RTE Panel

[Real ale Madrid]

Stopped watching the RTE Panel when they got rid of Giles.

Giles commented on what he saw in games - he didn't guess / pretend to know anything like Dunphy tries to do and he was bar far the most knowledgeable tactically.

No point in watching now. I enjoy the games far more for just sitting down while they are on - I find I don't have time to sit down for an hour before and after the game anyway - who wants to listen to Brady rabbit on about VAR? Sadlier I like as a person but he offers nothing interesting from a punditry perspective.

For comedic value Kerr should do every game - possibly on his own. He called one of the Argentinian full backs - 'yer man Jalapeno' last night when referring to Mercado. In fairness to Kerr he's about the best co-comm, takes it seriously.

[DeLorean]

Kerr doesn't seem to be familiar with the football term for 'no goals' commonly known as 'nil'. He prefers to go with a Conor McGregor style "nuttin'". E.g. "They might as well have a go as they're losing one nuttin'.

[NeverFeltBetter]

For comedic value Kerr should do every game - possibly on his own. He called one of the Argentinian full backs - 'yer man Jalapeno' last night when referring to Mercado. In fairness to Kerr he's about the best co-comm, takes it seriously.

"Since Mezo came on he's had three touches: bad brutal and worse".

Brady also referred to the scorer of the winning goal last night as Marcus Row Joe.

[Diggs246]

Didi Hamman is the best pundit we have ever had ( he isn't the funniest, but the best)

[DeLorean]

He's very interesting alright.

[EAFC_rdfl]

get it right, it's Didi HamaM according to Dunphy

[OwlsFan]

Do most commentators actually know about the mechanics of the "precious away goal"? Tony O'Donoghue on RTE from Oriel Park when interviewing Stephen Kelly prior to the Levadia Tallin game. "And of course you have that 'precious away goal'". He didn't mean Dundalk had the lead in the tie but that they had an "away goal". If I was Stephen, I'd reply in Martin O'Neillesque terms: "How exactly Tony will that goal ever operate as a " precious away goal" since we won 0-1?". It is a lead goal not an the away goal. For a goal scored away from home in a first leg to ever have the possibility of operating as a "precious away goal", the home side has to score in the first leg otherwise the goal or goals will always be just a goal(s) scored away from home and count towards the aggregate score in the normal way without the added value of its preciousness being counted.

Oops, almost fell off my soapbox.

[DeLorean]

My pet hate. Tony is in good company on this one though, they nearly all say it.

[Stuttgart88]

Do most commentators actually know about the mechanics of the "precious away goal"? Tony O'Donoghue on RTE from Oriel Park when interviewing Stephen Kelly prior to the Levadia Tallin game. "And of course you have that 'precious away goal'". He didn't mean Dundalk had the lead in the tie but that they had an "away goal". If I was Stephen, I'd reply in Martin O'Neillesque terms: "How exactly Tony will that goal ever operate as a " precious away goal" since we won 0-1?". It is a lead goal not an the away goal. For a goal scored away from home in a first leg to ever have the possibility of operating as a "precious away goal", the home side has to score in the first leg otherwise the goal or goals will always be just a goal(s) scored away from home and count towards the aggregate score in the normal way without the added value of its preciousness being counted.

Oops, almost fell off my soapbox.I always look at an away goal scored in the first leg as insurance against conceding one at home. That insurance is valuable. That's the pessimist in me.

[sidewayspasser]

Do most commentators actually know about the mechanics of the "precious away goal"? Tony O'Donoghue on RTE from Oriel Park when interviewing Stephen Kelly prior to the Levadia Tallin game. "And of course you have that 'precious away goal'".
At least he didn't say "the away goal counts double", as some commentators do.

[osarusan]

My own pet annoyance is when a team has lost the first leg by a single goal (say 1-0) and then go 1 down in the second leg. Sure as night follows day, Hamilton will inform us that really 'nothing has changed. They needed to score 2 goals to advance, and they still need to score 2 goals to advance.'

