Learn English Through Football Podcast

What does 'hit on the break' mean? This week's English for football is 'hit on the break' or 'hit on the counter'...

On this week's podcast we preview the clausura season in Argentina's Primera League look . Remember on this week's podcast you can also: Listen only to the main report here - complete with transcript and vocabulary Learners of English can review the footballing news from around the world in our good, the bad and the ugly section of the show Check out a new football expression in English for Football For learners of English check out our Football Language Resources page with: A page with all our Football vocabulary posts Football glossary (a huge collection of football vocabulary, football cliches and football phrases) Worksheets and transcripts from previous podcasts Automatically receive the podcast each week by clicking here //

This week we look at one of the most passionate and exciting leagues in world football, the Primera División in Argentina.

Squander a lead: This time we look at the phrase 'to squander a lead' which is connected to comebacks.

On this week's podcast we review the 2011 Asian Cup.

On this week's podcast we review the recently completed Asia Cup tournament from Qatar

What does 'top drawer' and 'out of the top drawer' mean in football? This phrase has been used since the beginning...

On this week's podcast, Hans takes a look at the Bundesliga and Shinji Kagawa, a Japanese star playingA in that league. We also have all the regular favourites on the show . Remember on this week's podcast you can also: Listen only to the main report here - complete with transcript and vocabulary Check out a new football expression in English for Football Learners of English can review the footballing news from around the world in our good, the bad and the ugly section of the show For learners of English check out our Football Language Resources page with: A page with all our Football vocabulary posts Football glossary (a huge collection of football vocabulary, football cliches and football phrases) Worksheets and transcripts from previous podcasts Automatically receive the podcast each week by clicking here // //

[print_link] | Subscribe: Main Listening Report | Complete List Here With the Asia cup being played this month our German correspondent takes a look at the Bundesliga and the impact of one Asian player is having in this big European League. Explanations of key vocabulary (in bold) can be found at the foot of the post. This weekend the Asia Cup reaches its climax. Australia and Japan will go head to head in the final. Sadly though there is one player who wona€™t be taking the field, and his absence has been widely reported in the Bundesliga. His name is Shinji Kagawa, and his season so far has captured the imagination of all German football fans. Kagawa was plucked from then J2 team Cerezo Osaka for a small fee by Borussia Dortmund, and on his arrival in Germany many questioned the logic behind such a signing. He is small, skillful and pacy, but with little big game experience in Japan, let alone internationally, it was feared that he would not be able to settle into the demands of such a big club. The be truthful, most had never hear of him. Remember that Dortmund is one of the Bundesligas biggest clubs. So when Kagawa announced pre-match that he would score two goals against archrival Schalke 04, and he then went on to score twice in a game Dortmund won, he instantly became one of the fan's favorites. Since then several other Japanese players have joined Bundesliga clubs. But now his season is over, and discussions are whether Dortmund can maintain their title challenge without him. Their main challengers are Bayern and Leverkusen, but I feel Dortmund will win. Viel Spass beim Fussball. Vocabulary go head to head: meet in a match, play against each other pluck: (in this context) buy, hire, get settle: become used to, find your rhythm

We look at the football phrase 'to be in acres of space' which refers to when players always have lots of room to play.

On this week's podcast we look at the controversy surrounding the future of the Olympic Stadium in London, as well as all the regular favourites on the show. Remember on this week's podcast you can also: Listen only to the main report here - complete with transcript and vocabulary Check out a new football expression in English for Football Learners of English can review the footballing news from around the world in our good, the bad and the ugly section of the show For learners of English check out our Football Language Resources page with: A page with all our Football vocabulary posts Football glossary (a huge collection of football vocabulary, football cliches and football phrases)

