PODCAST · sports
A Kick in the Grass
by Sportsnet
Dan Riccio and Jeff Blair return with Devang Desai to discuss the Canada men's national soccer team and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Every Saturday, the guys will breakdown the biggest stories from the largest sporting event in the world with guests from around the globe. Plus, after each Canada game they'll have instant reaction as the Canucks take on Belgium, Croatia, and Morocco in the group stage.
Episodes
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Argentina Wins an Epic, Messi Cements His Legacy
It was a truly epic World Cup Final. Argentina, off the back of an Angel Di Maria masterclass, was coasting to a 2-0 win but with 10 minutes left everything changed. France scored twice but we got a final dose of some Lionel Messi brilliance and then the script flipped again. What a final, what a...
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Messi’s Date with Destiny
Soccer fans around the world were still buzzing after two exhilarating quarterfinals at the World Cup when the news began to filter in. Grant Wahl, a pioneering soccer journalist from the United States, died while covering the Argentina vs. the Netherlands match. Dan Riccio, Jeff Blair, and…
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What Next for Canada + World Cup Round of 16
On today’s show, Dan Riccio, Jeff Blair and Devang Desai are joined by The Athletic’s Joshua Kloke (9:44) from Qatar to discuss the road forward for the Canadian men’s program after three consecutive losses in Qatar. After that, the guys list their superlatives (35:14) for the tournament so far,...
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Canada’s World Cup Ends With Another Loss
Well, that’s that. Canada’s journey at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar came to an end with a 2-1 loss to Morocco to conclude play in Group F. On this edition of A Kick in the Grass, Dan Riccio, Jeff Blair, and Devang Desai react to the conclusion of Canada’s first World Cup in 36 years and welcome...
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Croatia Knocks Canada Out of The World Cup
It started off so well. Alphonso Davies scored Canada’s first World Cup goal 68 seconds into the match, but it wasn’t enough. On the latest A Kick in the Grass, Dan Riccio, Jeff Blair, and Devang Desai react to Croatia’s 4-1 win at Khalifa International Stadium. How did it go wrong for John...
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Canada and Croatia’s War of Words
Dan Riccio, Jeff Blair, and Devang Desai kick off the show by discussing John Herdman getting under the skin of Croatia, his mental tactics, and more. Next, the guy's welcome CBS Sports soccer analyst, Grant Wahl, to discuss how Canada and the U.S. are looking ahead to the 2026 World Cup, his...
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A Hard-Fought Canada Loss to Belgium
Dan Riccio, Jeff Blair, and Devang Desai react to Canada's 1-0 loss to Belgium in group play at the World Cup in Qatar. What were the emotions of seeing them play for the first time in over 30 years? They also get into the Alphonso Davies penalty kick, other missed penalties earlier in the game,...
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World Cup Preview: Canada Prepares for Belgium
With the World Cup getting underway tomorrow, A Kick In The Grass returns! Hosted by Jeff Blair, Dan Riccio, and Devang Desai, they start the show by breaking down the injury updates of Alphonso Davies and Stephen Eustáquio, John Herdman’s goals for the team ahead of their first match against...
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A Kick in the Grass World Cup Trailer
Dan Riccio and Jeff Blair are back with producer Devang Desai to discuss the Canada men's national soccer team and their journey to Qatar. Every Saturday, the guys will breakdown the biggest stories from the largest sporting event in the world with guests from around the globe. Plus, after each...
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Feb. 22: Pele as You’ve Never Seen Him
A new documentary, ‘Pelé’, will debut on Netflix February 23rd. Dan & Jeff speak with the directors David Tryhorn and Ben Nicholas to discuss their film on the legendary footballer (34:33). Also, Canadian international and President of the PFA Canada, Marcel de Jong, joins the show as well to...
