The Second Captains Podcast

Given all the pre-match pessimism, Ireland's draw with Wales left many people feeling pretty positive about our chances of winning a third championship in a row. Six Nations legend Shane Horgan and Gerry Thornley poke through the embers of a scintillating game. We ask Don Van Natta Jnr of ESPN if the Peyton Manning (2016 vintage) is the worst ever quarter-back to win the Super Bowl. There's also M...

Ken refused to jump aboard the Leicester bandwagon before this weekend, but we now declare them Premier League champions for the 2015-16 season. Emmet Malone charts the rise of Ranieri's side and questions Van Gaal's trust in his employers. We talk to Simon Kuper about the team that defied economics, the Ajax side that won the Champions League in 1995. Plus there's details on our live show in Dubl...

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran talk about the rise of China as a force in the global transfer market, ticket price madness, and the peculiar perils of being a billionaire surrounded by skilled advisers who are keen to help. Richie Sadlier joins us to discuss the likelihood of Leicester holding it together for 14 more games. And Ed Malyon reports from Barcelona, where Gary Neville got caught in the Messi-Sua...

It's a huge weekend of sport, stretching from the start of the Six Nations to the Superbowl, which will finish up in the early hours of Monday morning. US Murph gives us the latest from the lunacy in San Francisco, host city to Super Bowl 50, while Matt Williams gives us his definition of what success looks like for Ireland over the next 7 weeks. Plus there's kabaddi and Samuel Beckett, politician...

It's an extra-special 6 Nations Preview Podcast, with Ireland on the brink of a third Championship in a row. Its Wales first up for Joe Schmidt's team, a rivalry that brings out the absolute worst in all of us. Shane Horgan and Gerry Thornley tell us why there are reasons to be cheerful about Ireland's prospects despite the World Cup and European Cup woes of recent months. Two time Grand Slam winn...

The first weekend of the Allianz National Football League saw the issue of concussion make an unwanted reappearance - Karol Mannion and Oisin McConville join us in studio. Serena Williams was grace personified after her loss in the Australian Open, which leads us to debate what exactly is a good loser. Plus there's the Pep-Jose ecosystem, Fraggle Rock, Terry Wogan and Tony Robbins. Hosted on Acast...

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran talk about the confirmation of Pep's move to Man City and what it means for Man United and Jose. Emmet Malone is in studio to talk about the FAI's decision to unveil their new strategic plan out of the glare of the media. And John Brewin explains why Chelsea have decided now is the time to say goodbye to brave John Terry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informa...

Why contract extensions for Irish rugby players don't always have to go to the brink and why having them played out in the media can have negative side effects. Former Ireland coach Eddie O'Sulllivan thinks there has to be a better way. The Superbowl is coming to San Francisco, and US Murph is ready to welcome sport's biggest party. He talks about Beyonce, Leo Di Caprio, NFL's snuff movie and Cam...

Eoin (86th in the Irish journalist Twitter power rankings), Ken (18th, second overall in sport) and Ciaran (93rd) discuss motivational speeches, Man United's tiny analyst, and Roberto Martinez's ongoing struggle against heartbreaking refereeing incompetence. Gabriele Marcotti joins us to talk about the reasons why Leicester are top of the table. And Jack Pitt-Brooke explains why Pochettino's count...

Jonny Sexton's histories of concussion meant there was a collective intake of breath when he went down after a clash of heads against Wasps on Saturday. Shane Horgan talks to us about communication breakdowns, good news, Marty Moore's departure and captain Hartley. The Australian Open has a new match-fixing controversy to contend with and a QF draw that includes sublime post-peak Roger Federer. Pl...

Eoin and Ken discuss the two big mistakes that ruined Arsenal's weekend, the conditioning regime that enables Jamie Vardy to flaunt that legendary six-pack, and Jose Mourinho's alleged six-page letter to Manchester United. Jonathan Wilson was at Old Trafford to see the home crowd turn on Louis van Gaal. And James Corbett analyses the chances of Roberto Martinez turning around Everton's disappointi...

Eoin, Murph and Ken discuss the art of trash talk, the US Republican debates, Conor McGregor's oppressors, and nice guy Rory Best. Rory McIlroy started his 2016 season this week playing alongside Jordan Spieth, in what is the opening salvo of a huge year for the golf, and for the two new superstars of the sport. US Murph talks about the Harlem Globetrotters, Brady V Manning, the greatest throw in...

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran discuss the FAI's ticket allocation, Ronaldo's lats and Roberto Mancini's calling out of a Serie A colleague. Sid Lowe joins us to talk about Bale's true value, Jorge Mendes, Casillas V De Gea and the impact of Madrid's transfer ban. And Tim Vickery gives his view on Teixeira for Liverpool, Pato for Chelsea and the likely arrival of former Chile boss Jorge Sampaoli in Europe....

