Loi Weekly

It's a brand new season but with some old favourites. Johnny's ankle is fixed after his cup final cliffhanger and his first two legged assignment is to welcome Damien Duff to his world of young management. Johnny McDonnell drops in on his way back from Karachi to explain the St Patrick's Athletic/Pakistan/Michael Owen alliance which raised more eyebrows than Johnny's winter move to the FAI. Dan isn't sure if he really, really wants our new mystery competition and we catch up with Derry's Ronan Boyce for a supervised interview ahead of the 2022 campaign. There's also a club by club preview, a Troy McClure impression and a pod you may remember for such partners as Future Ticketing, Malone Financial Services & Porterhouse Brewing Company.

For our 2021 swan song we have cup winning captain Ian Bermingham in studio to talk new season, new contract, new manager and new baby! We also have some of his old manager's press conference as Johnny poses a few questions to Stevie O'Donnell. Georgie Kelly zooms in and explains why he had to strike while the iron was hot. Johnny and Dan discuss the big news stories over the last week and Aisling Fennin from Future Ticketing looks ahead to what Johnny is so very very very excited about. Ask any taxi driver!

Unlike a book of Charlie Haughey's broken promises we do return for a penultimate show with Johnny the one legged wisecrackin' reluctant beer drinking sidelined journalist and Dan, the Woodstein of the current breaking news week in his own version of 'All the Presidents Men' where Michael D has tape recordings of this week's guests Shane Supple and Ian Morris in compromising conversations. Probably not about breaking in to any offices or in Ian's case getting awards and then getting taken out of office! Lots and lots of chat about the year that was, the year that could be, who's going, who's staying and whether Johnny will avoid CoVid before the last show! It's episode 39 and its a humdinger.

After perhaps the craziest ten days in the history of the League of Ireland, Shels keeper Brendan Clarke and Pulitzer candidate David Sneyd join the lads to talk a crazy managerial merry-go-round, the FAI Cup final, Marc Bircham's Waterford demise, and UCD's playoff win. Our penultimate podcast of the year had to be recorded on Zoom because as Dan was breaking stories, Johnny was breaking his ankle. What did the lads make of the FAI Cup final, and how did it all end like this for the winning team and their manager?

On this week’s super special extra bonus party golf club pod we have PFAI awards nominees Georgie Kelly and Ross Tierney from Bohemians who completely break the mould and stereotypes of footballers as they delve into heartfelt discussions of family, personal loss, mental health, sustainability and economics. They do mention football once or twice too. And on cup final week we also hear from St Patrick’s Athletic star, the award nominated Chris Forrester, who shirks his iconic Ian Curtis lookalike status for a more workmanlike Michael Carrick comparison and talks about how football is giving him joy again. Looking ahead with Dan and Johnny to the cup final, he's bullish about the youngsters at Pats and how they look to cause a bit of an upset. But not as much of an upset as Johnny was feeling after his encounter with the mannequins during the week. Stephen McGuinness helps us to set the scene for the awards and details his own battle. This is episode 37.

Dan is back from the Grand Duchy after watching Ireland turn a corner and negotiate a tricky road. Unlike Johnny who ended up in an ambulance trying to do the same. Dundalk’s Brian Gartland stops by with an old team mate, Dane Massey of Drogheda United to talk about the seismic Oriel Park takeover, the restoration of class and dignity, Mexican nightclubs, 2016 memories, Brian’s book and the Galway Under 14s. Or was that Johnny....I think it was Johnny...

Even if you were at The Beatles in the Adelphi in '64, U2 at The Dandelion in '79, Green Day in The Attic in '90 or Bob Dylan in Vicar St. in '00, unless you were also at the Galway United Under 14 Cup triumph last week your passport is missing a vital stamp. So much so we invited Will Clarke, the FAI League of Ireland Academy Development manager, to join this week's pod where he talks about the plans for developing our young players and clubs as well as his affiliation with Shelbourne. Dan also nabbed Garry Buckley from Sligo Rovers for an extended chat after their 3-0 win against St. Pats on Friday. All this, the latest rumoured Dundalk management trio, The young managers law firm updates and a little bit about Galway.