[print_link] | Subscribe: Main Listening Report | Complete List Here This week's main report looks at the future of the London Olympic Stadium with two London sides interested in possibly moving there. Explanations of key vocabulary (in bold) can be found at the foot of the post. Introduction The 2012 London Olympics is still 18 months away but the decision about what to do with the stadium after the games is causing huge uproar in the capital. When the UK Olympic bid won the right to host the games back in 2005 they promised a sporting legacy for London, which, it was assumed, would include using the stadium as a centre for athletics. Since then, however, two of the capital's football teams have shown strong interest in taking over the stadium post-2012. West Ham appear to have the better 'right' to the stadium due to geographical and historical reasons with the east-London club based in the same Newham Borough as the Olympic Stadium in Stratford. But there's another team, Tottenham, who also feel they have a have a right to the stadium. West Ham As we have already mentioned the Olympic Stadium is very much in West Ham's hinterland and so if the decision is to be made on proximity then it would be no contest; their current ground at Upton Park is only 3 kilometres away from the stadium as opposed to Tottenham's White Hart Lane which is nearly 5 miles away in the Borough of Haringey. West Ham's proposal also includes maintaining the athletics track around the pitch, while they are also suggesting that the venue will be an all-purpose one: football, athletics, concerts and even cricket would all take place there. The problems with West Ham's bid, however, also include the track with many football commentators arguing that any stadium with one tends to lose some of the atmosphere normally generated at a football ground, while others feel that West Ham are simply not big enough to fill the stadium, which of course would further diminish any atmosphere. Tottenham Tottenham - and yes, they are my team - are also bidding for the right to use the stadium, a far more controversial bid. Fans are not happy about the proposed move away from their current area, particularly as the club had unveiled plans to build a new stadium beside their current home. The club claim that they have had little support from their local borough and that the cost of developing the Olympic Stadium would be far cheaper than doing so at their current home. The fact that transportation links to and from the ground would be much better is another reason for the club to make the move. The club would tear down the Olympic Stadium and build a football-only replacement instead, which might satisfy the football purists but would horrify those who already see the A£500 million spent on the stadium as a waste of money. Tottenham are not interested in having anything to do with athletics and so those who hoped for a post-Olympics legacy for that sport are very much against Spurs' proposal - despite the fact that the club have offered support to rebuild the athletics centre at Crystal Palace. Future? As a Spurs fan who used to live 100 yards from the ground, it saddens me to see the club thinking about moving. Not only because the area around the current stadium really needs to be developed but because the club has been there since 1882 - the team is not called Tottenham for nothing, it is part of the fabric of the area. True, Spurs may make more money from the move, it may make economic sense but it will also take away a huge part of the club's (and the area's) history and soul. At a time when fans are complaining about the amount of money in the game, it is time for a team to show some class. Come on Tottenham, stay at The Lane - we are better than that. // Vocabulary legacy: To leave something behind that means something the capital's football teams : Two teams from London - West Ham and Tottenham hinterland: The area around something, the local region proximity: 'nearness'; how close something is the venue: The place where something happens all-purpose one: A stadium where all kinds of sport takes place - not just football diminish: Decrease, lessen, lose unveiled plans: To reveal or show their plans local borough: Local parts of the city, the city is divided up into smaller areas tear down: Destroy football purists: Those who love football only

Weekly Football Phrase: To dump out of a competition. This phrase is usually used when talking about cup competitions, such as the FA Cup (England)

On this week's podcast we have a profile of the newly appointed Liverpool manager, Kenny Dalglish as well as all the regular favourites on the show. Remember on this week's podcast you can also: Listen only to the main report here - complete with transcript and vocabulary Check out a new football expression in English for Football Learners of English can review the footballing news from around the world in our good, the bad and the ugly section of the show For learners of English check out our Football Language Resources page with: A page with all our Football vocabulary posts Football glossary (a huge collection of football vocabulary, football cliches and football phrases) Worksheets and transcripts from previous podcasts Automatically receive the podcast each week by clicking here //

