PODCAST

The J-Talk Podcast

Ben Maxwell

A weekly Japanese football podcast focusing on the J.League.

sports soccer

All Episodes

78:06

Episode 598 - Kashima are J1 Champions (Again!)

The J-Talk Podcast ·

2025/12/09

Kashima claimed a record-extending ninth top flight title in Saturday's final round, and in Part 1 of this episode Jonny and Ben run through the key events in both games that mattered, as a Leo Ceara-inspired Antlers held off a gallant Kashiwa side to win the league by a point (to 25:50).Then in Part 2, Reysol correspondent Seamus Johnston - armed with a killer stat - returned to the pod to celebrate his side's remarkable rise up the table and hand out Reysol's Player of the Year award (to 56:43),

63:14

J-Talk: Extra Time – J2 & J3 Matchday 38

The J-Talk Podcast ·

2025/12/05

The regular season ended in dramatic fashion in both J2 and J3, so James Taylor and Jon Steele tried to get their heads around just what exactly happened. They start by going through the first half of the J2 matches (to 07:00), then the second half (to 11:25), and reflect on automatic promotion, the playoffs, and relegation in turn (to 33:05). Then they elect their Most Bravo Player (to 36:05), catch up on some managerial news (to 40:45), and preview the playoff semi finals (to 46:05). After a quick

94:50

Episode 597 - The J1 Title Goes To The Final Day...

The J-Talk Podcast ·

2025/12/02

This week's bumper episode features a star turn from Ryo Nakagawara, who joins Jonny and Ben to review the crunch games involving the top two in J1 Matchday 37 (to 28:45), and preview the final day matchups between Kashima & Yokohama F.Marinos, and Kashiwa & Machida (to 48:50), before we stick our necks out and make predictions on the destination of the title (to 55:42).Then in Part 2 Jonny and Ben scoot through the other eight games from Sunday (to 1:16:30), and hand out five more Player

47:55

J-Talk: Extra Time – J2 Matchday 37

The J-Talk Podcast ·

2025/11/28

The picture at the top and bottom of J2 isn’t getting any clearer, but James Taylor and Jon Steele combined their brain power to try and make sense of it in this week’s JTET. First, James reviews 9 games from the penultimate matchday of the season (to 06:55). Then, he and Jon discuss Nagasaki’s win over Mito (to 25:35), Most Bravo Player (to 30:30), and look ahead to a blockbuster final day (to 41:00). There’s also a bonus preview of the final round of fixtures in J3, as there’s still plenty to play

66:50

Episode 596 - Machida are Emperor's Cup Champions

The J-Talk Podcast ·

2025/11/25

After Machida won their first major title in Saturday's Emperor's Cup final over Kobe, Dan Orlowitz joined Jonny and Ben to chat about their deserved success, and the progress the club has made in recent seasons, as well as lessons the JFA might learn from the disappointing attendance at the National Stadium (to 28:20), before we chat about the half season at the start of 2026 and the FC Tokyo Player of the Season award (to 43:43).Then in Part 2 we hand out more MVP gongs, and look ahead to

38:59

J-Talk: Short Corner – J3 November Review

The J-Talk Podcast ·

2025/11/21

As the end of the season approaches, Jon Steele and James Taylor take a look at the state of play in J3 with just two games left. They begin with the mess at Matsumoto (to 12:00), then turn their attention to automatic promotion (to 15:45), the playoffs – including the scrap for 6th place (to 23:30), the bottom of the league and the top of the JFL (to end).Thanks again to Mike Innes for suggesting talking points. Thanks for your support of the J-Talk Podcast, J-Talk: Extra Time, and J-Talk:

58:08

Episode 595 - Samurai Blue & Emperor's Cup

The J-Talk Podcast ·

2025/11/20

After Jonny revels in Scotland's qualification for the World Cup, we round up another productive international break for the Samurai Blue following wins over Bolivia on Tuesday, and Ghana last Friday. We discuss the standout performers, and whether any of the recent call-ups can force their way on to the plane next year (to 21:27). Then in Part 2 we hand out Player of the Season awards for the bottom six teams in J1 (to 40:33), then review the Emperor's Cup semi finals from Sunday, and look ahead to

52:57

J-Talk: Extra Time – J2 Matchday 36

The J-Talk Podcast ·

2025/11/14

Things are getting tighter at both ends of J2, so James Taylor and Jon Steele got together to try and make sense of it all. First, James reviews 9 games (to 09:45) from J2 matchday 36. Then he and Jon talk about Mito’s loss to Omiya and the implications for promotion and the playoffs (to 37:25). Next, there are Most Bravo Players to be elected (to 43:20), and the episode finishes with a look ahead to matchday 37 (to end).Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra

81:46

Episode 594 - And then there were two...

The J-Talk Podcast ·

2025/11/11

We finally had some clarity at both ends of the table in J1 Matchday 36, as the title race is down to just two teams, and at the bottom, Yokohama FC's relegation to J2 was confirmed. In Part 1 of this episode, Kyoto correspondent Jamie Meikle guests to help us celebrate Sanga's remarkable season, even though their title hopes ended on Sunday at home against Yokohama F.Marinos. We ask Jamie about Kyoto's 2025 Player of the Year, the future of Manager Cho Kwi Jae, and where the club can strengthen in

54:18

J-Talk: Extra Time – J2 Matchday 35

The J-Talk Podcast ·

2025/11/07

James Taylor and Jon Steele are back with a review of the latest round of J2 fixtures. In the first part of the episode, James rounds up 8 games (to 07:45). Then, in the second part, James is joined by Jon to discuss Iwata’s win over Nagasaki (to 21:30) and Yamaguchi’s triumph away at Kumamoto (to 35:50). After that, the co-hosts nominate their Most Bravo Player (to 42:40) and take a look at the matchday 36 games, including permutations regarding relegation, promotion and the title (to end). Thank

