Loi Weekly

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.

Fresh from going on holiday by mistake Johnny doesn't make the kitchen but a great show zooms onto the airwaves. Joey O'Brien talks Guinness with Gary Speed and Nightclub assassinations in Eastern Europe. Keith Long gives the post Bohs review and his thoughts on footy on the telly. Alessio Abibi on Dundalk's big match, a Big Sam Four Star Pizza question that isn't "What's the capital of Celtic?" and lots more on a huge week for Irish football.

It's bye bye to zoom as the kitchencast begins in earnest. St Patrick's Athletic manager Stephen O'Donnell shows up for a cuppa and talks about signing players over zoom, those big tackle cheers and fatherhood. In between kettle boils there's "The Big Barrett House", needless texts, Brian Kerr's sideline antics in an empty ground, and Jessie's Giants 5 a side team. There's also a European preview where Bohs' Keith Ward shows he can be as entertaining off the pitch as on it and we also talk red list countries, cup draws, top of the table clashes and the latest update in the red hot Four Star Pizza scandal. Tune in, turn on...whatever!

Well whaddya know, ahead of another big week in Europe, we were joined by the well travelled Gary Rogers who dropped by to tell us about Zoom calls in Vienna, the impact of off field distractions and who his favourite keeper is right now. Chief bottle washer Dan McDonnell talked to the Dundalk camp ahead of their Estonian battle while the other half of the odd couple chipped in with his thoughts on the boy Devoy and what comes next for Bohs. It's a jam sambo packed episode 19 filled with all cup ties and European fondu with a big fat pizza question to boot . It's just a bit weird that no one mentioned this weeks Bob Dylan livestream event, but that's football...(and now you know who wrote this weeks pod description)

On this weeks eccentrically pronounced episode we have, St Patrick's Athletic academy chief Ger O'Brien discussing why government needs to get serious about player production, while clubs have to lead the way in their decision making. His old boss Liam Buckley on European progression with Sligo Rovers young guns, and while Johnny contains his excitement at a certain cup tie he catches up with the erudite Andy Lyons and the guarded James Talbot ahead of Bohs' big night at the Aviva. The lads also pick over the wreckage of a frustrating Champions League exit for Shamrock Rovers and try to deflect from another Galway United Four Star Pizza win. All this and more on your slightly later than normal LOI Central

European fever hits the show this week as we reflect on a tough night for Shamrock Rovers in Bratislava , and look ahead to Icelandic dates for Bohemians and Sligo Rovers. We get the professional view from Iceland, and some insight from an ever youthful Keith Long. Johnny also puts a few questions to Vinny Perth ahead of Dundalk's Covid affected clash with Newtown. Dan tries hard to remain undefined by his 'Square United' experience. There's a nineties supermodel getting frisky on a beach whilst pondering a Four Star Pizza question and finally..who will be the anti-Schillaci on Sunday.... you know what I mean!

Fact! Dolly Parton wrote one of the greatest country songs of all time in an afternoon and then went and wrote 'I Will Always Love You' in the same afternoon. This weeks pod took double that length of time to record but it too has a distinct Country and Western theme to it and despite Johnny's best attempts it's not all about Galway. St Patrick’s Athletic’s Mayoman John Mountney talks about fresh starts, Dundalk memories and his statue ambitions before we go to Sligo to hear from Bit’O’Red youth guru Conor O’Grady about their academy fuelled success and the broader state of play in Ireland. On top of that we’ve got a Sligo flavoured quiz question, title race thoughts, European speculation and a special rewrite of that very same Dolly Parton hit. Yes it's vaccine…vaccine, vaccine, vaccinnnnee

We welcome back our old pal Shane Supple to the show this week to reflect on a dramatic derby win for Bohemians over Shamrock Rovers. Several big questions on Bohs get an airing. How will they cope if Georgie Kelly gets injured? Why did Keith Long snap at Johnny's opening question on Monday? Will Bohs management be out shopping for cats in the coming weeks? We also promise not to talk about Dundalk but still talk about Dundalk as Chris Shields exit raises questions. Johnny checks in with John Caulfield and the lads also spin tales of European train journeys, LOI sibling spotting and art of the perfect nickname. It's a hell of a Manic Monday but who did the better version? Prince or The Bangles? Oh and that's not the Four Star Pizza question this week...

On this week's bumper Summer Special Shane Keegan and Neal Horgan have an extended chat about the rise and fall of two of the league's most famous clubs, Cork and Dundalk. In a week where pints on the side of the road are back, Ollie Horgan talks points on the road with a zoological Dan Mc Donnell. The return of Vinny Perth to Oriel, European ties, cheap flights to Bratislava, our best wishes to Christian Eriksen and we never find out why Johnny was at the Four Courts. All this and a Four Star Pizza quiz in our best value episode to date!

