Too much Asian football is never enough, and we are being treated to a feast of football to start September. Paul Williams and Michael Church are joined by commentator Rhysh Roshan Rai and Saudi journalist Najeeb Al-Jedaawi to look back over the first two matchdays of the Third Round of AFC Asian Qualifiers. Which teams surprised? Can anyone stop Japan? How did Saudi Arabia get out of jail against China? Is Australia in trouble? We answer those questions and many more. Plus, we also look ahead t...
Sep 13, 2024•53 min
The Third Round of Asian Qualifiers is upon us, and on the latest The Asian Game Podcast Paul Williams, Michael Church and Sudesh Baniya discussed the major talking points from Group C. Can anyone challenge Japan? Is Branko Ivankovic China's secret weapon? Can Saudi Arabia get back to past heights? Is a lack of star power hurting Australia? Be sure to follow The Asian Game on all our social media channels: X: https://twitter.com/TheAsianGame IG: https://instagram.com/theasiangame Facebook: https...
Sep 03, 2024•19 min
The Third Round of Asian Qualifiers is upon us, and on the latest The Asian Game Podcast Paul Williams, Michael Church and Sudesh Baniya discussed the major talking points from Group B. Is the turbulence behind Korea? How much will home advantage help Iraq? Can Jordan continue to ride Asian Cup momentum? Can Palestine dream the impossible dream? Be sure to follow The Asian Game on all our social media channels: X: https://twitter.com/TheAsianGame IG: https://instagram.com/theasiangame Facebook: ...
Sep 03, 2024•16 min
The Third Round of Asian Qualifiers is upon us, and on the latest The Asian Game Podcast Paul Williams, Michael Church and Sudesh Baniya discussed the major talking points from Group A. Is this the last chance for this Iran generation? Which Qatar will show up? Can Uzbekistan deliver on their promise and potential? A new direction for the UAE? Be sure to follow The Asian Game on all our social media channels: X: https://twitter.com/TheAsianGame IG: https://instagram.com/theasiangame Facebook: ht...
Sep 03, 2024•17 min
Saudi Arabia's historic win over Argentina at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 may be best remembered for the worldie scored by Salem Al-Dawsari, but also on the scoresheet that today was Saleh Al-Shehri. The veteran striker sits down with The Asian Game to reminisce about that goal and that game, plus discuss the current state of the Green Falcons and his recent move from Al Hilal to fierce rivals Al Ittihad. Follow Saleh Al-Shehri on X: https://x.com/salehshehri_11 Follow Saleh Al-Shehri on Insta...
Sep 03, 2024•24 min
As we approach the business end of Asian Qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the third round to commence this week, we're joined by Doha News reporter Sudesh Baniya to preview all three groups. Can Qatar continue their Asian Cup-winning form? Is this the time Uzbekistan deliver on their potential? How much will playing at home help Iraq? Is a lack of star power hurting Australia? We answer all those questions and much, much more. PLUS... we also speak with Saudi Arabian striker Saleh Al...
Sep 03, 2024•1 hr 19 min
We welcome a very special guest to the show this week, with Azkals legend and former Premier League goalkeeper, Neil Etheridge, joining us to talk about his recent move to Buriram, playing in the ACL and the wacky world of teammate nicknames. Plus, we hear from the Chief Operating Officer of the Saudi Pro League, Carlo Nohra, about the ongoing transformation of the SPL, what has been learned and what the future holds. Follow Neil Etheridge on X: https://x.com/Neil38Etheridge Follow Neil Etheridg...
Aug 22, 2024•1 hr 11 min
The ASEAN Club Championship, otherwise known as the Shopee Cup, begins in earnest this week with the start of the group stage all across Southeast Asia. Host Ryan Walters is joined by a plethora of Southeast Asia's best voices - Keeshanan Sundaresan (Malaysia), Aun Rahman (Indonesia), Rhysh Roshan Rai (Singapore), Gian Chansrichawla (Thailand) and Claro Manzano (Philippines) - to look ahead to the start of the action and discuss the major talking points ahead of Matchday One. Who are the teams t...
Aug 20, 2024•52 min
Little known Bhutanese club Paro FC shot to international fame recently with the signing of Japanese legend Keisuke Honda. While only a short term deal for their AFC Challenge League preliminary playoff against Nepal's Church Boys United, the signing has generated an unprecedented level of excitement in Bhutan and across South Asia. So how did the deal come about? Paro FC president, Karma Jigme, talks exclusively to The Asian Game about how it came about and the impact it is having on the club. ...