Next up on the corruption merry-go-round... tennis. Match-fixing allegations have erupted on the eve of the Australian Open, hinting at another sport wilfully turning a blind eye to problems at its heart. Munster and Leinster got morale-boosting victories in Europe - Gerry Thornley and Shane Horgan talk about the need for skillful forwards, if the academy system can beat French money and why Munst...

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran wonder why Stoke fans boo Aaron Ramsey for getting his leg broken, and why Liverpool insist on buying expensive centre-forwards who don't fit into their team. Daniel Harris gives us his view on Manchester United's win at Anfield, LVG's title talk and the recent improvement of Wayne Rooney. And Dion Fanning was there to see Roberto Martinez lash the referee out of it again as E...

The second half of WADA's report into the IAAF has discovered a systemic failure throughout the organisation... but Seb Coe has managed to dodge criticism from the report's author Dick Pound. We discuss the general lack of beheadings of sports administrators. US Murph talks NFL kickers, the L.A Rams and Patriots hopes, and we speak to British boxer Tony Bellew about his role in the new Rocky movie...

Eoin, Ken and Murph talk about Lineker's humour, the best goals of the week, Mick McCarthy's anti-passing possession football, and the implications of Real and Atletico Madrid's transfer bans. On his birthday Richie Sadlier joins us to look back on the midweek football, and examines Van Gaals' latest press conference tiff. Plus there's Messi's evolving torso, defying gravity, Ricky Gervais' monolo...

Anthony Foley questioned his own future as head coach in the aftermath of a dispiriting loss away to Stade Francais yesterday - Mattie Williams and Gerry Thornley try and apportion blame as their season goes from bad to worse. On the day the Ballon d'Or winner is announced, we speak to our good friend Oluwishina Okeleji about the African Player of the Year award, which was not won by Yaya Toure, t...

Eoin and Ciaran sit through Ken's interminable round-up of the weekend's FA Cup third round goals, and examine Spain's attitude to doping in sport. Dermot Corrigan joins us to talk about Zinedine Zidane's managerial debut at Real Madrid and Bale's next move. And a tuxedo'd Miguel Delaney reports from Zurich as the Ballon D'Or gala gets underway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more info...

Andy Farrell is Ireland's new defence coach, in a move that came as a complete bolt from the blue. Shane Horgan was critical of his influence on the English coaching ticket during the World Cup, and he gives us his opinion on the possible reasons for his appointment. US Murph talks to us about Johnny Football and the NFL playoffs. Plus there's incognito superstars, Christy O'Connor Junior, the cow...

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran discuss the injury epidemic at Liverpool, where Jürgen Klopp finds himself fighting a war on two fronts against an unholy alliance of Big Sam Allardyce and Big Raymond Verheijen. Gabriele Marcotti joins us to analyse how Premier League wealth has bred conservatism. And Sid Lowe gives us his view on the arrival of Zinedine Zidane as coach of Real Madrid. Hosted on Acast. See ac...

After a hectic Christmas period of inter-provincials, Irish rugby now turns it's attention to picking a new captain - Gerry Thornley and Shane Horgan think the most suitable man isn't either of the three front-runners of Rory Best, Johnny Sexton and Jamie Heaslip. The GAA season also crept back into life this weekend, and Michael Foley of the Sunday Times has a feel-good story of where the money g...

Eoin, Ken and Ciaran discuss a weekend of phenomenal goals and whether Andy Carroll can ever overcome the challenges posed by gravity. Tony Barrett joins us to talk about Spurs' title credentials and John Stones' chilled-out penalty-box defending. And Dion Fanning was there to see West Ham complete a first league double over Liverpool in 52 years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in...

Ring in the New Year with Eoin, Murph, Ken and Richie - its the Second Captains New Year's Eve Auld Lang Syne Hogmanay Hootenanny Special. We talk to Richie Sadlier about his bizarre experience the night Ireland beat Germany, his hopes for Euro 2016 and whether we can trust James McClean. Plus there's scum email of the year, hugging strangers, the time Paul Kimmage told Ken to stop smoking, Martin...

Eoin and Ken talk about Stoke City's super-awesome Christmas, Roberto Martinez's fondness for finger-pointing, and Louis van Gaal's tendency to misspeak himself. Jonathan Wilson tells us whether we're seeing the emergence of a third great Arsene Wenger Arsenal side. Plus there's the huge Cadbury's Roses controversy, U2 in Paris, Obama and Bear Grylls, calm Walters, Jose Man United scarves, Matic's...