Beyond The Pitch

Anto and Nico are back with another edition of Inside MLS with a massive two part show that takes a look at a very interesting and emerging story in the Columbus Crew with the arrival of a key player in Federico Higuain and then the disaster that was the US National Team performance in Jamaica when nothing seemed to work during its most recent CONCACAF qualifier. The first segment includes Craig Merz, who has covered the Crew and MLS since its inception in 1996, and gives us an up close look at how Robert Warzycha has brought together this team with some very shrewd additions of two key players in Federico Higuain and Jairo Arrieta, both of whom have earned MLS Player of the Week honors since the summer window. Craig gives us a look at the mechanics and the marketplace as well as explains how this squad has been largely turned over since the days of Sigi Schmid, Guillermo Barros Schelotto and the first MLS Cup, and what may keep this group from reaching the playoffs. The Columbus franchise has historically been among the lowest spending teams in the league, yet has now reached for its most expensive player to date and appears to have laid down a marker with its newest Argentine player that is a move designed to not only get results but also to serve as a statement to its supporters that the Crew are trying to leave a bigger footprint in a market largely dominated by collegiate sports and the glare of Ohio State University. Craig contributes to MLSsoccer.com after spending nearly 25 years with the Columbus Dispatch, including coverage of the NHL, Ohio State football and basketball, as well as the Columbus Clippers when they were the farm team for the New York Yankees. In the second part of the show, Anto and Nico take out their most critical view yet of the US National Team under Klinsmann in a discussion ranging from serious analysis to a bit of the sublime, breaking down the performance, the overall player pool and then a look at a motivational speaker brought in to speak with the team who is getting a load of attention for all the wrong reasons. Much of the discussion climbs underneath the hood to examine how certain indicators like set pieces are working against the team, how the age of the key performers is quickly reaching a stage past ideal circumstances and how some of the player selections lack a certain level of logic and defy conventional thought process. The loss might be the lowest point for the US National Team under Jurgen Klinsmann, given the lack of strong performances in this qualifying cycle thus far, and why trouble is brewing just around the corner if fortunes do not reverse as soon as Tuesday night in Columbus. Check out the motivational discussion which underlines recent events and we have some recommendations that might work better than telephone books torn in half or frying pans rolled into a burrito.

Phil is joined by NextGen Series co-creator and Brentford sporting director Mark Warburton to have a discussion about this groundbreaking competition now in its second year, perhaps the most exciting European football club cup competition for under-19 footballers. NextGen was designed to provide players with an opportunity to match themselves up against other elite footballers of their age group in a competitive environment that shares many of the same characteristics of the larger continental tournaments today. Some massive club names in world football including the likes of Barcelona, PSV Eindhoven, Internazionale, Ajax, Marseilles, Liverpool and Juventus - among many others - are now affiliated with this tournament after a hugely successful first year. We examine the goals and objectives of NextGen, some of the challenges it faces, future plans to expand the competing clubs and how fans in Europe and the United States can access these matches. We also examine how this tournament might just be the best pound for pound entertainment in football for fans as the quality and standard are very high while the cost to attend is entirely affordable. This episode also explains how NextGen fulfills a very important role in youth development whereby young players are given more exposure to a like-for-like experience that may see at the top level by simply duplicating the match day process of the Champions League, raising exposure to many different continental standards and providing real growth for that class of player in a professional academy who needs elite exposure to reach the next rung in his playing career. This process also helps first team managers see youth prospects in real game situations as well, and serves to help the scouting and evaluation process in real situations, further enhancing the potential for solid growth in youth prospects. For football fans the tournament is a great chance to watch young players in the making and to see new football stars of the future, and the tournament is catching on as one more must competition to follow throughout the season.

