Beyond The Pitch

Anto is joined once again by football commentator and pundit Ray Hudson of beIN Sport to take a look at a landmark weekend for the newest all soccer network for La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1 as three massive rivalries all come together in one explosive weekend - Barcelona and Real Madrid, AC Milan and Internazionale, Olympique de Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain. We begin with the explosion of high definition football broadcasting and the challenges of bringing all these leagues together under one massive umbrella and take a quick look back to football broadcasting just a mere decade ago for comparison, then we move to the leagues themselves where we discover new emerging trends in France and Italy, some of it bought with new investment and some of it driven by new economic realities, but exciting in each case. We also look at a new reality in Italy where its top flight league, Serie A, seems to have turned a corner into something new on the heels of its astonishing performance at Euro 2012 and how new younger players might just end up defining this change. We also explore the juggernaut that is suddenly Real Madrid after a touch start as we head to another El Clasico with Barcelona now in the crosshairs as Jose Mourinho might just have his best team to date with Cristiano Ronaldo coming as close to as unplayable as anytime in his career. This on the surface appears counter-intuitive to the perfect Barcelona record to date, but a major injury mid-week at Benfica in the Champions League involving Carles Puyol might just be a case of the worst outcome at precisely the wrong time. Then we move to the French league to talk about Le Classique in the age of QSI and Carlo Ancelotti and whether OM still holds the keys here as PSG is still an unproven commodity in Ligue 1 and Ray has a very interesting take on the arrival of one Joey Barton the off-season which should not be missed. In the other segments we discuss a Derby della Madonnina quite like no other as one of the greatest cross city rivalries in the world is marked more by change and evolution than constant commodities of years past. In focus here is the impact of the Max Allegri situation and a late summer transfer window exchange of Antonio Cassano for Giampaolo Pazzini and how a midweek stroke of fortune might just spell a wake up call at last for the Rossoneri who have been in desperate need of momentum since the season began. Then we close on the matter of Newcastle United, a quick detour for Ray who weighs in on his beloved club a season removed from a magnificent resurgence and whether Alan Pardew and this team filled with sneaky quality can find that magic once again. Ray Hudson is a one of a kind commentator with his own unique lexicon and he always tells it like he sees it, always worth a listen.

Anto is joined by international sports commentator Tim Caple who can be heard as broadcasts for Eurosport, ESPN and Al Jazeera across a variety of the biggest leagues in Europe and abroad. We start with all kinds of boxing references and this feeds our discussion where we trade championship belts for the UEFA Champions League which begins our review of a very strange Matchday 2 action in the group stage including a surprising result where BATE Borisov took down German giants Bayern Munich for their first loss of the season, a match in which the visitors may have taken the minnows much too lightly, but they were not the only favorite to go down in this round. We cover how the best matches involved many of the Eastern European teams whether they were hosts or made the trek West to face bigger challenges. Also examined here are the Spanish teams who continue to dominate, the French teams who continue to fail to impress and the very shocking decision involving Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund. The discussion moves in and out of what the big teams outside of Real Madrid fail to produce in the group stage in terms of attractive football and it spawns a glance back into the recent history of some of great matches involving some remarkable teams and we get into whether Ronaldo might be eclipsing Lionel Messi at this moment in time and whether Jose Mourinho finally has the team to capture an historic tenth European title for Real Madrid. We also explore the dynamics of what Jose Mourinho might do after this season and whether his recent comments indeed reflect an offseason move on the heels of his victorious battle with Sergio Ramos. We also look at Barcelona both past and present before looking into its future via the NextGen Series and how most English based commentators and pundits fail to recognize much outside of the Premier League in terms of widely recognized quality players. Tim Caple is always one of the most interesting and dynamic conversations where we move from football to boxing and then to great music references, another must listen episode with one of the great sports commentators in the business today.

