Episode 42: Reviewing the qualifiers and looking forward to Boca v Racing, with Joel Richards

In the forty-second episode of Hand Of Pod, we turn one year old (well, it was a few days ago). To mark the occasion, we’re joined by Joel Richards, and Seba, clearly afraid of being shown up, has scarpered. We discuss a disappointing result for Argentina against Bolivia, a very good result for Argentina against Colombia, and what it means for certain players (we’re looking at you, Martín Demichelis…). Joel also does a fine job of justifying José Sosa’s existe- sorry, place in the national side. We then shift our focus to the upcoming weekend, which sees first play second in La Bombonera. If Boca win against Racing, they’ll need just a point to claim the title. All this, plus another rant about the organisation of the Copa Argentina (a tournament Hand Of Pod is leading the world’s media in covering, pretty much). What more could you want?

As usual, Mystic Dan’s predictions for the fifteenth round are below, and you can click here to subscribe to us on iTunes.

Episode 38: Grondona’s inevitable election win & Chelsea’s young transfer target

Julio Grondona was named Argentine FA President for another four years as we recorded this episode, a development slightly more inevitable than the sun rising tomorrow. Sam, Seba, Dan and Dan look into the reasons behind FIFA Vice-President Grondona’s grip on Argentine football (by 2015 he’ll have been AFA President for 36 years), and why a hidden camera sting which caught him boasting about bribes and much more the day before the elections had no effect. We also run the rule over Lucas Ocampos, River Plate’s 17-year-old star who’s reportedly wanted by Chelsea, consider Boca Juniors’ options in replacing injured forward Lucas Viatri, and look at Independiente’s slowly improving form, before embarrassing ourselves by trying to list, off the tops of our heads, every football club whose stadium lies within the City of Buenos Aires.

As usual, Mystic Dan’s predicitions are listed below for round 12, and you can click here to subscribe on iTunes if you haven’t already done so.

 

Episode 36: the Avellaneda clásico, the standard of the Apertura, Argentina v Chile and more

In episode 36 of Hand Of Pod, Sam, Dan, Dan and Seba are joined by Asli Pellit and her lovely new (and very quiet) dog Vinicius. We discuss Asli’s trips to Córdoba and Porto Alegre, on the latter of which she met and interviewed Andrés D’Alessandro, as well as the reasons Brazil’s championship is better off than Argentina’s at present. We look back on the Avellaneda clásico on Sunday which saw a 1-1 draw between Racing and Independiente, and argue about whether it’s a boring league season or not. As well as this, Aussie Dan and Sam consider Ferro v River last Saturday, and we look forward to the start of the South American World Cup Qualifiers, which will be more competitive than ever this time round. Enjoy.

As usual, if you want to subscribe to us on iTunes you can click here.

Episode 34: Argentina’s first World Cup qualifying squad, and two rounds of Apertura matches

Alejandro Sabella has named his first competitive Argentina squad, in preparation for the big kick off at home to Chile early next month. In the thirty-fourth episode of Hand Of Pod, Sam, Dan, Dan and Seba discuss that, as well as a lot more. Boca Juniors top the Apertura table, whilst Lanús have fallen away; we wonder whether Atlético Rafaela really can last the distance, English Dan tells us of a lost virgin in Colón (stop sniggering), and we talk about the organisation of the brand-spanking-new Copa Argentina, and the influence of the infamous barra bravas on Argentine football. All this and more is right here for your listening pleasure.

As usual, Mystic Dan’s predictions are below, and Hand Of Pod is available on iTunes if you prefer to subscribe to us there.

Episode 31: Everton’s new centre forward, and the Apertura finally takes off

In the latest episode of Hand Of Pod, Sam and the Dans discuss Denis Stracqualursi, and what Everton fans can expect from him in the Premier League, and an interesting weekend of Torneo Apertura matches which saw the championship finally get going properly. We talk about Ricardo La Volpe’s possible return to Banfield (he’s since been confirmed as the new manager there), Alejandro Sabella’s possible first-ever Argentina starting XI, some animal nicknames which may or may not be used for Argentine players, and Gio Moreno’s probable return to the Racing team (via the subs’ bench) this coming weekend, among other subjects. Enjoy.

As usual, Mystic Dan’s predictions are below. And you can subscribe here on iTunes. Please send your feedback to sam [at] hastaelgolsiempre [dot] com.

Episode 29: Alejandro Sabella’s first Argentina squad(s), and the Apertura begins

The twenty-ninth episode of Hand Of Pod is, as the milkmaid said to the parson, quite a whopper. That’s largely because Sam, Australian Dan and Seba have not one but two rounds of Torneo Apertura matches to look back on, as well as River Plate’s historic debut in the Nacional B (second division). There’s more, though; before we can even get onto that, we’ve got – like those Apertura rounds – not one but two Argentina squads to discuss, with Alejandro Sabella having named both a full national team and a domestically-based side to take on Brazil. Carlos Tevez’s exclusion from the former, Juan Román Riquelme’s and Seba Verón’s inclusion in the latter, the new boys’ early performances in the Primera and the start of Vélez Sarsfield’s title defence; all this and much more is covered. And next week’s will be a more sensible length. We promise.

