The Sound of Football

Manchester City have been found guilty of all Premier League charges against them, in what could be the biggest sporting fraud ever. So what happens now? This week we look at the possible consequences of years of lies from those in charge of the club. Titles stripped? Owners removed? Club dissolved? Nothing appears to be off the table but could political pressure save City from the worst of the po...

We only had to wait four games before the newly rebranded PGMOL, Pro Ref, issued its first apology, this time for a huge VAR fail in the Manchester derby. The incident, Haaland's winning goal, was correctly called offside by the assistant referee at the time but that decision was overturned after a series of technologies assessed every element of the play. Except, that is, the laws of the game. Al...

The Champions League returns for its third season with the 36 team mega table, but you’ll have to wait a month for the next round of games after the extended international break. Also this week, Terry updates us on the surprising results from the opening two rounds of fixtures in the Bundesliga. We also discuss the BBC’s decision to do away with their WSL highlight package, The Women&r...

As the transfer window closes, Premier League clubs who have already spent big are still splashing the cash in the final hours. For some of these clubs, the money they’ve already spent has yet to make much of a difference on the field. Also, this season of the Sound of Football sees all three of our clubs in European competition. Last week saw the draw for the league phase, with Jan’s...

United beaten, Villa humbled and business as usual from Spurs. The opening weekend of this season’s Premier League gave a number of surprises, not least of which was Erling Haaland’s haircut. Terry is reminded of a chapter of his own life that uncannily parallels the young Norwegian’s. Meanwhile, in the latest escalation in the war against FIFA, UEFA have announced plans for a jo...

We try to predict how the new season of the Premier League will go. A tough task for any seasons but even moreso this time around with so many clubs with new managers, and many of the usual disruptors now having European distractions. Can Mikel Arteta defend his side’s league title, becoming the first Arsenal manager ever to do so? Can we draw any conclusions from his side’s comfortabl...

The fight for control of football is dividing between those who support Gianni Infantino and those who want to drive the FIFA president out of office. Battlelines are being drawn. Southern continents versus those in the north. Is the game destined to split? What would that mean for the future of football? For more information on the podcast and links related to the subjects discussed, check out th...

We're back for a new season, earlier than planned! Over the space of a week, Gianni Infantino has gone from cruising towards another uncontested term as FIFA president to the brink of being driven out of office. Infantino's plan to force through a scheme that would sell off 20% of future World Cup revenue to private equity has failed in spectacular fashion. His closest allies are turning on him an...

Spain are the World Champions, having seen off the previous champions without conceding a single shot on target in the final. For England fans it was a tough watch having just a few days earlier seen the Three Lions capitulate so meekly in their semi-final against an obviously limited Argentina side. Also this week, we remember Kevin Keegan, a true icon of football for his clubs and his country as...

The World Cup semi-finals are to be contested by the top four teams in the rankings — the first time that has happened since the rankings began. Who has been tested? Who has been given an easy ride to the final four? Who will reach the final? In their quarter final against Norway, England benefitted from the ball colliding with one of the cables of the overhead camera leading to their equali...

FIFA's suspension of USA striker Folarin Balogun's red card ban has led to calls for its president, Gianni Infantino, to explain what appears to be flagrant corruption. Meanwhile, England put on one of the performances of this World Cup, battling high altitude and a febrile atmosphere to beat co-hosts Mexico in their fortress, the Azteca stadium in Mexico City. For more information on the podcast...

There weren't too many shocks in the group stage of this World Cup but it did at least have some surprises — the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde perhaps the most notable. Being in one of the first groups to complete their games, Scotland's exit from the tournament was slow. Yet another group stage exit sees them looking for a new head coach, with Steve Clarke stepping down. Iran's exit was perhaps...

Day 12 of the World Cup and we're past the halfway point of the group stage. Some teams have already progressed while some are already out. The megastars of the game have also arrived with Lionel Messi becoming the all-time leading scorer at World Cups but Kylian Mbappe is hard on his heels. England impressed in their opener against a talented Croatia side. Scotland meanwhile are in the unenviable...

