Charlie O’Leary, a former Republic Of Ireland kit-man under big Jack and all round Irish football legend, was our Second Captains Hero of 2025; he was even in the Gaiety to take a victory lap in front of 1300 people in October. 

But before then, Ken, Eoin and Branno were in his house on Dublin’s northside to talk to him about his incredible 101 years (and counting), a life nearly as old as the state itself. It was one of the most uplifting chats we’ve ever had, back in Feb of this year, and we release it for everyone today.

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An annual Second Captains tradition continues today under new branding (RIP Scrooge Cast), as Jonathan Wilson joins Ken to discuss the post-Christmas football. 

Also touched on today: energy flows, Wilson's inability to take a day off work, the possible impact of AI on the game, Protestantism, whether 'reading' might in fact have been the problem all along, and whether Aston Villa, now led by someone Ken only recently realised is one of the best-looking men in the world, are going to go all the way.

Click the player at the top of the page to play the show. Monday’s shows are free to all. To listen to our programming throughout the rest of the week, join the Second Captains World Service. There’s no contracts, no hidden fees and shows can be listened to on all good podcast apps, on Spotify or through our website. It’s independent, commercial-free and member-led with feature interviews, breaking news, Ken’s Football Show, The Politics Podcast, and lots of added extras. You’ll also be supporting the development of our longer-form work, such as our international series’  ‘Where Is George Gibney?’ and Stakeknife.

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Inside us all are two wolves. Unfortunately for Wolves the football team (despite Matt Doherty's reverse Churchill) it's the wolf that is currently the worst at football in all of Europe. Meanwhile, the Romulus and Remus of Serie A get their teeth into Evan.

To talk about Ruben's back four, Villa's rise, Rogers V Bellingham and happy Pep we chat to Mark Critchley.

Ken also breaks-down the cash grab in Miami as the guy from YouTube gets chinned.

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It was “Super-Friends Of The Show” week this week, between Killian Sundermann coming in for the Second Captains FAT quiz of the year, a chat with US Murph, our first ever festive edition of KENCALL and Oluwashina Okeleji on Salah's AFCON 2025 and Nigeria's legal route to the 2026 FIFA World Cup .

We’ve had an amazing year on the podcast this year, so we’d love to have you aboard. You can also gift a subscription to the Second Captains on our patreon page,

We’ll be back on Monday with a live football show.

Click the player at the top of the page to play the show. Monday’s shows are free to all. To listen to our programming throughout the rest of the week, join the Second Captains World Service. There’s no contracts, no hidden fees and shows can be listened to on all good podcast apps, on Spotify or through our website. It’s independent, commercial-free and member-led with feature interviews, breaking news, Ken’s Football Show, The Politics Podcast, and lots of added extras. You’ll also be supporting the development of our longer-form work, such as our international series’  ‘Where Is George Gibney?’ and Stakeknife.

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Munster and Leinster both won their Champions Cup games over the weekend, both came through sticky situations against English opposition, but overall satisfaction levels are low.

We chat to Shane Horgan and Andrew Trimble about Clayton McMillan's realistic outlook on the Munster project, Leinster's pre-Chistmas form, and they react to former Leinster and Ireland out half Ross Byrne's suggestion that, given the volume of box kicks and spiral bombs being launched these days, coaches should start picking second rows on the wings.

Charlie Smyth, formerly a Gaelic footballer from Co Down, nailed a 47-yard field goal for the New Orleans Saints to beat the Carolina Panthers this weekend. Plus there's frontier football gibberish, dead-ball Beggan, the Dublin based media and the huge medal haul for Irish athletics in 2025.

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It looks like Celtic arrived at a good time for Evan Ferguson, while Robbie Keane seems to be having so much fun in Europe the question is how he will ever be tempted back to the league where he made his name.

Morgan Rogers' Stan Collymore-like winner for Villa at West Ham reminds us that it's been a while since Ken read out some npG minus xG stats, so let's get into a bit of that.

Jonathan Wilson and Dion Fanning join us to talk about the weekend's football. Why does Jonathan refuse to accept that Sunderland might actually be good now - and why is Granit Xhaka the best player he's ever seen play for the club? How many teams are involved in this title race? And how should we interpret the apparent cessation of hostilities at Anfield?

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We’d another barn-storming week this week, with the main story being Mo Salah’s rapidly-deteriorating relationship with Liverpool Football Club, which we covered in depth.

We had a brilliant chat with Danny Rensch, the co-founder of chess.com, which went from being a successful start-up to a billion dollar company during the pandemic, thanks largely to people being stuck at home. As a kid, Danny was a prodigy, a national champion in the US, who ultimately became disillusioned with the sport. But his story is far more complicated than that, given he grew up in a cult called the Church of Immortal Consciousness.