[print_link] | Subscribe: Main Listening Report | Complete List Here On this week's main report languagecaster.com profiles Kenny Dalglish, who last week took over as manager at Liverpool from Roy Hodgson. Explanations of key vocabulary (in bold) can be found at the foot of the post. The big news last week, in England anyway, was the return of Kenny Dalglish as Liverpool manager. His appointment pushed most other footballing news out of the headlines and was compared to a messiah returning to his true home. Indeed, amongst Liverpool fans Kenny Dalglish is known as King Kenny and recognized by most of them as their best ever player. The Scot, born In Glasgow, first played professionally for Celtic and had eight successful years playing in the green and white hoops of the Scottish side. He came to Liverpool in 1977 as the replacement for Kevin Keegan, a player also idolised by the Kop, who had moved to the Bundesliga to play for Hamburg. Most thought he would be a hard act to follow, but Dalglish took up his mantle and the number 7 shirt effortlessly as he struck up a great strike partnership with Ian Rush. As a Liverpool player he won three European cups in 1978, 1981 and 1984, a hatful of League titles (six) and FA Cup and 4 League Cups scoring 118 league goals in 355 appearances. But perhaps what makes him not just a great player but a great figure in the history of British and European football is that he also went on to win titles and trophies as a player-manager and then as manager of the Reds. After the Heysel tragedy, where 39 people died, the then Liverpool coach Joe Fagan ended his career and Dalglish took up the reigns to continue the tradition of the Boot Room - a reference to how Liverpool managers since Shankly in the 1960s had come from inside the club. In his first season in charge, Dalglish, as player manager, won the double and continued to win trophies while building one of the most exciting teams in the English League at the time, with the likes of Beardsley, Barnes, and Aldridge. But his managerial time at Liverpool was to be defined by another tragedy, this time the deadly crush at Hillsborough where 96 Liverpool fans died in May 1989 in an FA Cup semi-final. The event devastated Dalglish and the emotional toll meant he resigned as manager in February 1991. As a player, Dalglish was known for his ball control, vision and finishing. As a manager, he brought three more titles to Anfield and also went on to win a title at Blackburn in the Premier League, as the only manager not from Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal to do so in the Premier League era. And now he's back at Liverpool, at Anfield, at home. Liverpool fans will be hoping they will have more dreams and songs to sing about King Kenny and how his team plays. // Vocabulary appointment : naming, selection, choosing idolised: treated like a hero, worshipped a hard act to follow: difficult to copy, hard to emulate strike up: make, create, forge a hatful: many, a lot take up the reigns: continue the same work as a predecessor, take control the emotional toll: emotional stress, psychological stress finishing: ability to score goals

In this post we explain the phrase 'to be in the dark'

On this week's podcast we take a look at the Asian Cup taking place in Qatar as well as all the regular favourites on the show. Remember on this week's podcast you can also: Listen only to the main report here - complete with transcript and vocabulary Check out a new football expression in English for Football Learners of English can review the footballing news from around the world in our good, the bad and the ugly section of the show For learners of English check out our Football Language Resources page with: A page with all our Football vocabulary posts Football glossary (a huge collection of football vocabulary, football cliches and football phrases) Worksheets and transcripts from previous podcasts Automatically receive the podcast each week by clicking here //

[print_link] | Subscribe: Main Listening Report | Complete List Here This week's main report previews the 2011 Asia Cup tournament being played in Qatar from January 7th-29th. Explanations of key vocabulary (in bold) can be found at the foot of the post. Group A Only 6 weeks ago the football world was stunned by FIFA's decision to give Qatar the chance to host the 2022 World Cup, so now the whole world will be watching from this weekend to see how well this Gulf nation can do when hosting the 2011 Asian Cup competition. The one-month long tournament kicks off at the Khalifa International Stadium on Friday and is being held for the second time in Qatar. The first was back in 1988 when the hosts went out in the group stage. They will be hoping to do a bit better this time, particularly as their three rivals in group A are all rather unpredictable: China, 1980 winners Kuwait and outsiders Uzbekistan. China, in particular, are a side that should be dominating the region but they only have two final appearances from their 10 visits to the tournament. Group CThis is the 15th running of the competition, with Korea winning the first one in 1956, though only 4 teams took part - and then repeating their victory 4 years later. Remarkably for a team with a strong World Cup record, since that second victory in 1960, Korea have not won the tournament so they will be hoping to ease 50 years of pain this time round. To do so they may have to play their Northern rivals in the quarter-finals but that depends on their performance in group C which includes tournament favourites Australia, West Asian team Bahrain, as well as underdogs India. This is only the third time that India have made it to the final tournament and few give them any chance of even scoring a goal in this year's version - their warm-up matches included thrashings by Korea and Yemen so they will not fancy their chances at all. Australia were everyone's favourites last time out when the tournament was held in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia (interestingly none of these teams have made it to this year's tournament) but the Socceroos were a huge disappointment going out in the quarter-finals. This time they feel they are more prepared but the squad is an ageing one and though they should get out of the group they may struggle against teams far more accustomed to the climate and local conditions. It will be interesting to note just how these conditions affect the teams taking part, especially as they are taking place in the relatively cooler winter. Group BOne of those sides could be Saudi Arabia, a country that has won the competition on three former occasions but failed to make the last World Cup. They will be hoping to make up for that disappointment here and they they should, at least, qualify from group B. Their record of appearing in six of the last seven finals suggests that they will be there or thereabouts at the end. Japan are also in this group and they will be hoping that new coach Zaccheroni will be able to deliver a 4th title and though the Italian coach has brought a young squad to these finals the experience of his European-based players will give them an edge over their group rivals and maybe even to win it outright. Group D Group D is an intriguing one, though rather cruelly dubbed the Axis of Evil Group, it includes holders Iraq who take on their rivals and former powerhouses of the region, Iran, as well as 2010 World Cup participants North Korea and the UAE. Iran have not won the competition since 1976 but they will have to improve on recent performances if they are to overcome the well-organised North Korean side, while few think Iraq can manage to repeat their amazing 2007 performance. The UAE could be one of the dark horses of the tournament and I think they'll start this run by getting out of this difficult group. The Winners? So, who is going to win it? Only seven countries have ever won this tournament and it is unlikely that there will be a new name on the trophy come the end of the month in Doha. The last five Champions League winning clubs have come from either Japan or Korea and, despite the tough conditions, I do not see any change in the power structure of the region. I am going for a Japan-Korea final with the Japanese running out winners. Links Check out some other links about the Asia Cup 2011 ESPN preview the 16 teams ESPN's history of the tournament The Asia Cup Official Homepage Languagecaster's view of the 2007 Asian Cup Vocabulary kicks off : To begin; to start a tournament went out in the group stage: To be eliminated; to be knocked out in the early rounds unpredictable: Difficult to predict; no one really knows what will happen Remarkably: Unbelievably; amazingly; surprisingly their Northern rivals: This refers to North Korea to ease 50 years of pain: As the team has not won for 50 years they will be hoping to finally win again underdogs: A team not expected to do well thr