The opening weekend of the World Cup has already provided a number of talking points. There have been surprises, new heroes, a sacked head coach and a statement performance from co-hosts USA. On the other hand, newly introduced rules, enhanced tech and hydration breaks have had a more questionable impact. At his pre-tournament presser, FIFA president Gianni Infantino told his many critics to "chil...

The new expanded World Cup is here but rather than the unworkable size of the tournament it’s the hostile political situation in one of the three co-host nations that threatens to throw the competition into chaos. With 48 teams, how on earth can we do justice to them all in just one preview podcast? The answer: we just go back to basics, and pick out the 47 teams that won't win. Whoever rema...

Arsenal may be Premier League champions but Pep Guardiola has still managed to steal the headlines with his announcement that he is stepping down as Manchester City manager after 10 years. In our last podcast of the season, we also look at how Bournemouth and Sunderland managed to grab the two Europa League places, and ask what now for Southampton as the club faces the aftermath of Spygate 2. For...

The closing weeks of the season are where dreams are realised, or heart-breakingly dashed. Last weekend saw Celtic deny Hearts their title. It also saw City win another trophy while in Germany St Pauli were relegated at the expense of a non-50+1 club. Also this week, we discuss three managerial appointments at three of the football world's biggest clubs: Alonso to Chelsea, Carrick confirmed at Uni...

In the weekend’s big fixture with importance at the both ends of the table, the VAR-assisted decision to rightly chalk off what would have been West Ham’s late equaliser against Arsenal has caused huge controversy. Or at least, it has everyone talking about controversy. The incident itself has been passed on to the Premier League’s Key Match Incident panel to decide whether or no...

The BBC is to ditch Football Focus at the end of this season after 52 years on our screens. The decision has come as a surprise to many football fans, especially those who thought it had been taken off air years ago. Was the Saturday lunchtime magazine show's demise simply down to a failure to evolve? Also this week, we look ahead to next month’s FA Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester C...

Defeat for Arsenal at the Etihad, has handed advantage to City in the title race. Is the dream over for the Gunners or are there still twists left in this season? Also this week we discuss the appointment of Marco Rose at Bournemouth (once Andoni Iraloa leaves in the summer), Marie-Louise Eta’s first game as Union Berlin’s interim head coach and the prospect of relegation to League One...

The Premier League has restarted after a lengthy break for internationals and the FA Cup with the run-in in full swing. With almost everyone in the top flight having something to play for, who is in the best shape to cope with a squeaky backside? Also we congratulate Jack Wilshere on his Luton side winning the EFL Trophy at the weekend, a competition some would say is blighted by top flight develo...

How have four-time winners of the World Cup Italy got themselves into a position where they have failed to qualify for three consecutive tournaments? With UEFA also now questioning the country's suitability to co-host the 2032 Euros, how deep are the issues in Italian football? Also, after a weekend that saw Arsenal dumped out of the FA Cup to Championship opposition, fans of other clubs are hopef...

Roberto De Zerbi has been given the task of saving Tottenham Hotspur from relegation, after Igor Tudor's time in charge of the club came to an end after just 44 days. The decision to hire De Zerbi has already proved unpopular among fans; is the club really that low on choices? Also this week, we discuss Roy Hodgson coming out of retirement to take charge at Bristol City until the end of the season...

This week the Premier League handed Chelsea a £10 million fine for years of financial cheating under the ownership of Roman Abramovich. The fine equates to the difference in prize money for finishing one season in 12th instead of 8th. Retropsective punishment is a tricky thing, and there are definitely wrong ways of doing it. This week we saw Africa's governing body controversially strip Senegal o...

A crushing home defeat to Crystal Palace has pushed Tottenham closer to the edge of relegation. They are one of the most financially successful clubs in the world and were one of the driving forces behind the creation of the Premier League in 1992. Relegation seems unthinkable but is a very real possiblilty. But could there be a way out for them? If they do go down, at least it will be easier to f...