Episodes
This Saturday should have been the 2020 Champions League Final, with thousands descending on the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul, 15 years after the Miracle of Istanbul in 2005 took place on the same turf. Other circumstances mean that can't be the case, but we thought it was a good time to look back on the last 20 finals and rank them in terms of entertainment, drama and footballing quality.  Would the last visit to the Ataturk top the list? Or could it be topped by La Decima, or the Madness in...
Published 05/27/20
So says Charlie Stillitano, perhaps the best connected man in the US soccer sphere. We were lucky enough to be joined by Charlie, Executive Chairman of Relevent Sports, the company that hosts the International Champions Cup, and host on The Football Show on SiriusXM FC. We cover everything from across the world of football, from La Liga to the Champions League, the idea of a Super League to robots in football. There's a lot to cover, but it's a ride through some of the most contentious ideas...
Published 05/22/20
Yes it was a bit strange. No it wasn't perfect. But it was a damn sight better than nothing and we loved having football back on our screens! Jack and Sam are joined by Bundesliga commentator James Thorogood to talk through the weekend's action and see what we can glean from it, not only just for Germany, but for the rest of the world too. We talk empty stadiums, the benefits of home advantage, explosive fullbacks, Achraf Hakimi's impending return to Real Madrid and Kai Havertz's next move,...
Published 05/20/20
USMNT and Schalke star Weston McKennie joins the Rank Squad to talk the return of the Bundesliga, the Revierderby against Dortmund the future of the USMNT, and chilling with Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams, as well as ranking all the Harry Potter films and much more!
Published 05/15/20
The Bundesliga returns, football returns. Here's what you need to know!
Published 05/13/20
Five players you need to know about who are on the verge of making the hop to some of Europe's biggest footballing institutions.
Published 05/06/20
There might be a pause on football, but there's no pause on the rumours linking Europe's future stars to the elite clubs coveting them. In this episode we look at future superstar hotbed Ligue 1, talking the players you need to know before the summer window, why you need to know about them, and where they look to be headed. We talk Ibrahim Sangare, Victor Osimhen, Moussa Dembele, Houssem Aouar and Eduardo Camavinga, as well as a few more star names on their way to the top; before Sam brings...
Published 05/06/20
Marcus Rashford talked to Ranks' Sam Tighe about what he's been up to in quarantine, the possibility of Jadon Sancho coming to Manchester United, his dream six-a-side team and much more.
Published 05/02/20
Newcastle United are in the middle of a takeover which, if completed, will see them become the richest club in England, by some distance. But you can't just wave a magic wand and create a brand new club in one go, so we thought we'd put together a blueprint-not just for Newcastle, but for any club who suddenly find themselves mega rich, and want to spend it wisely. This is what the #RankSquad came up with...
Published 04/29/20
It's NFL Draft week and we wanted to get involved in the fun, so we thought we'd set up the inaugural #RanksDraft. We got an old friend of the Rank Squad, Jimmy Conrad, on the phone; and we got ourselves a draft order and picked our World XI's to face off against each other when football resumes. It's chaos, and it's all sorts of fun-and you should play with your mates too. If you do, let us know using #RanksDraft on Twitter and Instagram!
Published 04/22/20
There are great players, and then there are the greatest players ever. Loads of them have never won football's most prestigious individual award, however. We look at five of those greats who never held up that Golden Ball, look at why it never happened for them and consider when it might have done. This is B/R Football Ranks, putting football back in the right order.
Published 04/15/20
There have been 10 transfers in football history that have cost more than €100 million. You know the names. Neymar. Ronaldo. Griezmann. Hazard. Pogba. Dembele. Coutinho. Mbappe. Bale. Felix. There's discussion, disagreements and drama, as we take Sam's ranking to task over his placements. This is B/R Football Ranks, doing what we do best.
Published 04/08/20
Gianni Infantino dropped us a message this morning asking us to play out what we thought would happen in this year's UCL. Not wanting to let the big boys down, we obliged, talking through every tie left, including a live draw for the quarter and semi-finals, to work out who should be crowned Champions of Europe right now. It wasn't easy. There's tough decisions to be made about the fate of both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, we discuss whether Atalanta's fairytale sparkle could take...
Published 04/01/20
Lockdown and isolation meant one thing-the chance to sit down and forensically analyse the biggest football debate of our time. The Rank Squad looked at ten categories to compare the two men who have dominated the stage at the Ballon d'Or and beyond for 12 years and counting: Aesthetics, Physicality, Skill, Finishing, Creativity, Teamwork, Penalties, Free Kicks, Adaptability and Clutch Moments. From there, it's up to you. With no football taking place, we threw Hot Takes to you, and you...