This week's English for football is the phrase to finish with aplomb which means to score a goal with a good deal of confidence, a great finish.

This week's phrase is a 'wake up call'

On this week's podcast we feature the best player in the world in 2010 as well as all the regular favourites on the show. Remember on this week's podcast you can also: Listen only to the main report here - complete with transcript and vocabulary Check out a new football expression in English for Football Learners of English can review the footballing news from around the world in our good, the bad and the ugly section of the show For learners of English check out our Football Language Resources page with: A page with all our Football vocabulary posts Football glossary (a huge collection of football vocabulary, football cliches and football phrases) Worksheets and transcripts from previous podcasts Automatically receive the podcast each week by clicking here //

This week's main report features the best player in the world. And no, he does not play for Argentina! Xavi Hernández makes it as languagecaster's player of the year, so good that even Leo Messi has to take a bow.

This week's English for football phrase is nothing to do with winning, losing or tactics but instead is all about a piece of sports clothing known as the snood.

On this week's podcast look at the draw for the knockout stages of the Champions League - what's the most interesting tie, which teams are dark horses, and which is a mismatch? Remember on this week's show you can also: Listen only to the main report here - complete with transcript and vocabulary Check out a new football expression in English for Football Learners of English can review the footballing news from around the world in our good, the bad and the ugly section of the show For learners of English check out our Football Language Resources page with: A page with all our Football vocabulary posts Football glossary (a huge collection of football vocabulary, football cliches and football phrases) Worksheets and transcripts from previous podcasts Automatically receive the podcast each week by clicking here //

