The SoccerKakis Podcast

Our 2020 AFF Suzuki Cup Thoughts & Reflections

Vikram shares his thoughts on the recent edition of the ASEAN Football Federation's biggest competition - diving into topics such as a more integrated ASEAN football framework, how Singapore fared, and what it means to be Singaporean. Strap yourselves for this one peeps, we dive deep.

Will FC Barcelona Win The Europa League? : Europa League Thoughts & Predictions

Boy, oh boy. The Europa League truly has become an exciting competition. It may still remain second to the UEFA Champions League in terms of stature but as Jack points out, the Europa League may just be more exciting than the UCL this season. We review the changes to the Europa League format and cover four matches - FC Barcelona vs Napoli, Porto vs Lazio, Rangers vs Dortmund, and RB Leipzig vs Real Sociedad. It is interesting how all ties could very well be Champions League fixtures - further evidence that the standards of the Europa League are indeed on the rise.

The UEFA Champions League Redraw

In this episode, we will be looking at the Uefa Champions League redraw which caused a fair bit of controversy. For those unfamiliar with what transpired: In essence, Manchester United were mistakenly omitted as plausible opponents for Atlético Madrid during the initial draw which saw the Red Devils draw Paris Saint-Germain and Atleti draw Bayern Munich. Interestingly enough, Atleti drew Manchester United following the redraw but not everyone was too happy with their newly drawn opponents. Real Madrid were the most furious team and Chelsea were probably the luckiest. Why? Tune in as we discuss these post-redraw matchups and share our predictions for each of them.

United vs Arsenal An Analysis [Better Late Than Never]

This was supposed to be uploaded sometime the past few days but unfortunately, work has bogged me down. Alas, it is better late than never. In what would be Carrick’s last game as a Manchester United’s employee, let alone caretaker head coach, the red devils managed to put a solid performance against the gunners. Arsenal may have scored two goals but the first goal by Emile Smith Rowe was a contentious one. Should the goal have stood with David de Gea visibly down and injured? Is it finally the end of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s arsenal tenure? Tune in to find out as Vikram and Jack discuss this and much more in this delayed episode.

Managerial Transitions: Tottenham Hotspurs, FC Barcelona, & Newcastle United

It is never easy being a modern-day head coach at an elite club. Regardless of your previous exploits with the team, a string of poor results could see you facing the sack. Such is the life of a gaffer. Every flawed tactical decision and erroneous player selection could push him closer to the exit.  Unfortunately, we see this all too often in Europe's top-flight leagues and recently, a host of managers have been sacked in the Premier League and specific candidates have been appointed as their replacements. After an abysmal start to the campaign, Spurs sacked Nuno Espírito Santo and appointed Antonio Conte. FC Barcelona ended Ronald Koeman's tumultuous reign and brought back a true Catalonian icon, Xavi Hernández. And, of course, how we can forget Steve Bruce - the first casualty after the Saudi takeover of Newcastle United. Eddie Howe remains the most likely candidate as things stand after Unai Emery rejected the role.  What do we have to say about these moves? Tune in to find out!