62:49

Episode 593 - Levain Cup Final

The J-Talk Podcast ·

2025/11/03

With Ben taking a well earned break, Jonny was joined by Alan Gibson to discuss the Levain Cup final between Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Kashiwa Reysol. They also took a deep dive on the clubs respective bosses, Michael Skibbe and Ricardo Rodriguez (to 38:48). After that they chatted about the Samurai Blue and the fast approaching friendlies with Ghana and Bolivia (to 44:52) before looking ahead to the upcoming domestic and continental fixtures and commenting on the J1 title race and relegation

48:21

J-Talk: Extra Time – J2 Matchday 34

The J-Talk Podcast ·

2025/10/31

James Taylor and Jon Steele got together again to review all the action from J2 matchday 34. First, James rounds up 9 games (to 07:50) and then talks to Jon about Sendai’s dramatic comeback against Tosu (to 34:20). That’s followed by Most Bravo Player and a quick preview of the most interesting games coming up this weekend, as the promotion picture isn’t getting any clearer and teams at the bottom are just about clinging on (to end).Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk:

80:09

Episode 592 - J1 Matchday 35

The J-Talk Podcast ·

2025/10/28

As the top flight enters the final stretch, things tightened at the top in Matchday 35, but two dogfighters saw their fates sealed in a dramatic round of games. Jonny and Ben begin the pod with an ACL review, then cover the games involving the title chasers, including Kashima's stunning late equalizer at Kyoto, Kashiwa's win over Yokohama FC, and Kobe's late collapse at already relegated Niigata (to 28:28). Then in Part 2, Yokohama F.Marinos correspondent Stuart Woodward joins us again after his

40:10

JTET - J2 Round 33 Review

The J-Talk Podcast ·

2025/10/24

The JTET team are back in action to review all of the big stories from last weekend's J2 action (Round 33 of the season).In Part 1, James puts in a solo shift, running through 9 of the matches from the Round 33 slate (Start to 08:00). Then in Part 2, Jon sat down with special guest and JEF Chiba correspondent Allen for a deep dive into their last-gasp 1-0 win at promotion rivals Mito (08:00 to 27:00). Discussion then turned to Most Bravo Player nominations (27:00 to 32:30), followed by look ahead

77:45

Episode 591 - J1 Matchday 34

The J-Talk Podcast ·

2025/10/21

J1 returned with a bang after the international break, and in Part 1 of this new episode Jonny and Ben were joined by Kashiwa correspondent Seamus Johnston to chat about a fascinating set of results for the title chasers - Kobe and leaders Kashima drawing on Friday night, before Seamus's Reysol demolished Gamba (sorry Jonny) on Saturday and Kyoto gutted out a dramatic late point with ten men on Sunday (to 37:40).Then in Part 2 Jonny and Ben round up the relegation dogfight, which, as we long

39:06

J-Talk: Short Corner – J3 October Review

The J-Talk Podcast ·

2025/10/17

Jon Steele and James Taylor catch up on the situation in J3 with 7 games left. They start with the automatic promotion places (to 05:00), then discuss the playoffs (to 12:35), before a look at the battle to avoid relegation (to 32:10). They have a brief look ahead to this weekend’s big fixtures to end the episode.Special thanks to Mike Innes for the detailed taking points. Thanks for your support of the J-Talk Podcast, J-Talk: Extra Time, and J-Talk: Short Corner. *Join the J-Talk Podcast

119:31

Episode 590 - Japan 3-2 Brazil & The J1 Run-In with...

The J-Talk Podcast ·

2025/10/16

Japan made history with a stunning 3-2 win over Brazil on Tuesday night, and Ryo Nakagawara joined Jonny and Ben for a deep dive on the game, the standout performers, and what the result means for the Samurai Blue going forward (to the hour mark), before we briefly looked back at the draw against Paraguay, and Ryo and Jonny ran through their lists of which players Hajime Moriyasu already has on the plane to the 2026 World Cup (to 1:29:45). Next we returned to domestic matters by rounding up the

37:05

J-Talk: Extra Time – J2 Matchday 32

The J-Talk Podcast ·

2025/10/14

In this episode of JTET, James Taylor rounds up 9 games from J2 matchday 32 (to 07:45), then chats to Jon Steele about the Shikoku Derby between Tokushima and Imabari (to 25:00). Then it’s time for Most Bravo Player and a quick preview of the most interesting games coming up this weekend (to end). Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time. *Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://patreon.com/jtalkpod *Find our JLeague Chat Discord server here:

86:59

Episode 589 - J1 Matchday 33

The J-Talk Podcast ·

2025/10/07

J1 Matchday 33 was chock full of drama, and after a brief review of the ACL action from last midweek, Jonny and Ben run through the weekend's games involving the title contenders in Part 1, culminating with the huge Kashima vs Gamba Osaka game on Sunday (to 43:10).Then in Part 2 our Tokyo Verdy correspondent Lewis White returns to the pod to chat about Verdy's vital win on Friday night, the season so far, and the future of manager Hiroshi Jofuku (to 1:03:12), before Jonny and Ben round up the other

57:00

J-Talk: Extra Time – J2 Matchday 31

The J-Talk Podcast ·

2025/10/03

Jon Steele and James Taylor are back with all the latest from J2. James kicks things off with a review of 9 games from matchday 31 (to 08:45). Jon takes over for a chat with James about Oita v Ehime (to 31:35), before moving on to general J2 news and Most Bravo Player (to 50:55). To finish, the co-hosts preview the biggest games coming up this weekend (to end).Thank you for your support of the J-Talk Podcast and J-Talk: Extra Time. *Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here:

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