We also spoke to Armagh All Ireland winner Rory Grugan about the new rules and his time in France spreading the GAA gospel and Beñat Gutiérrez joined us from Spain to look at the factors deciding Xabi Alonso’s future.

Click the player at the top of the page to play the show. Monday’s shows are free to all. To listen to our programming throughout the rest of the week, join the Second Captains World Service. There’s no contracts, no hidden fees and shows can be listened to on all good podcast apps, on Spotify or through our website. It’s independent, commercial-free and member-led with feature interviews, breaking news, Ken’s Football Show, The Politics Podcast, and lots of added extras. You’ll also be supporting the development of our longer-form work, such as our international series’  ‘Where Is George Gibney?’ and Stakeknife.

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Permutations Man had a rough week last week and he is back on air today to explain what happened.

Ken asks if Rio Ferdinand was the worst possible choice for a complex World Cup tv draw?

The Champions Cup is back, and Munster got a reality check inside the first 20 minutes against Bath on Saturday evening. Munster legend Dave Kilcoyne and Gerry Thornley lament Tadhg Beirne's early yellow card, sift through Leinster's leaky display against Harlequins in the Aviva and examine where Rieko Ioane will fit in during his short stint in Dublin.

We also discuss Dingle's incredible last-minute win over St Finbarr's in the Munster club football final yesterday and raise a glass to the death of Bazball. 

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The memory of Friday's FIFA draw continues to linger like the smell of a dead rat under the floorboards. As he whines about middle-of-the-night kick offs, people are accusing Ken of being 'eurocentric' - but surely somebody has to be?

Meanwhile Mo Salah seems to have torched his future at Liverpool by accusing the manager and club of throwing him under the bus, trying to get him to take all the blame, wanting him out of the club, etc. How is this sad situation likely to play out? 

Due to overwhelming popular demand and indeed anger, Ben Fisher joins us to talk about Aston Villa: the Title Charge only Villa fans Saw Coming. How did Villa get Arsenal on the ropes more than any other side they've faced this season? Is Morgan Rogers actually better than Bellingham? And - yes - are Villa going to win the league? 

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We've seen it all this week on Second Captains, from ultrarunning with 100 mile world record holder Caitriona Jennings to 'American ultraviolence' with Hasan Piker on Ken's Politics Podcast, taking in our Sports Book of the Year Show and a brilliant follow-up chat with Ireland and QPR's Jimmy Dunne along the way. 

For six independent ad-free shows a week, sign up now at secondcaptains.com/join - the gang's all here! 

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Caitriona Jennings is the proud World Record holder over the terrifying distance of 100 miles and she spoke to us in studio about how and why she was able to run this distance, what it feels like mid race, and her harrowing London Olympics marathon experience.

We discuss Charlie Smyth’s extraordinary journey from the Down senior Gaelic football team to kicking a 56-yard field goal on his NFL debut yesterday, having skipped high school and college American Football altogether.

There’s also Murph’s most vivid sports dreams, rugby losing its marbles, and why the Barrett brothers are in the ha’penny place when it comes to the Wall family.

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Just as a watched pot never boils, an obsessively tracked Irish striker in Europe does not deliver goals under the desperate hungry eyes of the nation. Is it time for us to back off Troy and Ev and give them some space to do their thing? Maybe, but not today! 

James Horncastle joins us to talk about Roma v Napoli. How happy is Gian Piero Gasperini likely to be with the performances of his young centre forward? Has Antonio Conte finally... mellowed? And just what is going on at Como that is drawing galactico celebs of the stature of - Fabrizio Romano - to their games? 

As we have grown used to complaints about football becoming robotic and predictable, it fell to Moises Caicedo and Lucas Paqueta to remind us that many footballers remain human, all too human...

Toy Drive for children living in the International Protection system and Homeless Accommodation.

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Welcome to our world service e taster show! To access all our shows go to secondcaptains.com/join

There’s no contracts, no hidden fees and shows can be listened to on all good podcast apps, on Spotify or through our website. It’s independent, commercial-free and member-led with feature interviews, breaking news, Ken’s Football Show, The Politics Podcast, and lots of added extras. You’ll also be supporting the development of our longer-form work, such as our international series’  ‘Where Is George Gibney?’ and Stakeknife.

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GOOOOOLAZZOOOO... OK Evan Ferguson's first goal for Roma was not quite in that category but we can say now that the Eternal City has officially entered Fergie Time. Meanwhile Troy Parrott scored another nice goal: is this an unprecedented attacking selection headache for Ireland? What's the deal with playing two strikers anyway? How many teams are doing it in the Premier League right now? The answer may surprise you, as may the copious documentation of the answer.