But no, things have changed. Before the goal, a goal of their own could have sent the game to extra time and penalties. Now it won't - they'd be out.

[Colbert Report]

Consider yourselves lucky, I live in America now and the entire concept of goal difference, never mind away goals, seems to befuddle every single commentator on television.

[OwlsFan]

Consider yourselves lucky, I live in America now and the entire concept of goal difference, never mind away goals, seems to befuddle every single commentator on television.

Count yourself lucky you didn't live (or perhaps you did) in the era of "goal average" which meant the number of goals scored divided by the number of goals conceded. That was the way things were done until it was dropped sometime in the 1970s I think. Thus a 20/10= 2 was better than 50/30= 1.66 even though the goal difference in the latter was better. What would the Yanks make of that one ?!

[DeLorean]

I don't know how to break this to you OwlsFan, but...

http://www.thejournal.ie/dunphy-leaves-rte-4146916-Jul2018/

[Eminence Grise]

Sean Moncrieff just reported on Newstalk that Dunphy is to leave RTE.

Surprised, but it turns out to be true! https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2018/0725/980996-eamon-dunphy-rte/

[Eminence Grise]

DeLorean, I'm the journeyman Dunphy to your superior Gilesyness!!

[Cuyahoga]

I might start watching RTE's coverage of international football now Dunphy has . Poor analyst, he was shown up by
Sadlier, Andrews and Hamann this Summer.

[DeLorean]

This is great from Daniel McDonnell, a shame it wasn't even more comprehensive but then you could write a couple of books on Dunphy's contradictions - https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/comment-eamon-dunphy-had-become-an-obstacle-for-serious-debate-on-irish-football-and-he-will-not-be-missed-37156079.html

[OwlsFan]

I don't know how to break this to you OwlsFan, but...

http://www.thejournal.ie/dunphy-leaves-rte-4146916-Jul2018/

Dunphy on his own didn't bother me to be honest as the comic value was almost worth it. What annoyed me was the trio of O'Herlihy, Giles and Dunphy attacking every Irish manager (since Giles) without any disagreement between the three (the "I agree with Eamon", "I agree with John" show). Hatchet jobs (some deserving of course) on Messrs Hand et seq without ANY balanced discussion. At least Brady arrived to put up a defence of Trapp but that was the first time there was a dissenting voice to the assassinations.

Sky were on about the vital away goal for Rangers in their 0-1 win. Sigh.


I might start watching RTE's coverage of international football now Dunphy has . Poor analyst, he was shown up by
Sadlier, Andrews and Hamann this Summer.

You must have been watching to know that ;)

[OwlsFan]

I understand that Dunphy has found the stick to beat McCarthy with: Doherty must be included (I don't buy The Star but I have it on reliable information). So it begins....

[geysir]

I understand that Dunphy has found the stick to beat McCarthy with: Doherty must be included (I don't buy The Star but I have it on reliable information). So it begins....
Was that post game though? He's been waving the Doherty stick for some time. He usually hides a particular stick when the weather changes (i.e. when we win good).

The old dog has lost a lot of bite impact since he lost his profile platform, influencer supreme on the rte pundit seat. He's been replaced by Sadlier to some extent as man of the people.
Now Dunphy is railing from the backwaters.

[EAFC_rdfl]

Wasn't too sure which thread to ask this in, just wondering if the documentary on rte last night was a repeat? Its getting a lot of discussion today but I'm fairly sure I saw it before, or something very similar at least!

[tetsujin1979]

no, I'm pretty sure it was an original, but it did cover a lot of the same ground that was in the "Green is the colour" documentary from a few years ago

[EAFC_rdfl]

Thanks, I'd say that's what I am thinking on so. I thought it might have been on around the centenary of the Easter Rising, but maybe its further back than that. The old memory isn't what it used to be!

[TerryPhelan]

Does anyone have any idea where that documentary can be watched online? I'm based in Switzerland and RTE Player wouldn't let me tune in live. Now I can't seem to find it anywhere!

