Soccer pundits on telly

[LUX]

this is a national disgrace. Now Sky have turned to bumfluff-moustached, charisma -free Gary Neville for the "insight".


BBC have Shearer, Hansen, Lawro ( ), Claridge, Keown, Crooks (who looks like a ), Dixon, Savage. How inspiring is that list?

But who would be better?

[Bandini]

The Neviller is actually very good as a summariser.

Dixon is also very good for the Beeb.

They could do with giving Collymore a go.

[cmonurz]

Most of Sky’s team are on the ball, to use a cliché. And Neville is improving, I thought his pre-match analysis before Wigan v City was well-delivered. Redknapp is always good value, Souness and Reid too, when they appear, Dwight Yorke always has a lot to say. Of the BBC list, Lee Dixon’s analyses are always insightful. It’s a shame Gavin Peacock found religion and buggered off, he was excellent.

[Bandini]

Redknapp is always top, top value

I do think he's got better, but he should be in the Lineker/Keys role of asking others for their opinions rather than being asked for his opinion.

Souness is pretty good, but I don't think much of Peter Reid's incomprehensible mutterings.

[Simon's Church]

I quite like Neville as well.

I once watched a Chelsea reserve game where Sam Hutchinson was a pundit and he was amazing. Unfortunately he seems to be getting over his injury problems and has come out of retirement, a massive blow to the punditry world.

[LUX]

I like the Soccer Saturday team (past and present), but that's probably 90% due to Jeff. Hoddle and Souness are also good on Sky. Maybe give Warnock and Strachan a try, until they get new jobs. Similarly McCarthy when he gets the sack. I also like Pat Nevin on Channel 5, but he looks awful.

ITV is a disaster all round.

What about younger ex-players? Is Neville the great white hope, then?

[Maguire]

The Neviller is actually very good as a summariser.

Dixon is also very good for the Beeb.

They could do with giving Collymore a go.

Yes I agree with this although I've not seen much of Neville myself

Dixon is an easy screen presence and Stan is good whenever I see him. Can't help but think his personality/history might keep him stick with the minor channels forever more though.

Wouldn't be sorry to see Lawrenson off my screen for good. Claridge is so completely awful i can't believe he actually has a job.

[Bandini]

Good shout re Nevin.

[RobRoyal]

I'm in total agreement.

I think the main barrier is the pervading idea that only ex-players/ managers can have an opinion worth hearing (or perhaps that the casual fan that the TV shows are aimed at need to see someone who they recognise). I'm sure that having had a career in the game gives you some areas of insight you wouldn't otherwise have, but hey, so does being an intelligent and analytical person. Shearer, Lawro and co don't fulfill that second part. Worse still, when someone does come on and start discussing real tactics, they get an embarrassed reaction as the host panics that they've just lost most viewers (Iain Dowie once started to actually explain the technical differences in playing man- vs zonal-marking, and was shot down by the gurning Adrian Chiles).

The Guardian's football weekly podcast has an array of articlate journalists with interesting, developed opinions and a suspicion of football cliche. Rafael Honigstein and Phillip Auclair are correspondents for German and French football respectively, but they'd both immeasurably improve a MOTD discussion on English football. Amy Lawrence is accomplished and, like many other print journalists, has almost as much of a handle on the psychology of footballers and what goes on behind closed doors as the ex-pros (and can articulate more than "they want to do well for the manager"). Rising star Michael Cox of the Zonal Marking website would regularly shame TV pundits with his understanding of the game.

My favourite story of BBC football ineptitude was prior to Euro 2000, when Lawrenson made two pre-tournament predictions: Raul and Morientes would be dangerous for Spain, and the four semi-finalists would be Italy, Spain, France and Holland. There were just two problems: Morientes hadn't been included in the Spanish squad, and the draw would ensure that two of those four teams would have to meet in the quarters. Is it too much to ask that when someone gets paid a fair whack for their opinion on football that they take the time to have a look at who's playing and how the tournament is structured?

[1871 Royal]

Agree that Neville is improving as a pundit. Got a lot of time for Redknapp as well.