We address recent criticism that Ken doesn't talk about Liverpool enough by talking a bit about the latest struggles of the PL crisis club and how Arne Slot's treatment of one overlooked squad member hints at the deeper problems.

We talk about some choppy waters in Scotland's capital of football. Dermot Desmond's son Ross tried to pour oil on the troubled waters and now the sea is on fire.

Miguel Delaney and Jonathan Wilson join us to look back at some of the weekend's football. Arsenal's destruction of Tottenham showed why Opta now give them a 75% chance of winning the PL title, with Eberechi Eze dominating the derby: how did Spurs fumble that one? And who can Liverpool get to fix their broken boiler? 

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South Africa beat Ireland 24-13 but in reality it was a demolition by Rassie's men. Did the whole game hang on James Ryan's deserved red card, or could Ireland have done more to adapt to the situation against the world's best team?

We chat to our man in South Africa, Craig Ray about the rash of reds and yellows, if refs get influenced by external noise, if Ireland could ever dream of having a scrum as good as South Africa's and how long Rassie's reign of terror will last.

Andrew Trimble examines the Ryan red fallout, if the scrum dominates the sport too much and how far off the top table Ireland now are, with France away in Paris next up.

Plus there's a Murph scapegoat masterclass, the Tom Court rebuttal, stop start rugby, and the mystery bunker man.

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It's been a beautiful, podcast-packed week on the World Service since Troy Parrott stole the nation's heart on Sunday afternoon in Budapest. Seven shows later, we're bringing you a taste of what member-led broadcasting looks like in a golden few days for Irish football. 

Monday’s shows are free to all. To listen to our programming throughout the rest of the week, join the Second Captains World Service. There’s no contracts, no hidden fees and shows can be listened to on all good podcast apps, on Spotify or through our website. It’s independent and commercial-free with feature interviews, breaking news, Ken’s Football Show, The Politics Podcast, and lots of added extras. You’ll also be supporting the development of our longer-form work, such as our international series’  ‘Where Is George Gibney?’ and Stakeknife.

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The Irish lineout was near perfect, their kicking game was on point, a few key players are back in form, they have a new fullback option in Mack Hansen, both 10's played well, they beat Australia by a record margin and the fans in Lansdowne Road went home happy for the second time in four days... the good times just keep rolling in Irish sport.

We chat to Shane Horgan and Andrew Trimble about the many positives from Saturday night, Mack at 15, the art of catching, where the tries came from, Prendergast's attacking game and his defensive frailties, who should start against South Africa and if the red cards in the last two weeks for Mostert and De Jager will soften Rassie's cough when it comes to collisions next weekend.

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Skill, heroics, late late glory... things like this don't happen to us, until now.

Ken, Eoin and Murph record today's show in a state of joyous disbelief, and Branno joins us from Budapest to reflect on the goals, the emotion, the madness.

Plus there's the playoff picture, Troy's week and the brilliant post match interviews.

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We've recorded a lot of podcasts.... but the one we just posted today about all the great moments, all the heroes, all the Ronaldo comedy and all the joy of beating Portugal 2-0 is maybe our favourite ever. Our best of show includes a taste of that joy, plus some Ken education and a great chat about Swedish football, Zlatan and Isak.

On Sunday we will be posting a show straight after the Hungary game, and next week we preview Ireland V the world champs South Africa.

Monday’s shows are free to all. To listen to our programming throughout the rest of the week, join the Second Captains World Service. There’s no contracts, no hidden fees and shows can be listened to on all good podcast apps, on Spotify or through our website. It’s independent, commercial-free and member-led with feature interviews, breaking news, Ken’s Football Show, The Politics Podcast, and lots of added extras. You’ll also be supporting the development of our longer-form work, such as our international series’  ‘Where Is George Gibney?’ and Stakeknife.

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Ireland eventually got the win over Japan on Saturday but all the same doubts remain about a team that has had very few good performances since the summer of 2024.

Andy Farrell was honest with the media afterwards, stating “we need to get over ourselves and get on with the big boy stuff". We chat to Shane Horgan and Gerry Thornley about Farrell's frankness, why previously skilful players are making so many handling errors, how the lineout could be so clunky two weeks in a row, and if the team has any hope against a marauding South African team in two weeks time.

We also chat to Craig Ray about an era defining win for Rassie's side in Paris, if the Boks have any weaknesses anymore and Australia's topsy turvy season.

Plus there's body language bluster, questioning Paul O'Connell and the day Irish rugby created a monster.

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