Ranks FC - A Football Podcast

Hello Rank Squad! We're back with a new series that will run throughout January, ranking the five hottest transfer rumours that have been floating around this week, and examining them in some forensic detail. In this first episode we take a look at rumours surrounding Borja Mayoral to Arsenal, Conor Gallagher to Tottenham, Evan Ferguson to Chelsea, Michael Olise to Manchester United, and Jordan He...

Hello Rank Squad! It's the biggest story of the January transfer window, so we thought it deserved its own episode - Kylian Mbappé and what the future holds for potentially the best player in the world right now. In this podcast, our own Transfer Guru Dean Jones examines five potential places where Mbappé could be plying his trade next season.  We examine the romantic ideal of AC Milan, the idea o...

Hello Rank Squad!  We're back in a New Year with  new content for you all, and today we're going to take a look at the seven teams who led their respective leagues as the clock ticked to midnight on New Year's Eve - wondering whether they can hold onto that spot come the end of this season.  We give each of them a percentage chance of doing so, and discuss the fortunes of Liverpool, Sporting, Baye...

Hello Rank Squad! It's a slightly belated drop from us this week, but with the January window just days away from opening, we thought it was high time to take a look at some of the rumours that are flying around, and for Transfer Guru Dean Jones to give some insights on how likely they are to happen, whilst Jack adds some thoughts on how each of the players would fit into their rumoured new destin...

Hello Rank Squad! It's an important topic on today's Ranks FC, discussing the new proposals that have surfaced for a European Super League after a ruling by the European Court of Justice that both they and UEFA have claimed to be a victory. This standoff doesn't seem to be going away, so Rank God Sam Tighe joins Jack to break it all down. After UEFA's processes last time round were deemed to be an...

Hello Rank Squad!  We're into the festive spirit here at Ranks FC and we thought we'd do something a little bit different for a laugh today. Dean has been trawling the four corners of the internet to find some of the most interesting and potentially controversial takes that he could discover - that were still worthy of discussion.  We talk about whether Evan Ferguson could truly reach levels simil...

Hello Rank Squad! We're here on a Monday to drop you a bonus podcast, looking back at the Last 16 draw in the Champions League and examining how we see each of the eight ties at this point in the campaign. We pick some early favourites, make some predictions, and answer some questions from our brilliant community regarding the teams involved; whilst looking at the matchups from a draw that is perh...

Hello Rank Squad! It’s time for the last Champions League Takeaway of 2023, and the last ever one discussing the group stages as we know them, with the format set to change next year. And there's plenty to get through! We start with Wednesday’s action, with three big takeaways on whether Newcastle were right to throw caution to the wind, why PSG are struggling to score goals right now, and how Bar...

Hello Rank Squad! Just ahead of some of the winter breaks kicking in across Europe, and at the end of a few of the 'summer leagues', we thought it would be a good time to take stock of who is leading the way in the scoring charts. We discuss the fun history of the European Golden Boot (or European Golden Shoe if you prefer), why it was cancelled for a few years, and explain the slightly complicate...

Hello Rank Squad! It's Dean's birthday, so we're doing his favourite thing - talking about transfers. Today, the Transfer Guru looks at five Premier League clubs who need to address glaring needs in January, and looks at some viable and rumoured options for each of them. We take a peek at Newcastle's goalkeeper situation, Arsenal and Fulham's No. 9 hunt, as well as Tottenham's and Liverpool's sear...

Hello Rank Squad! It's time for another Champions League Takeaway - a midweek bonus chow down on all the week's UCL action. The biggest competition in Europe returned for Matchday 5, and we’re amongst it to take a look at the action from both Tuesday and Wednesday nights. We start with Tuesday's action, with three big takeaways on Newcastle's penalty pain against PSG (and Lewis Miley's brilliance)...

Hello Rank Squad! It's a very special episode today - the 200th Ranks FC Podcast on this feed. Three years on from the inception of Ranks as an independent brand, we've reached the big milestone - so an opportunity to say thank you so much to everyone who's listened and supported us down the years. For a special occasion, we thought we'd pull the stops out and bring back the Rank God to give you t...

