Team 33 speak to 'Welcome To Hell' author John McManus
There is something of a revolution taking place on the football pitch in Turkey.
Traditionally, the stranglehold of the Big Three clubs, a new power is emerging and challenging their supremacy.
Istanbul Basaksehir are top of the Super Lig and favourites to go on and lift the title.
Yet they're a recently established club, with little history or a fanbase to speak of. But there is a political angle to their success, even if that overshadows what Basaksehir have been getting right.
'Welcome To Hell'
That's just one of the fascinating undercurrents in one of the most unique hotbeds of football culture.
For example, Turkey's record goalscorer by a country mile, Hakan Sukur, has been in exile.
I discussed all the above and more with Welcome To Hell: In Search of the Real Turkish Football author John McManus on Team 33 this week.
You can listen to the full podcast right below, here, or on iTunes. You can also watch the chat above via YouTube.
The title comes from a famous banner unveiled by Galatasaray fans for a fiery Champions League match against Manchester United in 1993.
McManus travelled across Turkey from the Kurdish regions to Ankara and Istanbul and shared some of his findings with us.
Also on this week's show, Joe Coffey, Derek Ryan and Ciaran Bradley were also in studio.
On the menu was Troy Deeney's bluntness, Old Trafford fading and Champions League ties between clubs from the same nation.
You can listen to that above on the podcast player or iTunes.
