The Second Captains Podcast

People were calling this AFCON predictable but in the end, it showed us something we've never seen before in a major final - a walk-off that initially looked like a turning point in humanity's war against VAR, and only got weirder from there.

After another weekend of ... rugged ... PL games, we discuss why so many fanbases seem angry and whether it has to do with the way the game is being played. Do we blame the Pep style, do we blame the anti-Pep style, or is the truth.... somewhere in between?

As Michael Carrick leads Manchester United to a crushing win over Manchester City, we also discuss whether it's time to fish the Great Man Theory out of the bin.

With so many smoking ruins to choose from it was hard to pick a stricken club to focus on today but we've gone with Spurs, where the Thomas Frank era looks to be entering its final few days. Jack Pitt-Brooke was there on Saturday to watch all the poisons that lurk in the mud hatch out. Where did it all go wrong for Frank? Which previous managerial reign is Jack reminded of? What about the burgeoning cult of the Lost Leader Ange? And who is next in line to drink deep from the poisoned chalice?
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Dingle are the undisputed kings of heroic comebacks with late wins in the Munster final, the All-Ireland semi and now the final. We chat about a classic club final, Geaney's clutch kick, and codebreaker Mark O'Connor.

Leinster are also good at comebacks this season, and their win in Bayonne on Saturday means they have Edinburgh at home in the last 16 of the Champions Cup, and they're on the opposite side of the draw from Toulouse, Bordeaux, Bath and Northampton. Andrew Trimble and Shane Horgan look at Leinster's ability to find a way to win, their all-or-nothing defence and tell us who they would pick at 10 for Ireland's opener against France on Feb 5th.

Munster were 23 point favourites against Castres but lost at home again and are out of the Champions Cup at the group stage. Shane and Andrew look at how big a project Clayton McMillan has on his hands, if this was an acceptable result given the players he has available, and where Jack Crowley has progressed and regressed this season.

Plus there's Lowry's "disaster in Dubai", guttural GAA, Geelong goodness and non-stop baby talk.
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Welcome to our weekly World Service taster show which covers LinkedIn's football takeover, Rosenior-speak, the white sneaker manager era, Madrid sacking Alonso, why there are so few good managers for the top clubs to employ, the NFL playoffs and Steven Flowe.

Click the player at the top of the page to play the show. Monday’s shows are free to all. To listen to our programming throughout the rest of the week, join the Second Captains World Service. There’s no contracts, no hidden fees and shows can be listened to on all good podcast apps, on Spotify or through our website. It’s independent, commercial-free and member-led with feature interviews, breaking news, Ken’s Football Show, The Politics Podcast, and lots of added extras. You’ll also be supporting the development of our longer-form work, such as our international series’ ‘Where Is George Gibney?’ and Stakeknife.
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Four tries, two comebacks, a last second kick to win it against their fiercest rivals and elation in the stands - and yet Leinster were cut open and exposed for most of this thrilling game against La Rochelle.

Shane and Gerry weigh up the positives and negatives, we ask how on earth did Leinster win it and is a clutch kick and a late La Rochelle collapse papering over the many defensive cracks?

Munster were leading after 72 mins in fortress Felix Mayol but lost it late on thanks to a very harsh penalty call. We look at that end game, their discipline errors, their much improved attack and if they have any hope of a home last 16 tie.

The All-Ireland junior and intermediate club finals were on this weekend - the sight of Second Captains super-friend Jamie Wall and his brother Philip embracing on the sidelines in Croke Park after Kilbrittain's win on Saturday evening left an indelible image.

And An Gaeltacht knocked out a few floor filler tunes in victory yesterday.
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FA Cup third round weekend brings the usual desperate scrabbling around for stuff to talk about. Can we really call Macclesfield-Palace the greatest upset of all time when the holders picked a B team? Are Chelsea fans singing against Keir Starmer because of something to do with Roman Abramovich, or do they just hate him anyway? And is the era of kissing Fergie's ring drawing to a close at Old Trafford?

Oluwashina Okeleji joins us from Morocco to talk about AFCON ahead of a semi-final line-up featuring four of the leading African football powers. How have Nigeria managed to get it together after failing to qualify for the World Cup? Did the Algerians really insult the memory of Patrice Lumumba? And is Salah finally going to get the better of Mane in international competition?

We also hear from a Dutch listener who has taken issue with Ken's seeming vendetta against his home country.
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