In this weeks sepia tinged episode we cue the Hovis music as our old eir Sport pal Shane Dawson dons his flat cap and denies plastering northside Dublin lamposts with “Save Tolka” posters but does explain what the campaign is all about. Johnny joins us from surviving a seal infested swim on an island and breakfast with the stars while Liam Holton from Future Ticketing gets us all excited about the return of fans. All of this prompts a debate from the likely lads about the demographics in the stands and the changing face of Irish football. Johnny finally reveals his favourite player in the league and there’s a pizza to be had for anyone who can remember the Ollie Byrne era . So grab your Marietta and Bovril for some good old wholesome analogue entertainment

In this nostalgia filled week, we take every club in the top two divisions and analyse them more than Ross and Rachels on again off again who cares again courtship. Talking courtships and nostalgia, our main guest is Ruaidhri Higgins who opens up on his transition to management and how Derry nostalgia played a part in him taking the gig. All of this, the Four Star Pizza draw and the first time we kept the Galway United Media Officer under an hour, means there's a lot more to celebrate than some botoxed Hollywood has beens crying about their lost youth. You wouldn't see the Derry Girls at it....

There's a Brummie theme to this week's show as Jordan Gibson tells us about his new sense of duty to Sligo Rovers even if he can't find a way to watch Line of Duty. Jordan showers praise on Liam Buckley and Greg Bolger, delivers an insight into the cold world of the lower reaches of English football, and explains how fate sent his career in a different direction. We also hear audio dispatches from Athlone Town boss Adrian Carberry and his Galway United counterpart John Caulfield in addition to ruminating over the issues that matter and a good deal more which don't after a week of drama. Like most ill-advised rambles, this episode ends up in the urinal.

There's a Scottish theme to this week's show as Drogheda boss Tim Clancy reflects on his playing days there and opens up on his managerial ambitions, including his desire to escape the double jobbing life that has made his exploits in Louth all the more impressive. Meanwhile, Aaron McEneff joins us to discuss his winter move to Hearts and a lifechanging start to 2021 with a nod back to some happy memories at Shamrock Rovers. The lads reflect on the lessons of the last week, bemoan their short lived TV career, daydream about their stadium wishes and both ask and answer the question for our pizza giveaway.

On this week's 'must win' podcast we do something different as footballer turned agent Jonathan Douglas recounts his journey from Monaghan to an eventful life in the UK and gives us his take on what players from these shores need to do to succeed. . Galway United media officer Johnny overcomes another loss by speaking to Gary Cronin. There's art deals gone wrong, Covid breaches, Waterford managers, missing accents and title race declarations. All of this, a pizza draw, Tony Holohan, and the definitive discussion on what constitutes a ‘hard place to go’. It's really all about the roads..

Exclusive! Revealed! No not the Sheedy and Newell replacements, this is much more important! Dan's past comes back to haunt him in a series of confessional pieces that cast him as a failed coke addict tennis prodigy, the star of the famously unreadable "Infinite Jest", who sidled into a journalism career alongside Johnny, a failed teenage website administrator whose only real guest was this weeks star man Kevin McHugh. Kevin pays tribute to the late Alan Keely and details the support that is needed to bring the Finn Harps academy to the next level. Meanwhile, his onetime goalscoring rival Andy Myler regales us with Billy Bagster stories and speaks about the differences between the UCD team he manages and the one he came into in his teenage years . We have Stephen Bradley, Daniel Kelly and Jim Magilton on Monday's action, the Four Star Pizza question and an even bigger talking point. Did Dan ever prank call the Ardee Police Station just to giggle at "Ardee Gardai"...?

Later today a Corkman will indicate to us when we can go to a match again and until Micheal puts us out of our misery it's time for your favourite similarly depraved matey partnership of Dan and Johnny who take a look inside the dugouts and ask, are the youthful managerial class of 2021 bringing on a renaissance? Either way, there's definitely a renaissance of sorts at Derry City and we have the soon to be star of Johnny's new "Monkey Tennis" style documentary and the yet to be conceived "Derry Lads" pilot, Daniel Lafferty to help us understand what's going on at the "title contenders". Also on the pod, Cork City's Steven Beattie and his old roomy, Finn Harps' secret defender Johnny Dunleavy talk about coming home, getting older, the differing fortunes of Cork and Harps, and how being 21 points clear and having a teetotal flatmate affects your social life.As always, there's the Four Star Pizza question, the results roundup and a look forward to the Bank Holiday fixtures. "The summer will be outside", said th

In a week that saw no involvement of John Delaney in the demise of a European Super League, we talk people power with Daniel Lambert and Tommy Higgins and ponder if dogs hold the key to the post covid LOI world. We’ve got the latest news from the pizza draw tribunal, a midweek review with Johnny talking to both Stephen O'Donnell and Kevin Sheedy whilst Dan hears from Drogheda assistant Kevin Doherty and discusses the latest Dundalk twist. Plus the shameless exaggeration of Bray Wanderers' role in European Football history and Johnny brings up the S word!

This week as the sun finally comes out Johnny and Dan reflect on Graham Burke's moment of magic and we hear from League of Ireland legends Pat Fenlon and Alan Reynolds on the best goals they witnessed, Shels and Waterford memories, coaching dynamics inside and outside the dressing room, Pat's Pro Licence gripe and why having a cat in the engine room is normally a bad idea. Finn Harps' Adam Foley gets booksmart on his academic endeavours to explain why he's suddenly come to prominence aged 31 and Johnny's media officer alliance provides us with a brief Mark McChrystal snippet as Derry toil. All of this and your chance to win a Four Star Pizza in the country's most compliant raffle. As long as you read Dan's Ezine that is....