[print_link] | Subscribe: Main Listening Report | Complete List Here This week's main report takes a look at the fixtures in the knockout stage of the Champions League. The draw was made last night and the games will be played next year in February. Who will make it to the final on the 28th May in London? Explanations of key vocabulary (in bold) can be found at the foot of the post. Transcript Will Messi be smiling after Barca play Arsenal? The last sixteen of the Champions League, when the knockout stages begin, is often called the business end of the competition. While the group stages are interesting, it is often quite clear from the start which teams should qualify from the groups and many ties are dead rubbers, with no effect on which team will progress. So, 16 teams will now hope that they will be one of the two that makes it all the way to the final at Wembley in London on the 28th of May 2011. Let's take a look at some of the match ups. The pick of the bunch One tie jumps out of the fixtures and that is Arsenal v Barcelona. Barcelona are the bookies' favorites to win the whole competition and while Arsenal's Arsene Wenger believes his team can overcome the Spanish league leaders, it's hard to see that happening. They met in the 2006 finals and Barcelona beat 2-1 an Arsenal side many would argue is stronger than the current team. Since then, Barcelona have got stronger, and they beat the London team in the competiton again last year, 6-3 on aggregate. In the Premier League, Arsenal are often compared to Barcelona, as their game revolves around short, quick passing moves. But this will be a case of students meets master. A gimme Surely Chelsea will be already wondering who they will be meeting in the quarter finals after being drawn against the relative minnows of European football, FC Copenhagen. Of course, Chelsea's management came out with the tired old phrase, 'there are no easy games at this stage', but despite being unbeaten at home and running away with the domestic league, Copenhagen will surely struggle to get anywhere near Chelsea, a team looking to win their first Champions League trophy after coming close in recent years. A cracker How about AC Milan v Tottenham? Spurs fans will remind you that they were the first English side to win a European trophy - back in 1963 - but this Champions League experience has been a bit of a fairytale so far. They've topped their group, scored more goals than any other team, and been involved in one of the most dramatic games in the competition - where they almost overcame a 4-0 deficit to Inter at the San Siro, pulling the Italian Champions back to 4-3. So, fresh-faced newcomers go the San Siro again, but this time to face one of the biggest teams, historically, in the competition, AC Milan. The Italian side have won this competition seven times, the last time being 2007, and this year they are topping Serie A and looking good. Expect goals, goals goals in this tie. Dark Horses When the draw is made, most people focus on the big teams: generally, the champions of their leagues, or teams that have featured regularly in the later stages of the Champions League. But there are always decent teams that don't get the attention they may deserve. These teams often become the dark horses of the tournament, moving under the radar of the media until they pop up against a big team in the quarter finals, or even the semi finals. So, in the last sixteen how about Roma v Shakhtar Donetsk. The Ukrainian side, Shaktar topped their group above Arsenal and Roma came second behind Bayern Munich. Both these sides are capable of beating good opposition and they will both look at this tie as a great chance to get through to the quarter finals, and thena€¦ who knows. Roma and Shaktar - dark horses In the other ties, Inter take on Bayern Munich, Marseilles meet Manchester United, Lyon face Real Madrid, and Valenica will play Schalke. The bookies have Barcelona favorites, Real Madrid in second place, followed by Chelsea and Manchester United. FC Copenhagen are 200 to 1, while my dark horses are - Roma 40 to 1, and Shaktar 66-1. Vocabulary the business end: The stage where the real work happens, the time things become serious dead rubber: A game with no meaning, a formality the bookies: Companies that offer betting/gambling services, the companies what chance teams have of winning revolve around: Centre on, focus on, be mainly based on a gimme: An easy tie, a simple game to win minnows: A small team, a team with little history of success in a competition there are no easy games: A cliche meaning that any team can beat another, used when a big team plays a minnow a cracker: An exciting match (sometimes, a great goal) a fairytale: an experience that has been much better than expected, an unexpectedly good run of form dark horse: a team some people believe could get some surprise results (also, surprise package) under the radar: Go unno

Every week during the 2010-11 season, the languagecaster team explain a football phrase or cliché for learners of English who love the sport - this week we explain 'to slam'

On this week's podcast we ask three football fans what their reaction to FIFA's decision to give the World Cup to Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022. Remember on this week's show you can also: Listen only to the main report here - complete with transcript and vocabulary Check out a new football expression in English for Football Learners of English can review the footballing news from around the world in our good, the bad and the ugly section of the show For learners of English check out our Football Language Resources page with: A page with all our Football vocabulary posts Football glossary (a huge collection of football vocabulary, football cliches and football phrases) Worksheets and transcripts from previous podcasts Automatically receive the podcast each week by clicking here //

[print_link] | Subscribe: Main Listening Report | Complete List Here This week's main report is all about FIFA's decision to award the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 tournament to Qatar. We ask some fans what they think of these rather controversial choices. Explanations of key vocabulary (in bold) can be found at the foot of the post. Transcript Well, ita€™s almost a week since the decision by FIFA to choose Russia to host the 2018 and Qatar the 2022 World Cups have been made and the fall out continues. The British media reacted angrily and suggested that corruption had played a large part in the choices of venues but FIFA hit back by suggesting that the media slurs against their organization had affected the vote, while the victorious Russian bid suggested that complaining about the rules after a winner had been decided smacked of sour grapes. It is hard not to disagree with the Russians on this one though I am not sure there are too many people who would sympathise with FIFAa€™s complaints of an overly-enthusiastic investigative press. I think most people however do have a problem with the choice of Qatar for the 2022 finals. The stifling heat and the lack of infrastructure may be problems that the hosts can overcome but suggestions that the tournament might be played in the European winter months should cause many to be concerned. FIFA, of course, suggested that their decision to have the finals held in this Gulf State was due to their desire to see football expand into new regions; after going East in 2002 and to Africa in 2006 and to the east of Europe in 2018 this makes sense but I cana€™t help feeling that if FIFA realy wanted to have the tournament in an Arab-speaking country then football-crazy Tunisia, Egypt or Algeria would have made far more sense. We asked three football fans what they thought of the decision. Tim and Simon are two England fans while first up is Hans who is German-Australian. Vocabulary the fall out continues: The arguments about the decision have not stopped media slurs: The press attacked the process smacked of sour grapes: The defeated teams were unhappy with the decision and complained (like a baby!) investigative press: A media that wants to find out about difficult or dangerous stories The stifling heat: It is so hot that it is hard to breathe this Gulf State: Qatar going East: The Japan/Korea World Cup

Slump: When a team is not playing well for a long period of time we can say that they are going through a slump...

