The J-Talk Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome to our previews of the 2025 J1 Season! In Part 1, after some housekeeping at the start of the episode, we chat with Lewis White about Tokyo Verdy (to 32:05), and to Ryo Nakagawara about Machida (to 1:01:00) and FC Tokyo (to 1:40:20), before Jonny and Ben discuss Niigata (to 1:56:23) and Kashima.

For each club, we follow the same format: A brief review of 2024; the club's major moves in the transfer market; thoughts on the manager; a player to watch and prospects for the new season.

You can read Ryo's terrific work in his Shogun Soccer newsletter, and follow each club's ins and out through Jonny's Google Doc.

Welcome back to a new year, and a new season of J-Talk! On our first episode of 2025, Dan Orlowitz joins Jonny and Ben to chat about how the J.League can build on their successful 2024, and what will be new or different this season, before we discuss the 2026 "0.5 Season", or as it will be known from this point on: The 2026 Chaos Energy J.League Cup (from 17:45 to 39:25), before we finish with some hot takes on the best and worst of the new season's top flight kits.

Thanks to you all for your ongoing support! Check out Dan on Bluesky, and remember you can keep up to date on offseason transfers on Jonny's Google Doc.

The JTET boys (plus special guest) are back with another 2024 Season Review pod!

In this episode, Jon and James discuss the teams who finished between 11th and 15th in the league table. They start by chatting about Mito Hollyhock (Start to 05:55), then move on to Ventforet Kofu (05:55 to 15:20). After that, Fujieda MYFC (15:20 to 23:15) come under the microscope, with Renofa Yamaguchi (23:15 to 35:50) in hot pursuit.

After that, JTET is delighted to welcome Garry Irwin back to the pod for an in-depth look at Roasso Kumamoto (35:50 to Finish). Garry was tasked with responding to the following questions in his section:

1) How do you feel about the 2024 season for your team overall?

2) What was the high point of the season?

3) What was the low point of the season?

4) Which player from another club impressed you the most this season?

5) What is the biggest hope for your club for 2025?

We hope everyone enjoys the pod, and we appreciate Garry answering the call as usual!

After a few weeks off, J2 returned for the promotion playoffs, and James Taylor and Jon Steele have a review of the semi-finals. First, they discuss Nagasaki v Sendai (start to 15:05), then they focus on Yamagata v Okayama (15:05 to 27:00). After that, they select their Most Bravo Player and look ahead to the playoff final (27:00 to 39:40).

J3’s first ever promotion playoffs also took place last weekend, and in J-Talk: Short Corner Mike Innes reviews the semi-finals: Toyama v FC Osaka (39:40 to 42:40) and Matsumoto v Fukushima (42:40 to 45:05). Mike also talks about the first leg of the relegation playoff between Kochi and YSCC (45:05 to 47:35), then previews the concluding weekend of the J3 season (47:35 to end).

Thanks as always for your support of JTET, JTSC, and the J-Talk Podcast!

• Join the JLeague chat Discord server here: https://discord.gg/p6PVbF9E

Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/jtalkpod

Jonny and Ben welcomed Scott McIntyre back to the pod to review all of the drama at both ends of the table from that mental Matchday 37.

Kobe's late, late equalizer at still relegation-threatened Kashiwa leads us off, before we discuss Hiroshima's home romp over Sapporo, and Machida staying in the title hunt with their win over Kyoto (to 43:10).

Next we head down the table to the battle to avoid 18th, before we wrap up Part 1 with the other games from Saturday, including that epic 5-4 Kawasaki win over Tokyo Verdy (to 1:13:45).

Then in Part 2 Scott sticks around as we hand out eight more team Player of the Season awards, and conclude with any other business.

Kobe lifted the Emperor's Cup for the second time in their history after a 1-0 victory over Gamba Osaka in Saturday's final at the National Stadium, and Alan Gibson joined Jonny and Ben to recap a cagey game won by Taisei Miyashiro's 64th minute goal, and then chat about potential offseason personnel changes at both clubs (to 39:10).

Then Alan shares some nuggets from his trip to Kashiwa on Sunday (to 45:15), we round up Urawa 1-1 Kawasaki, and look ahead to ACL and J1 Matchday 37 action on the horizon (to 1:00:30).

Then in Part 2, Jonny and Ben hand out Player of the Season awards for Tosu, Sapporo, Iwata, Kashiwa, Niigata and Shonan.

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In another (15-minute) standalone mini-pod, Mike 'The Magic' Innes rounds up all of the big stories from yesterday's Round 38 games in J3 (the final match day of the regular season).

There's also a look ahead to the trio of Play-Off games involving J3 coming up this weekend, as four clubs vie for J2 promotion, & YSCC face the first leg of their Promotion/Relegation Play-Off against JFL runners-up Kochi United!

We hope everyone enjoys the show!

Jon and James begin their big review of the J2 season by looking at the five teams that finished in the bottom quarter of the standings in 2024.

In Part 1 of this episode, the relegation zone comes under the microscope as the boys cover Gunma (Start to 08:00), Kagoshima (08:00 to 12:50), and Tochigi SC (12:50 to 19:40).

Then in Part 2, the focus shifts to just above the drop zone, with Ehime (19:40 to 26:45) and Oita (26:45 to Finish) being analyzed in detail.

We hope everyone enjoys the pod - more review episodes coming soon!

Jonny and Ben welcomed Dan Orlowitz back to the pod to chat about Japan's World Cup qualifying victories over China and Indonesia, and how Hajime Moriyasu might approach more than a year of 'dead rubbers' after the Samurai Blue clinch qualification, which will almost certainly come in the next international break, in March (to 27:20), and also Peter Cklamovski's departure from FC Tokyo, after a year and a half in charge (to 39:35).

Then in Part 2 we round up the two J1 games played last weekend, and look ahead to the resumption of Urawa v Kawasaki on Friday, and the big one: The Emperor's Cup Final between Gamba Osaka and Kobe, at the National Stadium on Saturday.

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In this week’s standalone J-Talk: Short Corner, Mike Innes has a full review of all the action from anentertaining penultimate round of J3 fixtures, and a preview of what promises to be a dramatic final day of the regular season.

Thanks as always for your support of JTET, JTSC, and the J-Talk Podcast!

• Join the JLeague chat Discord server here: https://discord.gg/p6PVbF9E

Join the J-Talk Podcast Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/jtalkpod