Second Captains

Robbie Keane targeted the international goal-scoring record from the moment he got his first goal for Ireland, he tells Ken Early in a one-on-one interview recorded earlier today. Back in studio, Eoin and Ken talk Cristiano Ronaldo, France's resurrection, and nationalist slogans from the 1921-45 period. And Richie Sadlier tells us what he learned about Ireland this week. Download it here, follow the lads on twitter @SecondCaptains and on facebook.com/secondcaptains. Email the show at secondcaptains@irishtimes.com

New Zealand and Ireland have a long and storied rivalry… a rivalry that unfortunately consists of us losing, and most of the time, losing by quite a bit. Denis Hickie and Neil Francis chart the near misses, the humiliations, and the reasons why black is the colour we just can’t seem to handle. Len Bias was the rival Michael Jordan never had – drafted by the Boston Celtics just two years after Jordan, in 1986, he was dead two days later from a cocaine overdose, having never taken a dribble in the NBA. US Murph tells us how it was a generation-defining moment for him. All that plus Willie Anderson, Gary Halpin and the long-overdue return of the local radio GAA commentator.

The learning curve doesn’t get any less steep for Joe Schmidt – after being humbled by Australia, we have the world champions New Zealand coming up this weekend. Shane Horgan, Jerry Flannery and Emmett Byrne tell us where Ireland can make the most improvements, quickest, between last Saturday and this Sunday. We have the latest from Poznan with Ken Early, and we also look at the life and times of Indian cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar, the most beloved Indian person since Mahatma Gandhi. Plus – the Aviva playlist, Lance Armstrong’s meeting with his former masseuse Emma O’Reilly, and what we can learn from the Australian approach to pre-match preparation. Follow the lads on twitter @SecondCaptains and email the show secondcaptains@irishtimes.com.

As Ireland return to Poznan where the Trapattoni team died, Eoin, Murph and Ken discuss the likelihood of better luck this time around. We hear from Martin O'Neill, who gave an indication of his style by casually dropping major selection news into the middle of an otherwise rather sedate press conference. We debate the relevance or otherwise of the John Delaney / Roy Keane "f**ker" tape; and Philippe Auclair on the French public's hate-hate relationship with their national team. Follow the lads on twitter @SecondCaptains and email the show secondcaptains@irishtimes.com.

The Ireland team has been named for this Saturday’s test against Australia – and Joe Schmidt has rolled the dice again. Eddie O’Sullivan and Shane Horgan give us their thoughts, and talk to us about the World Cup game between the sides in 2003 that Ireland so very nearly won. Candlestick Park in San Francisco has held more top-class sport than any other stadium in America, and US Murph has been going there since he was 6 years old. About to be demolished at the end of this year, he gives us his thoughts on a horrible, cold old dump that he’s happy to call home. We have the return of Pierce Brosnan’s Emigrant Shout-Outs, the latest from the Ireland football camp and the English media’s predictable response to Keano’s first press conference. Follow us on twitter @SecondCaptains, facebook.com/SecondCaptains and email us SecondCaptains@irishtimes.com.

Eoin and Ken are joined by Miguel Delaney and Dion Fanning to discuss Roy Keane's performance in his first press conference as Ireland assistant manager. What will his job involve? Is he a prisoner of his reputation? Has he been unfairly treated? How likely is he to give you his phone number at the end of a convivial dinner? Follow the show @secondcaptains, email to secondcaptains@irishtimes.com.

Eoin and Ken and Ciaran wonder why images of Roy Keane standing in a field with his hands behind his back are exciting enough to be broadcast live on Sky Sports. And we've got the news from Martin O'Neill's first press conference (in ordinary time) as Ireland manager. We'll also hear from Stephen Ward after his first MONKEANO-operated training session. Sid Lowe joins us from Madrid to talk about Lionel Messi - uneasy lies the head that wears a crown. And Nick Harris of sportingintelligence.com analyses the implications of BT Sport beating Sky to exclusive Champions League rights.