Phil and Anto are in the chairs for another episode of Prime Time Football taking another look at a rather strange Premier League season with Manchester United in focus from the start, beginning with a look at the loss to Tottenham with a very honest look at a midfield that continues to fail miserably outside of Paul Scholes and whether Sir Alex is becoming unglued in light of his recent comments about foreign players diving and complaining about stoppage time. We also explore the win for Spurs and what it points to in the figure of Andre Villas-Boas and Daniel Levy who rolled the dice on this young manager and appears to have been rewarded early on for taking the chance. We also look again at the Everton Express which continues to impress even in the face of some longer term questions about its depth and international fixture congestion, then off to Swansea City who has hit a key moment early in the season where physical teams have revealed a serious concern about its capability to defend against this approach. Then we move to the matter of the Arsenal-Chelsea clash and how it was more revealing about the Gunners than the Blues and how an old skeleton in defending set pieces continues to reassert itself in the biggest matches. To round out part two of this PTF Super Show we explore the situation at Blackburn Rovers where Steve Kean has finally resigned from his post and what might be some of the reasons for this at this juncture. Of particular note in part one is whether QPR and Mark Hughes are heading for the rocks after a very violent and aggressive brand of football on Monday night. Loads here that gets covered including key points on Manchester United, the factors behind the AVB resurgence and a comical look at the Kean tenure at Blackburn Rovers.

Anto is joined once again by TV Globo commentator Bira Brasil to review many of the biggest storylines from Brazil including the recent problems at Palmeiras and what underscores its continued period of malaise and threat near the bottom of the table, and whether new manager Gilson Kleina can help this club escape relegation by the end of the season. Questions about the future for Mano Menezes with the national team are back on the front burner since Palmeiras sacked Luiz Felipe Scolari and we examined the Big Phil record to determine whether this is a misplaced idea based on sentiment over common sense, always possible in Brazilian football. We also discuss the administrative problems at Palmeiras and consider whether the problem is less about the team than it is the club president himself and how another Brazil giant in Flamengo seems to be plagued by the same kind of problem, poor administration and a failure to market itself appropriately. We also look into the recent move of Ganso to São Paulo under the cloud of his recent troubles at Santos and whether he might just be the missing piece for the club to secure a Copa Libertadores slot down the stretch of the Campeonato Brasileiro and examine the gears of this deal between clubs and DIS, which partly owns his registration. Also in focus here is the emerging story in Brazil with Clube Atlético Mineiro and how star acquisition Ronaldinho seems to have galvanized this team and may have opened the door to another young rising star in Bernard, and whether the former FIFA World Player of the Year got the wake up call that his career was on its last vapors and if he can deliver Belo Horizonte its first Brasileiro title in decades, which would be his most surprising achievement to date. Standing in the way is a very strong Fluminense who continue to ride Fred for the offense and remain stingy in defence with great performances by goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri who is now receiving loads of shouts for the national team. We then come full circle back to the national team to consider the pecking order in CONMEBOL, whether Argentina and Colombia are surpassing Brazil given its lack of serious first team qualifiers, even though young players such as Oscar continue to emerge, or whether we should rely more on history that when Brazil are not considered favorites they usually do strike it rich on the world stage. Loads here on the biggest stories in Brazil, two giants brought to their knees because of their failures in leadership and whether Ronaldinho and Atlético Mineiro can deliver a fairy tale ending to another entertaining Brasileiro.

