The Media

[Simon]

Thought I'd make a little topic regarding where you go for your football information, entertainment and the like.

My first port of call for football information is, predictably, Football365 (www.football365.com). I enjoy the combination of straight-laced information and 'witty banter' (I hate this expression, but it's the correct one to describe the style). It has a throw-enough-shit outlook whereby it pretty much posts every story that breaks, always with a disclaimer unless it's confirmed by legitimate sources, in order that you can get your fill of not only the cast-iron facts, but the rumours and stories too.

Of course, I don't believe anything to be confirmed until it turns up on the BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/default.stm) website. I don't care if I'm sitting in front of Sky Sports News and watching Portsmouth's latest African signing paraded around Fratton Park as their record signing - if it hasn't been announced by the BBC, I'm going to assume he's only on loan and it isn't properly above board.

Both The Times (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/) and The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football) are great for mainstream media coverage, certainly the best quality reporting and opinion pieces you'll read in print. They tend to demand greater verification on their rumours than other newspapers, which means that while their rumours are hardly worth putting your house on, they can be treated with greater seriousness than something you read in any of the tabs. An obvious point, I know.

Finally, I've REALLY started to get into my podcasts recently. The three best ones, by a country miles, are The Game podcast from The Times, Football Weekly from The Guardian, and The Football Ramble which, as far as I'm aware, is an independent production. Regardless of what type of fan you are, one of those podcasts will suit you. The Game is a serious, hard-nosed look at the game, concentrating on the Premier League and the English sides in Europe. Phill Jupitus hosts but plays it straight, with Gab Marcotti the opinionated sidekick. It's an enjoyable listen if a little impersonal the way it plays it straight with stats and facts.

The Football Ramble is the polar opposite. I appreciate this makes it sound like crap, but it is pretty much four lads sitting around chatting about football, having a laugh and giving their opinions. It's 'lads down the pub', except the lads are reasonably intelligent, reasonably professional, very funny and very likeable. I think a lot of us would like to think that we could do a decent football podcast, but realistically know it would be crap. These guys are like us, except they've made it very good. The emphasis is very much on humour and banter, but the boys are very knowledgeable about the game and work in football media so they present the show reasonably well.

And if those two sound too polarised towards seriousness or fun, the Football Weekly podcast is a blend of the two. Plus it has James Richardson and Barry Glendenning. That's all you need to know. All three of those podcasts are on iTunes, and all three are must-listen material for me. Less so The Game, but whatever.

So what are you listening to, reading or watching?

[Simon]

You pieces of shit.

[JIJ]

:lol:

[Hulkamaniac]

I type 'Sunderland' into NewsNow.

[Simon]

:lol:

:mad:

[Simon]

The Football Weekly podcast begins again this Thursday. I can't recommend it highly enough, and getting in at the start would be a great move for the uninitiated.

[Simon]

http://www.thefootballramble.co.uk/

Download from there. Honestly, it is brilliant. I think calling it "ladsy" was actually a bit harsh as they are very knowledgeable about the game, have an interest in all levels and numerous countries (especially South America), they're a very likeable bunch (particularly Luke and Pete) and...well, it's just really good.

I urge you all to give it a try. This and Football Weekly are essential listening for any football fan.

[Simmo Fortyone]

I'm 98% sure http://www.theworldgame.com.au/ is the only football site on the internet.

[Simon]

http://media.libsyn.com/media/footballramble/160909Final3.mp3

Link to the latest Football Ramble podcast for you pums.

[Andy]

Stop forcing this fucking thing upon us all Simon, it's only driving us further away!

[Simon]

LISTEN TO IT.

LISTEN.

[turdpower]

I got my email read out this week Simon.

HOOOO.

[Simon]

I'm just about to listen now, don't spoil it for me. Was just speaking to Luke a minute ago on Twitter, top bloke.

[turdpower]

I will say, there is one small lie in my email.

[Simon]

Michael Ward?

[turdpower]

:wave:

[Simon]

No Champo for you. Good story though. What was the lie? Uni's eighth team?

[turdpower]

Aye.

Gutted I didn't get the Champo :(

[Simon]

I want to win it one day just so I can send the lads an e-mail saying I traded in Champo and bought FM.

[turdpower]

I'd be interested to know what is in the "goody bag" apart from the actual game.

Considering you could have bought the game a month ago for £2.51, it's hardly a cracking prize.

[Simon]

The real glory is in getting the email read out. Have you heard the show from a month or so ago when a Scottish schoolkid emailed in about his teacher letting them listen to the show in class? Fucking hilarious, the Ramble lads are in hysterics over it.

[turdpower]

Yeah, that one and the guy who took his shirt off in the middle of a game to see if he'd get booked, were class.

[Simon]

Lukey talking about the Robbo trial, he got that from me :D

[turdpower]

You should send him a list of every story in that thread.

[son_of_foley]

Despite the terrible thread name I thought I would post. Anyone listen to monday night club on five live? Normally really interesting. Motson speaks so much sense, a genuinely knowledgable man despite the impression his commentary gives at times

[Simon]

I can't say I've listened myself, but it wouldn't surprise me - David Pleat is immensely knowledgeable about the game and his tactical analysis in The Guardian is both interesting and informative...but put him behind a microphone and he loses his shit.

A football site I've just found that looks half-decent:

http://www.thespoiler.co.uk/

[JIJ]

I write for them.

[Simon]

Course you do big man.

[JIJ]

Actually having read the site I take it back.

That's shit Simon what the fuck?

[Alf]

Are you a comedy writer Jidge? Si is interested in getting into writing comedy. Maybe you should give him some advice.

[turdpower]

I love Barry Glendenning.

[JIJ]

Are you a comedy writer Jidge? Si is interested in getting into writing comedy. Maybe you should give him some advice.

I'd love to review his comedy.

[Simon]

I love Barry Glendenning.

He really is great. Jimbo is fantastic and I'm a fan of Sean Ingle and Kevin McCarra, but a pod without Barry is nowhere near as good. Ideal pod for me would be Jimbo hosting, Glendenning with the wry cynicism, Lukey Moore from the Ramble providing "witty banter" and Gab Marcotti from The Game with the stats and indignance. And of course I'd make time for Sid Lowe to report from Spain, he's the man.

EDIT: Don't know if you agree turdy, but I decided the other day that Lukey Moore really reminds me of Russell Howard. Partly the voice and partly the sense of humour.

[turdpower]

Yeah I'd go along with that. I do like Marcus though, but obviously Richardson is class. I think it was the last podcast where they just went completely off topic and talked about his "failed" TV career.

I do like Lukey and I can see what you mean. I saw him on Sky News, not the best looking chap, certainly made for Radio. Clearly very knowledgeable about the game too.

[Simon]

What I like about him is that he doesn't bullshit. When he doesn't know much about a player, he will say so. A lot of people have a tendency to use what little knowledge they have of a player to form a full opinion - they see 20 minutes of a player and assume that is what he's like in general.

I'm not a massive fan of Marcus. I suppose he does his job insofar as he reigns in the rest of the Ramble team, and he knows his stuff, but I find him a little dull. Certainly the worst of the four. I get the feeling that Pete is really into Newcastle and loves watching and playing football, but doesn't have a huge knowledge football the way the rest do. I like James or Jim simply because he's so angry about everything.

You should make a Football Ramble thread where we can talk about the weekly shenanigans. This week's was good fun, just finished listening to it on my lunch break. I loved the reference to "Two Seats" Martin Samuel.