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Bundesliga check-in with Derek Rae
Manchester City tighten their hold atop the Premier League standings. In Serie A, Inter Milan is in first thanks to Romelu Lukaku. Derek Rae, ESPN’s lead Bundesliga commentator, joins us to review the recent action in the German league. This episode is produced by Derrick Brandao and hosted by…
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TFC’s homegrown product Liam Fraser
Dan and Jeff discuss Manchester City finally winning at Anfield, and how it’s now their title to lose. The duo also look at Lille OSC’s red-hot Jonathan David. Toronto FC’s Liam Fraser joins the show to talk about growing up in MLS and the next step he hopes to take. This episode is produced by...
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MLS Labour talks and Bundesliga’s Matthew Durrans
Dan and Jeff take a look into the MLS labour situation with Steven Goff of The Washington Post. Plus, we talk to Matthew Durrans, a Canadian who moved to Germany when he was 14 and now plays for 1860 Munich. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do...
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Chelsea parts ways with Lampard
Dan and Jeff react to the news of Chelsea sacking Frank Lampard. What led to this? Dominic Fifield of The Athletic gives a closer look at how the relationship with Lampard and the club had deteriorated. This episode is produced by Derrick Brandao and hosted by Dan Riccio and Jeff Blair. The views...
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A Big Year Ahead for Canada Soccer
Dan and Jeff welcome the men’s national team manager John Herdman for an update on how he is preparing for the big year ahead with World Cup Qualifying and a Gold Cup around the corner. They are also joined by new Toronto FC manager Chris Armas, who details his plans for keeping the club at the…
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Mid-Season Check in on the Premier League
Dan and Jeff look at how the Premier League is shaping up as we approach the midway mark of the season. They discuss what lies ahead for some teams and what some contenders need to add to their roster. The guys also look around European soccer starting with an update on Ligue 1 and Jonathan…
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What to make of Messi’s Future
Dan and Jeff are back with their first episode of 2021! They kickoff the year by looking at Manchester United’s recent success and if its sustainable. They’re joined by ESPN’s Samuel Marsden to discuss the latest surrounding Lionel Messi’s future with FC Barcelona and if a move to the MLS might…
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The Year-End Roundtable
Dan and Jeff wrap up the year in soccer with a roundtable featuring Joshua Kloke of the Athletic and Manuel Veth of TransferMarkt. The four of them dive into the biggest topics from world football in 2020 including Alphonso Davies’ year to remember, how he fits into the national team and the...
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Pogba Problems and Vanney’s Victories
Dan and Jeff kickoff the show breaking down a couple of key matches from the weekend and compare the buy-in Jose Mourinho has from Spurs to how lost Mikel Arteta looks at Arsenal. They dive into Manchester United’s season and the troubles the club has had with both Paul Pogba and Ole Gunnar...
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Remembering Diego Armando Maradona
Dan and Jeff look back at the life, legacy and controversy of Diego Maradona. They discuss why he connected so much to the people or Argentina and how despite his troubles off the pitch, his greatness on the field was unmatched. They look back at the day in 1996 when Maradona played in Toronto…
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Canadian Update Featuring Janine Beckie
On this week’s episode, Dan and Jeff look at the progress of a couple Canadians playing overseas. First, they chat with Jonathan Johnson of CBS to discuss how Jonathan David is settling in at Lille after he scored his first goal over the weekend. Later they’re joined by Canadian international and...
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Why Ryan Reynolds is Buying a Soccer Club
Dan and Jeff look at why Vancouver’s Ryan Reynolds decided to buy Welsh club Wrexham with Rob McElhenney. They’re joined by Bloomberg’s Alex Webb to discuss how the deal went down and why there is more and more collaboration between soccer and the entertainment industry. Dan makes an obvious…
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The Future of MLS
Dan and Jeff start the show breaking down Der Klassiker and how Bayern was able to execute in the big moment. They also chat about news from the Premier League as we hit the international break in the schedule. They’re joined by Fox Sports’s Alexi Lalas to discuss some of the frustrations around...