A manager speaks: Continuing with our look at the world of football language, we post an interview from 2007 that we carried out with manager on what kind of clichés he uses and why

2010 Club World Cup: On this week's podcast we feature the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup which is held in the United Arab Emirates.

To turn a corner: the languagecaster team explain a football phrase or cliche for learners of English who love the sport.

O n this week's main listening report, we feature the upcoming 2010 Club World Cup. We talk a little about its history and then introduce the teams taking part. Who do you think will win the title of the Club World Champion?

On this week's podcast we feature the exciting run-in to the 2010 Brazilian Championship.

Campeonato Brasileiro:

Every week during the 2010-11 season, the languagecaster team explain a football phrase or cliché for learners of English who love the sport. To lose the plot

2010 Premier League: On this week's podcast we interview three football fans, James, Hans and Dave, and ask them which teams they believe will finish at the top and the bottom of the Premier League.

[print_link] | Subscribe: Main Listening Report | Complete List Here On this week's main report, we ask some football fans (James, Hans and Dave) for their views on which teams will do well in the Premier League and which teams will be going down. To help you understand the piece a little better there is a vocabulary list containing the words in bold at the foot of this post. Listen to the main report here Damon: OK, how's it going to end up in the Premier League: the top four or top three places? James: Oh, um, Arsenal are going to win. Then followed by Chelsea. And then Man City. Damon: Man City. You're a Man City fan of course. James: Yes. Damon: OK. What about relegation. Who's going down. James: I think Wolves are going to go down. They seem pretty doomed at the moment. Let's have a think about it. Possibly Wigan, West Ham are looking in danger. Maybe West Ham, Wigan or possible Liverpool Damon: Oh, so we've got three Ws and Liverpool! Damon: OK Premier League 2010/2011 season. How's it going to finish... the top three? Hans: Top three will be... top will be Chelsea, followed by Man United and Arsenal, unfortunately. Damon: OK And relegation misery for? Hans: For the Ws. Wigan, West Ham and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Damon: So you don't think West Ham are too good to go down? Hans: No. No, they'll definitely go down. Damon: All right! Premier League 2010/2011 season, who's going to win it? Who's going to come in the top three? Dave: Top three? As for the best footballing teams. West Brom, Blackpool second, Bolton third. Fourth, of course, Manchester City. To go down, let me think. Wolves, although they've played very well, West Ham and Liverpool. Vocabulary end up: go down: be relegated, go down a league doomed: have no chance of survival, (in this context) definitely will be relegated 3Ws: Teams whose names begin with 'W' - Wolverhampton Wanderers,West Ham, Wigan misery: sadness, unhappiness too good to go down: a cliche, used to say a team is too famous (too big) to be relegated (go down)

This week's English for football phrase is to fear a backlash which means to be provoked into a reaction after something strange or surprising has taken place.

On this week's podcast we feature the football-crazy city of Buenos Aires. Remember on this week's show you can also: Listen only to the main report here - complete with transcript and vocabulary Check out a new football expression in English for Football Learners of English can review the footballing news from around the world in our good, the bad and the ugly section of the show For learners of English check out our Football Language Resources page with: A page with all our Football vocabulary posts Football glossary (a huge collection of football vocabulary, football cliches and football phrases) Worksheets and transcripts from previous podcasts Automatically receive the podcast each week by clicking here //

This week's main report is all about football in the capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires.

This week we feature the football cliche 'form is temporary, class is permanent' which means that a player never loses their natural ability...

