The TV Football Pundit Thread

[mrverve]

I've always liked the idea of journalists as pundits. Serie A on ESPN have Marcotti and James Horncastle who even though have never played the game have a in depth knowledge of tactics and players, better knowledge than a lot of ex pros. 

[BruceChatwin]

He might be Millwall, but Danny Baker's Saturday morning show on BBC Radio 5 is the highlight of my week on the radio.  Properly sets up the rest of the weekend.

I agree on Danny Baker. Feels like someone who's first and foremost a normal fan, isn't up his own arse, and also someone who doesn't think the Premier League is the be all and end all. And didn't he have a regular feature called Fraser Digby's Washbag?

[Wilf Shergold]

The annoying thing is we’ve had a long tradition of intelligent ‘alternative’ written media coverage of football in this country which only the 2 Dannys (Baker and Kelly) have come near to replicating on TV/radio. Foul magazine; When Saturday Comes, at least the early years, not sure about the present day version; The Absolute Game – Scottish, the best of all in my view. Anyone else remember the classic Bon Accord ‘fanzine’ they did, purportedly written the week after Bon’s 36-0 defeat to Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup?

Then the fanzines themselves, full of great stuff – The Crooked Spireite was a good one, our own Bring The Noise and my favourite The City Gent (Bradfud C.) And many, many more, written with skill, no little intelligence and a true love of the game, good and bad.

As for MOTD etc, do as I do: record the show and start watching 20 mins in. Then you can fast forward the inane punditry.

Michael Robinson, who looks more Spanish than most Spaniards, had what looked like a superb review show on Spanish TV focussing on the quirkier side of that weekend's matches in Spain. We've got nothing like that.

[london_red]

I agree on Danny Baker. Feels like someone who's first and foremost a normal fan, isn't up his own arse, and also someone who doesn't think the Premier League is the be all and end all. And didn't he have a regular feature called Fraser Digby's Washbag?

Indeed, can't usually catch it live but podcast his 5 live show every week. A travesty that they binned him off from his BBC London gig.

[sonicyouth]

Danny Baker is a brilliant broadcaster.

Savage is the worst of the lot, but moving sideways from punditry the biggest cunt of all has to be Alan Green.

[Stegenfreud]

Danny Baker is a brilliant broadcaster.

Savage is the worst of the lot, but moving sideways from punditry the biggest cunt of all has to be Alan Green.

 

[BruceChatwin]

Indeed...he is carrying on nicely where Dean Windass left off although he is slightly less inept than Windass (that's not saying much).

I have to admit to finding Dean Windass' (and Ian Dowie's, who i equate with him in style) attempts at punditry so bad they're funny. Both like boxers pulled fresh from a ring after their brains have just taken a pummelling then stuck in front of a TV camera and told to express their thoughts.

[Langers]

One pundit who I don't mind and seems to know a bit about lower league football is Don Goodman.

[Dozno9]

I think Peter Beagrie is spot on when he does the Sky studio talk stuff on Football League games.

[Nemo]

Martin O'Neill was very good when he did a few summers on the Beeb. And Clarence Seedorf. It depresses me the standard of ex-pro pundits out there, I'm sure there are some intelligent, insightful footballers but they just can't get on the big shows- Alan Shearer was my childhood hero but I can't stand the man now because he's such a black hole of insight.

[FormerlyPlymRed]

Couldn't stand him as a player but at the moment I think Gary Neville is one of the best pundits around on tv if not the best. Some of his analysis on sky are brilliant and I actually tune in earlier to make sure I catch them.

Makes a change from the beeb who's pundits repeat the same drivel week in week out.

[Dozno9]

Couldn't stand him as a player but at the moment I think Gary Neville is one of the best pundits around on tv if not the best. Some of his analysis on sky are brilliant and I actually tune in earlier to make sure I catch them.

Makes a change from the beeb who's pundits repeat the same drivel week in week out.

This. and he isn't as Man Utd biased as I thought he would be.

[Samdy Gray]

Pat Nevin must not have believed his luck when the BBC plucked him from Channel 5.

The worst of the lot though has to be Ray Wilkins. For an ex-player, he doesn't half talk a lot of shit.

[ghanimah]

Anyone pulling the "You weren't a player so you can't comment" thing needs to be sacked on the spot.

Michael Cox was never a professional footballer and zonalmarking.net contains more insight in one article than MOTD has collected in a decade.

Absolutely...it's liking saying David Attenborough isn't an elephant so what's he know...or Brian Cox has never left this planet...clueless twat.

[Ardiles]

Absolutely...it's liking saying David Attenborough isn't an elephant so what's he know...or Brian Cox has never left this planet...clueless twat.

Touché!

When broadcasters realise that the next great pundit is probably not going to be an ex-player, there may be some hope.