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What to Expect from Der Klassiker
Dan and Jeff start this week’s show by breaking down another disappointing loss for Manchester United at Old Trafford. They look at how Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has deployed his team and if he actually knows how to best manage the pieces he has, especially Paul Pogba. They also discuss how Zlatan...
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Goals, Goals, Goals
On this week’s show, Dan and Jeff discuss the uptick in scoring and what’s leading to more offence in European soccer. They’re joined by Tom Worville of The Athletic to get into more of the scoring trends and if it’s sustainable. They also talk about if we may see an unlikely champion in a unique...
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The Most Indispensable Players in the Premier League
Dan and Jeff are back and kickoff the show discussing how this could be one of the weirdest seasons of European football. They also give their thoughts on who the most indispensable player in the Premier League is after we saw injuries to some key players over the weekend. Closer to home, the…
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Is Manchester United on the Right Path?
Dan and Jeff begin this episode by focusing in on Manchester United’s 6-1 loss to Tottenham over the weekend. The guys try and dissect what’s wrong with the club and if their manager is the right man for the job going forward. They also look at their transfer strategy and discuss some of the...
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Is The Handball Rule Ruining Football?
Dan and Jeff start the show by setting up the final week of the transfer window and looking at what teams could make another move and who is on the market. They discuss the impact the handball rule has had on the game so far and why managers, referees, players and fans alike all dislike […]
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Ranking the Transfers
Dan is joined by guest co-host Manuel Veth as they dive into the big moves on the transfer market and rank which clubs did the best with their money spent. They also look back at the matches from the week and talk about what to expect the rest of the season. Closer to home, they’re […]
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Matchday 1 Takeaways and Previews
Dan and Jeff start the show looking back at a busy opening day in the Premier League and La Liga and dissecting what we saw on the pitch and what we can expect going forward. They also get you set for the start of the Bundesliga with radio co-commentator Chris Williams. They discuss if anyone […]
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Premier League Preview
Dan and Jeff get you set for the start of the Premier League as they go through all 20 teams and give their opinions on the moves made for each team and how it will all translate into the new season. They’re joined by The Athletic’s Liam Twomey to go more in depth on the […]
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Cleaning Up a Messi Situation
Dan and Jeff open the episode discussing the latest surrounding Lionel Messi leaving FC Barcelona. They give their takes on what’s next for the superstar and what kind of deal might happen. They’re joined by ESPN Senior Writer Gabriele Marcotti to break down the break-up and talk about how a…
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The Alphonso Davies Appreciation Episode
Dan is joined by guest host Peter Galindo this week to look at a historic Champions League Final for Canada and Alphonso Davies. They break down what makes this win for Bayern and the Canadian teenager so special. They also look at the future of Bayern and other European ‘superclubs.’ The guys…
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What Next for Barcelona and Man City?
Dan and Jeff begin this week’s episode debating if the best move for FC Barcelona is to move on from Lionel Messi after their embarrassment in the Champions League. The guys discuss how Alphonso Davies continues to dazzle at an elite level and how his brilliance is now becoming accepted...
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Is Champions League Bayern’s to lose?
Dan and Jeff start the show overseas discussing the first matches in the Champions League and look at the fallout with Juventus FC as Andrea Pirlo takes over as manager. They talk more about the upcoming matches and the uncertainty of the Champions League with commentator Peter Drury. The guys…
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Arteta’s First Trophy and a Champions League Preview
Dan and Jeff open the show by breaking down Arsenal’s win over Chelsea in the FA Cup final and what that means for each side going forward. They also preview the first match-ups from the Champions League coming up this weekend. They’re joined by the Associated Press’s Rob Harris to discuss what...