Anto is joined by Asia football correspondent and editor of KickOfAsia.com editor John Duerden to take a look at all the big stories from the AFC as we head towards a critical juncture for World Cup Qualification and the quarterfinal stage of the Champions League. We begin with the political level within the Asian Football Confederation itself as issues with Mohamed bin Hammam and FIFA investigations and rumors of examining the Qatar 2022 bid persist and how the emergence of a new figure in Zhang Jilong of China has emerged as one of the most powerful men in world football. We gauge the political world within the AFC itself, separating the East and West factions to gauge how his caretaker status will be viewed and whether perceptions from inside Asia are indeed very different from the view inside Europe as it applies to Mohamed bin Hammam and FIFA itself, and how Asian progress in the game during the Blatter tenure has insulated FIFA leadership based entirely on the real evidence of improvement. Then we turn to the matter of the football as the final phase of AFC qualification for Brazil 2014 is down to the search of the last five candidates. Japan and South Korea near the halfway point of this final round as the clear, dominant players in their respective groups so the question falls to the challengers for second place and the third place playoff selections with nations such as Australia, Iraq, Iran, Qatar and Uzbekistan in view and whether two important coaches in Zico and Carlos Queiroz lead their teams into key battles through September and into October. In the case of Zico this round marks a rather anticipated return to Japan where he was once a player and a coach, and we handicap the chances for Iraq as Australia could find itself suddenly in trouble if further points are wasted in Jordan. Then we turn to the matter of the AFC Champions League quarterfinal stage where the glamour match up will be Al-Ittihad and Guangzhou Evergrande and we explore the implications for this clash as well the fortunes for the other quarterfinalists. Also discussed is an important milestone reached for Korean football as the federation seeks to deliver a promotion and relegation system and the rumours of a problem for Chinese superclub Shanghai Shenhua and its two stars, Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka and whether reports of disharmony were a product of a transfer-starved media or if there is something more beneath the speculation. In the final segment John gives us a great update on Issue Two for KickOffAsia and what subscribers can expect to see in this very important issue which will be available next week for download across a number of devices.

Phil and Doron are back with another supershow featuring club legend Brian Greenhoff and Manchester United Youth historian and statistician Tony Park to preview their soon-to-be-released books and weigh in on the early stages of the the new season. The show opens with Brian Greenhoff who gives his opinion on a wide variety of topics including David De Gea, Javier Hernandez and the ongoing dilemma for Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes in central midfield at this stage of their careers. At the center of much of the discussion throughout the show is the remarkable performance turned in by Robin Van Persie against Southampton and how this may impact the team longer term and if could either spell the end for Wayne Rooney or serve as more inspiration now that Sir Alex Ferguson has created a healthy competition for playing time. In segment two Tony Park joins to give us his historical perspective on the Manchester United Youth and Reserves Academy and taking a long range view of what might be considered one of the brightest spots for the club in the Ferguson era, developing a standard and establishing a clear and pragmatic culture within the club from a very early age. This is a must listen part of the show as Tony gets into the gears of this process, some of the important figures behind the scenes with several real world examples, comparing how English clubs develop their players against the Spanish system which seems to reflect its unique cultural challenges. Tony gives us the look back at how clubs in England have traditionally used non-league clubs to improve their youth players and what the new challenges will be in the future, given the spectre of the NextGen Series and what UEFA might do with a youth Champions League. We also examine the emergence of the continental influence in youth technical training in recent years to measure whether the progress is measurable and whether the unique aspects of English football might force an even further rethink given the nature of top flight game. Also in the crosshairs is how youth prospects are really been challenged like never before as the leap from an Academy to the potential of Premier League and Champions League football is such a long one and if manager longevity issues reduce the opportunities for young players as managers no longer have the length of tenure that they once did. In the closing section, Phil and Doron look at the potential for some young players making their first appearances with the senior team, the Champions League draw, new arrivals Nick Powell and Angelo Henríquez and begin to analyze the medium to long term issues surrounding Wayne Rooney remaining with Manchester United.

