The Ballon d'Or shortlist is live and France Football have announced their 30 nominees for 2019. Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe), Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) and host Jack Collins (@jjwc) are joined by Marc Geschwind (@MarcGeschwind) to take a look at five players that should have been nominated for the list but aren't, and the five players that should drop out of the shortlist in their place (18:53). Hot Takes this week involve a chat about La Liga's proposed fixture taking place in Miami, and who it ult...
Oct 23, 2019•55 min
Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) steps in to present this week, as Jack Collins gets a well deserved break. Current day football is throwing up scenarios that were simply unimaginable ten years ago, so Rank God Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe) breaks down the duos that define the game as we know it today, while B/R Football's Joanna Kamenou (@joannakamenou) also joins the lads in the studio. In Hot Takes Dean discusses how Liverpool have never endured a Premier League season quite as bad as the one Man United a...
Oct 16, 2019•52 min
Some teams start well, and others start badly; but few start completely at odds with where they will end up. Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe) and Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) join host Jack Collins (@jjwc) to take a look at three teams who are over-performing in their respective leagues this season, and three teams who are well below where we expect them to finish. Hot Takes this week involve a chat about how Maurizio Sarri's Juventus are already showing signs they might become the best ever version of Sarr...
Oct 09, 2019•58 min
We're back on the road in Munich to talk Bayern with two men at differing ends of the scale: Club legend, World Cup winner and original raumdeuter, Thomas Muller sits down to discuss his teammates, horses, Oktoberfest and musical exploits; before Canadian wonderkid Alphonso Davies told us about moving to Germany, why all footballers love Drake so much, and the reason that he puts one side of his kit on first! To get involved, hit us up on Twitter or Instagram, or use the #BRFootballRanks.See omn...
Oct 04, 2019•35 min
Forwards get a lot of the praise, but it's the midfield maestros who make the beautiful game what it is. Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe) and Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) join host Jack Collins (@jjwc) to take a look at the players who have been running things in the middle so far this season, including Real Sociedad's Martin Odegaard (22:12), PSG's Idrissa Gana Gueye (25:12), Liverpool's Fabinho (28:10); Inter Milan's Stefano Sensi (32:02) and Manchester City's Kevin de Bruyne (34:44). Hot Takes this week ...
Oct 02, 2019•53 min
What are the football-related things you have to achieve before you die? Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe), Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) and Jack Collins (@jjwc) are joined by new B/R Football presenter Aaron West (@ayyy_west) to talk about the experiences that we most want to tick off across the footballing landscape. We talk Clasicos, Superclasicos, Clasico de las Americas (any other Classics you like?!), as well as derbies across Europe, special stadiums and atmospheres like Anfield and the Westfalenstadi...
Sep 25, 2019•56 min
The season is in full swing and it's time to look at some of the names set to be the new Frenkie de Jong, Joao Felix or Jadon Sancho. Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe) and Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) join host Jack Collins (@jjwc) to take a look at the players under 20 who are set to have a breakout season in 2019/20 (19:22), including Chelsea's Reece James (20:37), Salzburg's Dominik Szoboszlai (25:09), Ajax's Sergino Dest (29:33); Stade Rennais' Eduardo Camavinga (33:52) and Barcelona's Ansu Fati (37:35)....
Sep 18, 2019•56 min
The Rank Squad has a new No.1! Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe), Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) and Jack Collins (@jjwc) are joined by Premier League winner and famously safe pair of hands, Mr. Asmir Begovic, to talk all things goalkeeping. We kick off with Asmir letting us know his pet peeve myths about goalkeeping - not getting credit for penalty saves (18:52), the stigma of being beaten at the near post (26:14), and having 'nothing to do' (30:27) - before moving on to ranking who he believes to be the best...
Sep 11, 2019•55 min
The transfer window has finally slammed shut in Europe, and squads across the continent are locked in, until January at least! Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe) and Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) join host Jack Collins (@jjwc) to take a look at what the big takeaways are from this summer's transfer chaos. We discuss a madness in Serie A (19:23), Ajax (22:22), Manchester United (25:10), PSG (31:02) and Liverpool (37:01) as we look at the big movers and shakers across the window. Before we get going, Dean hands ...
Sep 04, 2019•56 min
The gang are back together and it's time to put the Ranks neck on the line again and take a punt at making our predictions for the upcoming season! Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe) and Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) join host Jack Collins (@jjwc) to make their predictions for the upcoming season. There's talk of Lyon (18:30), Arsenal (22:45), Atletico (26:50), Dortmund (31:45) and Inter Milan (35:40) as Sam takes us on a tour of Europe's top five leagues. Hot Takes sees the boys talk about Christian Eriksen a...
