twofootedtackle's sh*t hot football podcasts

Since finally taking the plunge and kicking off the twofootedtackle football podcast, I've come to realise that it's actually bloody hard work. Trust me - it takes a whole bunch of preparation, knowledge and confidence. That's why I drafted someone else in to present it, obviously.

As a result, I've come to appreciate other podcasts that little bit more. From professional shows with all the resources media outlets can throw at them, to one-man-and-a-laptop efforts, the key is in the quality. Here are my favourites (in all cases, iTunes podcast power search is your friend):

BBC World Football Phone-In

This is purely and simply the greatest radio show on the planet, and because of its global appeal and god-awful broadcast time (it begins at 2.30am in the UK) it is shared as a podcast. BBC Radio Five Live Up All Night presenter Dotun Adebayo leads the line, supported by the amazingly detailed knowledge of Tim Vickery (swoon), Andy Brassell, Sean Wheelock (who also does play-by-play for Kansas City Wizards), Dorusimi Thomas, Peter Laws and more.

It also has a regular cast of slightly mental listeners who are expertly managed by the affable and quick-witted Adebayo. I'm not exaggerating when I say you need this podcast.

The Guardian Football Weekly

Presented by James Richardson, the Gazzetta Italia presenter who was such a fixture of my football development, this is the daddy of football podcasts. Richardson is hilariously offset by Barry Glendenning, and the pair are joined by various Guardian and Observer journos.

Sean Ingle, Paul Doyle, Kevin McCarra and Barney Ronay are particularly engaging as the podcast whizzes around the top European leagues. And despite my complete non-interest in Spanish football, the phone call with La Liga expert Sid Lowe is a real highlight. He doesn't like shitty little yapping dogs any more than I do.

Match Fit USA

This is a podcast I really admire, and I hope occasional twofootedtackle contributor Jason Davis gets everything up and running again soon because he seems to really enjoy it. The Match Fit USA podcast gives a well-prepared and hugely insightful view of American football soccer football.

As the podcast matures, Jason's started to attract some cracking guests and works them in in a way which still allows him to express his impressive knowledge. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Soccerlens

Anyone who dips in and out of twofootedtackle and doesn't stalk podcast presenter Gary Andrews may not know that the cheeky Welshman has been cheating on twofootedtackle with the Soccerlens podcast. It suits him, too, because it's a lovely display of football geekery.

Presenter Stephen Darwin isn't quite as comfortable on air as Gary, but it sounds like he knows football inside out and he attracts some blinding guests. Well worth a listen, and a new addition to my iTunes subscriptions.

Winning Ugly Radio

If you like Fighting Talk and American accents, Winning Ugly Radio is the show for you. Scott Bornstein, Zach Woosley, Sandra Franz and Erik Young romp through a chuckle-inducing array of footy topics, covering the Premier League with as much nous as Major League Soccer.

The show is part of the Champions Soccer Radio Network, which I believe could use a little help right now. If the guys get comedian and Seattle Sounders owner Drew Carey onside, it might just attract the support it needs.

Honourable mentions go the way of FootballFanCast's Serie A Football Fancast and the UnitedMania DC United podcast. I suppose the obvious omission from this is The Times' podcast The Game - while Phill Jupitus is, in my view, an excellent presenter, the presence of Tony Evans serves only to get right on my tits.