Gary
Lineker’s two
part interview
with Roy Hodgson this week seemed to signal a change of direction
from the BBC for their Euro 2012 coverage. Perhaps the sustained
criticism of Match of the Day’s Saturday night show has finally
sunk in. Lineker eschewed the usual banalities and made a concerted
effort to discuss England’s tactical plans with Hodgson, something
which seemed to unnerve the new manager. Although the change in
approach has been undermined a little by Hansen’s
prediction gaffe,
it will be interesting to see how this plays out across the
tournament.
Speaking
of Hansen, it is good news to hear that Lee Dixon will be breaking
his partnership with Shearer. I’ve always thought that Dixon (along
with Gordon Strachan, whatever happened to him?) offers sensible and
coherent attempts to explain why a goal was scored/conceded instead
of just listing adjectives (Hansen’s preferred method) or wearing
shirts so awful and shining his head so much that you take no notice
of what he says (Shearer’s game plan). In the commentary box it
seems that Motson has been ditched (even by Euro
2008
he was getting hysterical).Whoever is on commentary duties it would
be nice if they could get Lawrenson to tone down his “wisecracks”.
I’ve
always preferred the 5 live radio coverage, despite the attempts to
turn themselves into Talk Sport lite. If you ignore Robbie Savage,
then Pat Nevin, Jan Molby and Chris Waddle show themselves to be
astute analysts. I hope Steve Claridge makes it too, although his
specialism seems to be the Football League. The only issue with 5Live
is Alan Green, a brilliant commentator so long as someone can remind
him that listeners haven’t tuned in to listen to him wheeze and
whine his way through a game.
The
usual ITV snobbery grates with me and recently their coverage of
football has not been that much worse than the BBC. Roy Keane can be
entertaining if his mask of conviviality slips and he gives Adrian
Chiles the Manson lamps. I don’t really see the value that Patrick
Vieira or Jaime Carragher are going to bring. Perhaps ITV see
Carragher as their own Gary Neville? From what I can recall Vieira
has never offered much as a pundit aside from the usual clichés, but
if Ireland play France in the quarter finals then the chance of a
Highbury 2005 repeat might be a ratings boost for ITV.
Oh
yeah and according Sky there is no football to speak of until the
Emirates Cup.
it's alan green's ongoing presence that makes R5 a last resort for me; he's not interested unless it's liverpool or man u, and some analysts such as waddle also suffer from the establishment bias too, disparaging all others that dont reach these clubs' imagined standards. not sure how this will commute to the Euros; presumably some over-the-top deference for 'the germans' and 'the spanish'.
ReplyDeleteitv coverage has its problems - southgate stutters over his analysis, townsend is hansen-lite - but is generally no more objectionable than BBC