The J-Talk Podcast

Episode 554 - J1 Season Previews Part 4

We wrap up our top flight previews with the final five teams, and a heavy Kansai focus, as Alan Gibson guests in Part 1 to chat about his long weekend in the Tokyo area - including the Super Cup - and then help us preview defending champions Kobe (to 38:25) and Gamba Osaka (to 1:03:55).

Then in Part 2 Jonny and Ben discuss Cerezo Osaka (to 1:22:35), Kyoto (to 1:41:35) and Nagoya.

Follow Alan on X/Twitter and Bluesky.

J-Talk: Extra Time – J2 Season Preview Part 3

With the big J2 kick-off less than a week away, the JTET team continue with their team-by-team previews of the 2025 season.

In this episode, Jon and James begin in Shikoku, discussing newly-promoted Imabari (Start to 09:15), and their rather-more-established prefectural neighbors Ehime (09:15 to 17:20). After that, Tokushima come under the microscope as well (17:20 to 26:40).

The boys then hand over to regular contributor Chris Hough to hear all about JEF Chiba's preparations for 2025 (26:40 to 35:50).

Staying in Kanto, Jon then sits down with friend-of-the-pod Steve Fryer for an in-depth chat about Omiya's return to the second tier (35:50 to 01:04:30). There's also a bonus discussion with Steve about one of the biggest J.League news stories of the last twelve months: multinational energy drink conglomerate Red Bull's controversial takeover of Omiya (01:04:30 to Finish).

Thank you as always to our contributors and listeners, and we hope everyone enjoys the show!

*These are the questions that we asked Chris and Steve to think about:

1)     Please tell us about your team's transfer activity over the winter break (major players coming in, major players going out).

2)     Who will be your team's key player in 2025?

3)     What do you think of your team's manager?

4)     Where do you think your team will finish in the 2025 table (head and heart)?

5)     Which team in J2 do you think is going to surprise people this season (could be your team or any other, could be a positive or negative surprise)?

Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod

Get involved with our JLeague Chat Discord server here: https://discord.gg/p6PVbF9E

Follow JTET on Bluesky here: @jtalket.bsky.social

J-Talk: Extra Time – J2 Season Preview Part 2

Hot on the heels of Part 1, JTET is back to preview another five teams who are getting ready for the 2025 J2 season.

This time, Jon and James get things underway by talking about Consadole Sapporo (Start to 08:45), and Montedio Yamagata (08:45 to 16:45).

After that, a trio of special guests are on hand to give us their thoughts on the year ahead. First up is Martin Spivey, who covers Blaublitz Akita (16:45 to 36:20).

Following up is Fin Wilson, who has all the pre-season information about Vegalta Sendai (36:20 to 53:00).

Rounding things off this time is Leslie Mabon, who waxes lyrical about Iwaki FC's prospects for the 2025 campaign (53:00 to Finish).

*Here are the hard-hitting questions that we asked Martin, Fin, and Leslie to respond to:

1)     Please tell us about your team's transfer activity over the winter break (major players coming in, major players going out).

2)     Who will be your team's key player in 2025?

3)     What do you think of your team's manager?

4)     Where do you think your team will finish in the 2025 table (head and heart)?

5)     Which team in J2 do you think is going to surprise people this season (could be your team or any other, could be a positive or negative surprise)?

Thank you for supporting JTET, and The J-Talk Podcast - we hope you enjoy the episode!

Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/jtalkpod

You are welcome to join the JLeague Chat Discord server here: https://discord.gg/p6PVbF9E

You can also follow JTET on Bluesky here: @jtalket.bsky.social

J-Talk: Short Corner – J3 Season Preview Part 1

Victor Arroyo makes his debut as the new host of JTSC, previewing five teams ahead of the new 2025 J3 season:

 

0:00-3:05 Intro

3:05-5:30 Azul Claro Numazu

5:30-7:50 Fukushima United FC

7:50-10:05 Gainaire Tottori

10:05-12:20 FC Gifu

12:20-15:15 Giravanz Kitakyushu

15:15-End Outro

 

Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/jtalkpod

Feel free to join us on the JLeague Chat Discord: https://discord.gg/p6PVbF9E

Follow Victor on Bluesky: @jfootballanalytics.bsky.social

J-Talk: Extra Time – J2 Season Preview Part 1

With not long until the big kickoff for 2025, Jon Steele and James Taylor got together for the first J2 season preview pod. After a brief word of thanks to departing JTSC host Mike Innes, Jon and James talked about five teams:

 

04:00 to 10:15 Jubilo Iwata

10:15 to 16:10 Fujieda MYFC

16:10 to 25:05 Mito Hollyhock

25:05 to 34:45 Ventforet Kofu

34:45 to end Kataller Toyama

 

Thank you for your ongoing support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time. We hope you’ll enjoy the 2025 season with us. 

