The J-Talk Podcast

Episode 297 - Islandhopping Special

We're back to brighten up your international break with another terrific Groundhopping Special, but as the title suggests, we're off to the islands with Chris Hough and Stuart Woodward as we travel around Shikoku, Kyushu and Okinawa.

We begin on Shikoku and Stuart's trip to the Pocari Sweat Stadium in Tokushima, then Chris follows with his visit to (Shinji) Kagawa Prefecture and Kamatamare Sanuki's Pikara Stadium (to 25:39).

We then head over to Kyushu, where Stuart and Chris have both been to Tosu, Oita and Nagasaki, and continue on to everyone's idea of a good time, Fukuoka (to 56:22), before finishing up down in Okinawa with FC Ryukyu's Very Long Stadium Name (total running time 1:22:24).

Follow my guests on twitter and elsewhere:

Stuart - @stuartcw

Tricolore Pride

Chris - @LiFJapan

Chris's Lost in Football website and terrific YouTube channel

This episode ran first for our Patreon supporters, without whom special podcasts like these would not be possible. To support the podcast, please visit patreon.com/jtalkpod.

Episode 296 - J1 Matchday 31

Scott McIntyre rides shotgun this week as we welcome Ryan Steele, Alex Bishop and Stuart Woodward back to the pod.

In Part 1 Ryan joins us to review the first leg of the ACL Final, that saw Urawa struggle away to Al Hilal, but with the tie still delicately balanced with the second leg coming up in Saitama on the 24th (to 16:52).

In Part 2 Alex chats about FC Tokyo climbing back to the top flight summit as they wrapped up their eight game road trip with a narrow win at bottom club Iwata, with Kawasaki doing them a solid by knocking Kashima off their perch with a 2-0 away win (to 35:12).

Then in Part 3 Stuart discusses the other big beneficiaries of Kawasaki's win, Yokohama, who rose to second, a point behind Tokyo, after their big home win over Sapporo. There's also a lot of love for Ange Postecoglou, the F.Marinos manager, following the news he has re-signed with the club for the 2020 season (to 1:02:32).

Finally, Scott and I close out the episode with a check of the other five games from Matchday 31 - including big relegation dogfight wins for Sendai, Nagoya and Tosu - and the briefest of glances at the Japan squad(s) for upcoming games.

Follow my guests on twitter (and elsewhere):

Scott - @mcintinhos

The new-look The Asian Game website

Ryan - @Steelinho

Alex - @Abishop32

FC Tokyo English

Stuart - @stuartcw

Tricolore Pride

Episode 295 - J1 Matchday 30

After another ripping weekend of top flight action, Alan Gibson and Sam Robson return to the pod to review J1 Matchday 30.

We begin with league leaders Kashima doing just enough to edge past Urawa last Friday, which upped the stakes for FC Tokyo and Yokohama in their games on Saturday, but both claimed impressive away wins to keep pace at the top.

From there, you know the drill, we work our way through the results and down the table, finishing up with the Shizuoka Derby, won in dramatic fashion by Adailton for Iwata (sounds like a fashion label that).

Follow my guests on twitter:

Alan - @jsoccermagazine

JSoccer.com

Sam - @FRsoccerSam

J-Talk Extra Time: Episode 16 - A Spook-tacular playoff race

In honour of Hallowe'en, the title is Hallowe'en themed and there is definitely a Hallowe'en flavour pervading this weekend's J2. 

• Tokushima have ghosted into the playoffs - are they set for more?
• Trick or Treat for Omiya Ardija - beat Kashiwa and they look set, lose and it looks scary
• The creaking door to the haunted house of J3 is well and truly open
• Spiders...or actually Spiderman boots for a certain J2 star
• Which teams will make it out of the witch's cauldron that is the playoff race?

Stuart Smith and Jon Steele are ready to take you through it all - with no silly costumes.

Episode 294 - Up For The Cups

No J1 this past weekend, but that doesn't stop us going big on this new episode of the pod, as Neil Debnam, Ryan Steele and Paul Williams, and Chris Hough all guest on various cup action in the past week.

In Part 1 Neil revels in all of Kawasaki's glory after the dramatic Levain Cup final won on penalties over Sapporo last Saturday, and we wonder if a late spurt could propel Frontale back into the ACL next year - or perhaps even see them claim a third straight league title (to 34:15).

