Loi Weekly

It's the 7 year itch! We scratch the surface of the upcoming season in episode 1 - 'The Return of the Pod' . After Johnny's winter in the lingerie section of Brown Thomas and Dan's Qatari World Cup adventure, not much has changed on Planet Pod. Johnny still has high hopes for Galway, Dan still reckons this is the biggest season ever, and 90's goth-pop and R&B makes the inevitable return. But to help the dynamic duo get back down to the reality of what's coming up we've asked Mark Rossiter and John Martin to help with an analysis of the comings and goings over the last few months to help predict how this season of all seasons will pan out. We swipe right on transfer tinder and the saga of Dundalk's multiple logins, we ask "Can Derry take Rovers?", we look at the return of 'older' managers to challenge Johnny's favourite law firm, and there's the Mono Stand, cash wages, a bumper bumper mailbag and an almost-epic Collar & Cuff competition. As usual by the end of the hour in studio there still isn't a concrete a

Right before Dan goes to Qatar and Johnny loses another laptop we've gathered for the last dance. Regular sideman, Pat Fenlon is joined in studio by the man who once saved his job! Yes, none other than Eoin Doyle, who missed the Mendoza Line by half a goal this season but will be fresher next season after dragging his heart around St Anne's Park in the off season trying to remember who Stevie Nicks is. Alan Reynolds is f*cking live from Derry where low key celebrations and pre season planning is well under way following the minor distraction of a game last weekend. The victorious assistant joins us to discuss Lansdowne demons, big life decisions and his inability to get through a sentence without cursing. As 40 year old Johnny prepares for his one man crusade against Galway Utd next season, Dan has an insight on how to wear flares, the mailbag has the LOI Central drinking game (had to happen), and the lads in studio cast their thoughts forward to next season. All of this is subject to the continued and rather

It's the second to second last episode of the pod and cup final fever is intertwined with Johnny's playoff sickness in a colourful episode. Our roving Galway reporter took a break from venting his frustration to make the unfamiliar trip to the Aviva Stadium where he interviews Ruaidhri Higgins without impersonating him and finally gets up close and personal with his old mate Damien Duff, who is in reflective mood and content to let sleeping giants lie. We also hear from Luke Byrne and Brandon Kavanagh for a player perspective on Sunday's showpiece, while Dan expands on the new minimum wage, Shels investment and the other big stories of the week in a packed mailbag. In this exciting time for fans of big events, we also talk Dylan (McGlade), (Joe) Kendrick Lamar tickets, and muse over what the Finn Harps show will be like without Ollie Horgan. All this because Future Ticketing, Porterhouse Brewery and Collar and Cuff have stuck with us through thick and thicker. It's not dark yet....but it's getting there!

This episode takes us from Dundalk to Dubai. You might think this brings us to discussion of carefree spending in a controversial environment and we do that before getting to the Dubai part. Yes, Andy Boyle chats with Dan about the exhilaration of qualifying for Europe after living through a rollercoaster of emotion at Dundalk as he reaches the end of a contract handed out in the calm before the storm of the Peak6 era. Will he stay or will he go? Our other guest, Sean O'Shea, was willing to pack up his stable existence in Dubai last month and relocate to Dalymount but his ambition to take over Bohemians didn't come to pass. We hear from Sean about why working in Ireland was an attraction and what Shamrock Rovers can expect in Sweden after his time there. On top of that, we've got John Caulfield, dangerous Galway optimism, windy Johnny, quiz controversy and giveaway shirts and beer as the winter draws in. Get warm and join us.