Phil and Doron are joined by author Tom Clare who has written a number of books which often trace his memories of his early life growing up in post war Manchester alongside the emergence of one the most famous young soccer teams, the Busby Babes, who met their ultimate tragedy in the Munich Air Disaster. Tom is always a must listen episode as he is a link back to a much different time in the history of Manchester United, its history, evolution and move from a community institution to the commercial juggernaut that it is today. We examine how Tom became a supporter from his days as a boy, what those times looked and felt like, how much different those times really were and his first person accounts serve as a wonderful balance to what the club has become starting with the days of Martin Edwards, long before there ever was a Glazer family takeover of the brand. We also examine where the club is today in stark contrast and how young people around the area can no longer afford to attend games and be part of the very club that their parents and grandparents have followed over the years and Tom has some very pointed comments about how the club is being operated and what it really sees as its mandate in this Premier League era where commercial realities have supplanted a more traditional role in the Manchester area. Tom also gives us the account of how he first became a Manchester United fan, how the community was once shaped by the club and how some of its most famous players held a serious bond within the local area even though they were considered world class international footballers. This episode serves as a reminder of a far different time in football, one that should not be forgotten and if you have not heard Tom Clare speak about the football club, this is certainly a wonderful place to start. His comments on Sir Alex, the stewardship of the football club and his thoughts on the current administration are as deeply interesting as they are informative when cast against the commercial reality of one of the biggest football clubs in the world with record level turnover and an increasing level of dissent amongst its most ardent and loyal supporters. We also look back at the Liverpool match, some of the shortcomings of the squad and discuss some of the books Tom has written in the name of Manchester United.

Anto and Nico are joined for another MLS Supershow with Ives Galarcep from Soccer By Ives to take a look at a hugely key point of the Major League Soccer season where seedings for and elimination from playoff contention take on added significance with only four matches to go until the second season begins. In focus are two massive battles in each conference where San Jose is edging toward a Conference championship now defined by an eleven point gap and a Los Angeles team which has shot back up the standings into the second slot. In the East a surprising Chicago Fire have continued to respond with a massive home advantage all season long to put at least one hand on second as they head for a clash with Kansas City in a key Eastern Conference battle. Also examined is the tale of Chris Wondolowski who has surely obliterated all comers for the Most Valuable Player trophy while continuing to redefine his game, easily his best and most complete season to date. We also look deeper at Seattle and its playoff narrative of the last few years via its personnel strategy for clues, how a wild Dallas revival has seemed so unpredictable and whether the Schellas Hyndman magic act was borne more from his handling of the Brek Shea crisis at midseason or whether the arrivals of De Guzman and Ferriera in that midfield are what turned the tide. Another midfielder in focus here is Juninho who is now getting the recognition for turning the cruise ship in Los Angeles and if the playoff hangover finally found its way out of the Los Angeles system. Also discussed here is the ongoing AEG rumors and what they mean, and whether Los Angeles billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong and Guggenheim Partners may foreshadow in terms of the sports landscape and how this may impact the Galaxy and Dynamo in the years ahead. Also discussed here are some late season swoons for Houston and New York, whether the Real Salt Lake challenge has finally run into the proverbial wall in concert with the age of the squad and CONCACAF Champions League, and what next for some clubs who had terrible seasons for a number of very different reasons. Want to catch up on Major League Soccer at a key moment in this 2012 season, Ives Galarcep has a lot of great insights and answers as we aim for a playoff season that looks filled with wonderful stories and challenges.

Phil and Anto are back for another edition of Prime Time Football to take an early look at the season fresh off matchday one in the Champions League to get their bearings in the EPL and Serie A including some emerging teams, some early season heroes and some truly bizarre performances and odd incidents that have earned serious distinction. We start, of course, in the Premier League where Arsenal and Everton are the serious emerging candidates at the moment, a surprising West Bromwich while Manchester City and Manchester United still have yet to find form this campaign. In the crosshairs at the moment is Roberto Mancini and his team which do not appear to be very organized after a number of terrible decisions both at Real Madrid and in league play. We also give our respect to the Santi Cazorla signing as the top move yet in the transfer market for English clubs and how David Moyes has navigated the last two transfer windows to build a very dangerous side without much depth. In part two we take the first look at Serie A to get underneath the horror in Milan, an emerging Lazio blunted of late by Genoa and an emerging threat in Fiorentina who might be able to capitalize on two struggling Milan giants. Also in view here is our list of heroes early on, many of them in surprising places and a few well placed goats and mystery performances that earn our low marks for lack of intelligence. This includes saboteurs pulling the plug at Rayo, Kevin Prince Boateng losing the plot and the always bizarre Massimo Cellino at Cagliari who continues to shock the world with his nonsense. We also get into the strange decision of the week which was the John Terry retirement from international football just 12 hours before a telling FA hearing on the Anton Ferdinand incident and what this episode suggests. If you want a review with a load of information and entertainment, Prime Time Football is the place to go. We also pay our respect to the start for Fulham and maybe an important corner turned by Andre Villas-Boas after four straight unbeaten after an opening day loss at Newcastle.