Anto is joined by Dundee United, Blackburn Rovers and Scotland striker and winger Kevin Gallacher to take a look at some of the big topics facing Scottish football, the situation at Blackburn after relegation and a wonderful look back at his time with the national team. We begin with the Champions League draw from Celtic and how Scotland has received a much needed bright light for its football after a long summer of difficulty involving Rangers and looking at how Neil Lennon will deal with Barcelona, Benfica and Spartak Moscow and whether the club might make another last move amongst a number of popular free agents in advance of those midweek fixtures. Then we move on to Blackburn Rovers and whether the club has the squad to make a quick return to the Premier League and if the ownership and its spokes persons are doing Steve Kean a disservice having made the important decision to retain him after holding on to him past relegation. We also examine the arrival of Jordan Rhodes, talk about how different the situation at Ewood Park really is since the sale of the club and take a look back to a magical time when the club was kings of England and what that experience was like when Kenny Dalglish delivered a title. We also look back at what went wrong for the club in the past 20 years and how the slow and steady retreat seems attributed to a real inability to adjust its focus on being a successful selling club given the economic restraints. Perhaps it was a perfect storm, but it might just be last time a small town team will ever win a major title in England again. Also in focus here is a wonderful look back at the 1998 World Cup for Scotland in France and staring down the barrel of a national team in Brazil that was a winning machine all its own with two World Cup and Copa America championships and how Scotland came ever so close to giving them an opening match shock to kick off a tournament. We discuss the lead up the opening game, what happened because of the opening ceremonies, the great Ronaldo kept at bay and why facing a powerful team is always best to face first in a short competition. We also examine Scotland for Brazil 2014 qualification in Group A with Croatia, Serbia, Belgium, Macedonia and Wales, then why Kevin believes that this might be the best chance yet to at least reach the final playoff spots for Scotland after this draw.

Phil and Anto are back with the second show of the new season as we take a look into the Champions League draw and the close of the transfer market over a couple of days for some early talking points about where this campaign is headed for some of the biggest teams in Europe. It has been a very perplexing summer in football outside of a few clubs living outside of the reality bubble as teams are hustling to rid themselves of big ticket contracts with veteran players and player-value seems to be the order of the day. We start with the bizarre trip of Dimitar Berbatov as he did the rounds in Italy and ended up at Fulham as a symbolic move to all the madness that was this transfer window and it opens the discussion into how the Champions League draw played out for some of the favorites, some debutantes and some clubs returning to the competition after a period away from the top European level of football. This includes a look at Celtic FC making its appearance in the Champions League under Neil Lennon, a look at the Group of Death with Real Madrid, Manchester City, Ajax and Borussia Dortmund, and underrated group featuring Chelsea, Shakhtar Donetsk, Juventus and a Danish minnow. We also look at some of the biggest winners with this draw which would include Arsenal, AC Milan and Manchester United who each will be very satisfied with the competitors that they have been cast with in their respective groups and then the conversation takes off into the matter of some key lessons learned in this transfer window and what some of the ramifications could be after taking into consideration the analysis. This includes a hard look at the Wayne Rooney situation at Manchester United and whether the arrival of Robin Van Persie is the first step toward an eventual divorce for the talented striker who has been on the outs with Sir Alex Ferguson since his last contract battle. We also examine some winners and loser in the transfer market including Real Madrid, Swansea City, Fiorentina, AS Roma and one danger signal in Queens Park Rangers who is gambling everything on survival. We have we learned from the market, how are we calculating winners and losers given the market conditions? Take a listen as you might just be surprised with this combination of analysis and breakneck impressions. We examine the Clint Dempsey transfer as indicator on the market overall and how he almost got locked out were it not for a transfer from Portugal that was blocked in the final fateful hours, how Juventus missed by not claiming that striker and how some clubs really only cared about Financial Fair Play in words and not deeds.

