Russian Football Now Podcast: Thinking Bilyaletdinov, Transfers

On this edition of Russian Football Now, Chris and Richard welcome friend of the show Zach Woosley. Zach is the proprietor of Ginge Talks the Footy, contributor to the Winning Ugly Radio and American Soccer Show podcasts, and an avowed supporter of Everton FC in England. RFN welcomes his thoughts about one of [...]

RFN Podcast #15: Russia Misses South Africa

On the 15th edition of the Russian Football Now podcast, Chris and I are joined by Martyn Hindley, the English-language voice of Premier League matches. The three of us discuss the Russian’s disappointing result in Maribor against Slovenia. Despite being many’s dark-horse candidate to do well at the World Cup, Russia failed to [...]

RFN: The Four Keys to Russian Failure, Success

Leg one in Moscow showed Russia to be superior to Slovenia but perfectly capable of losing. However you wish to look at the 2-1 Saturday win, Russia is now a 1-0 loss away from missing out on South Africa, and going up against one of the best defending teams in the region, the result is [...]

Russian Football Now Podcast #14: Russia-Slovenia Review

On the fourteenth episode of Russian Football Now, my co-host Chris Riordan and I look at Saturday’s result from Luzhniki in Moscow, where a late Slovenia goal cut Russia’s lead in half going into Wednesday’s second leg. Perhaps more important, Slovenia now has an an away goal, and with a 1-0 victory in the [...]

Russia-Slovenia Preview: How Slovenia Can Beat Russia

If you remember my Russia-Germany preview, you knew this was coming.

Over at Russian Football Now, I examine tomorrow’s Leg 1 of the Russia-Slovenia UEFA World Cup playoff. The article is long, self-indulgent, and tedious, but it does outline a way that Slovenia can make it to South Africa.

Here’s a hint:

If Slovenia does have a [...]

Inside the Six, Ep. #50: Part Two of WCQ Previews, MLS Conference Finals Preview

In the 50th (yep, already at 50) episode of Inside the Six, we continue looking forward to an exciting and important weekend of international football.

Dave Trotter from FrenchLeague.WordPress.com – who I suppose we can call our France correspondent – talks to me about the Ireland-France match-up in the UEFA playoffs.

In the second segment, Chris Riordan [...]

Russian Football Now Podcast #13: Russia-Slovenia Preview

On the 13th episode of the Russian Football Now podcast, Chris Riordan and myself take an in-depth look at the upcoming Russia-Slovenia World Cup qualifying playoff, which opens this weekend at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. We look at the Slovenia squad, Guus Hiddinks lineup choices, and Russia’s tactical options.

With the Premier League through [...]

CSKA Moscow-Rubin Kazan Preview at Russian Football Now

With Spartak Moskow’s shot loss today, Rubin Kazan could take control of the league with a win tomorrow. Problem? They go to Luzhniki Stadium to face CSKA Moscow having not gotten a result in this match for three years. Over at Russian Football Now, I take a look at the match-up and [...]

Russian Football Now Podcast #12: Champions League Review

On the 12th episode of Russian Football Now’s podcast, Chris Riordan and myself talk about a successful week for Russian teams in Champions League, were both Rubin Kazan and CSKA Moscow took points from a finalist in last season’s UCL tournament. Oh how things have changes for a league that saw both of its [...]

Russian Football Now Podcast #11: Ramos, League, and UCL

On the 11th episode of Russian Football Now, Chris Riordan and myself continue to discuss the ramifications of Juande Ramos’s exit from CSKA Moscow, but that’s not the only news from around the Russian Premier League. With only four rounds left in the league season, transfer rumors are starting to surface.  We talk about those [...]