D Day today! Duffer is in, Doolin and Doyle are out! Amid all the comings and goings, we welcome Shamrock Rovers defender Roberto 'Pico' Lopes to studio to reflect on the title win for the Hoops and give us sketchy details on a weekend of celebrations. The only Crumlin man in the Cape Verde squad has tales of African airports and incarceration in a Santry hotel as well as the low down on today's big news, Damien Duff as Shelbourne's new manager. We have a bit of Damien from his press conference and Paul Doolin on the phone to Johnny lamenting the M50 traffic that caused him to end his spell at Athlone. All this and the usual crossed wires, Galway United trivia, and long lost cousins on the Green Cape.

As Johnny returns from his stopstart trip around Europe, Ireland chief scout Stephen Rice dropped by on his way to Dublin Airport and another week of planes, trains and automobiles for the sake of his country. We talked about his Irish role, playing style and directors box style and managed to fit in a bit of Brexit implications and young manager bingo. Ricer also reflected on his favourite memories of managers although there was a tactical blank when it came to one former boss. Beyond that, we have an FAI Cup review, Walsall trivia and Lithuanian wedding throwbacks so sit back and let Episode 33 take flight.

Allez oop! With Johnny donning his Maillot Jaune in the south of France and dishing out geography lessons from a hotel lobby we return to a more normal running time after last week's Doolothon. Dan is in studio A with Killian Brennan and Mark Rossiter. Old team mates who share stories of crowd chants, hairdryers, dressing room bust ups and silly yellow cards. There's also time to reflect on Stephen Kenny's tenure to date, the cup semi finals, and brothers in football. All of this and squeezed into just over an hour!

Last May, the stars of 'Friends' reunited for a marathon two hour special to reflect on the good times with the added bonus of lining their pockets. This week on the show, Paul Doolin and Graham Gartland came together for the price of a cup of coffee to reflect on their days at Drogheda where the tough taskmaster boss - who is now back in the game with Athlone - kept a dressing room which included Gartland on their toes. Why didn't they get on? Why doesn't Paul pick up the phone? Is tough love the best kind of love? Are they on a break? We get to the bottom of all these questions and more in a discussion that goes to unexpected places for a bingeworthy 2 hours with no ad breaks, no plastic surgery and more laughs than that 'other' reunion.

School's out for Wexford manager Ian Ryan who joins Shelbourne's Georgie Poynton during a free class with a Baku-bound Dan and a Covid-free Johnny. The lads reminisce on their favourite dressing rooms, the Dundalk conundrum, influential managers and Johnny bingo! There's an extra tricky Four Star Pizza question, a truncated fixture review and extra kebabs in Azerbaijan. It's a day early this week and just in time for the last bell.

When Tom Petty ditched the heartbreakers to record the seminal "Full Moon Fever" back in 1989 he actually ended up using most of the band on separate tracks. So as Johnny goes solo this week he zooms Dan in for the first half, where he discusses todays big news as well as the avalanche of reaction to last weeks RTE debate. Then after leaving Dan to enjoy his 5 star hotel and dodge bank tellers he welcomes in studio, Jason McGuinness to discuss his new role as an education pioneer with Shels and Gary Cronin, who's Bray team is competing in a strong and very competitive first division. The lads discuss education as part of the game, the Stephen Kenny saga, the changes within the game, phones in dressing rooms and lots lots more. Oh and there's a Rovers' themed anniversary Four Star Pizza draw all the way from the Kingdom. It's episode 29 and it's early.....

It's showtime this week as RTE Group Head of Sport Declan McBennett steps into our Glasnevin studio to discuss the station's coverage of the League of Ireland in a wide ranging discussion that covers a lot of bases after a fractious summer centred around the absence of European games from the screens. The issues and challenges of the past, present and future are debated in a robust manner. Meanwhile, the undercard features quick hits with Ian Bermingham and Eoin Toal after their weekend games and there's also a pizza to be won from a brand new box of eighties undiscovered gold.