Anto is joined by Spanish football journalist and commentator Sid Lowe to climb underneath the hood on a number of important topics facing La Liga, some of its biggest clubs and two very puzzling stories emerging in the case of Athletic Bilbao and Malaga. This is a combination of politics and economics that begins with the concept of priorities and potential history being set into motion inside Spanish football, starting with Real Madrid and its reach for Luka Modric and the continued passive-aggressive Kaka transfer saga that shows no sign of relent given a failed attempt to lure him back to AC Milan. We examine the Modric signing as well as a very different Real Madrid one year removed from a championship season in La Liga as well as new manager Tito Vilanova at Barcelona and what awaits him as he takes the reigns from Pep Guardiola with an eye on the present and how he might just get evaluated longer term as the club will at some point have to make its own transition based on age at some very key positions - most notably in the figure of Xavi, and how that will impact Messi and Iniesta. We also examine the recent row over TV rights and match start times in Spain and how the politics and economics are being played in that arena, perhaps one more step by rebel owners still in some form of Cold War with the status quo and having the potential to move toward full insurrection as it has become less a case of competition and more of case for solvency and survival given economic conditions on the ground. We also examine the drain of talent from Spain in recent months and whether the league is already at a tipping point where even moderately priced talent is under serious threat of inflation by its own level of scarcity as Santi Cazorla leaves for greener pastures and seems likely to be followed by Javi Martinez and Fernando Llorente this transfer window. We also spend a great deal of time dissecting the mystery of Malaga and its enigmatic owner Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Al-Thani who may have football reasons or financial reasons beyond football fueling his sudden disinterest from afar, and what the facts on the ground point to without ever really having an answer to some fundamental questions. Then we move to the matter of Bilbao and its expressive-genius manager Marcelo Bielsa to consider the revolution he led a year ago and where the club seems headed with key losses now on the horizon after a difficult season. Then we round out the discussion with another look at priorities and history to evaluate the significance of the Vilanova appointment in scope and whether Jose Mourinho may still overshadow it all, not because he is the manager of Real Madrid, but what La Decima would do for his legacy and whether he may just be known as The Chosen One come May.

Anto is joined by former striker and BBC Radio commentator Steve Claridge to take a look at some of his early impressions of the Premier League season which includes the top three title contenders, a very intriguing battle for the four through eight slots and how several of the key teams could shape this race based on their off-seasons and who might emerge as important factors. At the center of our attention early on is the emergence of Chelsea who seem to have found a second wind with a lavish summer transfer campaign resulting in an early edge in quality and style, then over to Arsenal who once more have reinforced a level of serious frustration having sold off two more starters, raising questions about their ability to compete once again for top four. We also examine Everton and Newcastle United as potential wildcards this season, explore whether Swansea City in year two under Michael Laudrup could continue the dream and how the teams heading into the Champions League are not nearly the power sides from the 2005-09 seasons where England sides dominated at the semi-final round in Europe. We also take a glance at the Manchester clubs where perhaps the biggest factor might just be the return of Nemanja Vidic on the heels of a season settled by eight points and gauge whether Roberto Mancini will reach for that last marquee signing and sacrifice a striker to get this done. We also look at the expectations of Sheik Mansour given that the next step for Manchester City is their performances in the Champions League as well as whether Mancini should be the manager to lead them there longer term. We also touch on the the competition in the Championship and why it might be even more entertaining than the Premier League given the number of clubs who think they have a chance to find promotion, new money in the league itself and whether Leicester City can be one of those candidates now that club has moved on from the Sven Goran Eriksson and settled on Nigel Pearson as a more reasonable and common sense alternative. Also check into the comments Steve has about being a player/manager in modern football, the challenges it presents and whether it is truly an impossible task given the scope of the job and the many responsibilities that come with that role.

