World Soccer Daily

Infobox Radio Show
show_name = World Soccer Daily


imagesize = 100px
format = Sports
runtime = 2 hours
starring = Steven Cohen and
Kenny Hassan
opentheme = "Oh Sweet England" by
The 253 Boys
country = flagicon|United States United States
first_aired = 2002
last_aired = Present
website = [http://worldsoccerdaily.com Official Site]
home_station = Sirius [http://www.sirius.com/Sports2 125]
podcast = [http://www.worldsoccerweekly.com/audio.xml Podcast]

World Soccer Daily is a sports radio talk show hosted by Steven Cohen and Kenny Hassan. From Los Angeles, California. The show airs live each weekday from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM Pacific time, and is available via podcast.

The hosts discuss a broad range of topics related to soccer, mostly current events. The show is a "caller-driven" show, and rarely follows any fixed program. However, the Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League, the English national team are the most discussed topics.

History of the show

In 2002, Steven Cohen and Nick Geber founded Soccer Weekly, Inc., with Cohen acting as CEO and Geber as President. The two began hosting World Soccer Weekly on Fox Sports Radio in Los Angeles, California. The show is now known as World Soccer Daily and co-founder Nick Geber no longer hosts the show full time as he did for six years. Howard Rogers replaced Geber as a full time host.

On February 26, 2007, it was announced on air that sometime in April 2007 Geber would be leaving the show in order to pursue other projects, including an expanded format for his current Bluff Magazine poker radio program. He will instead become the first option fill-in host, while Howard Rogers (the previous first option fill-in host) will be taking over Nick's duties as full time co-host. Geber remains a partner in the company that owns the radio program and has filled in as a guest host when available.

In March 2007 Cohen and Geber were featured in FourFourTwo, a British football magazine. They were also in the Australian and American edition. The radio show is the top soccer related show in North America, and at one point was one of the top 10 most popular sports podcasts on iTunes.

On February 5th, 2008, Steven parted ways with Howard Rogers. Steven wanted the show to go in a different direction. Kenny Hassan has been named as Rogers' replacement.

Current Show personnel

*Steven Cohen - Full time host/Co-Founder
*Kenny Hassan - Full time host
*Adam Sedie - Producer

In addition to the show's regular staff and hosts, a number of guests often make appearances as fill-in hosts for Cohen and Hassan. Guest hosts of the past include former full-time WSD host Nick Geber, ESPN's Georgie Bingham, Howard Rogers, Sir Harvey Cohen (Steven's father) and Fox Soccer Channel's Nick Webster.

In early 2008 World Soccer Daily increased the frequency of guest appearances on the show. These guests include:
* football commentator Martin Tyler
* football commentator Robbie Earle
* Fox Soccer Channel's Bobby McMahon
* ESPN's Champions League commentator Derek Rae
* Setanta Sports commentator Pat Dolan
* Daniel King of London's Daily Mail
* International referee Graham Poll
* Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl

And in an effort live up to its name and expand its coverage beyond the EPL the show has brought on a number of regular foreign correspondents. These include:
* Massimo Lopes Pena of La Gazzetta dello Sport in Italy
* Phil Ball from San Sebastian, Spain
* Johannes Berendt of Germany
* Tim Vickery who covers South America for BBC Sport
* Sayed Otaru of Nigeria

Former Show personnel

* Nick Geber - former co-host (replaced by Howard Rogers)
* Howard Rogers - former co-host (replaced by Kenny Hassan)
* Mauro Toledo - former South American correspondent (replaced by Tim Vickery)

Views

The show's hosts are frequent critics of Major League Soccer, USA international midfielder Landon Donovan (whom they typically refer to as "Landycakes" or "Primadonovan"), and ESPN's former lead soccer announcer for MLS and US international matches after the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Dave O'Brien. After David Beckham moved to the Galaxy in 2007, criticism of the English midfielder became a common part of the show. USA soccer and MLS are not the only organizations to receive criticism, as Steven also hasn't hidden his distaste of Liverpool F.C., the clubs supporters, as well as citizens of the city. With Euro 2008, the show and its listeners have been very critical of the some of the Commentating done by ESPN. While thankful that the sport is being displayed in the United States, the show has focused on the manner to which Julie Foudy in particular has been commentating on the matches.

In the global game, the hosts have also expressed their views and opinions on some of the global issues as a whole and how they pertain to football and the growth of the game in various parts of the world - positives and negatives. From speaking of South Africa hosting the World Cup in 2010 to general concerns about the game and fan safety, Steven and Kenny have explained their views and the reasons why they feel the way that they do.

See also

* Sirius Satellite Radio
* Fox Football Fone-in

References

External links

* [http://www.worldsoccerdaily.com Official Site]