 

Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/jtalkpod

Feel free to join us on the JLeague Chat Discord: https://discord.gg/p6PVbF9E

Follow JTET on Bluesky: @jtalket.bsky.social

 

Stay tuned for part two!

Episode 553 - J1 Season Previews Part 3

We have another bumper round of J1 previews for you this week, as we edge closer to the start of the new season.

In Part 1 Jonny and Ben preview Hiroshima (to 21:20) and Kashiwa (to 48:25), before they're joined by three terrific guests.

In Part 2 Daniel Hawkins chats about Fukuoka (to 1:13:17), then in Part 3 Ralf Seidl discusses Urawa (to 1:45:25), before James Taylor from J-Talk: Extra Time rounds out the pod in Part 4 looking ahead to Okayama's first-ever J1 campaign.

Episode 552 - J1 Season Previews Part 2

Now that we're up and running, our J1 season previews roll on galactically on this episode, with five more teams under the microscope.

We begin with a J-Talk crossing of the streams, as Jon Steele guests to preview promoted clubs Yokohama FC (to 42:15) and Shimizu (to 1:09:00), before Jonny and Ben run the rule over Shonan (to 1:29:30) and Yokohama F.Marinos (to 1:52:35) in Part 2. Then in Part 3 we were delighted to welcome Kawasaki correspondent Neil Debnam back to the pod to preview the brave new dawn at Todoroki.

You can keep track of all the goings on at Frontale on Neil's blog, and he's now on Bluesky, too.

Episode 551 - J1 Season Previews Part 1

Welcome to our previews of the 2025 J1 Season! In Part 1, after some housekeeping at the start of the episode, we chat with Lewis White about Tokyo Verdy (to 32:05), and to Ryo Nakagawara about Machida (to 1:01:00) and FC Tokyo (to 1:40:20), before Jonny and Ben discuss Niigata (to 1:56:23) and Kashima.

For each club, we follow the same format: A brief review of 2024; the club's major moves in the transfer market; thoughts on the manager; a player to watch and prospects for the new season.

You can read Ryo's terrific work in his Shogun Soccer newsletter, and follow each club's ins and out through Jonny's Google Doc.

Episode 550 - Happy New J.League Season!

Welcome back to a new year, and a new season of J-Talk! On our first episode of 2025, Dan Orlowitz joins Jonny and Ben to chat about how the J.League can build on their successful 2024, and what will be new or different this season, before we discuss the 2026 "0.5 Season", or as it will be known from this point on: The 2026 Chaos Energy J.League Cup (from 17:45 to 39:25), before we finish with some hot takes on the best and worst of the new season's top flight kits.

Thanks to you all for your ongoing support! Check out Dan on Bluesky, and remember you can keep up to date on offseason transfers on Jonny's Google Doc.

JTET Season Review 2024 - Part 4

The JTET team start 2025 by bringing down the curtain on last season in the final part of their big J2 season review.

Jon and James get things up and running by discussing Montedio Yamagata (Start to 11:15), before handing over to a trio of guest contributors to cover the rest of the Play-Off teams from 2024.

We welcome debutant Makoto to talk about Fagiano Okayama (11:15 to 19:20), before veteran co-host of the ViviCast, Daniel Kuroda, takes us through V-Varen Nagasaki's campaign (19:20 to 30:00).

Rounding things off is Fin Wilson (@VegaltaPotter on Twitter), who reviews an impressive season for resurgent Vegalta Sendai (30:00 to Finish).

1) How do you feel about the 2024 season for your team overall?

2) What was the high point of the season?

3) What was the low point of the season?

4) Which player from another club impressed you the most this season?

5) What is your biggest hope for your club in 2025?

Thanks to all of our listeners and contributors for a fantastic 2024 - see you all again for the new season very soon!