Phil and Anto are back for a new season of Prime Time Football to take a look at the first week of the new Premier League season, some early takes on the matches that might bear indicators as the campaign marches ahead. We obviously begin with some of the early impressions at Liverpool, Arsenal, a rather interesting encounter at Goodison Park for Everton-Manchester United and what we take from the Newcastle United-Tottenham match where the home team once again gave us reasons to consider them as a wild card yet again. Also in focus is football finances and whether we are seeing the first effects of UEFA Financial Fair Play or a general economic fragility which is taking hold on football clubs in Europe. We talk legislation, climb underneath some of the main talking points where politics, football governance, economics and the future for football are all in the balance as lower division clubs are now at the biggest risk and may spell trouble down the road if not addressed in short order. We also explain the line between a club lacking ambition and a having a sound business model which is now emerging as regulation begins to cut into the core operating philosophy, whether this is a good thing and why, and if in the future more control will be introduced to further this process. We also look at the transfer market and how the smarter teams are now looking at the market differently and why, and if there is indeed an unprecedented level of value in the marketplace when observing the move of Michu to Swansea and how Newcastle, Aston Villa and Everton continue to work the market. In the second part we tackle the issue of Antonio Conte, Juventus, the FIGC and if football federations can effectively combat match fixing without an international body such as FIFA, UEFA or even Interpol at the door to deliver the required resources, leadership and strategies given that this threat is outgunning authorities on the ground with technology and cash. We also examine the factors of the Conte case, why the decision to uphold the ban puts the process into doubt and if international football authorities in their monitoring of betting patterns have taken this strategy with a degree of fear that some of their representatives could be implicated or that an investigation at the highest levels could expose organizations already weakened by scandal. Lots here, lots of candid talk and we always look behind the headlines for the real stories that matter.

Anto is joined once again by independent award-winning documentary photographer Jason Andrew to take another look at the tragic situation in Istanbul, Turkey after his second and more explosive trip into the country to document a far more desperate and dangerous world where human trafficking has left deeper scars and permanent damage. We dig deeper into how these players arrived in Europe, the scope of the schemes themselves, the motivations which turn this practice from a football tragedy into an expose on how immigration worldwide is being pushed to its extreme. But on the ground the events and the situation leaves almost no room for interpretation - the players are more desperate than ever, people are now taking risks and dying and forces within Turkey both culturally and socially are ratcheting up the challenges on day to day survival. Also in view here is how social media is used as a primary tool for recruitment and survival, along with how the players themselves use this technology for a variety of reasons including an underground economy and as a means to conceal and arrange legal documents to guarantee their survival and further fuel the dream to play the game professionally. We also explore the emergence of sex trafficking for women based on some age old perceptions about race, the implications of racism in their daily lives and how the fabric of this embattled community appears to be fraying at its edges and may just ensure explosive consequences the longer it is not addressed with real resources. We also look at some of the new means that these players use with respect to claiming refugee status and seeking opportunities in the former Eastern-bloc where racism is even more extreme, stories reflecting on the desperate situation facing these young people and how the damage has become permanent now as many of the players who first arrived are no longer physically recognizable. The story of these Lost Boys is one of how a football dream has turned into an absolute nightmare and how authorities worldwide and football governance continues to overlook what is the biggest tragedy touching football today - the practice of people being trafficked for profit, left abandoned due to process and procedure and how they are largely forgotten victims of an increasingly violent and more difficult underworld where deception, exploitation and racial abuse is every day living. Jason give us an insight into this world, having spent the time to get to know the personal stories and exposing the emerging truth about how this practice happens and endures. This includes some personal revelations from Jason himself, what he has learned over time, how football is the last great hope and why he will continue to track this story through his work. Take a moment to get informed, and you might just get involved. The trafficking of people for profit is nothing less than modern day slavery and it needs to stop - another must listen from Jason Andrew.

Phil and Anto are joined by Sky Sports commentator Paul Merson to help us unravel the first weekend of the 2012-13 Premier League season that was filled with some early surprises and key points worth discussing on the heels of a dramatic win for Everton over Manchester United at Goodison Park. The man of the evening was Marouane Fellaini who delivered the decisive goal, but he may have already served up a distant warning for Sir Alex Ferguson who has yet to dedicate resources to his center midfield which may be enough in most matches to overcome, but not against the likes of title contenders either in the Premier League or the Champions League. We also take a look at the situation for Liverpool who have stumbled out of the gate with West Bromwich, what we discovered about Chelsea in their victory over Wigan and how Andre Villas-Boas continues to seem a man who has yet to learn from previous mistakes with his second London based club. We think the loss of Robin Van Persie has shown its hand already for Arsenal but even bigger problems may be in store with the loss of Alex Song to Barcelona. Also in focus is the magnificent debut for Michu, Michael Laudrup and Swansea City who destroyed QPR and may leave Mark Hughes with even more questions to answer about his squad. Then we close on the matter of West Ham United and Big Sam returning to the top flight before we ask Paul about his fantasy football team given that his new show on Sky Sports is underway - clearly he needs some recommendations after week one and your advice would be of great use given he might have to use all five substitutes by week two.