Aug 28, 2019•57 min
The last of the five major European leagues is set for lift-off this weekend, with Italy's Serie A finally getting to the starting blocks, and there's plenty to discuss! Jack Collins (@jackjcollins) and Sam Tighe (@stighefootball) are joined by B/R Football's very own calcio aficionado, Alex McGovern (@AlexMcGovern11) to talk all about the Italian top flight and discuss which teams are the front-runners to try and knock Juventus off their perch this year. There's analysis of Roma (16.22), Lazio ...
Aug 21, 2019•52 min
The Spanish and German seasons get underway this weekend, with the big kickoff taking place in La Liga and the Bundesliga, and so we thought it would only be right to talk through the Ranks predictions for the European spots in each of those leagues. (Bundesliga 01.49, La Liga 17.04) And herald the return of the Rank God to do so! Sam Tighe returned from his pre-season retreat, joining the ever-present Jack Collins to talk through who would be taking the top six places in La Liga-from a tightly ...
Aug 14, 2019•55 min
The Premier League season starts this weekend, and we thought it would only be right to give you a full preview before it begins! With Sam and Dean away, Jack Collins (@jjwc) was joined by two BBC Sport legends - Nick Bright (@nickbright) and Reece Parkinson (@reeceparkinson) - to rank the entire league from top to bottom, including Nick's tips for relegation (11.26) and this season's top six (24.41). Instead of Hot Takes, we discussed who the big winners and losers of the Premier League season ...
Aug 07, 2019•55 min
The new Premier League season is just around the corner, and that means that it's time you got your FPL team in order-so we thought we'd give you a helping hand! To get involved, get over to fantasy.premierleague.com and join the Rank Squad league, using the code tzl5nt. Jack Collins (@jjwc) and Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) were joined by Jules Breach (@julesbreach), host of the FPL Show and Premier League presenter for BT Sport, to talk through some of the hidden gems (16.08) and must haves for th...
Jul 31, 2019•54 min
We're on the road in New York to put football back in the correct order. Here's what we got up to in a special bonus pod: -Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger, double World Champions with the USWNT, rank the teammates they're looking forward to playing against this season (4:40) and walk us through the celebrations after their famous World Cup win. (6:30) -Sam talks two undiscovered players that we've unearthed in pre-season (17:30) -We talk to the #YankSquad and play Bleacher Roulette outside the Liv...
Jul 26, 2019•43 min
The Rank Squad is in New York City for a crossover special! We teamed up with another Bleacher Report podcast dynasty, Stick to Football, bringing in host Connor Rogers for an in depth discussion on the football x football space. Sam ranked five footballers who could have made it in the NFL if they'd trained their entire lives for it, and Connor replied with three of his own from NFL who could go back the other way. Hot Takes this week included a discussion on how a 'Best Transfers XI' from this...
Jul 24, 2019•57 min
We're on the road in Chicago to put football back in the correct order. Here's what we got up to in a special bonus pod: -Divock Origi ranks his favourite ever moments, the funniest member of the Liverpool dressing room and we give him a new nickname (00.10) -Sam ranks his favourite experiences of the trip so far. (09.57) -We talk to the #YankSquad and play Bleacher Roulette before a Chicago Fire game in a tailgate. (14.43) -Mike Magee, MLS legend who played with David Beckham, Robbie Keane and ...
Jul 19, 2019•40 min
The Rank Squad has a new member! Bastian Schweinsteiger joined Jack Collins, Dean Jones and Sam Tighe in Chicago to talk about the people that had influenced him most in his football career (17.00), where he has won the World Cup and the Champions League. Bastian also chatted about his life in Chicago (13.31), how he has moved to becoming a ball-playing centre-back in his time at the Fire and taught the squad about his homeland, by ranking the best things about Bavaria! (29.40) In this week's Ho...
Jul 17, 2019•47 min
Certain players need moves, their clubs are open to selling them and the interested parties have the desire and funds to make it happen. Jack Collins (@jjwc), Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe) and Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) took to the studio to rank the five transfers that make sense for everyone this summer, using a three tick system, and sorted out the world of football once again (14.47). In this week's Hot Takes, we take a look at how Gabriel Jesus' role at Manchester City this season after a brillian...
Jul 10, 2019•51 min
To put it bluntly, things are a bit of a mess at Stamford Bridge right now, and so we decided, with Frank Lampard's appointment as manager now a given, to look at the five biggest challenges facing him this summer, and how to fix them. Jack Collins (@jjwc), Sam Tighe (@brsamtighe) and Dean Jones (@deanjonesbr) were joined by Clayton Beerman of the Chelsea FanCast to shed some light on Lampard, Jody Morris, the loans, the transfer ban, and how to try and replace the gaping hole left by the depart...