This week's show takes us from Two Stars to the Lone Star State, from Tallaght to Texas, with the confirmation of three leagues in a row for Shamrock Rovers the natural starting point. With his ears burning from repeated mentions, Pico Lopes dialled in to reflect on his central role in the Rovers rise to their 20th title, the surreal nature of winning it while sitting on the couch and a crazy year which will live long in his memory. We didn't get to ask where appearing on this pod ranked in comparison to AFCON in Cameroon, buying a house, getting engaged and turning 30. After your mailbag thoughts on playoffs, Brayoffs and Johnny's anti-Supermacs agenda, we go Stateside to check in with former Sligo Rovers midfielder Richie Ryan about a storied football life that was reignited by a slap in the face at just the right time. We also get to the bottom of the age old Vegas or Sligo debate? Tune in for the definitive answer

Title race? Anyone? Anyone? Well this week we are joined by two lads who know a thing or two about them. Mark Rossiter and Colin Hawkins join us for a healthy dose of nostalgia and bad knees. There are four sided stadiums, badly planned birthdays, Jose Duffrinho, and self confessed shouty man from Donegal, Aidan McNelis, telling us how Finn Harps are hoping to upgrade their stadium. As usual we've to thank Future Ticketing, Collar and Cuff, and Porterhouse Brewery for the non stop roller coaster ride that won't be going on all day!

As the Bohs search for a new manager continues, we bring two together on this week's show with Colin Healy in Cork and Gary Cronin in studio talking First Division matters, playoff games, future plans and the difficult business of knowing when it's time to say goodbye. We also get a bit of FAI Cup insight, evidence that Paul Doolin once admitted he got something wrong and much more besides. On top of that, there's carbon footprints all over the studio, soundalike competition winners, the big Rovers in Europe debate, and Dan's breakdown of breaking Bohs news. The one thing we do know is that Future Ticketing, Porterhouse Brew, and Collar & Cuff keep on keeping us on. Enjoy the ride folks, it's fun while it lasts!

While Dan is in Molde with Shamrock Rovers, which is basically a colder Craggy Island where Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could be wearing an "I Shot JR" t shirt, Johnny hooks up with footballer/publican John Mountney who discusses Stevie, dodgy knees, and JW’s quest for a free pint. We also have Brian Maher on size being irrelevant, the pain of Israel and the joy of being the most obvious keeper in Derry since that nice lad in Derry Girls. There's the finest cakes in all of humanity for the niche Richard E Grant fans, the early finishes at Oktoberfest and all of the shenanigans are courtesy of Collar and Cuff, Future Ticketing, Malone Financial Services and Porterhouse Brew. You want it here and you want it now...

In a turn of events more unexpected than Armenia's comeback at the Aviva, Keith Long came to join us this week for a discussion on Bohs and much more besides. We discussed the all-consuming nature of management, the highs and lows of his Dalymount era and discuss his difficult departure, the emotions of 2022 and the lingering what ifs after eight years in charge. Keith also grapples with our mailbag questions and suggests he might even make this more than a one-time appearance. Before that, we have Johnnys 40th birthday scheduling conundrum, alternative uses for hoovers, Rovers' mini slump, and blazer watch. As usual you can blame Future Ticketing, Collar & Cuff, Porterhouse Brew, and Malone Financial Services for putting you though all of this silliness!

The boys are back in town....but only at the right time. Luke Byrne and Sean Boyd join us in studio after Shelbourne's defeat of Bohemians on Sunday to reflect on the big win, Boyd's rebirth, Damien Duff's video making skills and the pre-season training rules that brought the old pals closer together. We also hear from Tommy Barrett about Treaty United's unlikely cup run, and a jibe about the Galway flavour in the dressing room that leaves Johnny even more hot and bothered than when he wore his Collar and Cuff blazer to Greece. The lads debate Shamrock Rovers' European concessions, a pub debate that could just as easily take place in a jacuzzi. We find out that Sean and Luke know where we can get one as quick change Johnny sports a Christian prayer group, jacuzzi-ready look. Future Ticketing, Collar and Cuff and The Porterhouse Brew are at least partly responsible for this 87 minutes of your life that you'll never get back!