In Part 2 Ryan and Paul guest together as we collectively try and work out how Urawa have been so good in Asia this year - after Reds made it through to their second ACL final in three years last week - despite struggling throughout the J1 season, while we wax lyrical about Shinzo Koroki after his goal settled the semi final second leg, and the tie against Guangzhou Evergrande (to 1:14:32).

And then in Part 3 Chris returns to chat about the quarter finals of the Emperor's Cup played last Wednesday, and the latest installment of his Road to the Final - the all-J2 clash between Nagasaki and Kofu.

Follow my guests on twitter (and elsewhere):

Neil - @frontalerabbit

Neil's Frontale Rabbit website

Ryan - @Steelinho

Paul - @PaulWilliams_85

The new-look The Asian Game website

Chris - @LiFJapan

Chris's Lost in Football website and YouTube channel (get subscribing!)

J-Talk Extra Time: Episode 15 (part 2) - Does Anybody Want 2nd Place?

This is part two of the J2 round up, and this part focuses on the push for promotion and the ever tightening playoff race. Again, Jon Steele is at the helm, and I (Stuart Smith) try to make sense of it all.

(There's a little mishap at the beginning where I edited out part of Jon's lead in question but I think you'll be able to understand it. As for my answer though....)

J-Talk Extra Time: Episode 15 - Righteous Indignation

This week's podcast is split up into two halves, with this part 1 being about the teams near the foot of the table. Jon Steele & Stuart Smith discuss:

• FC Gifu's home win against Ehime
• Ryukyu's win at Tochigi
• The unsavoury goings on at Kagoshima-Renofa
• Avispa safe
• Machida toking over their shoulder
• JEF's capitulation against Kashiwa

Enjoy this Part 1 - part 2 will be on its way soon!!

Episode 293 - J1 Matchday 29

J1 returned over the weekend after the latest international break with brilliant goals and exciting games up and down the country, and Sam Robson and Stuart Woodward guest on this week's podcast to review all of the Matchday 29 action.

Stuart is along for our chat about the top three: Kashima dropping two points away at Matsumoto last Friday night (to 17:10), and then seeing their mini-buffer wiped away after impressive 3-1 wins for FC Tokyo in Kobe and Yokohama at home against Shonan on Saturday (to 52:40).

After Stuart bids us farewell, Sam and I cover the remainder of the title and ACL-chasing pack - Hiroshima, Cerezo Osaka and Kawasaki - before we segue on to the relegation battle and a look ahead to the upcoming week in Japanese football.

Follow my guests on twitter:

Sam - @FRsoccerSam

Stuart - @stuartcw

If, like Tokyo manager Kenta Hasegawa, you're a new listener to the pod and would like to support us on Patreon, please visit patreon.com/jtalkpod - all help is greatly appreciated and begins from just $1 a month.

J-Talk Extra Time: Episode 14 - Four days of Football

Staggered from Saturday to Tuesday, this week's J-Talk: Extra Time covers all that you need to know about J2, and plenty you don't need to in an hour long celebration of the good (Uejo), the bad (the referee at Mitsuzawa) and the ugly (Machida Zelvia's new name) of J2. 

Follow us:

Stuart - @sushi_football

Jon - @J2KantoBites

Donate on Patreon

Episode 292 - 2019 Groundhopping Special #Full Episode#

We ran a teaser for this (originally) Patreon-only Groundhopping Special during the last international break, now we're pleased to present the full episode, featuring masters of the genre Chris Hough and Stuart Woodward, who have both been there, done that, and eaten the beef tongue.

We begin with Gamba Osaka's home, the Panasonic Stadium Suita, stay in Kansai by chatting about Kobe's Noevir Stadium (from 27:47), then move on to a Nagano double attack of (J3) Parceiro's Nagano U Stadium and Matsumoto's Alwin Stadium (from 42:05), before finishing off with Chris's first J.League ground, and one of Stuart's favorites - the Yurtec Stadium in Sendai.

Stadium access, facilities, and general matchday experiences are all covered here, as well as thoughts on some of the cities themselves, to hopefully whet your appetites for a new J.League-watching sojourn.

Special thanks, as always, to our supporters on Patreon, without who we would not be able to do special episodes like this. Please consider hopping on board by visiting patreon.com/jtalkpod - all support is very welcome and begins from $1 a month.

Follow my guests on twitter:

Stuart - @stuartcw

Chris - @LiFJapan

Chris's Lost in Football Japan website.