Anto is joined by Mexican football writer and commentator Martha Guerra of ESPN Deportes and Radio Formula from Acapulco to take a look at a very interesting summer for both the National Team on the heels of a fantastic and unexpected gold medal at the London Olympics, as well as discuss the evolving issues for Javier Hernandez at Manchester United and some new changes for Liga MX. We begin with the magical story that is Mens Football for the U23 team at the Olympics, how it all came together on the heels of scandal and what some of the key moments and reasons might be for this success. We examine the emergence of the team with its coach, Luis Tena, how this helped move the team toward a new code of conduct and rebuild the fabric of the squad from the Copa America problems this team once experienced. The other storylines are a key match that went to AET against Senegal and the emergence of Santos Laguna striker Oribe Peralta who came up big for Mexico in its biggest matches, scoring the game winners against Japan and Brazil in the final two matches that delivered the first gold medal in football to Mexico. Then we move to the matter of the most recent Mexico-United States friendly, which was an historic victory for the Americans at the legendary Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, but might be remembered more for Mexicans due to the performance of Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez who did not take the purchase of Robin Van Persie well and might become a key wedge point for the very talented Chicharito. According to Mexican press, Hernandez has indicated a desire to leave Old Trafford, but that Sir Alex Ferguson does not want Chicharito to leave. Compounding this for the super-talented Hernandez is that this battle on the depth chart has now begun to rekindle the same problem that he once experienced at Chivas, where he was often overlooked and it does appear that Hernandez does not want a repeat of this scenario. Then we move to the matter of some new changes for Liga MX this season which Martha explains amid voices in Mexico who do not approve of the new format. We also take a look at what teams could emerge in Liga MX, a few players who could be key protagonists and then evaluate whether there is truth in the phrase Golden Generation with respect to what is brewing in Mexican football heading towards Brazil 2014. Martha Guerra never pulls the punches on her analysis and has been covering Mexican football for over two decades and covered her first Olympics in Barcelona 1992.

Phil and Anto have a wonderful chat with former Aston Villa manager John Gregory about a number of emerging things about the club, Paul Lambert and a new focus and energy at Villa Park and how the supporters should start to believe that the direction has finally taken a positive step under its first year manager. We open the discussion about what Paul Lambert will bring, some the strategies that are underway with its scouting and work in the transfer market. We take a look back at a very disappointing season which serves as stark contrast where the approach was too negative by Villa standards and now with a renewed sense of accountability that has already begun to show itself in preseason. We also examine the factors that went into the Alex McLeish appointment and whether the move to Paul Lambert has restored a degree in faith in Randy Lerner now that this important change has taken place. We also look at Premier League finances and where Aston Villa fit into the landscape and we examine whether Aston Villa has looked at the structure of Newcastle United and have begun to replicate their model with some new continental scouting options, given the connections that Paul Lambert has to Germany from his playing career. We also discuss the state of British managers in the Premier League and readiness for national team duty and take a deeper look at the state of the managerial pool and explore whether the international nature of the England top flight, both in terms of player demographics and a new generation of club chairmen, is working against British managers who have yet to adopt to a more continental model. This includes identifying a couple of managers in Brendan Rodgers and Paul Lambert, as examples, who have begun to embrace more accomplished scouting networks into their plans like seen at Swansea City, Newcastle and other destinations within the league. Then we close on the matter of Robin Van Persie and Arsenal Football Club to gauge the similarities with a situation that John had with Dwight Yorke before he also moved from Aston Villa to Manchester United in the 1990s. John has some very interesting insights into how player power asserts itself and how managers are often the last to know when a player has already decided to leave a football club when his contract enters its last season. A very interesting listen on a variety of fronts. In part two we examine the situation with Aston Villa further and also consider whether Arsene Wenger made the right decision into the matter of moving Robin Van Persie at this point in time, as well as look at what awaits Paul Lambert in his first season.