[OwlsFan]

Will George "Oh Danger here!" Hamilton ever learn ? Spain 3-1 up against Croatia and he says it's all over as he has said on numerous occasions in the past only proven to be wrong. Why does it bother me? I suppose it dates back to Bulgaria v Scotland and Scotland take the lead. George says, showing off his German, "It's time to open our Deutsche Reisebuch" (German tour guide) or something like that and in the next breath the Bulgars hit the post. No sooner have I stopped screaming at him he says we should start opening the champagne bottles and the next minute the Scots keeper saves one on the line. Why does he think that once a team gets in the lead that's it ? How many games have we seen a team down and out come back? Really bizarre or perhaps it's all part of the show.

Speaking of the Panel, I was left a bit open mouth when Duff commentating on Sterling said: "let's call a spade a spade" or perhaps it is only my generation who remember the word spade as a pejorative term for a black person. His anti-English bias was a bit cringeworthy albeit representing the feelings of most of his audience.

[NeverFeltBetter]

In fairness to Hamilton he wasn't alone in thinking the game finished at 3-1, and I don't just mean because of the scoreline. I certainly thought the Croatians looked totally beaten after the third went in, not a bit of fight left. Not the first time they've shown an incredible ability to muster up resilience.

I had never heard of that phrase from a racial context. I found this interesting article just now - https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/09/19/224183763/is-it-racist-to-call-a-spade-a-spade?t=1625061136577 - and am definitely going to try and use "let's call a fig a fig and a trough a trough" in future!

[seanfhear]

Will George "Oh Danger here!" Hamilton ever learn ? Spain 3-1 up against Croatia and he says it's all over as he has said on numerous occasions in the past only proven to be wrong. Why does it bother me? I suppose it dates back to Bulgaria v Scotland and Scotland take the lead. George says, showing off his German, "It's time to open our Deutsche Reisebuch" (German tour guide) or something like that and in the next breath the Bulgars hit the post. No sooner have I stopped screaming at him he says we should start opening the champagne bottles and the next minute the Scots keeper saves one on the line. Why does he think that once a team gets in the lead that's it ? How many games have we seen a team down and out come back? Really bizarre or perhaps it's all part of the show.

Speaking of the Panel, I was left a bit open mouth when Duff commentating on Sterling said: "let's call a spade a spade" or perhaps it is only my generation who remember the word spade as a pejorative term for a black person. His anti-English bias was a bit cringeworthy albeit representing the feelings of most of his audience.
Did Hamilton ever play sport himself ? People who have played competitive sport don’t give up that easy !

[CraftyToePoke]

George knows, and George knows we know.
I think he gets off on triggering mass anxiety across a nation over that Poland game all those years ago.

[John83]

Speaking of the Panel, I was left a bit open mouth when Duff commentating on Sterling said: "let's call a spade a spade" or perhaps it is only my generation who remember the word spade as a pejorative term for a black person. His anti-English bias was a bit cringeworthy albeit representing the feelings of most of his audience.
I'm a similar enough age to Duffer, and while I've vaguely heard of it (I think in the phrase "as black as the ace of spades" - does it have independent meaning?!) I've never heard it used. It wouldn't shock me if he'd never heard of it. Even if he had, he likely said it before thinking. No big deal, I think.

[Diggs246]

George knows, and George knows we know.
I think he gets off on triggering mass anxiety across a nation over that Poland game all those years ago.

I didnt know this but he is from the unionist community, he is 100% irish anyway

[Fixer82]

Speaking of the Panel, I was left a bit open mouth when Duff commentating on Sterling said: "let's call a spade a spade" or perhaps it is only my generation who remember the word spade as a pejorative term for a black person. His anti-English bias was a bit cringeworthy albeit representing the feelings of most of his audience.

That's your generation. The fact that he can say that without anyone batting an eyelid means progress.

Also, I recall Duff saying he was delighted for Kane in the last game breaking his goal duck so I don't think he's that anti-English. Perhaps more pro-Irish

[RiffRaff]

Speaking of the Panel, I was left a bit open mouth when Duff commentating on Sterling said: "let's call a spade a spade" or perhaps it is only my generation who remember the word spade as a pejorative term for a black person. His anti-English bias was a bit cringeworthy albeit representing the feelings of most of his audience.

