Outside The Box: The Football What If? Podcast

What if Wimbledon FC had moved to Dublin?

In the mid 1990s, Wimbledon had grown from a small non-League club, to an established Premier League club who had won the FA Cup, and regularly competed with the best teams in England.

But they were homeless. Looking to find a new permanent home, a scheme was hatched to move the club to Dublin.

What if it had happened? What would it have meant for domestic Irish football, for the so-called "Dublin Dons", for the Premier League, or for UEFA? Could it have sped up the arrival of a Super League?

We discuss with our guest Darryl Geraghty, What if Wimbledon FC had moved to Dublin?

What if Roy Keane had stayed in Ireland‘s 2002 World Cup Squad?

Saipan.

On the eve of the 2002 World Cup, Irish captain Roy Keane left the squad.

Did he walk? Was he pushed? Whose fault was it?

Those are questions we won't be answering. What will be attempting to answer is what might have happened had he stayed?

Ireland got to the Last 16 before losing to Spain on penalties. But if their (only?) real world-class player had been in the squad, might things have gone differently? Might they have gone further?

What if Roy Keane had stayed in Ireland's 2002 World Cup Squad?

Guest: Writer Paul Howard

What if there had always been an All-Ireland Football Team?

100 years ago, Irish soccer went the way that sports like rugby and cricket never did - splitting into separate teams for the Republic and Northern Ireland.

 

But what if they hadn't? What might the impact have been on the international team? How might football in the country have benefitted from an all-island structure? And could it have impacted the wider societal and identity issues across the island?

 

What if there had always been an All-Ireland football team?

 

Guest: Actor and writer Stephen Jones

What if England had lost to Belgium at Italia 90?

It has been argued that Italia 90 changed English football forever. More than that, it had long lasting effects on English society far beyond football.

So much of that stems from England's run to the semi finals, the agony of a penalty defeat and Gazza's tears that night in Turin.

But what if it had never got that far? What if England had been eliminated in the Last 16 by Belgium instead? How might the tournament be remembered, and what might its impact have been instead?

We talk the football, cultural and societal impact of Italia 90 with guest Mark Godfrey.

What if Gazza hadn't injured his knee in the 1991 FA Cup Final?

On the eve of the 1991 FA Cup Final, Paul Gascoigne had the world at his feet.

But less than 15 minutes into the game, Gazza lay in agony on the turf after a reckless tackle. He was stretchered off with a ruptured cruciate ligament, his big move to Lazio was delayed and he was arguably never the same player again.

But what if he hadn't injured his knee on that fateful day in 1991?

How good might Paul Gascoigne have been?

And would his career have turned out differently?

This episode's guest is actor, writer and podcaster Tom Moran

 

What If Wim Kieft hadn't scored against Ireland at Euro 88?

The 1988 European Championships were the Republic of Ireland's first appearance at a major tournament. After beating England and drawing with the USSR, Jack Charlton's team needed just a draw against the Netherlands to progress to the semi-final.

It was still on, with just 8 minutes remaining, when Dutch sub Wim Kieft scored a freak goal, to break Irish hearts, and send the Dutch through - they would go on to win the tournament.

But what if he hadn't? 

This episode's guest is writer Dermot Bolger.

What If Manchester United had lost to Nottingham Forest in January 1990?

In January 1990, beleaguered Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson brought his team to Nottingham Forest in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup. Talk of him losing his job was in the air.

In the end, United won, went on the lift the trophy at the end of that season, and so began the most glorious period in Manchester United's history, under Ferguson's stewardship. But what if they hadn't? 

This episode's guest: Patrick Hamilton Walsh.