On this week's podcast we catch up with what is going on in the MLS, Major League Soccer. Remember on this week's show you can also: Listen only to the main report here - complete with transcript and vocabulary Check out a new football expression in English for Football Learners of English can review the footballing news from around the world in our good, the bad and the ugly section of the show For learners of English check out our Football Language Resources page with: A page with all our Football vocabulary posts Football glossary (a huge collection of football vocabulary, football cliches and football phrases) Worksheets and transcripts from previous podcasts Automatically receive the podcast each week by clicking here //

[print_link] | Subscribe: Main Listening Report | Complete List Here . Each week on languagecaster's podcast we feature a main listening report. This week, we focus on Major League Soccer and the playoffs. You can listen to the report by clicking the link below and can also read the transcript. Explanations of vocabulary in bold appear at the foot of the post. Listen to the main listening report here. While languagecaster has been concentrating on European football, we shouldn't forget that football is the world's game and that while most of the big league's in Europe - Serie A, La Liga, the Premier League are in the middle of their seasons - other leagues are reaching their end of seasons. We did mention the J-League last month and Nagoya, who still look as though they will be crowned champions, but this week we take a look at the MLS, Major League Soccer. This season, sixteen teams fought it out in two conferences, the east and west. Amongst those 16 was a new 'expansion' team-A the Philadelphia Union. This season, the team from the north east of the USA is not involved in the MLS Playoffs, to decide the overall Champion, but neither did they flop either. The playoffs comprise eight teams, the two top teams from each conference - this year, Los Angeles Galaxy, and Real Salt Lake from the West and New York Red Bulls and Columbus Crew from the East - and the four teams that have the next four highest points totals - these four teams all came from the Western Conference, meaning that only two teams from that conference failed to make it - Houston and Chivas. The eight teams are divided into four to contest 'Conference Semi-Finals' - although now the east and west tag becomes meaningless as, remember, the Western Conference has six teams in this stage - so San Jose and Colorado, both of which played in the Western Conference - are now in the east Conference semi-final play offs. And, in fact, San Jose have knocked out the leading Eastern conference team, New York over two legs and have advanced to the 'Conference Finals'. The other three berths in the Conference Finals will be decided this weekend, with Los Angeles, Colorado and Dallas all holding one-goal leads from the first legs. Technically, San Jose, who finished eighth in the season points rankings could be crowned MLS Champions if they go all the way and win in the final on the 21st of November. A strange way to choose your champions to most Europeans, but it seems to be working over in North America. Vocabulary fought it out: contested, took part in a competition, played each other competitively expansion team: a team added to a league to increase the league's size; this often happens with relatively new leagues like the MLS in North America and the J-League in Japan flopped: failed, performed badly knock out: beat in a competition berth: place go all the way: win a competition, complete something

This week's English football phrase is the expression to play to the whistle which basically means to keep playing until you hear the referee blow their whistle to stop the game.

[print_link] | Subscribe: Main Listening Report | Complete List Here This week's main report celebrates the birthdays of two of the World's greatest ever players: Pele is 70 and Diego Maradona is 50. But which of the two can be regarded as the best? First up, Damon reports on Pele, which will then be followed by Damian's profile of Maradona. After listening to the two reports you can vote on who you think was the greatest ever player below. To help you understand a little better there is a vocabulary list containing the words in bold at the foot of this post Maradona Worksheet.pdf here Pele Transcript Each era has its heroes and stars. Todaya€™s football world is dominated by players like David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, who are role models to many young players, but I wonder how long their influence will last. There is one player that has stood the test of time and is the greatest World Cup player of all time. Pelé appeared in four World Cups, 1958, 1962, 1966 and 1970, scoring 12 goals - the third most by any player - and creating many more. It was his first and last tournaments in Sweden and Mexico respectively that cemented his reputation as a world great. In 1958, Pelé was 17 and had been playing for Santos and Brazil for one year. No one could imagine what an impact the boy from Três Corações in the south of Brazil would have on the tournament, but by the time he had scored four goals, including a hatrick against France in the semis, on the way to reaching the final everyone knew he was special. In the final, he scored one of the goals of the century - a precise chest-down, a deliciously weighted lob over a defender, polished off with a clinical volley. Pelé scored another as Brazil overcame Sweden 5-2 He became and the youngest player to score a hatrick in a World Cup, and appear and score in a final. In 1970, in Mexico, Pelé was back to his best as part of the 1970 Brazil team which included such players as Jairzinho, Rivelino, Gérson and Tostão. It was samba football at its pinnacle and Pelé was involved in many breathtaking goals and moves during the tournament, but perhaps the famous was an attack that resulted in what is often regarded as the perfect goal. In the final against Italy, Clodoaldo dribbled past four Italians, played the ball to Rivelino who struck a long pass down the left to Jairzinho. From Jairzinho, Pelé received the ball just outside the box in the middle of the field before waiting for the perfect moment to stroke the ball right into the path of Carlos Alberto, who smashed it into the net. Goal scorer and goal maker, Peléa€™s close control and timing have not been surpassed. His obvious love for the game has seen him become a UNESCO goodwill ambassador and a recognised face beyond the football world. Perhaps this quote by Italian defender Burgnich, who marked Pelé during the 1970 World Cup final illustrates what a great player Pelé was, "I told myself before the game, he's made of skin and bones just like everyone else a€” but I was wrong." Maradona Transcript That was Diego Maradona scoring the greatest ever World Cup goal in a quarter-final match against England in 1986. The Argentinian commentator, Victor Hugo Morales, is in tears with joy and gratitude and is simply in awe at the beauty, the power and the skill of the goal. What planet has brought you here? Thank you Diego, thank you football. Maradona went on to score two more superb goals in the semi-final against Belgium and then played the match-winning pass in the World Cup final against Germany to help his team, Argentina, lift the trophy. Though this team had great players it was clear that they were carried to the title by the skill, the courage, the pride, the technique and the determination of their leader Maradona, He almost did it again in 1990 with a weaker team and, hampered himself by injuries, Maradona took his team to the final before losing to a controversial penalty against Germany. He was quite simply the best player in the world. However, if these World Cups were the peak of his career, then the World Cup of 1994 was probably the low point in his football life. He was banned from the tournament for taking illegal drugs, the second time in his career that this had happened, and he returned home in disgrace never playing for the national team again. Throughout his career, Diego has been no stranger to controversy facing problems with the law over drugs, weapon use, paternity suits and non-payment of taxes. And then there was this. The so-called a€˜Hand of Goda€™ goal, which came in the same quarter-final match against England making him a hated figure in the country for a long, long time. So how good was Maradona? He played 91 times for his country scoring 34 goals and played in 21 consecutive matches in 4 World Cups. Apart from the World Cup win of 1986, he also captained the youth team to the World title in 1979. He won league titles in Argentina with