Jul 03, 2019•54 min
It's a mid-season special as we take the world of football to auction! Rank God Sam Tighe picks his top five most valuable players if we freed everyone of their current clubs and put them up for bidding-the catch is that you have to give every player you buy a five-year-contract, so it's about longevity and potential as well as current form and ability. As ever, Football Insider Dean Jones and host Jack Collins are here to challenge Sam's thoughts at almost every turn. In this week's Hot Takes, ...
Jun 26, 2019•53 min
Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and host Jack Collins are joined by Paul Olima, former player, trainer, body double and influencer in the football world, to talk about some of the players who need a reality check on their playing careers (15.19), as well as what it's like to have Mario Balotelli in your friendship group (30.28), working with Usain Bolt (34.49) and much, much more. Hot Takes include a discussion on why Real Madrid have signed Brazilian wonderkid Rodrygo (01.35); how some players get stuck ...
Jun 19, 2019•50 min
It's the big one this week as we take a look at the biggest individual prize in football, the Ballon d'Or-and who is are the contenders at this early stage! Rank God Sam Tighe picks his top 10, before Football Insider Dean Jones and host Jack Collins pick apart his arguments for who goes where. Sam's choices spark plenty of lively debate as ever, with plenty left to play for. In this week's Hot Takes, we take a look at how Brazil will fare in the Copa America without star man and talisman Neymar...
Jun 12, 2019•52 min
The European club season is over, but have no fear-an incredible summer of football is about to kick off, headlined by the Women's World Cup in France which begins in earnest on Friday evening. We take a look back at an incredible battle for supremacy between Liverpool and Manchester City over the course of the entire domestic campaign, and think about who had the better season overall, before turning our attentions to the summer. Jack Collins, Dean Jones and the returning Sam Tighe are joined b...
Jun 05, 2019•52 min
It is Champions League Final week and all eyes are locked on Madrid as Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur tussle for the biggest prize in European club football, on its biggest stage. Liverpool are in search of their sixth title, after narrowly missing out last year to Real Madrid; whilst Spurs are looking for their first UCL trophy in their first UCL final. Jack Collins and Dean Jones are joined by comedian and Spurs fan Rhys James; who steps in to rank the three things that terrify him about Live...
May 29, 2019•52 min
There are plenty of big clubs who have struggled this season, and who seem to be in a summer of transition in terms of transfers. We turn the studio into a soccer surgery for a week and let our expert doctors, Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and Jack Collins, take a diagnosis of how these teams can turn their fortunes around. We fix Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, Manchester United and Real Madrid - talking through where the holes in their squads are, the budgets they have to work with, and the p...
May 22, 2019•55 min
We went to Wembley for an Emirates FA Cup Final special, in tandem with BBC Sport, to take a look at the impending Final this weekend between Manchester City and Watford. We were joined by two very special guests, impressionist and comedian Al Foran, and Emirates FA Cup Final 2013 hero Ben Watson, who headed the 91st minute winner for Wigan that year in one of the greatest cup upsets of all time. We started by talking through the final in Hot Takes, and which team has exceeded expectations more ...
May 15, 2019•43 min
The Premier League season is coming to an end and although the title is not yet decided, it's time to give out our inaugural awards - the Rankies. Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and Jack Collins take stock of everything that's happened this year in the top flight of English football to award these categories: 1. MVP 2. Standout Individual Performance 3. Signing of the Season 4. Best player outside of the Top Six 5. Kit of the season 6. Breakthrough player (Rookie of the Year) 7. Surprise of the Year (Aka...
May 08, 2019•47 min
Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and Jack Collins take a deep dive into five transfers which would make perfect sense this summer, and just how plausible they are in terms of actually coming off. We talk a new striker and a centre mid for Real Madrid, a German wonderkid for Liverpool, Manchester City's long-term Fernandinho replacement and just who should win the race for the pod's favourite young baller - Joao Felix. Hot Takes include a discussion of how we'd rework the PFA Young Player of the Year, which...
May 01, 2019•49 min
Sam Tighe, Dean Jones and host Jack Collins are joined by Rhys James, star of the UK comedy circuit and avid Tottenham Hotspur fan, to talk about some of the reasons that make supporting Spurs an absolute nightmare; with plenty of laughs and a helping hand from the 'World Cup Catfish' Kieran Trippier. Hot Takes include Dean's defence of why Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the right man for the Manchester United job; Sam's Kylian Mbappe conundrum and an explanation of why his ability is so hard to place...
Apr 24, 2019•54 min