[son_of_foley]

Listened to it. Hate the sound of Luke.

Might just stick to the monday night club and that's got Steve Claridge in it so that says a lot

[El Capitano Gatisto]

I download the World Football Phone-In from Radio 5 Up All Night every week. Wish they'd shut Sean Wheelock up a bit when hes on because he drones on and Vickery is obviously alot more interesting, but great show nonetheless.

[Simon]

What is the outline of the Monday Night Show? I might have to download it and give it a go.

SOF, maybe you will never like it and as I said it may be that the London voice is annoying to you and that is something you won't get over. I hate the Scouser on the Game podcast even though he clearly knows what he's talking about, I can't help it. But if you give it time, you may grow to like it. Even ignoring Luke, I think Pete and James or Jim are brilliant. Marcus is dull but keeps the show going with his links.

[son_of_foley]

The monday night club is just a round-table show really but they get managers and the like phoning in regularly to have a really honest chat about thing. Motson gives real opinions and will tell Claridge when he's talking out of his arse.

Heard some really interesting stuff from people like Lee Clark and Martin Allen at different times. Love 5 live at night. They had a special on , during Richard Bacons usual slot, despression in sports around the time of the Inside Sport documentary. Very interesting.

Slightly off-topic but ECG did you watch season ticket last night about McConville? Found it all very interesting despite having zero interest in GAA

[Simon]

How long is it? I'm gonna download it off the website now if possible and listen on the way hizome.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

Nope. Oisin McConville is a bit of a mess I hear. I hear maybe a few of those Tyrone players are. It's the problem with GAA, you get guys being big stars in their counties but they don't get paid like stars at all, so if they have the tendency to be a bit of a twat it can get out of hand.

[son_of_foley]

He was talking very candidly about his gambling and they worked out his net spend was something like 500,000 and at the end he outright owed over 100,000 to people. Nice of them to do some proper journalism on that show. I heard the Jonny Evans episode was very interesting but overall just a bit of fluff really.

[son_of_foley]

How long is it? I'm gonna download it off the website now if possible and listen on the way hizome.

Very short I have a feeling on the radio it's 40-45 minutes but the podcast is apparently 27 minutes. It's done normally in tandem with Championship coverage

[turdpower]

What I like about him is that he doesn't bullshit. When he doesn't know much about a player, he will say so. A lot of people have a tendency to use what little knowledge they have of a player to form a full opinion - they see 20 minutes of a player and assume that is what he's like in general.

I'm not a massive fan of Marcus. I suppose he does his job insofar as he reigns in the rest of the Ramble team, and he knows his stuff, but I find him a little dull. Certainly the worst of the four. I get the feeling that Pete is really into Newcastle and loves watching and playing football, but doesn't have a huge knowledge football the way the rest do. I like James or Jim simply because he's so angry about everything.

You should make a Football Ramble thread where we can talk about the weekly shenanigans. This week's was good fun, just finished listening to it on my lunch break. I loved the reference to "Two Seats" Martin Samuel.

We've basically hi-jacked this thread anyway :D

As I said in the other thread, I've just spent the past few weeks listening to all the old ones I could get my hands on. Not sure when you first started listening to it, but 07/08 (the first year) There's a bloke called CHRIS instead of Pete, who is clearly bully fodder and they just abuse. He left with no explanation and Pete came along and did shows every now and then and to begin with everytime he spoke about football it was Hartlepool related, so I dunno if he changed allegiances or what, but it's a little odd.

Also I saw on their facebook page that someone had mentioned about old podcasts. I commented that some of the old ones are brilliant but the first one is very amateurish. Luke responded saying that nobody has the first episode and that he didn't have the episode and he's in it. I told him the four people that were on it (James or Jim wasn't, another bloke was) and he never responded. I offered to send it to him, but he was having none of it.

I do recommend getting the old ones Si.

[Simon]

I can't find a podcast, only a stream :( where did you find it?

[son_of_foley]

That might have been a stream. It was on a podcast directory website but they speak bollocks.

I normally just listen live. Listen now before you go home

[Simon]

I'll have to have a look when I get home turdy but I definitely don't have them going back that far, I think the earliest one I have might be the very last one Chris did...certainly I've only heard one episode with him in it. He wasn't very good.

If I find out which ones I'm missing could you zip them up and send them to me? I'm missing one from much later as well that they said they couldn't find, haven't checked in a while though so maybe they have archived it now.

[turdpower]

I've checked the archive and they've basically done all of 08/09. I have the second half of 07/08, the christmas special and the first episode.

[Andy]

Anyone got an itunes link to the football ramble thing? I might give it a listen tonight.

I listen to the Monday Night Club sometimes and Motson is usually spot on. I just can't fucking stand Claridge so I can never really get that into it.

[J]

....

[turdpower]

Anyone got an itunes link to the football ramble thing? I might give it a listen tonight.

I listen to the Monday Night Club sometimes and Motson is usually spot on. I just can't fucking stand Claridge so I can never really get that into it.

Just type in "football ramble" into the itunes store or go on their website and download it as an mp3.

I feel like Sean and advertising play.com :(

[son_of_foley]

I don't really like Claridge either but he's more palatable on this than on football league highlights show or whatever.

[Simon]

You mean you don't have to look at him :D

[son_of_foley]

Yeah also Maneesh (sp?) is too nice to him on football league highlights. He won't dare correct or disagree with him. Motson just bangs right into it.

They were talking about video replays and Claridge and someone else said there are literally no reasons not to have it and football is a laughing stock for not having it. Motson said no you're being too simplistic there is of course issues integrating it and you can't do it on a knee-jerk like this you need proper investigations and I was shouting out YES SHUT UP CLARIDGE YOU STUPID FACE

[RFF Champ]

I had a listen to the Football Ramble last night. It was decent, fairly light entertainment. I had it on in the background while doing other things. I think I'll give an older episode a listen on the way home.

[son_of_foley]

Be honest Alex it was me who had swayed this a little for you

[RFF Champ]

It was the David Batty discussion that really hammered it home.

[son_of_foley]

I like David Batty and all but he's no Seth Johnson

[Simon]

Seth Johnson is involved in arguably the best football story ever so you have to rate the boy.

[son_of_foley]

One of the sweetest left foots you'll ever see as well especially when kicking someone in the bollocks

[turdpower]

Go listen to a few old ones, then you can hear my email get read out.

[Simon]

TURDPLOPS WHERE ARE MY RAMBLES.

[turdpower]

I'll do it today or tomorrow for you. More likely to be tomorrow.

[Simon]

I want it yesterday.

[turdpower]

I'll give Dr Who a call.

[Simon]

New Ramble is out, HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

[Andy]

I listened to it last week, didn't find it all that funny or interesting to be honest. The main guy is very annoying and arrogant, he reminded me of the twat that does the Scottish football phone in.

I'd probably rather listen to Fighting Talk and the Monday Night Club.

[Simon]

I still haven't managed to find a link to download Monday Night Club on my phone. Fighting Talk is dependent on the guests, this week's just gone was good because Simon Day is the balls.

Downloaded Chappers' Premier League podcast too but haven't listened yet.

[Andy]

Yeah Fighting Talk is very hit and miss but most of the regulars are good entertainment. I love Pat Nevin on it but he's rarely on anymore.

[turdpower]

Yeah I forgot again Simon, I WILL do it tomorrow.

