Our New Home

This is the end of the road for B/R Football Ranks, but if you've enjoyed these episodes, please come subscribe over at our new home: Ranks FC.   fc57t4sx See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The chapter has come to an end, ladies and gentlemen, and this is Episode 106, the last ever episode of B/R Football Ranks. It's been real. Thank you so much for sticking by us, and remember that whilst our time here is done, you can now find us over at Ranks FC.  This is our best bits. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did reminiscing. Poet's Prince, Transfer Titan and Rank God out. Rank Squad Forever.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The European transfer window is over and the biggest deals are all done and dusted until January, so we thought it was only right to talk about the biggest deals and which clubs had done the best business. Sam picks the five teams who won the window, but we talk across Europe with some honourable mentions from across the continent too.  Hot Takes sees Sam discussing Liverpool's need to evolve if they're to keep their dominant streak alive, Dean talking about Edinson Cavani's move to United being a sensible move (whilst not the one they needed), and Jack picks Cadiz' 41 year old goalkeeper Alberto Cifuentes' retirement as his 'I Loved This Week'. There's also some talk about Adrian vs. Loris Karius, as well as which players might work for Mauricio Pochettino if he was to take over at Manchester United - there's a melon of the week from that vein, and Sam's nonsense rankings take an aggressively real-world turn. It really is Ranks FC. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're into Dean Jones' favourite week of the year—transfer deadline week! With that comes the end of all the sagas that have been running on all summer: will they, won't they, what happens now? With that, we thought we'd take a peek at the biggest stories left to come this window and see how they might turn out.  Before that though, there's Hot Takes, where Sam shows some love to Ronald Koeman's new-look Barcelona; Dean tells the cautionary tale of Antonio Rudiger and why his future may lie elsewhere; and Jack talk about the Suarez-led, swashbuckling new Atleti side which demolished Granada on the weekend.  Of course there's also discussions of City's new man Ruben Dias, and the Klassiker-Super Cup in Germany, whether Dortmund can halt the Bayern machine; a Melon of the Week for an Arsenal full-back; and a Royal Rumble-themed Nonsense Ranking.  It's Ranks! Enjoy it whilst you can!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s Golden Boy season and that’s an excuse to talk around some of our favourite young players in Europe. And to do so, we brought in one of the biggest and best voices in football podcasting: co-host of the mighty Stadio, Mr. Musa Okwonga, to help us whittle a shortlist of 40 down to 10, and pick a top three. We talk Fati to Foden, Davies to the Dortmund crew, and everyone in between as we try to crown the Prince Regent of European football for 2020. There's also Hot Takes, where Dean addresses what's going on at Manchester United, Sam talks a new-look Juventus under Andrea Pirlo, and Jack discusses a record-breaking Premier League weekend. And of course, there's Roulette and Nonsense, where we take a peek at the stadiums we're most looking forward to when fans are allowed back fully, the questions we get asked most as football journalists, and the best mountain ranges in the world. It's Ranks! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We saw La Liga leap into action last weekend, albeit missing a few of its biggest names, and this coming weekend sees the full cohort return in Europe's Big Five, with Germany and Italy joining the party - so we thought we'd take a look at what you can expect from them this season.  We talk title winners, Champions League spots, Europa League places and VERY IMPORTANTLY, the Europa Conference League inaugural contestants for each of Spain, Italy and Germany; as well as looking at our tips for Golden Boot winners and Breakout stars in each league.  Hot Takes see Sam singing the praises of Tariq Lamptey; Dean discussing why Tottenham are trying to sign Danny Ings (or any number nine really) and Jack waxing lyrical about the pitched battle that was this week's Le Classique. Oh, and there's a very special Melon of the Week. It's all-new Ranks!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Premier League is back, baby! And we're back with a bumper episode to look at everything you need to know before the big kick-off. We start with Hot Takes looking at best signings, breakthrough stars and golden boot predictions, before Sam walks us through every team and where he thinks they'll finish the season.  Then it's on to Fantasy FPL for Roulette, where we discuss wing-backs, Wolves and Sheffield United; must-have Chelsea new boys and the players you simply can't go without. And because, we treat you here at Ranks, Dean gives a Melon of the Week and there's even a Nonsense Ranking. We love you, Rank Squad.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's episode No. 100 for B/R Football Ranks and we complete the ton with a 'back to basics' vintage which includes Hot Takes, Predictions and a glorious return of the Roulette wheel.  Sam gets back on the predictions train for the new season, but only after we take a look back at what he predicted last season - which, to be fair to him, included the incredible shout that 'Lyon will do an Ajax in the Champions League'. This year's predictions include shouts for Benfica, AC Milan, Manchester City, Aubameyang and Inter.  Hot Takes sees Dean talking All or Nothing and Spurs's transfer business; Sam ranting about Valencia having the single worst transfer window of all-time; and Jack giving some love to Sandro Tonali joining Milan - the team he supported as a boy.  And the Roulette wheel throws up questions on who Barcelona need to sign in their crisis period, Donny van de Beek's proposed move to Manchester United and how Leeds United will fare on their return to the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa.  Thanks for sticking with us through 100 Rank Squad. Here's to 100 more!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The season is over, long live the season. With 2019/20 wrapping up this weekend after Bayern were crowned Champions of Europe for the sixth time, we took precisely ten minutes off and launched ourselves into 2020/21, which is already underway in France, Scotland and beyond. No rest for the wicked!  To get ourselves into gear, we took a look at the teams we're most excited to watch over the coming year, because of their signings, setups and systems; so that you can have the heads up on who you should be keeping an eye on. To do so, we brought in Behind the Lines co-founder and legend of Football Twitter, Mr. Zach Lowy - who went toe-to-toe with Sam in his selections, pitting two footballing heavyweights against each other.  Before that, Sam and Jack break down the UCL final and how Kingsley Coman's goal should be a wakeup for PSG letting their youth leave on the cheap and discuss Thomas Tuchel's substitutions; before flicking to the UEL where Sam touches on Diego Carlos' strange couple of games and Jack surprises everyone by picking a Sevilla moment as his 'Thing I Loved'.  It's B/R Football Ranks, and the football keeps coming.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Even writing that title felt weird. But the biggest transfer saga of the summer is underway, and it's one we never thought we'd even consider. After Barcelona were humiliated by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, rumours abound that Lionel Messi has finally had enough of life in Blaugrana, and fancies a new challenge.  Now, we've heard these rumours before. So we thought we'd bring in someone who had a deep insight into the workings of big transfers at Barcelona. Cue Marcelo Bechler, the man who first broke the news that Neymar was off to PSG, and who on Sunday night, wrote the first article that Messi could do the same, setting the football world ablaze. We got Marcelo on to separate fact from fiction, and work out what Messi's thoughts really are.  And then onto the club as a whole, a bloated mess from top to bottom. Sam Marsden, Barcelona correspondent for ESPN and Sport, joined us to talk what the next steps are to trying to steady a sinking ship, and what can be achieved ahead of the planned elections next year.  Oh and we take a deep dive into the appointment of Ronald Koeman, and how he might fare in the hot seat at the Nou Camp. Enjoy, Rank Squad.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices