A Football Report

Business Time - AFR Voice, Ep 18.

It’s early May, which in footballing terms generally means one thing: it’s business time. And AFR Voice is punching in for this week’s audio shift with plenty to talk about. Whether it be a 33-man match in Norway, horror challenges on reporters in Denmark, or the hottest thing out of the Madrid branch of IKEA since someone burnt the meatballs, we’ve got it covered.

The Premier League title may be all wrapped up and tucked away safely in Manchester, but there’s still plenty to play for. We’ll be taking a look at the cross-London melee for the final Champions League places, whilst at the other end, any team not in the top half of the table will be nervously looking over their shoulders as Wigan make their customary late push for survival (if they’re not too busy winning the FA Cup).

Then we hop down into the lower leagues where there was a crazy final day in the Championship, and Paddy waxes lyrical about the play-offs as the league pyramid continues to shuffle itself for a couple more weeks yet.

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AFR Voice Special - Graeme Le Saux & Faye White

The Champions League trophy has landed in London and AFR Voice can proudly say it had a hand in the journey after UEFA kindly invited us to see the famous big-eared trophy travel through the capital. The curvaceous silverware was transported via tube, taxi and London bus on it’s way to the home of English football for the glamour final.

You can watch the rather unusual journey here. 

Happily, we hopped on the bus to speak to the cup’s security guard for the day, Chelsea, Blackburn and England legend Graeme Le Saux. He told us about his Champions League experiences, what he makes of Jose Mourinho’s mooted return to Chelsea, and his take on the controversially late kick off for the FA Cup final. 

In this interview special pod, we also spoke to ex-England women’s captain Faye White who was marshalling the women’s trophy through the sea of star-struck and slightly bemused commuters. We chatted about the health of the women’s game, the pros and cons of wearing a protective mask in the biggest game of your life and whether Arsene Wenger should get the boot.

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When Rachid Mekhloufi took the struggle for Algerian independence to the pitch

By Shireen Ahmed

In April 1958, Rachid Mekhloufi, the great St. Etienne striker was 21 years old. Mekhloufi along with nine other players, left their careers in France and returned to Tunis to comprise the first FLN squad. They were playing for a country that did not yet exist. Algeria was in the beginnings of an uprising against its’ colonizer France. Their move would be analyzed, critiqued and applauded by many.

“For me personally, the page was turned because I knew I could never play for France or St. Etienne again” - Mekhloufi

Mekhloufi left France and continued to travel and play against other team in North Africa and abroad. France tried to intervene by requesting that FIFA adhere a status of non-recognition to the FLN squad and disallow such matches. FIFA was only able to implement such restrictions in certain countries.

FLN won over 65 matches in four years and their success meant that the silent and powerful gesture of voluntarily leaving Les Blues could not be ignored. Millions in France who supported the players suddenly became aware of the determination of the FNL squad to see an independent Algeria.

But it was also an intense gamble. The situation in Algeria became worse and there were countless deaths and many of the players still had family in France.

The players persevered and were able to delight their fans and their countryfolk. The FLN propelled a campaign of pro-independence through their majesty on the pitch. Without taking up arms they were able to show the highest form of nationalistic pride, using a football.

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The Long Road to Rio - AFR Voice Ep 15

We may be in the middle of an International break but AFR Voice isn’t taking a time out. No sir. We’ve got our passports out and spend this week’s podcast picking up some serious air miles as we charge around the globe bringing you everything you need to know about the World Cup qualifiers on 5 different continents.

So as teams from around the world have pulled out of the international lay-by and got back on the road to Brazil 2014, we start off by looking at the delicately poised groups in Europe, discuss if a pre-qualifying stage for so-called International “minnows” is a good idea, and look at the possibility of Montenegro installing trap doors under the pitch against England in an act of gamesmanship.

Then it’s off around the world where the USMNT have been fighting snow, frost and Costa Rica in the Hex, Lionel Messi has been getting some extra camera time in South America, and New Zealand have qualified top of the Oceania group (but Shane Smeltz has still been left with a qualification headache).

There’s also time for a quick round-up of all of the week’s MLS action, a special look at the Australian A-League (where it really is business time), plus we discuss what it takes to get the Blackburn managerial job, and why everything on Wikipedia must be true.