[Simon]

Bitch.

[turdpower]

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=5BD1DE3X

Some of them might not be labeled right, but basically, the last 6 digits are the date and the first two digits in the name are the episode number.

[turdpower]

Thanks turdpower

No problem mate.

[Simon]

I haven't been able to download them yet, and won't be thanking you until I have verified them as legitimate Football Rambles and not edited versions you have made to push your own football-related agendas.

[turdpower]

I should have done that.

[Simon]

"Hi, this is John Motson, and *Simon is a fucking cunt*"

[Simon]

Greatest Ramble moment, turdpower? Got to be Kevin from Fife IMO.

[Andy]

omg I used to live in Fife. I bet he was a twat

[Simon]

I'm listening to it right now, I will transcribe although I almost certainly won't put across just how funny it is...


"I have an e-mail here, gentlemen, from a young chap from Scotland. Dear Ramble, last year my class could not behave so it meant we never got practical lessons on the Friday. Me and the boys were raging apart from some of the fatter lads. Our teacher who is a good guy at times said if we behaved we could listen to some football stuff. We never knew what the moron meant so we basically carried on with the nonsense and fun. Our teacher put the Ramble on and there was utter silence, we all loved it. Apart from when you talk about old footballers that's dull. Good point well made. We behaved better and stuff to get our practical sessions back but we never wanted them so we asked if we could get more theory which we did. Towards the end of last season our assistant head, in brackets "wank", came in and was saying well done and good job. He noticed the pod on in the background and one of you swore. Our teacher got in trouble and we don't get the Ramble any more. I do because I've got a computer but most people don't have a comp in the house, I reckon some of these animals don't have toilets but I won't hold it against them. Me and the boys are creating havoc now in PE, we always shout rambleforce HOOOOOOO in the corridors and our assistant head can just piss off. And that's from Kevin in Fife. He ends it by saying "we will not give up the fight"."

It doesn't look so great written down but the hysterics in the studio and the stream of consciousness shit from this schoolkid makes it class.

[turdpower]

Random brilliant bits: When they can't find their theme music so the three of them sing it instead.

Lukey talking about when one of his mates said he had nowhere to go for Christmas and Luke offered to have him come round his house but got turned down.

I really like the email where the guy talks about taking his shirt off in the middle of a game to see if he'd get a yellow card.

Marcus and Jim talking about when they went to last seasons Champions League final.


There's probably tonnes more.

[Simon]

There seem to be unintended recurring jokes as well, for example whenever they have come back from a game they always describe how they ended up having to run to/from the game because they are late for something.

[turdpower]

Some other things I liked:

"Rio" appearing generally, but what he wants for christmas: "A dream recorder... I've got a typewriter at home that I've blue taced some headphones onto, because Ryan Giggs was telling me that would work, but Ryan Giggs is a liar, yeah?"

Luke saying that someone in his office just randomly announced to everyone that she'd never slept in a sleeping bag

[Simon]

I am now officially willing to thank you turdpower. It's not quite as good without Pete and the Rio stuff is a bit annoying IMO, but they're still a good addition to the ol' catalogue. I've missed big Pete though and am looking forward to today's episode.

[turdpower]

Yeah, some of the "sketches" are shit.

[Simon]

Great moment in the Christmas special: "Ballack, that was a SUICIDE pass!"

[Simon]

ITV have started their own podcast, direct download here (http://download.itv.com/podcasts/football_s1e2.mp3)...hopefully it'll be a good addition to the current triumvurate of the Ramble, Football Weekly and The Game.

[Simon]

Don't download the ITV podcast unless you have a passion for hearing about how great ITV is. It's a thirty minute advert for the station pretty much. Ned Boulting seems like a cock, although Peter Drury seems alright.

[Simon]

Turdyplops did you ever find the rest of the Rambles that I don't have by any chance? I seem to be missing every episode prior to March 2007 and everything from April-December 2007.

:)

[turdpower]

Nar, the website that I got all the others off seemingly made a mistake and had one episode listed as about 10 of them.

They're working on putting them all up on their website, right?

The very first one is pretty shit. Sounds like it's been done in a school hall or something.

[Simon]

Yeah I noticed that you had loads that were all the same. They have put a few up on the website but it only goes back to April '09 right now.

New one is pretty good.

[Simon]

A couple of great moments this week..."Referee! Yet another blunder!" and "He's dead!" made me laugh out loud :lol:

[Simon]

A couple of great moments this week..."Referee! Yet another blunder!" and "He's dead!" made me laugh out loud :lol:

[Simon]

turdpower - I have opened up negotiations with Lukey for the Rambleforce to host my team's awards dinner :D

[StevieV]

"turdy i sent an e-mail. already got the autoreply :cool:"

[Simon]

FootballRamble

@sobisamazing Where is it? I am sure we'd all be happy to do it.

BANG BANG

[turdpower]

That is cool.

[Gangers]

Looks like he's a fan of Seanny One Ball anyway.

[Simon]

I know you're all bored of me bigging up the Ramble but the hall of fame this week was absolutely fantastic, fifteen minutes or so of background and insight into Pierluigi Collina. Genuinely fascinating stuff, the depth of his pre-match preparations with his linesmen is incredible. As they said on the podcast, it's probably more preparation for the various possibilities of the outcomes of games than some managers bother with. A true legend of the game IMO.

[Alf]

Is it the 'a noteable egg' one?

[Simon]

Yeah that's the one.

[turdpower]

Download the one with my email in Alf, I don't know what it was called, so download them all.

[Red Dog]

Simon has got nearly 50% of the posts in this thread.

[Simon]

Red Dog has provided 0% of the interest in this thread, although he performs well on the "posts involving irrelevant facts that no one cares about" front.

Here is the link to that last Ramble if anyone wants it.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/footballramble/ANotableEgg.mp3

Alf, did you listen to it in the end? The profile of Collina is at the end.

[MMH]

Simon has got nearly 50% of the posts in this thread.

I dont see what point you are trying to make?

Other than the obvious random statistic giving.

[RFF Champ]

I listened to last weeks ramble today, I think it's the second time I've listened to it and i have to say I enjoyed the first time I listened far more.

The first 30 minutes in particular were awkward, lots of little silences and then bad jokes which seemed to be laughed at to fill air. It got better but wasn't especially entertaining. There was a lot more to be said about the relegation fight too, seems like they mentioned it for the sake of it and moved on quickly.

[Hlebsfall]

Since I've got an Iphone (yes blad) I've started listening to the Football Ramble. Probably caught the last half dozen, it's a good way to kill an hour. Couple of decent bits this week, namely the THOSE TRAINERS ARE HESKEY BLAD, and the bit where James started going on some cockney rant. ITS ALL ABOUT THE PASSION, ALL ABOUT THE FACKIN..... YEAH. That Luke doesn't look anything like I expected, I had visions of some slickey chav type, when in fact he looks like a homeless viking. I think he's a bit of a penis as well to be honest, always looks to show how much he knows about football. Someone will talk about a player scoring in the 82 World Cup or something, and he'll have to pipe up and go 'OH YEAH, AGAINST SCOTLAND, BOTTOM LEFT HAND CORNER.' But it is free, so can't complain.

[turdpower]

Get the one with my email in.

[Simon]

Great Ramble HOF today, Paul McGrath. Great line: Two thirds of the world is covered by water. The other third is covered by Paul McGrath :D

[BBF]

I should download these tonight then, yeah?