Anto is joined by Italian football commentator Owen Neilson to have a look at recent events involving the match-fixing scandal to take a deeper look beyond the provincial and sensationalized reporting into the calcioscommesse scandal that endures without much resolution. We begin with the tragic-comedic centerpiece at the moment which is Emanuele Pesoli, the former Siena defender who went on hunger strike in response to his three-year ban in the scandal, who has ended his protest after being promised a meeting with the federation president, Giancarlo Abete. Far more important, however, we dig into the bigger tentacles of the story to find a sporting justice system that needs reform while being outgunned by a global syndicate that is far better armed and financed and seems to have overrun the sport not just in Italy, but all around the world. We get into the politics, the factions, a media driven by headlines and the larger than life figures in the Italian game which come together in the form of a distracting concert filled with self-interest and filling slow news days when fuller analysis reveals a greater and more serious threats to the integrity of the game. We discuss how the matches are fixed from first hand accounts, how club supporters have mischaracterized and interpreted the events and why now - more than ever - the Italian authorities may need to reach outside of their own jurisdiction for assistance. We detail the case of Antonio Bellavista, a former Bari captain, featured in a massive documentary on this topic, opens a window to the level of sophistication brought to bear when fixing matches and how the conspiracy theories and loud figures in the Italian game have surrendered their chief obligation of solving this crisis, instead choosing to play local politics and blur the lines between human error, miscalculation and actual corruption of the sport. This is an open discussion into this threat facing not only the Italian game, but also a number of leagues that are under target including Germany, Eastern Europe, Finland and even Canada. We also cover how the sporting justice system is still fighting the old ghosts of Calciopoli and still has not learned from its previous mistakes as new strategies and resources will need to be brought to the front lines if the FIGC can ever tip the balance. Then in the second part we look at some of the early favorites in the league, some of the new arrivals to Serie A and their prospects and even pick out a couple of mid-table teams who look very entertaining on paper at present. But most of this is about calcioscommesse and how Italian culture has begun to insulate how match-fixing and reactions to it within Italy. You will learn some gears, see why the authorities are exasperated and why the leading figures in the sport within the country are not serving it well at present and how the media is feeding the furor with no end in sight. If you have yet to hear of the Singapore connection and The Kelong Kings and what games they have fixed worldside, time to get informed and put down the distractions and headlines that are out there.

Phil and Anto are joined by Oliver Kay of The Times to take an early look at some of the favorites, emerging candidates and the new arrivals in the Premier League in advance of the Robin van Persie transfer to Manchester United, obviously against the backdrop of a potentially volatile transfer market that could emerge late amongst the top of the table. We open with the matter of the Community Shield as a starting point to put two major sticks in the ground involving Chelsea, off its big win in the Champions League and whether its transfer strategy has a sense of logic behind its current manager in Roberto Di Matteo or whether it reflects a lack of synergy with the challenge ahead. We also examine the issue of Financial Fair Play with Chelsea and Manchester City and if there is an issue ahead even with a brand new Premier League broadcasting deal that might not still offset the deficits behind run up yearly. We also examine the Jack Rodwell deal to Manchester City, the dynamics surrounding the suddenly problematic relationship between Roberto Mancini and Brian Marwood, and how financial planning may already be having an effect on their transfer plans. We also examine the offseason thus far for Arsene Wenger and Arsenal as well as the tough jobs in the cards for Andre Villas-Boas, Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool and Brian Laudrup at Swansea City and who exactly might have the toughest following act given the figures and results they have followed. We also examine the situation at Manchester United and whether they have done enough to wrestle the title back from Manchester City and whether this will be inevitably tied to the return of captain and defensive stopper Nemanja Vidic to top form for Sir Alex to take the spoils at the end. Then we close on the matter of the recently promoted sides at Southampton, Reading and West Ham United to examine whether we will get a repeat performance of last year when Swansea City, Norwich City and Queens Park Rangers all survived, then we get an introduction to each of these sides and their potential in their first seasons back in the Premier League including the coaches and key figures on each squad.