Soccer saturday is ONLY saved by Jeff and Le Tiss. Can't stand Phil Thompson or Paul "I can't pronounce any foreigner outside the top 4's name" Merson.

Lawro and Claridge can oxf*rd off as well.

[Bandini]

Agreed, Rob. Not sure what I did before Zonal Marking came about. (Jonathan Wilson sends me to sleep, however.)

The worst thing about pundits not doing their job is when England play some Eastern European country whose players mostly play in the European leagues and Shearer and Hansen not only know nothing about the players, but revel in their lack of knowledge.

[RobRoyal]

Agreed, Rob. Not sure what I did before Zonal Marking came about. (Jonathan Wilson sends me to sleep, however.)

The worst thing about pundits not doing their job is when England play some Eastern European country whose players mostly play in the European leagues and Shearer and Hansen not only know nothing about the players, but revel in their lack of knowledge.

And it can extend to anyone outside the Premiership. See Shearer's classic last season: "We don't know much about this Ben Arfa..."

He's a French international, Alan. No shame.

[cmonurz]

Iain Dowie is a good shout as far as knowledge of the game goes, a shame (for his TV career) he makes Pat Nevin look like Brad Pitt.

[1871 Royal]

If we can move into the world of commentators for just a minute I would like to nominate Glen Hoddle and Ray Wilkins as the WORST co-commentators ever. Hoddle is just so boring and all Wilkins does is point out the facts that have just appeared on our tv. And he said something a couple of weeks ago along the lines of

Their first goal was important, that second goal will be doubly important.

Really Ray, would have never worked that out, and I suppose if they go onto score a third it will be of Tertiary importance

[TBM]

Dixon is by far the best......i also like Hansen.

The best is ITV though, when they have Andy Townsend and Marcel Desailly on

[6ft Kerplunk]

Not feeling the Redknapp love at all. You lot are just taken in by his boyish good looks. Neville is getting better but really should have been eased in over a season not just thrown in at the deep end. Quite like Souness's tell it like it is approach. Far too many seem reluctant to critisice players as they want to stay mates with them. Dixon is the best of the younger breed by far. Nevin is also very good but like in his playing days he probably can't be arsed with all the dressing room mateyness thats required to fit in.

[soggy biscuit]

If we can move into the world of commentators for just a minute I would like to nominate Glen Hoddle and Ray Wilkins as the WORST co-commentators ever. Hoddle is just so boring and all Wilkins does is point out the facts that have just appeared on our tv. And he said something a couple of weeks ago along the lines of

Their first goal was important, that second goal will be doubly important.

Really Ray, would have never worked that out, and I suppose if they go onto score a third it will be of Tertiary importance

Spot in with Wilkins, worst by miles. Also like Redknapp

Personally I would like to see Collymore given a chance on a bigger stage, bit too opinionated for the Beeb I guess

[Alan Partridge]

Never been bothered by WIlkins because I like him as a summariser but I listened to him on the Newcastle game and he was shocking as a commentator, I like Souness, Hoddle and my favorite pundit is Graham Taylor who sadly only tends to do radio. Can't stand any of the Beebs or ITV's or most of Sky's. Merson and Dowie can't even speak properly, Claridge is a total belmont and the other one I can not stand at all is Gary Birtles. Bloke is a total **nt.

[1871 Royal]

Yes, it was Wilkins when he did the Newcastle v Man Utd game the other week which got me so irate!

[southbank1871]

Agreed, Rob. Not sure what I did before Zonal Marking came about. (Jonathan Wilson sends me to sleep, however.)

The worst thing about pundits not doing their job is when England play some Eastern European country whose players mostly play in the European leagues and Shearer and Hansen not only know nothing about the players, but revel in their lack of knowledge.

This is what infuriates me also. It’s worse when it gets to the world cup and there’s a match between two lesser nations who don’t have any players from the Premier League. Bit too much to ask for you to do a bit of research before the tournament is it Shearer you fukking clown? Whilst he's starting to lose his mind, at least Motty puts the work in.