I expect to be left laughing like a spastic on the tube like I do to the Gervais' ones.

[1_Pablo_Angel]

Great Ramble HOF today, Paul McGrath. Great line: Two thirds of the world is covered by water. The other third is covered by Paul McGrath :D

:yes:

I used to think this was just a bunch of smug southern arseholes laughing at ther own bad jokes. Got into it a bit now though, there's some real gold in there. But they do still laugh at ther own jokes a bit too much.

[Simon]

Good stuff 1PA, I had the same feeling for a while but you get used to it eventually. I was actually thinking of ripping off their player profiles for here, one a week...but maybe that would be one rip-off too far, and also I wouldn't want to be seen to be just cutting and pasting stuff. But if people were interested I would be happy to do it.

On another topic, Skinner and Baddiel are doing daily podcasts throughout the World Cup. This was decided ages ago and isn't new information at all, but in case anyone is interested they should be brillo. They did the same thing in 2006 and they were great.

[StevieV]

Free right?

[Simon]

http://www.liljonalbums.com/pics/lil_jon.jpg

YAAAAAAAAAAAAYUHH

[turdpower]

They weren't daily in 2006, IIRC. Were good though. Be interesting to see what they'll fill DAILY shows with.

[RFF Champ]

Is there a new football ramble today Si? I'm looking for some podcasts to download.

[Simon]

Tomorrow mate, every Wednesday.

Football Weekly was yesterday if you don't get it...great show:

http://download.guardian.co.uk/audio/kip/football/series/footballweekly/1273489188253/7116/gdn.ftb.100510.ic.Football_Weekly.mp3

[RFF Champ]

I downloaded that one based on you talking up Richardson earlier. I've never listened to it before.

I need them today really. I grabbed a couple of the Partridge radio shows too.

[turdpower]

Barry Glendenning is the reason I love football weekly.

[Simon]

Oh come on Richo is key as well. And I enjoy it more when Kevin McCarra and Paul Doyle are on it.

[Simon]

http://www.robertpopper.com/2010/06/10/robin-coopers-world-cup-podcast-no-1/

:lol:

[Lazurus]

I love it when people post links with no explanation at all.

[jesus sucks]

I love it when people post links with no explanation at all.

i hate it on forums where someone posts a thread called like, i dunno.. Noel Edmonds. and you click on it and all it says is: "haha. Noel Edmonds must be GUTTED." and then just leaves it at that. no explanation or link. really annoying. takes about 1 second to write a few fews to say what happened. another annoying one is when someone just posts the name of some random bird, and then you open the thread and there isn't even a photo. it just says 'she is fit!' or other such bollocks.

[Simon]

Football Ramble is back today :hyper:

[El Capitano Gatisto]

Nice seagull story at the end of it.

[Simon]

That was me :yes:

http://forums.rajah.com/showthread.php?t=143341

[El Capitano Gatisto]

...I know.

[Simon]

:dunno: didn't want to assume.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

Oh. Wouldn't have mentioned it otherwise.

I've only been listening to the Football Ramble since the start of year, I think it's definitely 3rd place behind World Football Phone-In and Football Weekly. The reasons are because the guy Luke has that grating voice inflection that seems to be invading England from Australia that makes everything sound like a question and I think the Geordie guy is just fucking awful. Good show otherwise. Glad it's back, I had a good 3 month backlog of listening for World Football Phone-In and Kermode and Mayo's Film Reviews before the summer but have been running so much I've almost caught up.

World Football Phone-In can be irritating when you get different people phoning in with the same question on different weeks and they then go over exactly the same answers or tell the same anecdotes. I've heard Vickery's feelings on FIFA and his anecdote about Marcelo Bielsa enough times now.

[RFF Champ]

I probably do that inflection thing that you speak of. It's quite common for people coming from Oxford.

[RFF Champ]

ME TOO :hyper:

Everyone buy The Guardian today, their season guide is out. Always the best one around and well worth the 90p.

I'm lifting this over.

I am a big fan of the Guardian's football coverage but I was quite disappointed by the review to be honest. There wasn't any real insight into any of the teams and it has silly errors throughout. For example getting Fraser Forster's age wrong, saying Alan Smith is our only player with an England cap. I noticed they commented on how well Matthew Briggs played against Arsenal but I remember him getting subbed off after 30 minutes cos he was being run ragged but perhaps an Arsenal fan can say more.

The young player bit seemed under-researched in all honesty.

I am looking forward to the podcast, I love that podcast but while I'm at it, they sit too far away from their microphones. I can't hear it if I'm walking down a busy high street.

[Andy]

I think it was Walcott who destroyed that Briggs boy. I remember someone getting subbed off in the first half anyway.

[Simon]

Anyone listen to the Ramble yesterday? The Sami Ameobi tweets are great :D

[Simon]

Been listening to World Football the last couple of weeks. It's pretty good but fucking he'll Dotun Adebayo is the worst presenter I've ever heard. Woeful.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

No chance. Dotun is class. He holds it all together.

[Ringo]

Adebayo is the man :yes:

[Simon]

You are both mad. He is so irritating and unprofessional it's terrible :mad:

[El Capitano Gatisto]

He's excellent. He keeps it all going and stops it getting too dry, takes the piss out of everyone. The show would be no where near as good without him.

Plus, outside of the World Football Phone-In, he's usually pretty serious.

[RFF Champ]

Did anyone listen to 'Booted' after the Monday Night Club on Fivelive last night? It had Andy Brassell, the guy from zonal marking and one of the football ramblers. It was an awkward mess with no structure but I like Chappers so if they gave the discussion some structure then it could be good.

It's a podcast on iTunes if anyone fancies 30 minutes of proclaiming Cavani.

[Simon]

It had Lukey Moore from the Ramble on it as well didn't it? That prick banned me from the Ramble forums :mad:

[RFF Champ]

Yeah it did but I already said that in my post you nutter. Why did he ban you?

[Simon]

Posted allegations that Richard Keys likes to be shat on by BDSM prostitutes and called him a ponce when he deleted it.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

Andy Brassell is on the World Football Phone-In a fair bit. He's pretty good.

[Simon]

Tim Vickery looks nothing like what I expected. I thought he would be a weedy little nerd of a fellow, instead he looks like a retired gangster who spends his life in the Costa Del Sol with his overly made up wife, getting involved in all sorts of minor crime capers.

[RFF Champ]

Yeah I liked Brassell and the zonal marking guy (I think they've both been on Football Weekly too?). Problem was they were expected to ramble and while they were very informative it was just awkward.

I don't think Luke Moore really knew what to do with himself so just discussed man-crushes and Gabriel Bastituta speaking Welsh. It was good of the BBC to advertise their products so much though, I thought their projects would be glossed over but Chappers did a good job of giving them a good airing.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

Half an hour isn't really enough for those guys to get going. Luke Moore is ok on the Football Ramble but his primary role seems to be bringing up classic players and going on about how good they were, I feel much of his contemporary info is just recycled from guys like Brassell. The Zonal Marking guy (he appears on Guardian Football Weekly) is a bit like Jonathon Wilson in terms of tactical analysis and Brassell has excellent knowledge of European leagues and players, you can find out some good stuff from them, they're genuinely informative.