Published 03/25/20
These are strange times, and without football to comment on every hour of every day, what do you do as a football fan with your waking hours? Luckily, the #RankSquad are here to help, with an episode that promises to highlight the best of football books, films, documentaries, classic games, video games, and podcasts to keep you occupied during this barren spell. There's also some words of advice from some old friends of the Rank Squad - Alexis from The Cooligans, comedian Rhys James, former...
Published 03/18/20
The Premier League Hall of Fame inducts its first two members later this month and ahead of that celebration, we decided to try and work out exactly who those players should be. The Rank Squad were joined by Miguel Delaney, Chief Football Writer at The Independent, to work through the top 10 players he would place into the Hall of Fame - the only caveats were that only their PL games counted, and that they had to have retired. It made for some interesting results... Need, Want, Love gave us...
Published 03/11/20
Change can be a good thing, especially in the world of football. The Rank Squad were joined by Harry Brooks, football coach at Round World Royals, to talk about the professional players he coaches, and the superstars-in-waiting who could do with a change of position or system to really unlock their potential. We talk about some of the most exciting wonderkids coming through, why he thinks Liverpool selling Mo Salah might be a sensible option this summer and a host of other tactical bits....
Published 03/04/20
It's one of the biggest games on the planet and it takes place this weekend - El Clasico: Real Madrid vs. Barcelona, Castilia vs. Catalunya, at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid. Not only that, but it's got a title in the balance - before it kicks off, Barcelona sit two points clear of their great rivals at the summit of La Liga, but will they open up the gap under new boss Quique Setien or will Los Blancos swing things back in their favour. The Rank Squad, including Sam Tighe live and...
Published 02/26/20
Knockout competitions are one thing, but it's league titles that show a team's supremacy best over the course of a longer period. Football writer Tom Williams joined Dean and Sam to talk through how Europe's finest teams this season would get on if they were in a 20-team, 38-game season; and who would come out on top. There's plenty of debate and disagreement as Sam places teams from across the continent from 1 to 20, and who doesn't even make the cut. It's another 10-minute special for...
Published 02/19/20
Fantasy PL is one of our favourite things, but it provides some real pain to us all on a regular basis. The latest member of the Rank Squad is Rambo, host of the Premier League's official FPL YouTube show, 'FPL FYI', who joins us to discuss some of the worst things that can happen to you as an FPL manager. We start, as ever, with Hot Takes. We discuss Manchester City's rebuild as Dean gives us the lowdown on City's transfer targets for the summer; revisit our interview with Bayern's...
Published 02/12/20
Liverpool have taken 100 points out of the last 102 available in the Premier League. They have lost 2 games this season, one of which was whilst playing a youth team. This team, frankly, looks unstoppable. But can they be halted in their tracks by a team who they have still to play? We take a look at how teams should set up to try and best the Champions-in-waiting. We start, as ever, with Hot Takes. We discuss whether Real Madrid are potentially the most long-term prepared team in Europe,...
Published 02/05/20
Which clubs are in trouble as the window draws to a close? The Rank Squad take a look at some of the teams across Europe who look right now that they might have some real problems going into the second half of the season, from those desperately in need of signings, to those desperately in need of some leadership, to those desperately in need of a soul. Hot Takes includes a discussion on Josip Ilicic, the man on fire in Europe right now; where Krzysztof Piątek could end up if he leaves the...
Published 01/29/20
It's the January Transfer Window and to many that means wasted money, desperate bids, and deadline day madness - but it doesn't have to be so! Jack, Dean and Sam take a look at some of the best January transfers to go down in recent years, from those who have flipped a huge profit on sensible recruits, to the players who have gone on to be the bedrock of their teams, leading them to new heights and glories. We start with a good old game of Who Am I? Before launching into Hot Takes, where we...
Published 01/22/20
Barcelona have themselves a new manager, Quique Setien, and he's a man well liked around these parts. Sam Tighe and Jack Collins give you the lowdown on what to expect from the new man in the Nou Camp hot seat and how he'll impose his style of play on a side who many feel have not reached their potential under Erneste Valverde. Our favourite comedian, Rhys James, joins us for his hat-trick appearance on the show, and as a Tottenham fan, we give him a therapy session on how he has coped with...
Published 01/15/20
New Year, New Predictions. With a new calendar on the go, Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and Jack Collins take a look to the 12 months ahead to see what the big stories are going to be. We talk Gabriel Martinelli's rise to stardom, whether Leeds can return to the big time in England, Kylian Mbappe's goalscoring feats, Kalidou Koulibaly's future and who will be lifting the Champions League trophy in May. In a revamped Hot Takes, we discuss James Maddison's future amid speculation Manchester United...
Published 01/08/20