Get in touch with the team to mock Paddy’s poor betting selections, suggest more leagues to cover, or anything else for that matter - tweet us on @AFRvoice, or email afrvoice@gmail.com. You can also subscribe to AFR Voice on iTunes and find us on Soundcloud. Do it.

The comeback / La remontada

The Copa del Rey was lost. Doubt was rising throughout Europe, but Barça showed us that nothing has changed. Before the match, Piqué said, “Any fan who doesn’t think we can turn it round against Milan should give his ticket for the game to someone who does.” The Camp Nou crowd supported their side all night long. This one was for Tito, and it was a performance for the ages.

[Posted by Eric. Gifs by Dale Con Comba]

Swans Glide into Europe - AFR Voice Ep.13

Was the Capital One League Cup Final the biggest fairy-tale final of all time? With Swansea’s remarkable resurgence since flirting with relegation to non-league football in 2003 and Bradford’s relentless giant-slaying cup run, it was a game where any result could be cherished – and cherish it we do, with a full match analysis and examination of each club’s heart-warming stories.

After that resplendent walk in a field of football calm, we scamper through the weekend’s high-octane Premier League games and it’s Tottenham Hotspur who are getting all of our attention – great coach, world class talisman, likeable players - we’ve got a stranger feeling in our stomachs… we think we’ve fallen in love with Spurs.

Talking of the North London side, we’ll be talking to Tottenham and Liverpool legend Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock. Larger than life, choc-full of anecdotes and hearty belly-laughs – he tells us all about his famous dust-up with Eric Cantona, Liverpool’s current prospects and his old ties with Paolo Di Canio, which seamlessly enough draws us into a look at the bizarre goings on at the League One club.

In our final leg, we receive a preview of the new MLS season courtesy of a severely jet-lagged Alex and we merrily skip around the European Leagues. Whilst the championships may be pretty much over in Bundesliga, La Liga and Seria A, we turn to the red-hot chases for Champions League places instead, including a hard-fought Milan derby. Although, there really is only one news story in town; Diego Maradona (and his lawyers) return to Italian soil for the first time in 8 years!

All that, plus news of plans to erect slides at St James’s Park (we kid you not), and considerable salivation over some truly special goals from Dimitar Berbatov, Papiss Cisse and Rafael.

You can get in touch with the team by tweeting @AFRvoice or emailing afrvoice@gmail.com. You can also subscribe to AFR Voice on iTunes and find us on Soundcloud. Do it.

Real Madrid vs Manchester United. The Special One vs Sir Alex. And so the story continues…

The Champions League returned last night, and while Juventus and PSG already have one foot in the quarterfinals, the colossal fixture between Real Madrid and Manchester United kicks off at the Bernabeu. It’s a truer welcome back in our mind. Ronaldo’s hair will be full of gel, Sir Alex will be wearing multiple watches, and Mourinho will certainly leave us with a memorable quote.

Before you head to your mate’s place to swoon over Özil’s eyes footwork for Valentine’s Day, get informed about how these two sides stack up currently and throughout history. [Infographic by Kitbag. GIF by Dale Con Comba. Posted by Eric]

Africa Cup Of Nations Debrief - AFR Voice Ep.12

What a couple of weeks it’s been in the world of football. We start with an interview with ESPN FC’s Mark Lomas to talk all things African Cup of Nations, before discussing the possible implications of the Europol match fixing scandal, what it means for football, and if there is a solution to the problem.

Elsewhere (in case you hadn’t noticed) David Beckham has signed for PSG, the Premier League has seen one of its finest own goals, and England have pretty much made themselves favourites to win next year’s World Cup. So strap in and let the latest edition of AFR Voice take you through all of the issues that you need to know (as well as plenty of stuff that you don’t), including bridal showers at the Bernabéu, a delightful selection of carpets in Turkey, and a new kind of card being brandished by referees in the Greek lower leagues.

We’ll also be taking time to get under the skin of this weekend’s Premier League action and decide if Manchester United already have the title sown up, before heading overseas to discuss toiler humour in Germany, running baths in France, and just how the USMNT are going to fight their way out of the most sinister-sounding of World Cup qualifying rounds – the Hex.

As always, you can get in touch with the team by tweeting @AFRvoice or emailing afrvoice@gmail.com.