Aug 12, 2024•15 min
Ashleigh Plumptre made headlines worldwide last year when she swapped England's Women's Super League for Saudi Arabia's fledgling Saudi Women's Premier League. After 12 months in Jeddah with Al Ittihad, the 26-year-old sits down for an in-depth discussion with The Asian Game to reflect on her decision and her time in Saudi Arabia. In a wide-ranging interview, the Leicester native discusses the motivation behind her decision, the power of human connection, her incredible bond with her sister and ...
Aug 06, 2024•52 min
Charyl Chappuis has experienced it all in his time as a professional player, all of which is detailed in a new biography - titled 'Chappuis - My Story' - about the 32-year-old Swiss-born Thai international. Host Ryan Walters is joined by Chappuis, and the author of the biography, Paul Murphy, to discuss his career and the process of writing the new book. Published by Fair Play Publishing, you can order a copy of Chappuis - My Story now: https://www.fairplaypublishing.com.au/collections/charyl-ch...
Aug 02, 2024•52 min
It's an absolutely bumper The Asian Game Podcast this week which we start by looking ahead to the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with Scott McIntyre making a bold prediction about the fortunes of Uzbekistan. We also discuss the sacking of Harry Kewell and the appointment of Hong Myung-bo as Korea's new coach. PLUS, we're joined by Korean and Angel City teen sensation, Casey Phair, to talk about her meteoric rise to stardom and new life in Los Angeles with Angel City. Svay Rieng general manag...
Jul 23, 2024•1 hr 6 min
After another momentous Thai League 1 season, Ryan Walters is joined by Gian Chansrichawla from Thai League Central to dissect the season's major storylines. How did Buriram win it again? The demise of the once powerful Chonburi? The emergence of Thailand's next superstars and so much more. Follow Bassil on X: https://x.com/GianChansricha1 Follow Thai League Central on X: https://x.com/TL_Central Follow Football Palestine on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thaileaguecentral/ Be sure to foll...
Jul 09, 2024•48 min
Michael Church was in Kuala Lumpur for the official draw for the Third Round of Asian Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Afterwards he spoke with China's coach, Branko Ivankovic, to get his reaction to being drawn in Group C alongside Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Indonesia, and also on the challenges facing the Chinese national team. Be sure to follow The Asian Game on all our social media channels: X: https://twitter.com/TheAsianGame IG: https://instagram.com/theasiangame Fa...
Jul 04, 2024•10 min
Michael Church was in Kuala Lumpur for the official draw for the Third Round of Asian Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2026. He was joined by Australian coach Graham Arnold in the immediate aftermath to get his reaction to being drawn in Group C alongside Japan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, China and Indonesia. Be sure to follow The Asian Game on all our social media channels: X: https://twitter.com/TheAsianGame IG: https://instagram.com/theasiangame Facebook: https://facebook.com/TheAsianGamePodcast...
Jul 04, 2024•2 min
From 46 teams at the start of the First Round, we are down to the final 18 as we enter the Third Round of Asian Qualifiers on the road to the FIFA World Cup 2026. After last week's draw, we're joined by Bassil Mikdadi from Football Palestine to answer your questions: who got the toughest/easiest draw? What can Palestine achieve? Can Indonesia fly the flag for SE Asia? PLUS... we hear directly from Australia's Graham Arnold and China's Branko Ivankovic to get their immediate reaction to the draw....
Jul 02, 2024•49 min
The ASEAN Game, hosted by Ryan Walters, returns with huge EXCLUSIVE interview with Korea's Park Jung-bin. The 30-year-old has had a nomadic career playing across Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Korea, France and now Cambodia. The former Korean youth international has signed with Visakha FC and speaks to The ASEAN Game about life in Phnom Penh, his decision to move to Cambodia and meeting Zinedine Zidane in France.
Jun 25, 2024•23 min
It's been a big week of action across Asia, and The Asian Game Podcast is back again to wrap it all up. Asian football analyst Rhysh Roshan Rai joins us from Singapore as we look back on the conclusion of the Second Round of Asian Qualifiers and ponder the major talking points. Another failure for India - where does it keep going wrong? Indonesia take another step forward - how far can they go? Misery for Southeast Asia as Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia fall short Is Singapore headed in the righ...
Jun 17, 2024•50 min
What do you do when you're frustrated by the football scene around you? Well, you start a football club, of course! This is the inspiring and powerful story of how Budreya Faisal developed a women's football club in the conservative UAE that is challenging the status quo. "We're here to kind of light a fire under everybody, to get moving (and) do something, because the world's interested."
Jun 14, 2024•44 min
As the second round of Asian Qualifiers nears its conclusion, we take a look at the major talking points ahead of the final few matchdays. Who will emerge victorious between China and Thailand? Will North Korea's forfeit actually work in their favour? Where to for Hong Kong after Jorn Andersen walks away? Plus we talk about the legacy left behind by Indian legend Sunil Chhetri ahead of his final ever international game, and finally we speak with Vancouver Whitecaps' Japanese goalkeeper, Yohei Ta...