Didnt see this so just reading this now. Obviously an innocent mistake but I'm pretty sure if someone said that on the panel of one the UK stations, they'd never work on tv again

[elatedscum]

FWIW I’d be a half a generation younger than Duffer I guess and I don’t think I’ve ever heard that term before reading it here...

It appears to be something which has thankfully been left behind

[geysir]

I'm surprised that nobody has heard the saying. I've heard it said often and used it myself. The context is, a spade is a spade, it's not a fork, not a rake, call a spade a spade - don't over complicate a description, just say it straight out. There's absolutely no connection with that saying to the derogatory word for African Americans.

Context defines the meaning of a word, if you eliminate context from a language there's very little left apart from a dogma. Cherry picking a word from one context and placing it in another context in order to blacken a person is disingenuous and cynical.

[Colbert Report]

Yeah, I'm also very surprised to hear about this "controversy" as I've heard it said a million times. To me, it just means "tell it like it is."

[SkStu]

People who automatically think of black people when they hear the word “spade” are actually the problem vs a phrase that’s been around since the sixteenth century.

[Eminence Grise]

Calling a spade a spade isn't a racist term, anymore than having a hand of spades in poker is, or calling something as black as the ace of spades. It's a figure of speech that predates the racist use of spade by a full five centuries. Whether Duff was incautious in saying it it the context of a black player, precisely because it leads to this kind of discussion, is another matter. Personally, I use it frequently - but I would never leave myself hostage to fortune in this way. Because, building on what SkStu implies, people who want to be offended will always look for the brickbats.

This article (https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/09/19/224183763/is-it-racist-to-call-a-spade-a-spade?t=1625566272011) (NPR) suggests that spade became slang for a black person during the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s, when it was adopted by black writers. I'm reading Jean Toomer's Cane at the moment (same era) and it's certainly full of phrases that would be problematic in everyday use.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Tonight, from a jaded sounding Liam Brady: "As Richie would say...what can you say?"

[seanfhear]

Tonight, from a jaded sounding Liam Brady: "As Richie would say...what can you say?"
Shakespear-ian ! !

[John83]

Shakespear-ian ! !
Not enough swearing.

EDIT: Oh, William Shakespeare!

[seanfhear]

Not enough swearing.

EDIT: Oh, William Shakespeare!
Thats the Fella.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Ronnie Whelan, that is a man who just hates everything. He seems to get no joy out of football anymore.

[seanfhear]

Ronnie Whelan, that is a man who just hates everything. He seems to get no joy out of football anymore.
Surely Rte can do better = = But of course being Rte = they can’t !

[jbyrne]

Surely Rte can do better = = But of course being Rte = they can’t !

houghton is as bad as whelan, always looking for negative comments. becomes a drag after a while.
stephen kelly is best of the three imo

[Fixer82]

houghton is as bad as whelan, always looking for negative comments. becomes a drag after a while.
stephen kelly is best of the three imo

Stephen Kelly sounds like a 10-year old who won a contest to do co-commentary, on the back of a Rice Krispies box

[seanfhear]

The problem seems to be Rte = = Coddled and Cosseted by the State = = No surprise you end up with sub-standard rubbish broadcasting.

[jbyrne]

Stephen Kelly sounds like a 10-year old who won a contest to do co-commentary, on the back of a Rice Krispies box

thats actually a harsh criticism of kelly. i find him to be quite informed and enthusiastic about the game.
the other two i mentioned are far too negative

[Diggs246]

thats actually a harsh criticism of kelly. i find him to be quite informed and enthusiastic about the game.
the other two i mentioned are far too negative

It's his voice... it's high pitch or something

Didi and Sadlier are excellent to he fair

[sadloserkid]

Even if the summation of Kelly is 100% accurate he'd still be of more use 14 Ronnie Whelans and 3 Ray Houghtons.