All about the K League: decentralization, domestic development, Champions League successes, and much more!
Soccer 101Show Notes
With the Republic of Korea qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, it's time to take a deeper look at domestic soccer in the country. How does Asia's oldest professional league work? What role did decentralization play in helping (or hurting) the growth of the sport? Who are the league's most famous players and most accomplished clubs? How does the league as a whole stack up against the other top leagues and clubs in the AFC?
WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL! We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!
JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON! Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from Soccer 101
With PSG once again the odds-on favorites to win the Champions League (for the third straight time), we take a look back at how the club got to their present position. From their origins in... the 1970s (?) to sustained success in the 1990s, and then the acquisition by QSI in 2011. What were the early days of being a super club like? How big of a shift was the signing of Neymar? And, most importantly, how did they find their way to European dominance today?
This week, we take a look back at the footballing landscape in Britain before and after Roman Abramovich acquired Chelsea. What was the ownership model generally like prior to his arrival? What impact did his arrival have on the club itself, as well as the league as a whole? How did his approach influence the billionaires that followed, and what role does he play in the present state of the Premier League?
On the 11th anniversary of Jurgen Klopp's appointment as Liverpool manager, Graham and Taylor take a look back at the situation he inherited, the work he put into immediately restoring supporter confidence, the importance of FSG's acquisitions, the immense role Virgil van Dijk played in shaping the team's defensive identity, and more!
In honor of the many many youngsters getting minutes for the USMNT this international window, we take a look back at the history of wonderkids/wunderkinds in American men's soccer. Was Freddy Adu the first? Where does Julian Green fit in? Is Pulisic the most successful so far? And, generally speaking, why are Americans so obsessed with the next big thing? But we also range all over the place, with discussions about the wildness of Jermaine Jones, the Donovan-Dempsey debate, Project 2010, and much much more!
With Messi's final Argentina farewell looming, Graham and Taylor take a look back at his time with the national team: from a red card on his debut to somehow still looking elite as a 39-year-old in 2026, we trace his time with Argentina to understand the lowest lows and the highest highs.