Early and late this week. Missing keys, Cork mountains and a tardy Johnny who cant stop talking mountains even if they're in the flattest country in europe. Joining himself and Dan is Ciaran Kilduff, who drops by on his way to spy on Bohs in Donegal and tells us why Maynooth was the right choice for him. Longford manager, Daire Doyle keeps Ciaran company and weighs in on Longford luck, referees, Stephen Kenny and the Dundalk story. With Four Star Pizza, the cup, sideline parents and timekeeping all mixed into an early treat of a podcast it's time to put on the headphones and enjoy! Think of it like having a curry chips on a Monday...

So this week, we have, to the tune of 'We Didn't Start The Fire'.. "Stephen Kenny, Gavin Bazunu, Ireland's got a draw again. Pat Fenlon, Tommy Barrett, Wedding Bells and Futsal Old Irish Magazines, Treaty have a better team Pizza Draws, previews, angry men on sidelines..." Yes, it's always been burning right here on LOI Central, for more than four years now

We're out earlier than usual this week with Dan en route to Portugal where he hopefully doesn't pull a Johnny Ward and end up on the beach when he realises the game is on. Johnny did make it to Dalymount eventually where the lads caught up with Andy Lyons after a breathless Dublin derby before he scooted off to his own Irish adventure. Lyons reflected on a rare strike with his left, which some would say is a tribute to Bohs' political leanings. Johnny certainly had Bohs on the brain after a night where he went from Des Kelly to Luke Kelly with the company of Damien Dempsey. We also asked where Shamrock Rovers go from here and reflected on the rest of the cup games

You can’t always get what you want but on this week’s pod we reflect on Rovers disappointment in Estonia and the challenge ahead with some words from Stephen Bradley. We have former Rovers keeper turned fireman Craig Hyland and the sun loving gym instructor and born again footballer Mick Daly in our ultra modern new studio to discuss the FAI Cup tie they both have with Saint Mochta's. Paul Doolin is back and the Galway United Press Officer caught up with him after a welcome victory for Athlone. It all goes Sergio Leone too, with the Good (Man City's Michael Johnson), the bad (Dundalk's partying regime), and the ugly (decide for yourself). All this and the usual pizza question and analysis. Sadly we've had a few losses this week in the league and in the world of music. Rest easy all you who've gone.

On this week's reboot of the pod Dan McDonnell separates Finn Harps' electric tattooed forward Sean Boyd who's lounging around our brand new hipster studio humming 'Flower of Scotland' from former Shamrock Rovers darts target and soon to be Presidential aide de camp Johnny Ward. Sean now boasts a burgeoning film career, with a debut performance in "The Cave" premiering at Galway Film Festival but don't get over excited because it's not the one about the daring rescue of the Thai youth football team. We're not clear what Sean's role is and we're not sure his mother or girlfriend know either. There's more Joey O'Brien cameos, a house renovation, a possible road trip to the Aras, and an "An Post" ad that no one can remember. Throw in your usual Four Star Pizza question and some analysis and what've you got? The same old story... but now with Dolby Atmos!

After discovering they had no culinary skills during the kitchen episode a few weeks back, Johnny and Dan have moved to a Santry diner where the recently retired, unlikely arthritis victim Karl Sheppard, steps in like a character out of a Tom Waits song. The striker, formerly of Shamrock Rovers and Cork City, is adjusting to the real world where it's easier to get a mortgage and harder to get fired up and angry. Set to a background of fully vaccinated 'Nighthawks at the Diner', there's chat about his past life and his future plans and we also pour over the lessons of another big European week ahead of a super Thursday for Bohemians, Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk. Thankfully no one got hurt during the recording except for a couple of eggs that got beat up and a cup of coffee that wasn't strong enough to defend himself against a hard ass Four Star Pizza question.