Episode 492 - The AFTN Soccer Show (2021 Christmas Special with Vanni Sartini, Ryan Gauld, Max Crepeau, and Brian White)

Ho, Ho, Ho everybody and welcome to the 2021 AFTN Christmas party! There's fun, there's games, there's music, there's presents, and there's lots of football chat.

Our feature interview this episode is what is now our ninth annual State of the Whitecaps end of season chat with the current head coach on the podcast, and our first one with Vanni Sartini. In a very honest and raw interview, Vanni talks about the season past, looks ahead to next year, and talks about what he learned about himself as a coach and as a person.

There's some interesting player chat and we talk about formations, the team's identity, getting to the next level, and the pressure that comes with it all.

Getting the festive spirit flowing, we find out what Christmas is like in the Vanni Sartini, Ryan Gauld, Maxime Crepeau, and Brian White households, plus you can play along at home as we play some football themed games.

All of this, plus some Christmas music from Crazy and the Brains, Super Furry Animals, The Monkees, Walk The Earth, Dean Martin and of course, no Christmas episode would be complete without The Pogues.

Here's the rundown for the main segments from the episode:

01.32: Intro chat
04.27: Christmas Presents - Part One
11.31: A Maxime Crepeau Christmas
14.03: Walk The Earth - Feliz Navidad
16.34: Whitecaps Six of the Best game
37.24: A Brian White Christmas
38.43: Dean Martin - White Christmas
41.19: Whitecaps 2021 Festive XI
44.25: Crazy and the Brains - Little Saint Nick
47.16: Vanni Sartini State of the Whitecaps interview
79.30: The Monkees - Unwrap You For Christmas
84.52: Christmas Presents - Part Two
91.16: Unpacking Sartini - interview discussion
107.56: A Ryan Gauld Christmas
109.23: The Pogues - Fairytale of New York
115.27: Football Jeopardy
133.08: Super Furry Animals - The Gift That Keeps Giving
141.50: A Vanni Sartini Christmas
148.35: Quizball - East Fife v Bayern Munich
157.12: Christmas Presents - Part Three
163.49: Wavelength - Glenn Hoddle - Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
170.49: Glasvegas - Silent Night