As usual, Mystic Dan’s predictions are below. You can subscribe to us on iTunes here, and please, if you’re resident or a citizen of the UK, sign the petition for the release of the Hillsborough files by clicking here.

Episode 20: Superclásico review, Maradona’s new job & more

For the 20th episode of Hand Of Pod, Sam, Dan, Dan and Seba welcome special guest Asli Pelit to the show. Asli’s a Turkish TV presenter who was at La Bombonera to see Boca Juniors beat River Plate 2-0 in Sunday’s superclásico, and as well as giving us her impressions of that game, she also shares her thoughts on the most intelligent interviewees by position on the pitch, Julio Grondona’s Argentina mafia connections, and the sandwiches at Colón (worth remembering if you’re heading to a Copa América game in Santa Fe). We consider Diego Maradona’s prestigious new managerial position, and offer to act as underwear models for a well-known Argentine brand. Oh, and we debate the age of Racing striker Teófilo Gutiérrez. He turns 26 today (17th May), so well done Aussie Dan.

As ever, you can listen here, and subscribe on iTunes for your regular fix. Mystic Dan’s predictions are below the ‘Continue reading’ line.

Episode 19: the 2011 Clausura superclásico preview

In the nineteenth episode of Hand Of Pod, Sam, Dan, Seba and Dan greet a couple of special guests to preview this Sunday’s superclásico in La Bombonera. Samuel (no, not Sam) is our tamed River Plate fan, and the four of us try to keep him from attacking Boca Juniors fan Ariel. The team discuss the key players, our guests’ memories of previous superclásicos, predictions and more, as well as looking over the action from the weekend just gone and contemplating Vélez Sarsfield’s status as the only Argentine side in the quarter-finals of the Copa Libertadores.

Sam is the author of Hasta El Gol Siempre. Australian Dan runs Argentina Football World, English Dan edits Goal.com’s South American section (to which Boca-supporting guest Ariel is a contributor), and Seba is the websmaster of Mundo Albiceleste. In spite of their Spanish names, both HEGS and MA are English-language sites. Clicking each of our names above will take you to our Twitter accounts.

As ever, you can listen right here or subscribe to Hand Of Pod on iTunes. The videos mentioned in the pod of goals from previous supers are below, as are Mystic Dan’s predictions.

Episode 18: Four clásicos in three days, Riquelme’s TV ad & Lamela to Juventus?

In the eighteenth episode of Hand Of Pod, Sam, Dan and Dan have to make do without Seba, but attempt nonetheless to sum up an action-packed weekend in the 2011 Torneo Clausura. As well as four clásicos and a seven-goal thriller in Banfield, we discuss Vélez Sarsfield’s and Estudiantes’ diverging form (and their Copa Libertadores chances for Thursday night), the news that Ángel Cappa and Gimnasia La Plata have parted company (as Sam guessed at a week or two ago), and Erik Lamela’s possible move before long to Europe. There’s also a Juan Román Riquelme TV ad (which we’ve got right here for your viewing pleasure), and a cautionary tale of what happens when a footballer thinks with his balls rather than his head.

As ever, you can listen to the pod right here, and subscribe to us on iTunes if you want to get it as soon as it’s out each week. Next week’s the superclásico special, so don’t miss out!

Mystic Dan’s predictions – and that Riquelme TV spot – are right here for those who’d like to read on.

Episode 14: Boca’s revival, River Plate’s liquid football, & the world’s tightest league?

In the fourteenth episode of Hand Of Pod, Sam, Dan and Dan are once again back on the fernet (after an alcohol-free episode 13), whilst Seba is dry as ever. We discuss the two giants of Argentine football; Boca Juniors, who had another Riquelme-inspired win, and River Plate, who scored an absolutely fantastic goal which their latest wunderkid was at the heart of. We also take in the rest of Argentina’s ‘Big Five’, and Seba gives us some historical context on why they’re called that. We also look at how just six points separate the leaders from the team in sixteenth, halfway through the season. As well as warning us why you should never venture to Boca’s stadium without a massively overpriced tour guide, Mystic Dan is back with his predictions – place bets on four of these results this weekend, we just can’t tell you which four – and Zombie, once again, is chasing his own tail. One day we’ll get that on a videocast for you all.

As usual, read below the ‘Continue reading’ line for Mystic Dan’s predictions. And if you’d like to subscribe to iTunes and haven’t done so yet, you can do so right here.