Jun 04, 2024•51 min
Matildas mania has hit the streets of Adelaide as Australia's most popular national team prepares for their first game in the city since 2019. With 53,000 expected at Adelaide Oval for their 13th consecutive sell-out, we speak with veteran defender Clare Polkinghorne about the surge in popularity, while she also reflects on last year's FIFA Women's World Cup. Plus, we hear from Chinese midfielder Shen Mengyu on life under new coach, Ante Milicic, and the celebrations back in Scotland after her C...
May 30, 2024•31 min
The 2023/24 AFC Champions League Final between Yokohama F.Marinos and Al Ain is almost upon us. With Michael in Yokohama for the first leg, we preview both sides and how they stand heading into the first leg. Michael also catches up with John McAuley from The National UAE on the sidelines of F.Marinos training to get the inside view on Al Ain. Plus, we also hear from F.Marinos veteran Ryo Miyaichi ahead of the final.
May 10, 2024•52 min
As the Singapore Premier League prepares for a new season, Ryan Walters is joined by the esteemed Rhysh Roshan Rai to run the rule over this year's competition. Are Lion City Sailors the team to beat? Who else can challenge? Who are the stars to watch? Together they answer those questions and much more.
May 10, 2024•23 min
The final ever #AFCCup Final is almost upon us with Central Coast looking to become just the second side from the ASEAN Zone to lift the prestigious trophy. Ryan Walters is joined once again by Australian broadcaster James Dodd to preview the last-ever AFC Cup Final set to take place on 5 May when Al Ahed host ASEAN Zone champions Central Coast Mariners in Oman. The two discuss the Mariners' run thus far and whether or not lifting the trophy would cement Central Coast as one of the best-ever Aus...
May 03, 2024•37 min
After an arduous journey to Bishkek for the first leg of the AFC Cup Inter-Zone Final against Abdysh-Ata, Central Coast Mariners are looking to become the first Australian club to reach the AFC Cup final. Flying the flag for Southeast Asia as the ASEAN Zone champions, the Mariners are hot favourites ahead of the return leg in Gosford. Ryan Walters is joined by A-Leagues broadcaster James Dodd to dissect the opening leg and look ahead to this week's return leg and whether the Mariners can create ...
Apr 23, 2024•19 min
Michael Olunga is many things - a footballer, a role model, a record holder, even a geospacial engineer. The 30-year-old Kenyan has become one of the most prolific strikers in Asia since joining Kashiwa Reysol in 2018, before switching to Qatari giants Al Duhail in January 2021. It was in the Qatari capital where The Asian Game was afforded the chance to sit down one-on-one with Olunga, pitchside at Al Duhail's home ground, the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium. In the latest of our In Conversation W...
Apr 19, 2024•22 min
Asia's Olympic hopefuls will be decided when the continent's best young talents descend on Qatar in ahead of the AFC U23 Asian Cup. Or will they? We discuss the impact playing the tournament outside of the FIFA international calendar will have on the competition with many big names refused permission to travel by their European clubs. Which nations do we fancy to qualify? Who are the dark horses? And just why was Australian wonderkid Nestory Irankunda not included in the Olyroos squad? PLUS... w...
Apr 11, 2024•36 min
As The Asian Game Podcast returns after a brief post-Asian Cup hiatus, we look back on a busy week of Asian Qualifiers action which produced a plethora of major talking points. We discuss what is going wrong in South Korea, Indonesia's 'naturalisation' push and its wider implications for Asian football, Philippe Troussier's sacking from Vietnam and whether Igor Stimac will survive as Indian coach after a shock loss to Afghanistan. All of that plus much more on a jam packed show....
Mar 29, 2024•49 min
The ASEAN Game host Ryan Walters sits down for an exclusive interview with Vietnam national team captain and Hanoi FC legend Đỗ Hùng Dũng. Together they talk about his career in #VLeague , the joy of Nguyễn Quang Hải's improving form, mental health, and expectations this season. *Interview recorded by VTVcab
Mar 17, 2024•12 min
Central Coast Mariners continue to fly the ASEAN flag, getting the better of India's Odisha 4-0 in the AFC Cup Inter-Zone Semi-Final. Up next is a clash with Kyrgyzstan's Abdysh-Ata for a place in the AFC Cup final. Ryan Walters is once again joined by Australian broadcaster James Dodd and Indian journalist Shibajee Das to look back on Central Coast's historic victory.
Mar 15, 2024•32 min