Anto is joined by British football journalist Oliver Kay of The Times to take a look at a very important early checkpoint in the Premier League season where the trends still appear to be a bit unsettled but have already opened some serious discussion into some of the biggest teams. We begin with the Liverpool-Manchester United story where the match seemed largely off-balance given the man advantage situation for Sir Alex and how this edition of the rivalry may just be remembered more for how difficult it was to officiate than its actual quality. In the crosshairs is the Jonjo Shelvey red card, but there were a number of razor thin calls and non-calls that will be left open to debate, but more importantly is the lingering question about whether Brendan Rodgers can now take this momentum forward and if it is business as usual for Manchester United who seems to have a habit of bringing its Autumn football to a slow boil before the winter games take root. Also in focus here is the persistent lagging quality for Robert Mancini and his Manchester City side, a surprising start for the likes of West Bromwich and Everton who have been serious early surprises and whether Southampton has finally turned the corner after a miserable start and having spent millions upon reaching the top flight. In deeper focus is the constant questions Roberto Mancini faces over some of his decisions in the Champions League and if the failures in the summer transfer window are having effect, the move of Romelu Lukaku to the Hawthorns to bring new life to a season lost at Chelsea and how players like Rickie Lambert can pay huge dividends over the course of a season. Then, of course, we discuss how Everton has turned its fortunes around since the last January window and why they might just have the same belief as Newcastle United did a season ago. In the closing segment we discuss the revelations of John Terry and his England career, look at his public statement and how the timing is more confusing than having actually retired from international football at this moment, and how he seems to be confusing civil justice with sporting justice in this case, while also alienating an FA which did nothing short of make his time with the national team nothing but tenable since allegations first surfaced months ago.

Anto is joined by former Canada national team player Carrie Serwetnyk, the first woman inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame, to have a serious discussion about self-determination in soccer and why the next World Cup in her country in 2015 should be a signal to examine equality in sport given the meteoric rise in the game for women. Carrie has played professionally around the world, won 3 NCAA National Championships at the University of North Carolina and holds a USSF coaching license, and having this wonderful history in the game, she has now taken on a very important cause, Why The Womens World Cup Matters, which is an effort to bring attention to the lack of self-determination from the smallest local areas to the highest levels inside the game, while never failing to recognize how transformative that soccer can be for girls and women worldwide. Why the Women’s World Cup Matters is dedicated to making changes for the betterment of girls and women in Canada with the effort that it will generate change and goodwill globally. On the field, women are 47 percent of the playing membership and we receive less than 10 percent of the funding, are less than 1 percent of the decision making process on national and provincial boards, remain largely invisible as professional coaches with less than 1% actively working yet the Canada national team has successfully achieved positive results in the past two Olympic Games and five World Cups over the last two decades. We examine Title IX and its effects 40 years after its passage, the motivation behind this important cause, what effects the recent Olympic performance for womens soccer had in Canada and how she sees the 2015 World Cup should be a real step toward representation for women in Canada both on and off the pitch. Having attended 10 World Cup tournaments and four Olympic Games, Carrie has a real sense of the transformative powers of the biggest events worldwide and why there are areas of concern in Canada as women have yet to be involved as deeply at the federation and planning levels. The World Cup gives hope and inspiration to girls and women globally because it is so rare that women get the opportunity to strive to be their best on the center stage to showcase their accomplishments. As more girls and women become aware of the World Cup and the power of sport, it sends a message that they too are important and they can achieve the dreams they aspire to in their own life on or off a soccer field.