[RFF Champ]

I don't think it was even 30 minutes in the end because they started a bit late, so it definitely wasn't long enough. Moore is alright when he has a topic to talk about and he's quite humorous which wasn't the tone. As I said it had potential particularly as I think Chappers was trying to introduce them to a new audience, once it gets going then it could become a regular listen for me. It wouldn't hurt to take 15-30mins off the Monday Night club.

I might give World Football phone-in a try too

[El Capitano Gatisto]

You should, Brassell had a bit to say about Newcastle during the summer due to their buying up French players. He's very good for the French league, reckons it's the most physical league in Europe and therefore pretty shrewd of Newcastle to shop there for their players.

[RFF Champ]

Excellent. I read a bit about the French League through a journalist called James Eastham. I couldn't bring myself to watch a game though because there are hardly ever any goals in a game.

[Hlebsfall]

Just gone back a couple of pages, my views of Luke Moore haven't changed, he is a bit of a penis. Just comes across as someone who does a load of research on what is going to be spoken about beforehand, then starts passing off his comments like he is he encyclopedia of world football.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

Yeah there is definitely plenty of that. I basically echo your opinion then. On the Football Ramble he goes on about players he can't possibly have watched much of as if he was tracking their careers.

[Ringo]

Listened to the latest BBC World Football podcast featuring Paolo Di Canio. Interesting piece on Juventus and their new stadium. How they are trying to follow the British/European model to attract the public and that they are now unique in Italian football for owning their own ground. Apparently match day revenue in Italy typically makes up around 13% of a club's overall revenue compared to 27% in much of Europe and they are hoping the new "match day experience" will allow them to close the gap. They are a club who have almost fallen off the radar since the embarrassment of the big match fixing scandal, but they've got big plans after their summer shopping spree and stadium move. It'll be interesting to see to what extent they can get back to competing with other top clubs.

[Simon]

Their old ground was very strange, a huge arena but barely ever more than a quarter full or some shit. They're an odd side in general in terms of support IIRC - am I right in thinking that they aren't particularly huge in Turin where they are based, but are inordinately popular across the country compared to the other big sides?

[Ringo]

Yep, exactly. They are easily the best supported club in Italy. Obviously attendances in Italy are generally poor, but Juve's have been picked out for being especially weak considering the size of the fanbase across the country.

[Keano's Magic Hat]

That's right.

[SheltonLondon]

Been listening to World Football the last couple of weeks. It's pretty good but fucking he'll Dotun Adebayo is the worst presenter I've ever heard. Woeful.

Completely agree, he's an absolute tit. So annoying, shite presenter. All the shite about Brazilian shirt names and his Sunday league stuff does my swede in. Great show apart from that, not so interested when Sean Wheelock is on it, but the shows with Vickery and Brassell on are the tits.

[RFF Champ]

I didn't mind Max Rushden on Football weekly this week, I thought it was quite fun and a nice change but it highlighted just how good Richardson is at that anchor role.

[Andy]

I can't stand Max Rushden. Total bellend.

[Simon]

Na he's alright. The lack of knowledge and passion compared to Richardson stands out a mile but he did fine, better than that Irish fella Ken something they had a few years ago.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

Dotun Adebayo is a legend.

[Simon]

Is there an obvious reason I'm missing why all the WF callers are mad?

[JIJ]

I can't stand Max Rushden. Total bellend.

:yes:

I barely watch SAM anymore and he's the main reason

[turdpower]

Soccer AM without Sky plus and lots of fast forwarding would be horrendous.

[Simon]

It's quite weird to think how long it used to go on for nowadays, 2 hours seems like a massive stretch.

[turdpower]

Be interesting to watch a full old one and see if it was as good as I remember.

I remember really liking the original kick it through the hole game, because it was very rare that anyone ever did it.

[MikeHunt]

it was pretty crap when lovejoy was on it too.

[Hlebsfall]

It's complete shit. I'm surprised they've not pulled it and thought up a new show. Such a tired format.

[turdpower]

And Helen Chamberlain is looking bloody ropey.

[Ringo]

It is embarrassingly bad.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

Is there an obvious reason I'm missing why all the WF callers are mad?

The show is on at about 4am in the morning.

[Simon]

Ah right, that would explain it I suppose. The people that call in sound like something off of Norfolk Nights. The old fella in particular rattles on about fuck all and they just let him. It's weirdly fascinating. I still think Dotun is a useless shite though, it's held together by Tim Vickery.

They should get Fernando Duarte from The Guardian/Football Weekly on from time to time. Possibly the nicest man in the world and has an incredibly entertaining way of talking. Very much enjoyed his Anglacised annoyance at everyone taking the piss out of Breno in the latest episode, "Jesus Christ, man".

[El Capitano Gatisto]

The WF Phone-In is only on one night a week as part of the Radio 5 Up All night show. Up All Night is on from 1am to 5 or 6am every night, so Dotun is presenting all sorts of other stuff and the WF Phone-In is only a pretty small part of it. He's a big legend. I used to listen to Up All Night a fair bit if I couldn't sleep or needed something on in the background if I was up late working on something in the lab or at my desk. Very relaxing and comforting. This Scottich guy called Rod Sharp does some other nights but Dotun always gets Friday for the World Football Phone-In.

[Simon]

I used to like Richard Bacon's show, his special half hour or whatever the fuck it was called was good.

[Simon]

Not to mention Caesar the Geezer...

Caesar the Boogieman - Get an Aerial... - YouTube

[RFF Champ]

Starting to grow tired of the Football Ramble now. Quite frequently they throw generalised criticisms out about what cliches other journos may have used yet they seem to use just as many comparable ones. They've always been self-indulgent but it's worse than before I think.

Beyond that though I just don't find it funny like I used too. I don't know whether that's me or them but I drift out when listening more than previously.

[Simon]

It's a lot more self-indulgent now. Shite like Going for Glold and the post-credits chat aren't interesting to anyone except them. The opening questions are shit as well now. Marcus aside, it increasingly feels like they are using it to attempt to forge comedy careers for themselves that they aren't talented enough to manage via the usual paths.

Topical opening question allowing them to remember old footballers/games --> lengthy chat about the week's football --> funny football-related e-mails --> profile.

When it was like this, it was great. Instead it's now:

Topical opening question allowing them riff dimly about crap things they would like to make footballers do --> brief chat about the week's football --> tedious Going for Glold segment --> thirty seconds of emails --> profile, all of which is speckled with tons of irrelevant commentary. It's frustrating cos it's still a good show and the topical stuff and profile stuff is still great. I think they're just buying their own hype too much.

[RFF Champ]

I thought my comments would strike discord amongst us, I'm surprised you agree.

You've got it spot on really. I know that the hints are incredibly vague in going for glold but the fact that they are so shit at it does show that they don't know what they would like us to think they do. They say that isn't the case but some of the things they throw into the profile as asides to what Marcus has said as though it's from memory is them leading us onto that.

I'm finding 5Live's offerings quite enjoyable lately. I've always like the Monday Night Club and I listened to the podcast of 'the sacking season' which aired on Wednesday. They had Peter Reid, someone from the LMA and a Daily Mail journalist in the studio. They had Alan Pardew on the phone too. Everyone was very knowledgable and insightful and it went to show that the LMA fail to recognise any criticism whatsoever of their members.

[turdpower]

I stopped listening to the football ramble a few years ago. They love themselves a bit too much. I miss the olden days when it was starting out. And I know of several people who submit stuff to them and they pass them off as their own jokes/creations, which I hate.

