These Football Times

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 successful characters the game of football has ever known, Liverpool legend Bob Paisley.

For many, the European Cup remains the greatest tournament in football history, its iconic knockout format featuring just the champions of each nation. From the great teams of the early years through to the dominance of single clubs and nations, as well as the tragedies that shook the world, this is the story of a competition like no other.

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 taken away its soul, leaving behind a sport riddled with corruption and deceit. To conclude the Political Football series, FIFA comes under the microscope.

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 domestic cups, no winner ever retained it the following year, while it eluded giants such as Real Madrid, Liverpool and Internazionale completely. Its attained a cult status, is still missed by many fans today, and provided some of the European game's...

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 performance coach. In a fascinating window on the internal workings of the elite game, Drewe also talks about his forthcoming book Ego: The Silent Killer.

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. Religious divides and associations with other countries, combined with a prevailing national pride, weave together to produce the tartan fabric of Scottish football and the identities of a number of clubs. With Brexit imminent, and a potential return...

In the post-war years, Northern Ireland was crosscut with strident political, religious and ideological divisions. In such an atmosphere the very existence of Belfast Celtic, the city’s only Catholic professional football club, was threatened and ultimately extinguished. Its success, trials and demise serve as a reminder of times when the sectarian divide flared into violence. This is the story of...

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 finals were played over two legs. There's a look at Ipswich Town and IFK Göteborg's famous wins, Real Madrid's back-to-back triumphs, the Italian dominance of the 1990s, and much more.

Football in Turkey is often turbulent but always passionate. Join us as expert James Kelly explores how politics, geography and a thirst for power fuels the cauldron that is the Süper Lig. From the players and managers to those in power in and out of the game, this is the story of state-run clubs, corruption, ultras and the undoubted talent of a nation that has often used the sport as a means of e...

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 activist - an icon for the working-classes of Brazil. There'll surely never be another Sócrates. Author of Doctor Sócrates, Andrew Downie, joined us to discuss the Corinthians legend and the book he authored on the man.

At a time when brutal military regimes were stifling society and the economy, football underwent vast changes in Argentina and Chile. From the decline of La Nuestra in Argentina to their World Cup glory of 1978 against the backdrop of torture just metres away, to the rise of Chilean football and how a select few stood up to the junta in acts of eternal defiance, this is the story of a murky relati...

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 links and the match-ups that make both the Champions League and the often underrated Europa League such brilliant competitions.

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 how the Soviet authorities used football as a political tool; their successes, failures, bans and boycotts. How did Ukrainian football prosper behind the Iron Curtain, and what changed when the wall came down? In the end, was the 2018 World Cup mere...

Award-winning author Michael Calvin joins the panel to discuss subjects from his outstanding new book State of Play, which explores football beneath its skin, from morality and mental health to its social impact and future.

With Cristiano Ronaldo now leading the Juventus charge but their rivals also strengthening, how will Serie A - slowly returning to glories of old - play out this season? And can a Ronaldo-less Real Madrid dismantle the Barcelona powerhouse in Spain? What about Atlético Madrid? Join us for this and a touching tribute to our former colleague, Jim Hart, who passed away last week.

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? Can anybody topple Manchester City and who'll be languishing in the relegation zone? Join us for this and more as our experts tackle the campaign ahead.

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 have transcended borders and time to give us the greatest sport in the world. This is an exploration of those philosophies.

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 Russia 2018? We reconvene to review the finals and hear from Andrew Flint, on the ground in Moscow, as well as the regulars.

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 as we wrap up a series that's covered every finals in history.

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 blend of power and skill in 2014. These are the key stories and figures from two memorable modern finals.

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 the Three Lions and the planet’s biggest football tournament from the early days of the game right up to the present day.

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 preview what the 2018 World Cup has in store for the North American sides.

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 controversy. Four years later, Italy would lift the World Cup title amid the crippling effects of Calciopoli, uniting the nation for one of the modern eras finest tournaments.

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 and Roberto Baggio's flawed moments of legend, and how France overcome a nation divided to claim the ultimate prize for the very first time.

Oliver Sifkovits is a high-performance coach who has worked with athletes from different sports, levels and age groups since 2009 in multiple countries. Host Jon Townsend caught up with the author and coach to discuss the optimisation of performance and how to make marginal gains in this multi-faceted and engaging podcast for all coaches and trainers.