distance, running 12 hours 37 minutes at the Tunnel Hill race in Illinois. The conversation explores her journey from Olympic heartbreak at the 2012 London Marathon, where she finished last while running injured, to finding success and redemption in ultra-running. She reveals how mental preparation proved as crucial as physical training, and discusses the appeal of pushing human limits at extreme distances.
- From Olympic Heartbreak to Ultra Running
- Breaking the 100-Mile World Record
Ep 3416: Watching Pots Boil, Premier League Mad Men, Caicedo Erupts, The Como-verse - 01/12/25
Dec 01, 2025Just as a watched pot never boils, an obsessively tracked Irish striker in Europe does not deliver goals under the desperate hungry eyes of the nation. Is it time for us to back off Troy and Ev and gi...
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This episode covers James Horncastle's analysis of Serie A football, focusing on Evan Ferguson's difficult period at Roma, the competitive Italian title race with just five points separating the top seven teams, and Como's fascinating transformation into a celebrity-backed destination club. The discussion explores tactical convergence around 3-4-3 formations, the return of old-school Italian managers, and the challenges facing young strikers adapting to Serie A football.
- Evan Ferguson's Struggles at Roma
- The Science of Scanning and Spatial Awareness
Welcome to our world service e taster show! To access all our shows go to secondcaptains.com/join There’s no contracts, no hidden fees and shows can be listened to on all good podcast apps, on Spoti...
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A Second Captains podcast episode analyzing Liverpool's crisis under manager Arne Slot, featuring insights from Dutch journalist Mikos Gouda about Slot's philosophy and a passionate assessment from Graeme Souness about the team's lack of fight and leadership. The episode also touches on Ireland's World Cup qualification hopes and the possibility of recruiting England players with Irish heritage.
- Arne Slot's Tactical Philosophy and Its Limitations
- Graeme Souness on Liverpool's Leadership Crisis
Ep 3411: Lest We Forget Evan, Trophies In November, Spreadsheet Early, Glasgow Kiss- 24/11/25
Nov 24, 2025GOOOOOLAZZOOOO... OK Evan Ferguson's first goal for Roma was not quite in that category but we can say now that the Eternal City has officially entered Fergie Time. Meanwhile Troy Parrott scored anoth...
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A comprehensive discussion of Premier League football, focusing on tactical formations, Arsenal's dominant victory over Tottenham, Liverpool's continued struggles, and updates on Irish strikers Evan Ferguson and Troy Parrott. The hosts analyze the current state of English football with particular attention to managerial decisions, squad depth, and the challenges facing defending champions.
- Irish Strikers Making Their Mark in Europe
- The Tactical Orthodoxy: Why Two Strikers Are Extinct
South Africa beat Ireland 24-13 but in reality it was a demolition by Rassie's men. Did the whole game hang on James Ryan's deserved red card, or could Ireland have done more to adapt to the situation...
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The Second Captains podcast analyzes Ireland's heavy defeat to South Africa, focusing on the catastrophic disciplinary breakdown that saw multiple yellow cards and James Ryan's red card. The panel, joined by Craig Ray and Andrew Trimble, dissects the scrum demolition, discusses whether rugby has an identity crisis with excessive cards and resets, and examines South Africa's dominance under Rassie Erasmus.
- James Ryan's Red Card: The Turning Point
- The Scrum Demolition and South Africa's Dominance
The Post-Hungary Glow, Next Up Czechia, Branno Comes For Ken's Throne, The Ashes Is Underway
Nov 21, 2025It's been a beautiful, podcast-packed week on the World Service since Troy Parrott stole the nation's heart on Sunday afternoon in Budapest. Seven shows later, we're bringing you a taste of what membe...
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Second Captains celebrates Ireland's miraculous 3-2 victory over Hungary in Budapest, with Troy Parrott scoring the decisive goals in the dying minutes. The week of coverage includes reactions to the World Cup playoff draw against Czechia, analysis of Czech football's current chaos, Daniel Norcross on the Ashes series in Australia, and reflections on Irish boxing champion Kelly Harrington's Olympic triumph.
- The Budapest Miracle and Troy Parrott's Heroics
- The Brano Tour and Kevin Kilbane's Absence
Ep 3404: Ireland Hammer Australia, Mack Is A Catch, Which 10 For SA, The Red Boks - 17/11/25
Nov 17, 2025The Irish lineout was near perfect, their kicking game was on point, a few key players are back in form, they have a new fullback option in Mack Hansen, both 10's played well, they beat Australia by a...
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A lively discussion of Ireland's 22-19 rugby victory over Australia at the Aviva Stadium, featuring comprehensive analysis of the performance, standout players like hat-trick hero Mack Hansen, and debates about Sam Prendergast's defensive vulnerabilities ahead of the crucial South Africa test. The panel also celebrates Troy Parrott's stunning hat-trick for the football team against Hungary.
- Mack Hansen's Triumphant Return and the Kicking Game
- Andy Farrell's Motivational Mastery
Skill, heroics, late late glory... things like this don't happen to us, until now. Ken, Eoin and Murph record today's show in a state of joyous disbelief, and Branno joins us from Budapest to refle...
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An emotional immediate reaction podcast recorded just 10 minutes after Troy Parrott scored a 96th-minute hat-trick winner to send Ireland to the World Cup playoffs with a stunning 3-2 victory over Hungary in Budapest. The hosts are overwhelmed with emotion as they process one of the greatest moments in Irish football history, with Parrott scoring five goals across four days to complete a remarkable turnaround after beating Portugal.
- Immediate Reaction: Pure Emotion
- Troy Parrott's Historic Hat-Trick
We've done a lot of podcasts but the one we just posted today about all the great moments, all the heroes, all the Ronaldo comedy and all the joy of beating Portugal 2-0 is maybe our favourite ever. O...
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A jubilant podcast celebrating Ireland's stunning 2-0 victory over Portugal in World Cup qualifying, featuring Troy Parrott's heroic two-goal performance. The hosts also interview Swedish football journalist Erik Neva about Sweden's chaotic qualifying campaign, their new manager Graham Potter, and the cultural impact of Zlatan Ibrahimović on Scandinavian football. The discussion explores themes of national identity, coaching philosophies, and the extraordinary generation of Scandinavian strikers.
- Ireland's Historic Victory Over Portugal
- Sweden's Football Crisis and Coaching Struggles
Ireland eventually got the win over Japan on Saturday but all the same doubts remain about a team that has had very few good performances since the summer of 2024. Andy Farrell was honest with the m...
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The Rugby Pod discusses Ireland's unconvincing 41-10 win over Japan, with host Andy Farrell expressing strong criticism about the team's body language, skill levels, and mental approach. The hosts analyze Ireland's concerning form leading into their crucial match against South Africa, while also examining the Springboks' dominant 14-man victory over France, which showcased their evolution as the world's most complete rugby team.
- Ireland's Body Language Issues and Mental Fragility
- Andy Farrell's Pointed Criticism and Soul-Searching