Anto is joined by ESPN Press Pass commentator Janusz Michallik to have a discussion into some of the major stories in football at the moment ranging from the madness at AC Milan, two very important midweek fixtures in the Champions League and an epic rivalry revisited at Anfield this weekend. We begin with the matter of Max Allegri at AC Milan where the final days appear to be closing in for the manager after a confusing and unclear clash with Pippo Inzaghi after a disappointing start for the Rossoneri. We evaluate the level of commitment by the club, President Silvio Berlusconi and where exactly the club missed the boat in its plan, not just this summer, but in recent years including the stadium, developing youth players and not recognizing the changing financial world and new emerging issues. We revisit the summer moves, the problem characters who needed to be moved out of the club and whether the execution of a plan is more the issue than actually having one. However, at the core of this situation is Allegri himself who appears to not have the required management skills to overcome the shortcomings in near term and has lost his changing room. We consider how Milan supporters look at the third year manager, including his record, his tactical rigidity and squad that no longer seem to do even the simplest things with any degree of urgency or effectiveness. We also examine how AC Milan got away from its roots over time and has largely failed to either develop its own top players or show the required the patience to allow these players to emerge. Also in focus are two managers who failed to meet the tactical challenges presented in the Champions League in Roberto Di Matteo and Roberto Mancini, for different reasons, but leading to unsurprising results against top level opponents. We start with how Chelsea failed once they went up 2-0 over Juventus and then into the Manchester City match away at Real Madrid where some defensive selections and tactics seemed to once again undermine another Mancini team on the biggest stage. In the case of Roberto Mancini we revisit is continued failures in the Champions League and how he appears to over-think situations with a run of very perplexing decisions time after time. We also take a quick look at the Liverpool-Manchester United rivalry renewed and whether Brendan Rodgers has been given all that he needs to compete in the Premier League and if Liverpool could indeed knock off favored Manchester United on a short week after a very emotional week at the football club. Loads here on the biggest stories of the day including a very detailed discussion into the problems for AC Milan and a Juventus team that will be very dangerous in the Champions League group stage and whether Chelsea and supporters underestimated them at midweek.

Anto and Nico are joined for a very interesting interview with Montreal Impact head coach Jesse Marsch to take an in-depth look at how this first year expansion team came together and how the organization approached its targets both on the pitch and beyond it, starting with some early goals and moving to the challenges of assembling a squad made up of some highly recognized names and some emerging players. Not many pundits nor predictions gave Montreal much of a chance to be in the picture by September, yet here is the Impact with four matches remaining and they have yet to be mathematically eliminated and in focus here is how a new team has entered Major League Soccer and set the stage for a very important and bright future. This includes some huge arrivals in the names of Alessandro Nesta, Marco Di Vaio, Matteo Ferrari, Nelson Rivas and Bernardo Corradi, but it also represents an emerging young talent in the name of Felipe Martins who has taken the midfield by storm and looks set to become a key player in MLS as he develops late this season, heading for year two. Jesse gives us his take on the difficulties with the road form for the Impact, the unforeseen challenges, the similarities between the 1998 Chicago Fire team with the 2012 Impact as expansion clubs, the very interesting process on how Felipe was acquired and developed so seamlessly. Also in focus here is the coaching influence for Jesse Marsch and his links to Bob Bradley and how that experience set him into motion years ago for the job he has today. We also examine how the organization established some goals when it sought out its overseas veterans from Serie A, how that process was established and how the Impact brought these players into the fold to make the transition process as smooth as possible. We also discuss the youth team set up in Canada, how Montreal is assembling its academy and if the classic central midfielder is being coached out of the game. In part two, we evaluate how Montreal approaches year two, look at some important midweek fixtures with real implications on the playoffs and Supporters Shield, the potential of a massive AEG sale in Los Angeles and what may be driving this move at this moment in time and then some lessons learned from the Jamaica fixtures during the last international break. This also includes if Chris Wondolowski has already wrapped up the MLS MVP trophy with his latest magic act and whether the exclusion of Sacha Kljestan from the national team has less to do with talent and ability than a potential conflict with Jurgen Klinsmann himself as he believes that UEFA Champions League football is the highest form of football currently being played, with the American midfielder currently playing against the likes of AC Milan for RSC Anderlecht in matchday one. Loads here to listen to with one of the new generation of MLS head coaches who has done a remarkable job in his first season.

