On The Ball - A show about Norwich City

On The Ball

5.0 (12)
SOCCER
UPDATED MONTHLY

The Athletic's Michael Bailey is joined by a host of guests to bring you all the latest insight from Norwich City every single week. Hear interviews from big names, entertaining discussion and breaking news that you won't get anywhere else.

MAY 13

#179 The 2024/25 end of season review special

You didn't think we'd leave this season unfinished did you? The On The Ball team convene for one final time this season to talk through a weird Norwich City season, taking in the Hoff's departure, the short rein of Wilshere, Knapper's gamble, departing players and the shape of the squad. Host Ryan Livermore is joined by Dan Brigham, Zoe Morgan and Steve Sanders to formally announce the OTB Player of the Season (sponsored by Farming Simulator 25) , hand out their awards (Best Game, Worst Mistake, Best Rallying Call, Best Schadenfraude) and look back at the good, the bad and the 3-5 against Portsmouth of an up-and-down campaign. Plus, there's time to go back over some patchy predictions (featuring Liam Gibbs), get singed by a hot potato in a new quiz from Ryan, and pitch a sponsorship offer to David Bentley. Thank you to all for another highly enjoyable season (we had fun anyway), see you in August to do it all over again!

1h 26m
APR 29

#178 Gunn done, Onel gone-l, Hoff off & Wilshere here

Sometimes the end of a Norwich City season is all about the football, sometimes it's about the madness off it. This is definitely one of the latter, in a week that has seen the shock departure of the head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup (less shocking six days after the fact, but we're still not over it), the instalment of the baseball cap/cardigan-wearing Jack Wilshere in the interim, and the departure of three long serving players in Angus Gunn, Onel Hernandez and Jacob 'Lungi' Sorensen. Host Ryan Livermore, Zoe Morgan and Steve Sanders reflect on the rights and the wrongs of the big decision, debate the legacies of departing stars, worry about the possibility of Daniel Farke having scurvy, and the latest bout of fully-seated comic acts to be performed at The Riverside.

1h 12m
APR 22

#177 An Easter holiday on the beach

Zero points and eight conceded - that's probably not the Easter we all had in mind. Hot off the heels of a 1-3 defeat at Millwall, which itself came off pretty sharply after a 3-5 at home to Portsmouth, the On The Ball podcast dissects Norwich City's terrible slump in form. Host Ryan Livermore, Craig Draycott and Steve Sanders chat youth v experience, set-piece woes, bad starts, and crosses, and what this all might mean for next season's chances. Plus, rolling through who to keep and who to shift for next season, the players and managers who never represented Norwich City but should have, and adding items to the club shop.

1h 17m
APR 8

#176 Popstars and the rivals

Is that it then? Well yeh, probably... Norwich City's play-off dream all but died on a sunny afternoon in Plymouth, as the Canaries lost 2-1 in a limp display at the Championship's bottom club on Saturday. The On The Ball podcast, featuring a panel of host Ryan Livermore, Zoe Morgan and Steve Sanders analyse the Canaries' troubling return to old away game woes, fragile confidence, Kenny the sacrificial lamb, Sargent's two-touch beauty, and Norwich City's new Mr Wright. Plus, community heroes, Onel gets nearer to needing a social media intervention, getting up close to a wedding proposal (in a Canary suit), whippets, and Ryan, Ed Sheeran and Ben Godfrey convene on the world's least enticing hill.

1h 19m
MAR 18

#175 Barry Thronking Sausage

The last couple of weeks haven't exactly gone as planned for Norwich City. But why review just one depressing result when you can pick the bones out of three! That's what this week's On The Ball podcast - with Ryan Livermore in the host's chair alongside Dan Brigham and Steve Sanders - attempts to do and with the play-offs seemingly now a pipe dream for this season, the panel delve deep into the project: Is Hoffball better than the Wagner-vision? Is the short-term pain worth it for the long-term gain? And, of course, what do the numbers say? Plus, The Brigham Rule and the slimline penalty areas, contract conundrums, Northampton Town spin-off podcasts, and you're guaranteed a top-tier podcast when you have a man literally listing off positions on the football pitch.

1h 44m
MAR 4

#174 An elbow to the jaw and a kick in the teeth

Is there anything worse than conceding a last-minute equaliser? Conceding a last minute equaliser when you've failed to run the clock down and you're playing ten men? Yes, probably that. The On The Ball podcast team reflect on a painful finale in the 1-1 draw for Norwich City at Blackburn Rovers at the weekend. Steve Sanders, Zoe Morgan and Ryan Livermore discuss the right time and the wrong time for Hoffball, feel sad for the short-lived joy of Crnac, and posit the theory that Angus Gunn wasn't Scottish enough to avoid punishment on Saturday. Plus, VAR in the Championship rears its head, choosing between your three favourite children (Sainz, Sargent and Nunez) and one man's struggle to name anything that you might find in a washbag

1h 21m
FEB 25

#173 Sargent majors again

Josh Sargent keeps scoring on Saturdays so the On The Ball podcast is forced to keep saying nice things about him. This week it was his brace that helped see off Stoke City at Carrow Road, in a 4-2 win that keeps the Canaries in the play-off chase. But is all this not getting injured and playing football going to entice other clubs? Steve Sanders, Dan Brigham and Zoe Morgan debate the Sargent ratio, pile the praise on our young full-backs (but are less complimentary about Stoke), and ask how many laws of physics Oscar Schwartau defied to put that chance over the bar. Plus, birthday cakes with faces on them, how much respect should you show Lungi, goose noises, injured pigeons, more accidental shade thrown on the farming community, and the star-studded line-up at Pete Dye's 60th bash.

1h 6m
FEB 11

#172 Stacey's high kick and Doherty's tap dance

Oh Jack, what have you done...? The On The Ball podcast reacts to an impressive groin stretch from Norwich City's full-back but a less than impressive penalty concession, which resulted in two points dropped in a 1-1 draw with Derby County at the weekend. Once they'd got over that, the panel of Steve Sanders, Dan Brigham and Dave Powles got to task with praising Sargent (again), anticipating the return of Sainz, and grading the transfer window, and the Canaries' transparent out-with-the-old, in-with-the-young approach (including a new defensive midfielder!). Plus, Vithushan Ehantharajah lauds Darren Eadie, smelly scarves, bleeding fingers, some unrecognisable Simon and Garfunkel, and the only person in the whole of Norfolk to spot Gary Doherty's pre-corner routine...

1h 1m

See All (181)

5

out of 5

12 Ratings

A highlight of my week

04/24/2023

Bluegrass Educator

One of the more fun and informative podcasts, I look forward to it every week!
Podcast

11/26/2019

J3u2

Looking forward to this content, Michael. Keep up the brilliant work.

The Athletic's Michael Bailey is joined by a host of guests to bring you all the latest insight from Norwich City every single week. Hear interviews from big names, entertaining discussion and breaking news that you won't get anywhere else.