In the very first series they did a show in Jim's kitchen, it sounded awful, but the content was there.

[RFF Champ]

Just listened to another FiveLive one from last night about football finances. I was doing some work at the time so I wasn't 100% focused but Christian Purslow (ex-Liverpool something or other) was in the studio and conducting interviews. They spoke to Kenwright and Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck about Financial fairplay, their stadium, whether they've met their five year plan and they also discussed about how the Manchester United debt is not a problem at all and they are the gold standard of Premier League finances.

It's as a podcast on the fivelive football daily. Worth a listen if you are interested in the financial aspect.

[Simon]

turdpower is so trendy he stopped listening to the Ramble when it was still really good.

[RFF Champ]

Football Weekly when Jonathan Wilson or Fernando Duarte is involved is always when it's at its best. Duarte is the nicest man around but he gets so defensive about his points.

I was trying to figure out who the striker was that a Premier League club asked Wilson about. The only one I could think of was Odemwingie.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

I think if I wasn't training for the marathon I think I wouldn't bother with the Football Ramble. The Geordie guy really fucks me off quite badly now, he just isn't funny in the slightest but he keeps cracking jokes and they keep giving him fake laughter.

[Andy]

The Monday Night Club has been really good recently.

[turdpower]

turdpower is so trendy he stopped listening to the Ramble when it was still really good.

Actually when I got thinner than you and stopped running.

Simon is so trendy he got fat because being normal is too cool.

[RFF Champ]

Managed to get a late ticket in the 'family area' for Sunday's game so I'm going to drive up tonight. Downloaded World Football phone-in and the football league podcast which I'll be checking out for the first time.

[Simon]

Has the World Football Phone In finished or something? It's disappeared from my iTunes...

[MMH]

Has the World Football Phone In finished or something? It's disappeared from my iTunes...

Nah there was one this week, it was just late being posted.

I use podtrapper and its usually ready for me on Saturday morning but this week it didnt appear until this afternoon

[Simon]

Sorry I wasn't very clear, what I mean is that the entire show is no longer on the iTunes shop when I search for it :dunno: has it changed name or something?

[Simon]

It reappeared last night, weird.

[RFF Champ]

I enjoy Football Weekly more when Glendenning isn't on it. People like Jonathan Wilson, Fernando Duarte, Rafa Honigstein etc. offer so much more than just moaning about things and being dull.

[Simon]

Hmm dunno about that, I like that Glendenning has a more emotive, 'everyman' approach as opposed to the stats Wilson brings out or Rafa's dry wit. I love Duarte though, he just seems like a lovely man who is incredibly passionate and brings a good outsider's view of how English football is viewed abroad. It's a shame Paul Doyle and to a lesser extent Kevin McCarra don't appear very often any more, they were very good.

Football Weekly is consistently excellent though, isn't it. Sid Lowe is the best of the lot and is on every week, and they mix up the rest of the guests so it always feels fresh.

[RFF Champ]

Yeah, it's brilliant. The only thing Glendenning gets emotive about is when discussing complaints about the podcast and how they're undeserved because it's a free product.

I don't get the impression he watches a great deal of football and doesn't care to in the case of quite a few teams. I understand what you're saying about the 'everyman' approach but I think that's done better by Sean Ingle, Barney Ronay and even Amy Lawrence (who I had my initial, understandable, scepticisms about but she makes some good points and doesn't comment upon what she doesn't know about) all do that role much better, in my opinion of course.

[RFF Champ]

I might have said this before but the best panelist (is that what you call them?) around on the podcast scene is John Motson. You can tell he watches an awful lot of football, he can say something about every player at every Premier League team such is the research he conducts and he presents himself very well.

[Simon]

Amy Lawrence chats shit, by far the worst regular IMO. I don't think it's fair to say Glendenning doesn't watch much football when he does the minute-by-minute on numerous games a week for The Guardian.

[Simon]

I meant to say this yesterday but this topic is probably the best place anyway - Steve McClaren is a really good pundit for Sky. He actually tries to give you some insight into WHY managers make certain decisions or why a certain tactic is being employed.

[RFF Champ]

I only say it based on the fact that he doesn't seem to comment upon much actual football and his comments on teams don't often ring particularly true. Most notably for me Newcastle, which is obviously the team I'll pick up on stuff most, who he often makes unfounded comments on. I think it may also have been him who said Wolves don't have a goalscorer when they have one of the most effective goalscorers in the league. Plus he's mundane.

I like Lawrence, 90% of the comments she makes are about Arsenal anyway and then she goes quiet.

[RFF Champ]

I meant to say this yesterday but this topic is probably the best place anyway - Steve McClaren is a really good pundit for Sky. He actually tries to give you some insight into WHY managers make certain decisions or why a certain tactic is being employed.

Yeah I like McLaren too. I rarely watch the pre-match buildup of games but I sat and watched the buildup to Schalke vs. Man Utd last year and he made some fascinating points.

[Simon]

I only say it based on the fact that he doesn't seem to comment upon much actual football and his comments on teams don't often ring particularly true. Most notably for me Newcastle, which is obviously the team I'll pick up on stuff most, who he often makes unfounded comments on. I think it may also have been him who said Wolves don't have a goalscorer when they have one of the most effective goalscorers in the league. Plus he's mundane.

I like Lawrence, 90% of the comments she makes are about Arsenal anyway and then she goes quiet.

He's a Sunderland fan so he probably just enjoys cunting Newcastle off.

Quite possibly this is the reason I dislike Lawrence.

[RFF Champ]

Oh yeah there's definitely an aspect of that, the only other real life person I know who listens to it ribs him all the time on Twitter over how dismissive he is of us. That doesn't bother me though, I can understand why many people would have been dismissive of our chances in games.

The fact that he is Sunderland fan and never makes an interesting point about a player, a tactic, a match of theirs is more why I prefer others. Richardson asked him a few weeks ago if he thought Bruce would go and he responded that it won't be long before he does but didn't offer anything as to why it's going badly or how he could improve. I think the point of these things is to offer some kind of analysis or greater knowledge as football is their dayjobs.

[RFF Champ]

Jonathan Wilson is a Sunderland fan too.

[Andy]

Who was the commentator for the Man United game last night? He made a few very interesting points about tactics and positioning during the game even though he had a very dull voice.

[Simon]

McLaren was the pundit if that's who you mean?

[Andy]

Nah the commentator. Unless it was McClaren commentating? If it was then I've made myself look a bit of a silly twat. :dunce:

[BBF]

Again.

[Andy]

Shut it tubby.

[BBF]

Love you mate.

[RFF Champ]

Excellent couple of Football Weekly podcasts last week. Good range of discussion with people who have plenty of knowledge to cover it.

[Simon]

The Ramble was excellent for once this week, I've been a bit bored of it for ages but the reverence and obvious love for Zidane in the extended profile was fantastic. The profile must have been half an hour or so?

[RFF Champ]

Yeah I thought that Ramble was great. I think both the ramble and football weekly benefit when they aren't so focussed on manchester, chelsea and arsenal.

Football weekly has been on real top form for a few weeks too.

[RFF Champ]

Crikey, football weekly have managed to find someone else to bore us with by bleating on about how boring they find football.

[RFF Champ]

My phone really didn't want me to post that so I hope you all appreciate my input. I must have had about five cracks at it.

[Simon]

Was that the Irish guy, Evan something? Seemed alright to me.