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That’s a Wrap for the Premier League
Dan and Jeff look at the final weekend for the Premier League and discuss the chase for the top 4 spots that came down to the wire. They also break down the season as a whole for some of the notable teams and look at what’s ahead for them. They’re joined by Canada Soccer’s director […]
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Big Wins for Real Madrid, Manchester City and MLS
Dan and Jeff begin this week’s show discussing Real Madrid’s league win in La Liga and how Zinedine Zidane needs to be recognized as one of football’s top managers. They welcome ESPN’s David Cartlidge to the show to look more at La Liga and the upcoming Champion’s League. Next, the guys are…
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Another Liverpool Dynasty
Dan and Jeff kickoff the show discussing what we saw on the weekend in the North London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham. They look at the issues plaguing both sides and debate which squad has the better future. They go inside the MLS bubble as they’re joined by Whitecaps FC goalkeeper Maxime...
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Messi Out?
Dan and Jeff discuss what’s going on with FC Barcelona and look at how they got into a messy situation because of bad transfer market decisions. They talk about the future of the club and what might happen with an aging Lionel Messi as his contract is up next summer. They’re joined by The...
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Coach’s Week
Dan is joined by guest co-host Alex Seixeiro this week to discuss the past week of football from across the pond — including Liverpool snapping their Premier League title drought. They are joined by a couple Canadian MLS managers as Greg Vanney of Toronto FC and Marc Dos Santos of the Vancouver...
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Davies’ Rise to a World Star
Dan is joined by co-host Alex Seixeiro this week to look back at a busy week of football across the pond. They break down the first set of matches from the Premier League as more leagues return to play. Manuel Veth of TransferMarkt and Forbes joins the show to discuss how Alphonso Davies played a...
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Liverpool’s Walk to Greatness
Dan and Jeff look back at a busy week in the world of football and give their reaction to the return of play in La Liga and Serie A. As the Premier League is set to resume this week, the guys debate whether Liverpool is one of the best Premier League teams ever as they […]
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The Week Football Takes Over
With more leagues set to return, Dan and Jeff get you set for a busy soccer schedule. They look at Thomas Muller’s resurgence under Hans-Dieter Flick and Muller’s willingness to adapt his game to a new style. They also break down Chelsea’s signing of Timo Werner and the impact that has on the…
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Bayern’s Devastating Dominance
Dan and Jeff look at Bayern Munich’s continued dominance in the Bundesliga as they head toward their eight straight league title. They also discuss how athletes in soccer are using their platforms to make statements in the wake of protests in the United States over the death of George Floyd....
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The Alphonso Davies Special
As Alphonso Davies takes the spotlight in the Bundesliga, Dan and Jeff discuss the impact he can have for Canadian soccer at an international level now and in the future. The guys are joined by Canada’s Men’s National Team Head Coach John Herdman to talk about the development and deployment of...
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Bundesliga is back
Dan and Jeff look at the return of the Bundesliga, breaking down the games from the weekend and discussing if team sports can be played in the pandemic age. Then 2004 Bundesliga Champion and former Canadian International Paul Stalteri joins the guys for a deeper dive into the matches and any...
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Introducing A Kick in the Grass
The beautiful game has a new addition. Jeff Blair and Dan Riccio host A Kick In The Grass, a soccer podcast from Sportsnet.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Dan Riccio and Jeff Blair return with Devang Desai to discuss the Canada men's national soccer team and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Every Saturday, the guys will breakdown the biggest stories from the largest sporting event in the world with guests from around the globe. Plus, after each Canada game they'll have instant reaction as the Canucks take on Belgium, Croatia, and Morocco in the group stage.
HOSTED BY
Sportsnet
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does A Kick in the Grass have?
A Kick in the Grass currently has 48 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is A Kick in the Grass about?
Dan Riccio and Jeff Blair return with Devang Desai to discuss the Canada men's national soccer team and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Every Saturday, the guys will breakdown the biggest stories from the largest sporting event in the world with guests from around the globe. Plus, after each Canada...
How often does A Kick in the Grass release new episodes?
A Kick in the Grass has 48 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to A Kick in the Grass?
You can listen to A Kick in the Grass on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts A Kick in the Grass?
A Kick in the Grass is created and hosted by Sportsnet.
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