Japan’s ultimate bench-warmer, Andorra’s YouTube resurrection & Iceland’s volcano-hit team

The Sweeper

Content provided by Lee Wingate and Paul Watson, Lee Wingate, and Paul Watson. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Lee Wingate and Paul Watson, Lee Wingate, and Paul Watson or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.

2M ago 48:05

MP3•Episode home

This episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click here to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live football from around the world, including the San Marino league and cup: ⁠www.tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper

Send us an email to [email protected] with some information about yourself and your preferences if you want us to handpick you a new football team to support.

In Part 1, it’s all about Asia. Shandong Taishan have withdrawn from the AFC Champions League due to the "serious physical discomfort" of their players. But is there a more sinister explanation for their premature departure? North Korea has started its Premier League coverage 150 days late. And there is a truly petty reason why games involving three of the 20 clubs cannot be broadcast! Our final stop is in Japan, where Kawasaki Frontale’s back-up goalie has played his first game in nine years and an Okinawan club is sponsored by a local poo museum.

It’s back to Europe for Part 2. With San Marino’s league and cup now on FIFA+, we put the 16-team division under the spotlight and tell some of its quirkier stories. Next up is another micro-state, Andorra, where a French YouTuber is bringing a club back from the dead in the hopes of making Europe in three years. And he’s offering YOU the chance to win a professional contract! The final story for this episode comes from Iceland, where second-tier outfit Grindavík are preparing to return home after a year of volcanic eruptions. The big question is, of course: is it safe?!

Patreon:

Join us on Patreon at patreon.com/SweeperPod for bonus episodes, blog content, exclusive access, membership of our chat community, quizzes, early & ad free listening and much more besides. There is also still one place available on our Sweeper 'Board Member' tier, where you can join us for Zoom calls and watch live bonus podcast recordings online.

World Soccer discounts:

Get 50% off the March edition of World Soccer. Visit the following link and enter the code 'SWEEPER50' at checkout: shop.kelsey.co.uk/WSCBK

Get a six-month subscription (six issues) for £15 (reduced from £29.99): shop.kelsey.co.uk/WSCSWEEPER

Editor:

Ralph Foster

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

81 episodes

#Sports #Soccer #TOB Sports Media