Does anyone listen to TheGame? I really enjoy Gab Marcotti but fucking hell the other guests are ALL cunts. Paddy Barclay is the closest to listenable and that's saying something. Stewart Robson is a dinosaur who has no intelligent or relevant opinions on the modern game, Tony O'Cascarin can only understand and discuss issues by comparing them to his own career no matter how tangential, and Alison Rudd is just a fuckwit.

It annoys me that women are represented on the two biggest football podcasts in the UK by Rudd and Amy Lawrence, both of whom come across as whiny halfwits most of the time. Surely there are better correspondents than these, it doesn't exactly help fight against the Keys/Gray brigade. Might have the name wrong but the Brazilian woman Marcela Aurajo who occasionally pops up on FW is at least engaging and knowledgable.

EDIT: Marcela Mora y Araujo.


TFR has had a bit of a resurgence recently, although Pete increasingly needs to fuck off - he seems to be gradually trying to turn it into a wacky 'sideways look at the week's football' show to cover up the fact that he only has a basic knowledge of football. His introductions every week genuinely make me cringe.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

The whole time I've listened to the Football Ramble, starting since whenever I started posting about it in here, I have hated that Geordie twat. He is not funny, he has nothing useful to say about football. He's just their dickhead mate who happens to be there. It's really jarring when he makes some crap joke and there's an uncomfortable fake chuckle to acknowledge it, or when he tries to make some serious point about football that makes no sense and then everyone has to just move on quickly.

[Hlebsfall]

I think they only reason they keep him around is because he's a producer and he edits it all and uploads it. Basically like the fucking wanker mate you had when you were younger, but you pretended to like him because his mum had big tits and he got a Playstation the week it came out.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

That makes a lot of sense, I was actually thinking something like they had to record it in his kitchen or something. The 3 others probably slag him off when he's not around.

[Simon]

If you want another reason to hate him, he's the continuity announcer for ITV2, introducing such classics as Celebrity Juice, Take Me Out: The Gossip and Britain's Fattest Cunts.

[Hlebsfall]

Simon only knows that because his mum has been on all of them

[Simon]

:(

[Simon]

Don't know if anyone listened to the excellent Sir Alex Ferguson interview on 5 Live I mentioned a couple of days ago, but there was a Mario Balotelli special this week as well. Also available on the iPlayer and really interesting, with plenty of interviews with relevant people in his life, including his old coaches, his sister, his agent etc. Well worth a listen if you're interesting in the kid.

[RFF Champ]

I've said in here before that 5live has some excellent regular daily offerings. Always reliable if I'm after something to listen to.

[RFF Champ]

Funniest Ramble in a while this week I thought. Comparing Mark Hughes to Larry David had me in stitches.

[Simon]

There's an interesting documentary on sexism in football on the iPlayer at the moment if anyone's interested.

[da_man]

I shall be issuing a fatwah on the next radio or TV pundit that tells me that Steve Kean has done a great job, behaved with dignity and if only those nasty fans supported him we'd be Champions League contenders.

[RFF Champ]

I've really enjoyed 606 this season. As a general rule if Man Utd aren't playing then it's excellent because you get such a great mix of discussion points with reasonable fans, without being saturated by certain teams like a lot of podcasts/shows can be. Mark Chapman tows a great line between slick presenter and enthusiastic fan with a real grasp on issues close to certain clubs.

Really enjoyed FW extra last week with Jonathan Wilson and Michael Cox, I thought it was really interesting. Jonathan Wilson's depth of knowledge is incredible. It highlighted Barry Glendenning's obsolescence to that podcast imo.

[El Capitano Gatisto]

I disagree, Richardson and Glendenning lighten the podcast up. It'd be boring listening to Wilson and Cox only. Both of them need a little help bringing some charisma to proceedings. The tactics talk and football history stuff is obviously interesting but a bit po-faced. Having the others there to gently take the piss out of them is necessary.

[turdpower]

I think they only reason they keep him around is because he's a producer and he edits it all and uploads it. Basically like the fucking wanker mate you had when you were younger, but you pretended to like him because his mum had big tits and he got a Playstation the week it came out.

That is exactly what it smacks of. I think he worked on XFM or something for a while and I've noticed him doing voiceovers on ITV2 and some random music channels.

They had a guy before him who was much better in terms of football knowledge, but he was a fuckin nerd.

[turdpower]

Barry Glendenning is a brilliant man. I love him talking about Mrs Glendenning.

[RFF Champ]

I disagree, Richardson and Glendenning lighten the podcast up. It'd be boring listening to Wilson and Cox only. Both of them need a little help bringing some charisma to proceedings. The tactics talk and football history stuff is obviously interesting but a bit po-faced. Having the others there to gently take the piss out of them is necessary.

I agree there's a need for a lighthearted figure and Glendenning does that through being the everyman figure but it's a role I find much more entertaining being done by Sean Ingle particularly, and others. Or alternatively the likes of Fernando Duarte just being strange. Wilson is consistently excellent but can become a bit much and Michael Cox is a straight down the line monotoned kind of guy.

I just find Glendenning to not have much to offer on any subjects other than picking out popular opinion or journo consensus and then disagreeing with it. Even when they would ask him about Steve Bruce he wouldn't have anything to say about it other than 'he might get sacked this week'. When Jonathan Wilson came in, who can't get to watch many Sunderland games, he spoke quite in-depth about what Bruce did right and wrong and where it all fell apart for him.

[Simon]

Glendenning is the light relief. I don't see the problem with him interjecting with stories about being beaten up by Arsenal fans on Paddy's Day for admonishing them for having a g at Muamba.

[RFF Champ]

Glendenning, light relief. Forum's gone soft.

[Simon]

Football Weekly and Football Ramble will both be having podcasts every day or so during Euro 2012, and Baddiel and Skinner are doing their podcasts daily again :) boner.

[Bad Collin]

I've always thought Alan Shearer was a cunt but this article has to be the fucking worst yet: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18619259

Of course we are streets behind the top nations, everyone knows that you fucking bald cunt. was the 4-1 drubbing by Germany two years ago not a clue? This article has no analysis, no plan for moving forward and nothing of interest except for the sensationalist headline.

I really hate how the BBC publish an article by one of its 'experts' and call it news. The Sports editor of the BBC website should be forced to eat his/her own testicles or ovaries.

Cunt.

[RFF Champ]

Shearer, Dixon, Collymore, they're all coming out with their soundbites and how nothing will change, but everything is changing and the youth review has been going on for years with numerous public discussion seminars with every single local FA. The reserve leagues at senior football, the way youngsters are ferried between clubs when they reach 16ish, the number of players and sizes of the pitch and removing league tables below U12ish, the opening of St. George's Park, amongst other things. Our current U-16 team are technically excellent and have seen off the French and Spanish recently away from home, all developed under the current system. Two of them are already involved with the Palace and Derby first teams.

A lot gets made of the number of qualified coaches we have too, while it is quite low, the stats are skewered because when the UEFA badges were introduced all the other countries gave Grandfather rights to anyone with an old qualification whereas we made everyone retake the course. We'll win the World Cup in 6 years time, Becks as manager.

[son_of_foley]

Genuinely though England will be fine. There are players there that can play an effective style at international level but it's about managing them properly and picking the squads to pick a style and tactic rather than trying to lay one on top of whoever the best players are.

[MikeHunt]

Still won't win anything cause they are a bunch of bottling cunts.

