The Sweeper

• Avellino's Pope curse, Russia’s fake Zorya Luhansk & Singapore’s Lady Gaga headache

  Bulgarian club Ludogorets are the starting point in a Europe-focused Part 1. But what continental record have they equalled? And how might the Crazy Forest gang’s story have turned out so differently? Next up is the Vatican. But what is the link between Serie C club Avellino and the Pope? And why have the Swiss Guard withdrawn from the league in the world’s smallest state. Then it’s over to the world’s largest country: Russia. Why are spin-offs of Ukrainian clubs from occupied territories springing up? And will UEFA allow it to happen? Part 2 is dedicated to the rest of the world and starts with continental finals in Asia. How have Lion City Sailors of Singapore been impacted by Lady Gaga? And have Arkadag of Turkmenistan finally dropped points or not? Over in Belize, a 24-year old female coach has almost won the Premier League title with a men’s team. How do her achievements compare to other female managers in men’s football? And finally, South America: Why did Chelsea-bound Estêvão have an 18th birthday to remember? And does posting a highlights reel on Facebook pay off?Join The Sweeper on Patreon for bonus content – including extra episodes, Discord access, blogs, weekly newsletters, quizzes, interactive maps, club profiles & more.Support The Sweeper on Buy Me A CoffeeEditor: Ralph Foster Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  52:15
• Holy water in Benin, Greece’s season ticket dog & Ecuador’s indigenous trailblazers

  This episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click below to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live club and international football from around the world: ⁠www.tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeperEurope and Africa are the focal points in a fan culture-themed Part 1. How did an American tourist on a hop-on, hop-off boat cruise in London get adopted by Southend’s away fans? What did supporters of Loto Popo in Benin spray on the away team bus during their recent match with Bani Gansé? Are WSG Tirol of Austria the worst-supported top-flight club in Europe? And how did a dog become a chanting season-ticket holder in Greece?It's over to South America in Part 2. What remarkable feat have indigenous Ecuadorian club Mushuc Runa achieved in the Copa Sudamericana? And what is the latest flamboyant outfit Barcelona coach Segundo Castillo has donned in the Copa Libertadores? How has a Bolivian player gotten away with pretending to be his deceased younger brother for so long? And what happened when a referee Kungfu-kicked a pitch-invading coach in the Copa Peru?Join The Sweeper on Patreon: patreon.com/SweeperPodSupport The Sweeper on Buy Me A Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/sweeperpodEditor: Ralph Foster Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  52:49
• Footballs in international waters, an Alpine groundhop adventure & Uzbek World Cup dreams

  In Paul’s absence, Producer Tom joins Lee to talk about their five-a-side football match on the German-Swiss border and their Alpine groundhopping challenge to watch live games in three countries in the space of seven hours – using only public transport! Join Lee and Tom to find out how they almost lost a football in international waters, why they might face repercussions from the ‘Groundhop Police’, whether they were mugged by young children in a micro-state and what happened when they dared to ask a sausage seller for a plate. That is followed by a round-up of the best headlines from the first international window of the year. New Caledonia, Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, Sudan and Venezuela are all chasing their World Cup debuts – but who stands the best chance of making it and could a Trump travel ban stop them entering the USA? Do Australia regret joining AFC now that OFC gets an automatic World Cup qualifying berth? And what is with South American nations calling up players to make their international debuts before appearing professionally at club level? Join us on Patreon for:- Bonus episodes, including an interview with James Montague about his time spent with ultra groups around the world- Blog posts about football in the likes of Africa, the Faroe Islands, Japan and Mongolia- Access to our Discord chat community containing hundreds of Sweeper listeners- Weekly newsletters with a FIFA+ match recommendation of the week- And much more besides!The Blizzard: Get 10% off subscriptions to The Blizzard by entering the code 'sweeper10' at checkout. Editor: Ralph Foster Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  52:25
• The trillion-dollar Saudi team, Bosnia’s Serbian champions & Bulgaria's memorable minute's silence

  This episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click below to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live club and international football from around the world: ⁠www.tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper In Part 1, the award-winning football journalist and author James Montague joins us in the studio to tell us about Neom Sports Club, the trillion-dollar team in Saudi Arabia’s second division, and their futuristic home city that will have flying cars and robots. But why do the richest club in the world play in the Saudi lower leagues? What do they want to achieve as part of their five-year plan? And how are they viewed by the rest of the country? It’s back to Europe in Part 2. There’s UEFA Conference League chat about Borac Banja Luka – the champions of Bosnia & Herzegovina who feel more Serbian than Bosnian. Elsewhere, the 2025 Faroe Islands season is under way, the world’s only country with undersea roundabouts and the same champion of its first and second tiers. And finally, there’s a incredible moment in Bulgaria as Arda hold a minute’s silence for an ex-player, who is very much alive and well. Patreon: Join us on Patreon at patreon.com/SweeperPod to listen to our bonus episode with James Montague (out on 9 April) all about his adventures with ultra groups across the world and to enter the giveaway to win one of three copies of his book 'Engulfed'. All patrons can also read Lee's new blog about African football over the international break, while members of our 'Ultra' and 'Board Member' tiers will also have exclusive access to 'A Steppe Too Far', Paul’s serialised blog about his time accidentally owning a football club in Mongolia.The Blizzard:Get 10% off subscriptions to 'The Blizzard' by entering the code 'sweeper10' at checkout: https://forwardpress.imbmsubscriptions.com/sweeper10/Editor:Ralph Foster Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  59:13
• Japan’s ultimate bench-warmer, Andorra’s YouTube resurrection & Iceland’s volcano-hit team

  This episode is brought to you in association with FIFA+. Click here to get your free FIFA+ account and watch live football from around the world, including the San Marino league and cup: ⁠www.tinyurl.com/FIFAPlusSweeper Send us an email to [email protected] with some information about yourself and your preferences if you want us to handpick you a new football team to support. In Part 1, it’s all about Asia. Shandong Taishan have withdrawn from the AFC Champions League due to the "serious physical discomfort" of their players. But is there a more sinister explanation for their premature departure? North Korea has started its Premier League coverage 150 days late. And there is a truly petty reason why games involving three of the 20 clubs cannot be broadcast! Our final stop is in Japan, where Kawasaki Frontale’s back-up goalie has played his first game in nine years and an Okinawan club is sponsored by a local poo museum. It’s back to Europe for Part 2. With San Marino’s league and cup now on FIFA+, we put the 16-team division under the spotlight and tell some of its quirkier stories. Next up is another micro-state, Andorra, where a French YouTuber is bringing a club back from the dead in the hopes of making Europe in three years. And he’s offering YOU the chance to win a professional contract! The final story for this episode comes from Iceland, where second-tier outfit Grindavík are preparing to return home after a year of volcanic eruptions. The big question is, of course: is it safe?! Patreon: Join us on Patreon at patreon.com/SweeperPod for bonus episodes, blog content, exclusive access, membership of our chat community, quizzes, early & ad free listening and much more besides. There is also still one place available on our Sweeper 'Board Member' tier, where you can join us for Zoom calls and watch live bonus podcast recordings online. World Soccer discounts: Get 50% off the March edition of World Soccer. Visit the following link and enter the code 'SWEEPER50' at checkout: shop.kelsey.co.uk/WSCBK Get a six-month subscription (six issues) for £15 (reduced from £29.99): shop.kelsey.co.uk/WSCSWEEPER Editor: Ralph Foster Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  48:05

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