This week's football phrase for English is 'sorry' as in a 'sorry performance'

On this week's podcast Hans, our German correspondent, takes a look at how the International team is changing. Remember you can also: Listen only to the main report here - complete with transcript and vocabulary Check out a new football expression in English for Football Learners of English can review the footballing news from around the world in our good, the bad and the ugly section of the show For learners of English check out our Football Language Resources page with: A page with all our Football vocabulary posts Football glossary (a huge collection of football vocabulary, football cliches and football phrases) Worksheets and transcripts from previous podcasts Automatically receive the podcast each week by clicking here

[print_link] | Subscribe: Main Listening Report | Complete List Here . Each week on languagecaster's podcast we feature a main listening report. This week, Hans (our German correspondent) talks about how players for international teams have more choices to make as they often come from culturally mixed backgrounds. You can listen to the report by clicking the link below and can also read the transcript. Explanations of vocabulary in bold appear at the foot of the post. Listen to the main listening report here. Nuri Sahin & Mesut Özil The face of the international team is changing. When Germany played Ghana in South Africa it was the first time that two half-brothers were on opposing teams at a World cup. Kevin-Prince Boateng turned out for Ghana whilst his younger brother Jerome was in the German team. In this day and age of dual nationalities and immigration, both had to choose which country to represent. For some national teams this is not new. France, for example, has had players of African decent in their team for a long time. Holland too. And other nations with a strong multi-cultural emphasis, such as Australia, have also benefited on the football pitch. So what makes this picture interesting? It is because the two players have almost identical backgrounds, yet they have made different decisions. The Turkish player is Nuri Sahin. The German is Mesut Özil. Both were born in 1988 in Germany. Both have Turkish parents. But both have grown up, gone to school and played all their football in Germany. Today Nuri plays for Borussia Dortmund, whilst Mesut has recently moved to Real Madrid. During the recent Euro qualifier between Turkey and Germany in Berlin this new generation of football players was on the pitch. The strong connection between these two countries meant that many fans supporting both teams came to the match, some even wearing both teama€™s colors. In fact the game was referred to by some as an a€˜Away Gamea€™ for Germany. For the record, Germany won 3-0 and Mesut Özil was booed whenever he touched the ball. Vocabulary to turn out for: to play for (a team), to be selected for, to represent to represent: to play for, to be selected for, to turn out for this picture: this situation, this story, this idea qualifier: a game in played to decide if a team can enter a competition, a game to select a team for a tournament away game: when team plays a game played at another ground - not their own to boo: to jeer, to make a noise, show disapproval

Stake a claim: This week's expression is 'to stake a claim'. Click on the link below to hear the word or phrase and you can also read...