Advertise on podcast: The Sound of Football

According to new a report from the Independent Football Regulator on the state of the game, 94% of professional football clubs in England ran at a loss last year. With so many clubs reliant on continual support from benefactors, what will happen the next time the economy as a whole suffers a financial crisis? Would tough sanctions on Manchester City in any way improve or worsen the current situation for other clubs? Also this week, Graham and Terry report back on a hugely enjoyable football weekend in Prague. check out the Show Notes on our blog. --> pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_672.mp3 What’s in the Weekend Boxset? After a tough run of fixtures Sunderland look to get off the bottom of the table when they host Leeds. There's also Liverpool against a Brighton side in red-hot form and a new season of A-League. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

To the surprise of no one, Manchester City have appealed the guilty verdict handed to them for the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League. This is despite the findings of the independent panel leaving little room for doubt that City had committed all the misdeameanors they have been accused of. The end of the appeal process is unlikely to come until the new year, and that (if unsuccessful) would then be followed by another hearing to decide what punishment the club will face. All which extends the uncertainty that seems destined to throw the whole of this Premier League season into chaos. For more information on the podcast and links related to the subjects discussed, check out the Show Notes on our blog. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_671.mp3 What’s in the Weekend Boxset? Liverpool v Manchester City. That’s it. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

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 possible punishments? This recording was made on Monday evening, before the Premier League statement on City’s guilt. For more information on the podcast and links related to the subjects discussed, check out the Show Notes on our blog. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_670.mp3

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. Also this week, Terry and Jan look forward to their teams’, Crystal Palace and Sunderland, first ever games in the Europa League this week. For more information on the podcast and links related to the subjects discussed, check out the Show Notes on our blog. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_669.mp3 What’s in the Weekend Boxset? Andoni Iraola returns to the Vitality with Liverpool and Bournemouth both looking to avoid a fourth draw in five games. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

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’s Football Show, replacing it with content on a dedicated YouTube channel. For more information on the podcast and links related to the subjects discussed, check out the Show Notes on our blog. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_668.mp3 What’s in the Weekend Boxset? This weekend sees Enzo Maresca’s biggest test so far as City manager as he takes his side to Old Trafford for his first Manchester derby. Tottenham meanwhile will be looking to score first league goals of the season at home to Everton. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

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 club Sunderland selection including AC Milan (a) while Terry’s Crystal Palace have Lyon (a) and Real Sociedad (h). For more information on the podcast and links related to the subjects discussed, check out the Show Notes on our blog. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_667.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? It’s the opening weekend of a new WSL season, kicking off with Mary Earps’ return to England for London City Lionesses against her former club Manchester United. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

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 joint Nations League with Concacaf starting in 2028 in place of World Cup qualification. For more information on the podcast and links related to the subjects discussed, check out the Show Notes on our blog. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_666.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? Palace get to find out if Haaland's haircut affects his performance when they host City on Friday night. In Germany, the Bundesliga season starts with Hamburg travelling to Dortmund. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

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 comfortable victory against Enzo Maresca’s City side in the Community Shield? For more information on the podcast and links related to the subjects discussed, check out the Show Notes on our blog. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_665.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? The new season starts on Friday night with the Champions hosting newly promoted Coventry. Will City be better prepared than they were in Cardiff for the visit of Marco Rose’s Bournemouth? Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

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 the Show Notes on our blog. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_664.mp3 What's in the Weekend Boxset? The EFL season starts with Leicester facing up to life in League One, starting their season away to Notts County. There's also the final of WAFCON, and Arsenal v City in Cardiff in the Community Shield. Get our FREE weekly newsletter in your email by signing up to the Weekend Boxset today.

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 and UEFA have threatened to boycott any FIFA competitions. Is there any way he can survive this mess he’s created? For more information on the podcast and links related to the subjects discussed, check out the Show Notes on our blog. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_663.mp3

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 both player and manager. A man who truly loved the game, and the game loved him. For more information on the podcast and links related to the subjects discussed, check out the Show Notes on our blog. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_662.mp3

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 equalising goal. Fifa have said that their in-ball technology shows no indication of contact but, after everything else that’s gone on, can we trust anything they say? For more information on the podcast and links related to the subjects discussed, check out the Show Notes on our blog. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_661.mp3

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 and links related to the subjects discussed, check out the Show Notes on our blog. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_660.mp3

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 the most heartbreaking with 3D avatar VAR denying Team Melli a fairytale late winner against Egypt. Having impressed against Croatia, England's other two group games were uninspiring. Against both Ghana and Panama they struggled against low blocks and looked vulnerable on the counter. They finished top in the group but there are much tougher tests ahead. For more information on the podcast and links related to the subjects discussed, check out the Show Notes on our blog. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_659.mp3

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 position of having to avoid defeat in their final group game against five time champions Brazil. Fail to do so and they will have to wait to see if three points will be enough to progress to the knock-out stage. For more information on the podcast and links related to the subjects discussed, check out the Show Notes on our blog. pods.sofpodcast.com/sofpodcast_658.mp3