In a week where a nation mourned the passing of its royalty, our LOI royalty went on holidays! This week, Dan and Johnny and a huge carbon footprint come together to bring you the second instalment of our Lost Lane Livecast with Chris Shields, Dave Webster and Eoin Doyle. During a night of high spirits we talked about stealing FAI cups and jollies to Scottish ones, the reflex action to fill the petrol tank on deadline day, religious flip flops, sirloin steaks, and which one of our panelists was a sliding door away from playing up front with David Villa for a season? All of these shenanigans would not be possible without Future Ticketing, Collar & Cuff, and Porterhouse Brew. Listen responsibly, there may be the odd swear word!

After 6 podcast seasons, an aborted season of TV shows, 3 studios, 3 producers, half a dozen engineers, and a bucketload of flat whites, Dan and Johnny have made it to the big time! Recorded before a live audience in Dublin 2 at Lost Lane on a Sunday evening, Ireland manager Stephen Kenny joins the LOI community for a memorable chat from Tallaght Town to Serie B, from best players to adapting formations to Longford Town and everything in between, even Johnny gets "managed". On the couch alongside the Dundalk legend is another legend of the north east, Chris Shields and between the two of them they field a host of questions from our audience. It's all in association with the Porterhouse Brew, Collar & Cuff, Malone Financial Services and Future Ticketing. It's almost live and it's here now!

It's live show week - please come and join us this Sunday (tickets are here https://eventlist.store/loicentral/leagueofirelandcentral?ftredirect=1) - and while live podcasting isn't as risky as live radio, we learned that it can get complicated this week with Bohemians parting company with Keith Long AFTER we had recorded our show and our chat with Pat Fenlon about affairs at Dalymount. Fear not; we come to you with podcast version 2.0 with the instant reaction to the Long news from Dan and Johnny inserted into our wide ranging chat with Pat about Linfield regrets, the scope of the Shamrock Rovers revolution and all the other news of the week. We hear from Patrick McEleney post-Derry and reflect on Dan's 40th as we prepare to test that theory that life does really begin at that age - you'll find out the answer in Lost Lane this Sunday

Why is Lorcan Fitzgerald so angry? We try to get to the bottom of that question this week but Johnny just wants to hear about our studio guest’s favourite trip to Galway back in the day when he was just a player and not a player/coach wondering what the future holds for him. We were delighted to have Lorcan pop in ahead of Wexford’s big cup date with Dundalk and the only disappointment is that the clock defeated Keith Ward’s injury time text to Johnny. Dan also recounts his trip to Hungary, and we hear Rory Gaffney’s extremely modest theory on the areas where LOI clubs struggle on their travels. Meanwhile, Drogheda United chairman Conor Hoey drops in via Skype to discuss the reaction to his article declaring the club should go pro. And we debate if fitting a GoPro to a LOI player would result in some horrible misdeeds coming to light. As usual there's the mailbag and the Porterhouse Brew quiz, the live show update (tickets on sale Thursday folks!), and all of this comes thanks to our great friends at Future T

For fear of being sued for adapting a Nobel Laureate's lyrics, we're coming out of Como and Budapest. Radio signal, clear as can be expected, as we check in with Cesc Fabregas' team mate Liam Kerrigan in Como who is holed up indoors before 4pm and will be looking for Johnny's English girl approximately under the leaning tower. Liam also fills us in on his years at UCD and his relationship with Marc Bircham, and the joys of Italian arm waving. Dan looks forward to the Rovers Hungarian trip, out of Dublin, there's a full mailbag, a dispute over an article in the Sunday papers, and a St Pats Euro analysis as well as full league lookahead and a quiz with Porterhouse brews. Plus! Save the date, buy a hat, book a taxi, because we're giving you a day out! All of this is with Future Ticketing, Collar and Cuff and Porterhouse Brews. So stay on the road, follow the highway sign, it's all going down in a lost lane.