Joe Schmidt has come into the Ireland job with an unimpeachable club coaching record – but does that insulate him from criticism, or make him more vulnerable than ever? Matt Williams, Trevor Hogan and the Irish Times’ Gerry Thornley talk about what would be a successful November series for Ireland’s new man as the test with Australia approaches. Tommy Walsh was a Gaelic football ‘outlier’ in 2009 – a boy giant with talent, athleticism and scoring ability. After he left for Australia, Kerry football was left wondering ‘what if?’ But he appears to be on the verge of a comeback. Laois’s Colm Begley has made that journey, in both directions, and tells us about the Irish experience in Aussie Rules. And we have the story of when Martin O’Neill came to speak to Ireland’s best Gaelic footballers, Dirty Dancing with Ryan Lochte, and Lance Armstrong’s crusading charge for justice.

In his first press conference as Ireland manager Martin O'Neill outlined his thought process in taking the job, what role Keane will have, what he thinks of Keane's temperament, and why volatility isn't always a bad thing. Ken and Eoin discuss whether the pair can bring some panache to Ireland's play, if the fans can be convinced to return, and if Delaney would ever let Keane get the main job.

With the Joe Schmidt era starting on Saturday, we talk to Shane Horgan and Trevor Hogan about his team selection, how the players are adapting to the new methods, the sense of expectation among fans, and what changes we can expect to see on the pitch in the next few weeks. US Murph gives us some detail on a very strange tale of workplace harassment in the locker-room of the Miami Dolphins, which many in America have been trying to pass off as part of the culture of the NFL, or some gentle hazing... racial taunting and threats against a man's life included. All this plus Connacht coach Pat Lam on Samoan power, the importance of frat parties, Second Captains' Mikey Graham, and Trevor Hogan's 'Frank the tank' merchandise run.

Eamon Dunphy joins Eoin in studio to detail how he got his start in journalism, how his beliefs were formed, dealing with hatred, and what he thinks of John Delaney. Dunphy also explains why he believes we will see a more reflective Roy Keane this time round, what the Keane selections tells us about Martin O'Neill, and why this is the end of the 'along for the sing-song' era.

Niall Quinn is best placed to comment on Roy Keane's potential as Ireland's number two, and he tells Eoin he believes the partnership with O'Neill will work. Richie Sadlier is more wary about the future, but talks to us about the time he saw the softer side of Roy. There was a lot of excitement when Brian Kerr first got the Ireland job - he tells us about the mix of joy and nerves he felt at the time. All this plus Jonathan Wilson on what went wrong for O'Neill at Sunderland, Wally's F-bombs, Clive meets Martin and football the man's game.

John Delaney today brought us confirmation that there will be a confirmation, heralding the dawn of the O'Neill Keane era. Eoin asks Emmet Malone if he foresees trouble, and we talk to former Ipswich player under Keane, Shane Supple, about Roy's management style. Eddie O'Sullivan has met and discussed tactics with Roy Keane, and believes the Cork man's straight talking will be a key ingredient for success. We also talk to Shane Jennings about Joe Schmidt's evolution as a coach, from assistant at Auckland, to becoming the top man in Irish rugby. All this plus the frog and the scorpion, the glorious history of Irish assistant managers, a Red Sox PBESO, and Keane's Dallaglio put-down.

Eoin and Ken discuss Cristiano Ronaldo, Sepp Blatter and whether any self-respecting sportsman really wants to have a wholesome image. Kieran Canning was at the Bernabéu for last night's 7-3 and he tells us whether watching Madrid's super-expensive attack destroy puny opposition is an acceptable substitute for football. Neil Cameron is one of the Newcastle Chronicle journalists banned by the club after the newspaper printed one too many negative stories about Mike Ashley. Have the banned Chronicle hacks had any support from the rest of the media community? And Tim Vickery on what Diego Costa can expect when he walks out at the World Cup wearing the shirt of Spain.

Eoin and Ken are joined in studio by Seán Óg Ó'hAilpín, who opens up on his brilliant career in hurling, his recovery from the trauma of a serious car accident, and his lifelong struggle to come up to the standards demanded by his highly competitive father. Brian Murphy was watching as the Boston Red Sox won a World Series in front of their own fans at Fenway Park. And Simon Usborne joins us to talk about Garry Kasparov's chances of winning the election for president of the chess world governing body FIDE against a man who claims to have been abducted by aliens and taken to a distant star.