A slightly impromptu episode, featuring an article written a few months back. Inspired by SC Cham and Zug 94's progression into the next round of the Swiss Cup, it felt like a good time to revisit the whole thing.
A trip to Winterthur and Schützi turns into a reflection on industrialisation, false-dawns, and a refusal to accept defeat. There's also just enough time for some football talk amongst it all.
Round 33 is done and the league now splits into the top and bottom 6 sides. Who will be happy with where they're at, and who will be asking serious questions about what has gone wrong? We also preview and predict the upcoming Swiss Cup semi-finals, as well as the semi-finals of the Women's Super League playoffs. Who will be competing for the titles as Swiss football begins the final run-in to the end of the season?
George Brooke of the Bearded Peacock, Talking Leeds, and Talking Brazil-Ball joins Paddy for a conversation on Swiss football, Brazilian football, Leeds United, and more. If you're interested in the new Brazilian football season, make sure you check out George's podcast: Talking Brazil-Ball!
A couple of flying visits to the canton of St Gallen allowed us to take in the Lidl Arena (Stadion Bergholz) in Wil, and Kybunpark in St Gallen itself. Two vastly different stadiums, but two fantastic experiences.
Who had the best transfer window in Switzerland? Who had the worst? Why are there so many Freimanns in Luzern? Just how competitive is the Swiss game right now? What on earth is going on at FC Givisiez? The answers to all these questions (and more) can be found within.
Have you ever wondered who the worst team, statistically, in Swiss football is? Well wonder no longer: I've delved into the depths of the amateur game to bring you a concrete answer to this pressing enquiry. We'll also discuss the successes and strugglers of the higher ends of the game - and the current runners for the Player of the Season - as Swiss football heads into its Winter break, but that's all a bit dull in comparison, no?
FC Biel/Bienne, FC Thun, and FC Basel have all found themselves, for one reason or another, cast adrift in recent years. This season, all three are in a position to reclaim some of that glory. I take a look at the journeys of each side and consider whether they'll be able to achieve the kind of success that has been held cruelly out of reach.
Both the Swiss Men's senior and U21 sides suffered some disastrous results during the most recent international break. Paddy looks at how things went wrong for the U21s, and highlights three ways the senior side could improve things under Murat Yakin.
It's a bonanza update, as we look at the winners and losers in the Super League, including Patrick Rahmen's departure from Young Boys, discuss the race for the Challenge League, delve into the women's Super League, and wax lyrical about the Swiss Cup. All this and more in Episode 3 of the Swiss Football Podcast, 24-25!
Paddy heads to the Letzigrund in Zürich to watch FCZ v Lugano, a top of the table clash that would see the winner go top of the Super League ahead of the second international break.
In "Auslanders", I decide who my special guest should support in Switzerland. In this episode, I welcome Fazz and Rich from the Living La Vita Loca podcast to talk football, food, and the power of friendship, before giving both of them a Swiss team to follow.
A month into the 24-25 season, we take a look at the successes, strugglers, and surprises of the Swiss Super League so far, including the shocking start made by the reigning champions, before breaking down the mixed results for our Swiss sides in European qualifiers. Finally, what can we expect from Xherdan Shaqiri's return to Basel? What will it mean for the club, the league, and Xherdan himself?
Paddy makes his predictions for the upcoming 24/25 season and reflects on Switzerland's performance in Euro 2024, as well as mourning Xherdan Shaqiri's decision to hang up his international boots.
After a long hiatus, it's time to give this another go. In this episode, I look back over the 2023/24 season in Swiss football, revisiting the predictions I made back in the summer of 2023. I also give my thoughts on the upcoming Switzerland v England game at Euro 2024. It's nice to be back!
I was desperate for some first round cupsets in the Swiss Cup. Did it deliver? Meanwhile, Paradiso are in paradise in the Promotion League, but it was Over and Done With for Luzern in the Conference League. Finally, how will Young Boys and Lugano get on in their respective trips overseas later this week?
We wrap up MD4 in the Super & Challenge Leagues (crowning our 2nd Player of the Round), before discussing Servette and Luzern's efforts in Europe. Finally, we ask why FC Zürich have started the season so well, while FC Basel languish deep in the bottom half of the table.
Switzerland crash out of the Women's World Cup, gaps start to appear in the Super League, and the first Player of the Round award is bestowed upon... well, you'll have to listen to find out.
What, you haven't heard of the Promotion League? Switzerland's third footballing tier? Home to such household names as FC Paradiso, SC Cham, and Breitenrain? Well it starts on Saturday, so I guess you better listen to this episode! We also look at less exciting competitions like the Champions League and Conference League, but you can just skip those parts...
Happy Switzerland (and Yorkshire) Day! Tune in for a summary of the second round of matches in both the Super and Challenge Leagues, plus a look at how the Swiss "Nati" are getting on in the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.