[RFF Champ]

We won the U17 euros 2 years ago. They've got the spirit of lions.

[son_of_foley]

Still won't win anything cause they are a bunch of bottling cunts.

Yeah but my point is so what? With a good team you've probably got 2-3 attempts at winning something and theres always going to be other good teams. So either be happy to be a qf/semi team or try and play entertaining football nobody has a good given right to win anything

[Andy]

I really am sick of the BBC punditry team. I've found myself just listening to the radio pre and post-game now and even that's being generous to the commentators. The main ones aren't too bad but who on earth thought Lawrenson, Keown and Bright would be good co-commentators?

Shearer and Hansen are the worst though. For the money Hansen is paid, he doesn't even do any research, let alone provide any insightful commentary. He tipped three teams from the same group to get to these semi finals, is constantly forgetting names and getting stats wrong. You can predict exactly what Hansen is going to say in his commentary every time. Just use the phrases "consummate ease", "it's like, so easy you wouldn't believe", "that's just like the worst defending you'll ever see" and add in the relevant teams/players. Shearer is just very thick and does not offer anything.

ITV are similarly shit. Townsend is a prick, Craig Burley is just horrendous. Southgate is very boring. Keane and Strachan are ok I guess. And we all know what a monumental bellend Adrian Chiles is.

The only regular pundits away from Sky that are any good at all are Dixon and, erm, I'm out. Even the guys who aren't on as regularly, like Colin Murrary, Savage and David James are all annoying, clueless or just stupid.

It's interesting that whenever these games are on, Lineker, Hansen, Shearer and especially Chiles trend worldwide on Twitter with people slating them. Surely the bosses will take notice of that eventually. They could actually save themselves a hell of a lot of money, getting rid of all these bastards, bringing some nondescript presenter in and a few pundits who actually care about doing the prep and giving some interesting insight.

[Simon]

He tipped three teams from the same group to get to these semi finals

No he didn't.

[Andy]

He did, until Twitter went mad, they deleted the article, then re-posted an edited version which claimed he meant they were his four favourites rather than his predictions or something.

[RFF Champ]

The picture which you posted on Twitter was more of an 'I think 2 of these 3 will make it into the semis' because he couldn't nail down who he thought would qualify from the group. Pretty poor for a prediction but he wasn't saying it as though the 3 teams would qualify.

[MMH]

Hanson saying that Liverpool was Roy Hodgsons first job at a big club was a bit of an oversight.

[Andy]

Just a plain lack of knowledge/preparation for his work.

[Simon]

The picture which you posted on Twitter was more of an 'I think 2 of these 3 will make it into the semis' because he couldn't nail down who he thought would qualify from the group. Pretty poor for a prediction but he wasn't saying it as though the 3 teams would qualify.

Yep. It was poorly written but the backlash from it was disingenuous, it was obvious what he meant.

[Simon]

I've always been a bit bemused by the complaints at the BBC/ITV coverage in the past as I tend to be in the pub and don't hear it. I always though it couldn't be that bad, or be that big a deal even if it was bad, but having started to watch more games at home: fuck me, it's DREADFUL. At full time yesterday Hansen complained and said it was so bad they should go straight to penalties, fucking cunt. I honestly don't understand why this is tolerated by the executives - how about having people on who are actually willing to show a passion for the game? Keown and Mowbray both complained that an offside call was incorrect, then both stood by their call even though the player was CLEARLY MILES OFFSIDE. Similarly, they both missed the referee's whistle for a free kick before Nani turned away and into space, then reacted to his second whistle when Nani was away and went off on one about how "he CAN'T have pulled that back for a free kick, can he?".

The sheer number of terrible calls that are made on top of the self-satisfied, arrogant approach to punditry from Hansen and Lawrenson in particular, and the dull punditry-by-numbers of Shearer and Dixon...it's just remarkable that the BBC see them as fit for broadcast. I don't have a massive problem with the main commentators as a general rule, but then it's not a tough job - say what's happening, don't get too many names wrong and don't be irritating. The punditry is a trickier job in that you need to show insight and provide a less 'formal' view of the game, but that doesn't equate to Lawrenson making inane in-jokes and then laughing off-mic for 10 seconds.

It's an embarrassment, to be honest. ITV isn't as culpable, but they are still dreadful in comparison to Sky.

I was actually thinking about this yesterday - do other countries have similar complaints about their pundits? Is it something that is actually an incredibly difficult skill that Sky happen to be superb at, with everyone hating their national punditry across Europe/the world, or is this unique to the shit-cunts that are employed by BBC and ITV? I know Eamon Dunphy is known for being divisive, but the rest of the RTE lads don't get a bad rap do they? I'm going to ask a few correspondents on Twitter like Sid Lowe, James Appell and Paolo Bandini to see what it's like in their respective countries.

[Grimario]

I was actually thinking about this yesterday - do other countries have similar complaints about their pundits? Is it something that is actually an incredibly difficult skill that Sky happen to be superb at, with everyone hating their national punditry across Europe/the world, or is this unique to the shit-cunts that are employed by BBC and ITV? I know Eamon Dunphy is known for being divisive, but the rest of the RTE lads don't get a bad rap do they? I'm going to ask a few correspondents on Twitter like Sid Lowe, James Appell and Paolo Bandini to see what it's like in their respective countries.

We have one good commentator here and he is English. The others are just awful. Mark Bosnich is sometimes ok but he laughs too much and shows horrible bias, Andy Harper is a moron who makes up idiotic terms to describe things ("up like a spawning salmon" for someone jumping and heading a ball...) and Robbie Slater is thick as shit and you actually lose IQ points if you sit through and listen to his mindless drivel.

It's the same for most sports though, isn't it? I think the yanks do things a lot better with sport commentary in general, both NBA and NFL lot are far more knowledgable than their football counterparts.

[RFF Champ]

The cricket lot are pretty good here. If someone plays a foolish shot the commentators and pundits will remember on the spot when that player did the same foolish thing in a previous game. So they're knowledgable of the modern game as well as giving the technical insight from their own playing days.

[Matt E]

The cricket lot are pretty good here. If someone plays a foolish shot the commentators and pundits will remember on the spot when that player did the same foolish thing in a previous game. So they're knowledgable of the modern game as well as giving the technical insight from their own playing days.

Aye. F1 has a solid team now for both BBC and Sky as well for similar reasons.

[Grimario]

The cricket lot are pretty good here. If someone plays a foolish shot the commentators and pundits will remember on the spot when that player did the same foolish thing in a previous game. So they're knowledgable of the modern game as well as giving the technical insight from their own playing days.

The cricket commentary here used to be similar... but now it is awful shit like Mark Taylor awkardly sprouting something like this... "Australia are really slaughtering Bangladesh here, 200 up inside 20 overs. Speaking of slaughter, you should watch Underbelly on Channel 9 on sunday night, a gripping tale about the seedy underworld and bloody slaughter that gripped Melbourne. Really looking forward to it. How about you Heals?"

Fucking worst attempts at a segue in the history of anything.

[Simon]

I met James or Jim from the Football Ramble the other day and got him to support my campaign to be unbanned from their forums :D
https://p.twimg.com/AyQdohKCIAAoBEC.jpg:large

[Simon]

Anyone been listening to Football Weekly while James Richardson is away? Someone needs to tell Max Rushden that making jokes about how you go on about your minor celebrity mates all the time doesn't make it any less annoying.