As we bask in the summer heatwave drinking Ice-T, Stephen Bradley's Shamrock Rovers bask in European glory after 'routinely' disposing of Shkupi Shkupi Dog Dog. We hear from the manager of the victorious team from Tallaght as well as welcoming another Tallaght native into our studio. Graham Gartland returns to the pod to cast his assessment of Bradley's performance, a look ahead to Saint Pats big game, the young talent at Rovers, Johnny's apparent development of ADHD, stock car racing in the 80s, and Paul Doolin's inside legs. On top of that Johnny gets new shorts from our very good friends at Collar and Cuff, there's an article that Dan may or may not have written, a Porterhouse Brew quiz prize, and let's not forget the good people at Future Ticketing for making all of this malarkey possible! Oh, and if you've spotted the Father Ted reference give yourself an extra star!

By all accounts this week's pod takes 'interesting' to a new level. This weeks mistakenly identified guest is John Martin, who didn't play as a number 10 for UCD in either 1999 or 2000, but did play in midfield and was assistant manager with Longford Town. John drops by LOI towers to talk about the business of sport, CEO training, the FAI's strategy plan, his experiences as a player and a coach, and the exploits of his football family. The dynamic duo also have time to discuss what was the best Irish goal in Europe, inflationary croissants, the Dalymount saga, and why we should play Scottish teams in every round! There's the usual Porterhouse Brew competition, the mailbag, look ahead to the weekend and as usual a detailed examination of how Galway United are going to win the cup. Thanks, as always, to Future Ticketing, Collar and Cuff, and Porterhouse Brew and by all accounts, thats it!

This week, Didi and Gogo are unaccompanied in studio as the pod takes a darker turn. Suitably dressed in all black, our accidental heroes ruminate on life, death, and European competitions. With voices from far flung lands, like John Russell from Sligo, Jamie Lennon and Jon Daly from Saint Pats and Gary O'Neill from Shamrock Rovers, our protagonists try to see the bright side of the week's adventures while fondling bread and lamenting the fiver coffee. There are lighter moments to this weeks tragi-comedy, like Pat Dolan's Celtic Tiger shirts, pint prices in 1988, not so ironic anagrams and extra Porterhouse Brews. "One day we'll go deaf, one day we were born, one day we shall die", but not before we thank our good friends at Future Ticketing, Malone Financial Services, and Collar and Cuff. Danger here.....

On the anniversary of his Real Madrid debut we talk in depth with Chris Ronaldo's best friend over the last thirteen years. Yes, ex Rovers defender Pajo Flynn, whose relationship with Ronaldo has blossomed since their first meeting on that Tallaght pitch over a decade ago bares his soul in a no holds barred interview that details his part in Ronaldo's rise, that famous Coca Cola bottle controversy, defending Del Piero free kicks, the similarity of arses in League of Ireland, coaching the under 14s, and, in a world exclusive, finally reveals his most hated adversaries. We look forward to the European games to come this week and back at a disappointing night for Shamrock Rovers as well as discussing Alan Mannus and the third leg of the tie. All thanks to Future Ticketing, Collar and Cuff and there's beers to be won from Porterhouse Brew.

European football is a Ciaran Kilduff time of year and he dropped into studio to reflect on magic memories with Johnny and Dan and talk about his plans to make some new ones in management. His old team-mate and rival Colin Healy is living that life right now and he dialled in from Cork ahead of Friday's big game in Turner's Cross to talk about the transition to the dugout and dismiss mind games from our in-house Galwegian. We also hear about Ciaran's brief but memorable spider heavy stint on Leeside where the blind quite literally ended up leading the blind. Beyond that, we hear about Shamrock Rovers' Euro exploits from Stephen Bradley and look ahead to a big Sligo Rovers night with the help of John Russell and Aidan Keena. And your mailbag brings us down an unusual path towards suspiciously cute animal videos and the eternal question of whether an elephant actually forgets. This is all brought to you by our good friends at Collar and Cuff, Future Ticketing and Porterhouse Brew.