Phil and Anto are joined by Gareth Roberts of Well Red Magazine and The Anfield Wrap to have a look at the revelations of the Hillsborough Independent Panel Report to consider what is justice and what is truth and whether the findings are actually more of a confirmation to Liverpool supporters than the greater worldwide audience who are shocked and astounded by many of the conclusions. At the forefront here is the search for justice beyond the truth of what happened more than two decades ago and how supporters and Hillsborough families will take their next steps towards accountability for the authorities, first responders and those who were involved in a cover up that has now reached the highest levels of the British government. This includes elements of the press and South Yorkshire Police who violated the rights of the deceased, an FA that has never acknowledged its own culpability in selecting Hillsborough after knowing that problems existed at those grounds and how justice can never be reached until those public officials still alive are prosecuted to the fullest extent. We also focus on the families themselves who finally have some of the answer, but not all of it as fresh confirmation comes with respect to coroner failings and an arbitrary cut off time that suggests that some of the 96 dead could have been saved. This new report also puts into question the findings of the Taylor Report itself as the instrument of evidence was corrupted from mere minutes of the tragedy. In part two we look at the current state of the football club give recent reports that John Henry seems prepared to sell the Boston Red Sox and we consider whether another shoe is about to drop on Liverpool as well, given the synergy this summer between how both sports institutions approached their player acquisitions. We also examine the Open Letter to fans, the patience supporters will afford Brendan Rodgers and what should be some realistic expectations given the state of the squad as it stands since the summer transfer window. Nobody delivers on Liverpool quite like Gareth Roberts and his insight is nothing but measured and direct throughout the discussion.

Anto is joined with Chinese football insider Marcus Kam direct from Beijing to have a very interesting discussion into the fast rising Chinese Super League as well as a look at its evolution and new energy on a nationwide level to improve standards and now youth development on a scale once though unimaginable. Rapid economic growth is also driving up living standards and disposable incomes, particularly in urban areas and into this perfect storm Chinese professional sport is now going under a massive transformation and companies are looking for partnerships with sporting events or competitors - and other ways of getting greater access to a more affluent generation of Chinese sports fans. This is where football finds itself in China, and Marcus is a 20-year insider who has been involved in the television and sports marketing industry from the very start - from his early days with STAR TV, and from there Marcus made the move to Chinese sports marketing with Sports Corporation and has subsequently worked for several international sports marketing agencies including ISL, Octagon and Infront Sports and Media. He was previously the director of sports marketing for Adidas and now works with T3 and Tom Byer as that organization brings its grassroots philosophy to the CSF. In 2009, Chinese authorities recognized the need to foster grassroots development in order to improve the technical standard of football within the country and its national team infrastructure. The China School Football Program, a joint cooperation between the Sports Ministry and the Education Ministry, with the Chinese Football Association on board as technical consultant, aims to provide children across China with the chance to get involved from a young age. The CSF represents a bold reset to start delivering programs and football through schools as opposed to pursuing a top-down approach from the very upper levels of the game, targeting 90 cities and 300 million children under the age of 14. Not only does Marcus speak to this initiative, but also can speak to the remarkable evolution of sport, sports marketing and Chinese professional football which has come to head in the last couple of years with vast resources now flowing freely into the CSL. We discuss the ownership model, the first Chinese players to play in Europe, how the clubs themselves are structured and a vision of a worldwide game in which China is a massive player as it begins to move its resources, people and ambition into a bigger and bigger focus. Also discussed is how the Japanese grassroots process will be leveraged and how the next generation of Chinese player will become a more important force both inside Asia and around the world. This is the first inside look at China and its football, cutting right to the core of the issues and how the future might just involve some very big club names in Chinese football.