Hello Rank Squad! Here's another new idea we're trialling here on Ranks FC - following on from our Deep Dive episode last week, this week we're turning our hand back to an old favourite - Quick Ranks. We're looking at the players and teams who have disappointed us across the course of 20233 - from Brenden Aaronson to Richarlison and Jordan Henderson; and from Norway's National Team to Ajax and Che...

Hello Rank Squad! We're coming to the end of the last international break of 2023, so we thought it was time to sit down and explore the early favourites for the two tournaments running simultaneously next summer on either side of the Atlantic Ocean - Euro 2024 in Germany, and the Copa América in the United States. First we explore the European side of things, with Dean picking his top five - we t...

Hello Rank Squad! Welcome to the first of a new series here on Ranks FC - the Deep Dive. Every few weeks we're going to take a look into a specific club that interests us right now, for good, bad or indifferent. First off - Manchester United, who dominate the back pages with on and off-field actions right now. Dean ranks five things that are going to change once Sir Jim Ratcliffe is confirmed to h...

Hello Rank Squad! We're delighted to welcome back Ranks FC Head Coach Harry Brooks for today's episode, in which we're taking a look at the Premier League's current Top Five teams and examining which player is the most important for each of their respective ambitions this season. It's a journey that takes us through all parts of the pitch, with Harry analysing why each of his picks is the most imp...

Hello Rank Squad! It's time for another Champions League Takeaway - a midweek bonus meal on all the week's UCL action. The biggest competition in Europe returned for Matchday 4, and we’re amongst it to take a look at the action from both Tuesday and Wednesday nights. We start with Wednesday's action, with three big takeaways on Manchester United's visit to the Theatre of Nightmares in Copenhagen,...

Hello Rank Squad! We're back to look at something a little more abstract this week, having a look at the season so far and seeing where we think records might be broken in the year ahead. There's a discussion on whether Harry Kane could break Robert Lewandowski's Bundesliga goal record (or a more obscure one currently held by a former Japanese international), when Erling Haaland will become the fa...

Hello Rank Squad! There's some new names firmly in the transfer conversations as we speed towards the end of 2023, with previously unavailable players and ones who have emerged as major talents now amongst the most coveted targets on the planet. We discuss what the future looks like for Victor Osimhen, Arthur Vermeeren, Aaron Ramsdale, Florian Wirtz and Serhou Guirassy, and which clubs lead the wa...

Hello Rank Squad! It's time for another Champions League Takeaway - a midweek bonus meal on all the week's UCL action. The biggest competition in Europe returned after the international break, and we’re amongst it to take a look at the action from both Tuesday and Wednesday nights. We start with Tuesday's action, with three big takeaways on La Masia powering Barcelona once again, Newcastle & Dortm...

Hello Rank Squad! We're going Stateside for today's podcast, with the MLS postseason kicking off this week. Our MLS correspondent and writer Owen Murray is back on the pod to talk through his favourites to lift the trophy, some wild card picks to watch, and the games you can't be missing as we head into crunch time over the next month or so. Before that, Dean and Jack have Things We Love, where De...

Hello Rank Squad! It's that time of year again, where the crème de la crème of world football dust out the old tuxedos and head for Paris for the glittering Ballon d'Or ceremony - the home of the famous incident where Virgil van Dijk was once asked if he wears aftershave on the pitch by some eejits. We look through the 30 man shortlist for football's most prestigious individual prize and whittle i...

Hello Rank Squad! With the wheels on Europe's top five leagues squealing to a halt as we hit the second international break of the season, we thought it would be an interesting time to sit back and reflect on what's gone on so far this year, and which players have stood out. So, we've taken a look through the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga and Ligue 1, to pick out the best player so...

Hello Rank Squad! It's time for another Champions League Takeaway - a midweek bonus meal on all the week's UCL action. The biggest competition in European football returned to it's chaotic best, and we’re amongst it to take a look at the action from both Tuesday and Wednesday nights. We start with Tuesday's action, with three big takeaways on Manchester United's lack of streetwise nous, Arteta's d...

Hello Rank Squad! It's tough out there as a manager. You can be winning trophies and be the designated Chosen One one minute, and then on the verge of losing your job the next. It's tough, it's brutal, but it's the way football works, so we wanted to revisit an old staple and take a look at some of the managers under the cosh this season, and what the future holds for them. We visit Jose Mourinho...