Anto is joined by football correspondent and historian Uli Hesse to take an early season look at the full range of the German football as the Bundesliga embarks on its 50th season. We begin with a look back at the Euros with a bit more perspective in hand to consider what might be the missing ingredient for the national team and whether the criticism of the mentality is reflected in the finer details once the margins are smallest in the most significant matches. We examine the leadership characters in the past for German teams like Stefan Effenberg and Lothar Matthäus and whether that type of player has been coached out of the German system or whether the coaches themselves place no value in the emergence of those characters. In the spotlight is the role of the center forward in the German lineup and whether Joachim Löw will eventually move toward the evolution of the attacking midfielder as goal scorer because only Mario Gomez appears suited to this role at the highest level. We also examine the wonderful two part series that Uli produced for ESPN FC to look back at the formation of the Bundesliga, the challenges raised by nationalizing a series of regional institutions while moving the model into modern professionalism, while also addressing the lingering question of re-unification which has largely left the Eastern clubs behind outside of Hertha Berlin, which was an inaugural entrant into the league in 1963. We also look at the moves for Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund this closed season, whether Bayern did what it took to take back the Bundesliga title and whether Dortmund finding itself in the Group of Death in the Champions League might just set off a repeat of last season, where Dortmund was knocked out in the group stage and could be left to focus on the league as priority. We consider whether the Marco Reus move to replace Shinji Kagawa was a one-for-one swap, and whether the addition of Javi Martinez at the price tag and his position truly did resolve a position of need and if both he and Bastian Schweinsteiger will be positioned in front of the defence - as the young Spaniard could provide even more versatility to Jupp Heynckes across all competitions. In conclusion we gauge the dilemma for German clubs in the Champions League, outside of Bayern Munich, and how teams such as Dortmund and Schalke will always run up against the limitations of their business models as bigger teams come calling for their talent. Uli also gives us his surprising predictions along with a very valuable history lesson about German football.

Anto is joined with football correspondent and producer Joel Richards from Buenos Aires to take a far ranging and sweeping look at Argentine football both on and off the pitch, starting from the transition from the Clausura to the Inicial, two eternal rivals on unbeaten streaks in Boca Juniors and River Plate on competing five match unbeaten streaks yet not playing great football, cast against a whole host of administrative and authoritative issues that continue to not be addressed. We open with the rebranding of the Apertura and Clausura upon the events of last season with Tigre as the catalyst and the controversial closed season at River Plate during which players who helped deliver the club back to the top flight moved on to Spain, and how Arsenal seems to have picked right up where they finished off, going largely under the radar unless supporters wish to stoke conspiracy theories and suspicions. Then we turn to the major issues facing Argentina and its football at the moment, first with further examination of football violence in and around the stadiums and how the bravas have once again become a political hot potato even while the government flirts with accountability with no actual steps of real consequence, and then to an even more compelling issue with cleaning up a tax problem that involves some very big names in football and players who have moved on to some of the biggest leagues in the world. Is this a case of meeting the demands of financial markets or a way to control commerce in a lucrative transfer market, the early signs are murky and may need more time to bear results and understanding. We also preview two young players at Racing who are already gathering pace and attention in Luciano Vietto and Ricardo Centurión, and whether we are being too hard on Argentine football given the nature of the national team, the constant development of young superstars and the great spectacle itself in the stadiums. We also examine the nature of the first division league itself and whether a perceived erosion in quality can be more attributed to younger players in exodus earlier or whether the constant volatility in the domestic rosters never allows the required continuity to build quality teams. In the last segment we examine CONMEBOL qualifying in the bigger picture, evaluate the roster used for September by Alejandro Sabella and where the table might just play out with Argentina in pole position as the favorite as we head toward the halfway point. We also take a look at an emerging Colombian team with Falcao and a talented supporting cast who is fast becoming a favorite of the neutrals for its stylish play under Jose Pekerman, perhaps supplanting Uruguay from the last World Cup cycle. Argentine football with Joel Richards is always more than just the football and this supershow covers more than Lionel Messi and gets underneath some of the biggest issues facing football not only in Argentina, but also repeated in many different federations worldwide.