Am I the only one who hates Bill O'Herlihy?

[Frank 99er]

It bewilders me how this buffoon is still presenting football shows when he evidently knows nothing about the subject. Hundreds of times I've watched either The Premiership or Ireland matches and been annoyed by this idiot recycling (often word-for-word) the opinions he's read in the papers the day before. And when he uses ludicrous phrases like: "Eamonn, would you subscribe to Liam's thesis that...", I feel like throwing my cup/can at the box. The thing is, I have to watch RTE coverage as I don't have Sky and it pains me that they can't find anyone more ably-minded to be a presenter. An unusual rant, you might say, but I think it's high time for a change..........BILL OUT!!!

[Dodge]

Couldn't agree more. Absolutely no knowledge of any sport, no personality and no presenting skills

[thejollyrodger]

Bill is a journo and his angle is that he knows nada about futty.

I think the RTE panel is in decline like the national team. They have nothing new to say. They were great years ago when they had actually something to say about football in Ireland. Now they all sit back and read out all the same lines...

We need something new, a new panelist who has something to say and is passonate about the game. Giles is pushing on and needs a replacement... dunphy is past his best and can only talk about the game in general. Brady and his god like voice would wake the dead but has little substance and likes to sulk on tv.

Either they sort themselves out or get something new in.

[Kingdom]

Brady and his god like voice would wake the dead but has little substance and likes to sulk on tv.

Either they sort themselves out or get something new in.

In fcukin hate Brady. He is an arrogant cnut. When the panel were discussing the Morrison-Senderos incident in the first half, Brady said it wasn't a peno, Laughing Bill asked why , I was waiting for Brady to say,

cause Senderos plays for Arsenal.

[Frank 99er]

I agree too about the panelists. We've been watching them say the same things for far too long. It's very predictable sometimes. I also have noticed (maybe because he's getting on a bit) that Giles regularly goes off the point and has to be interrupted by Bill. He never used to be like that.... Also the pundits keep saying things like "the worst performance I've seen from a so-called professional team in X years". And this is becoming an almost weekly statment. I think there's a bit of alzheimers kicking in there somewhere. "Chippy" Brady seems to radiate knowledge, by name-dropping to show his knowledge of the European game ("I played in Italy, you know").

Maybe I'm being a little harsh, they can be entertaining the odd time with the arguments and semi-witty quips, but the analysis is just not worth listening to anymore: you're better off going to the toilet at half time and reading the bog-roll wrapper.

Although, I would not like to see Quinny becoming a regular either. Who do ye think are good pundits? My personal favourite is John Toshack, purely for comic reasons.

[thejollyrodger]

The RTE panel does talk a lot of sh1té in relation to the manager. Any player worth his salt would love to play for a team where he can go out and express himself on the ball. Kerr does off that to players like Duff and Robbie (even though he is crap now) and players like Mac Geady would get that where in other teams they wouldnt.

I totally disagreed with their idea that players should be doing exact specific things on the pitch. Its up to the players.

[Irish_Praha]

I don't have RTE over here but I listen to Ray Houghton now and again on Talksport and he talks a good game. Is he a regular on RTE?
Thank god we don't have Ray D'Arcy anymore. Remember him presenting some of the less glamorous matches from either WC 94 or maybe 98 (can't remember) Anyway he was sh!te. He presented it like it was a round of Blackboard Jungle .... terrible stuff!

[crc]

I don't have RTE over here but I listen to Ray Houghton now and again on Talksport and he talks a good game. Is he a regular on RTE? Ray was the co-commentatror last night IIRC. He's normally good.

Funnily enough, I don't mind Bill O'Herlihy. I find him quite 'affable'. I think he's supposed to offer a less than expert opinion, so that the actual 'experts' on the panel can speak the Gospel. However I don't like the panel too much: Brady sulks, Giles is boring, and Dunphy is an idiot.

[Adrianovic]

It bewilders me how this buffoon is still presenting football shows when he evidently knows nothing about the subject. Hundreds of times I've watched either The Premiership or Ireland matches and been annoyed by this idiot recycling (often word-for-word) the opinions he's read in the papers the day before. And when he uses ludicrous phrases like: "Eamonn, would you subscribe to Liam's thesis that...", I feel like throwing my cup/can at the box. The thing is, I have to watch RTE coverage as I don't have Sky and it pains me that they can't find anyone more ably-minded to be a presenter. An unusual rant, you might say, but I think it's high time for a change..........BILL OUT!!!

I subscribe to your thesis.

Ade

[oconghc2]

dont think Bill is supposed to know much - hes the presenter - the panel are the ones who are supposed to analyse!

Lynam was always said to be one of the best presenters - knew feck all!

we could always bring Packie in to do it after the clearout of management!! :eek:

[Qwerty]

Well after about 20 years anything would become stale, the problem is we know exactly all of Giles' various positions on football at this stage, it's not like he can really say anything new. Still I prefer RTE's lack of 'glitz', as RTE is not exactly overflowing with talent the only candidate I would like to see in BillO's place would be Miriam O'Callaghan - I just love the way she is always teetering on the verge of an outburst of giggles :)

[as_i_say]

Think the panel are still decent enough but Bill hasnt a clue and maybe thats his charm- "you were making the point in the canteen before we came on air" etc...I'd rather have him than Niall "everyone is just thsuper" Quinn any day.

Frank Stapleton has come on in leaps und bounds in the last few years though, well able to speak his mind, and has progressed from the stuttering wreck he used to be. I wish Sky would get rid of Quinn though. Loved him as a footballer but never shuts his hole when on the TV.

Drunken lout.

[razor]

Bill is a pro and sometimes feigns the dumb bit to get the info out of the panel, RTEs panel is better than any other on any other station.
I mean you could have Packie "No personality" Bonner presenting it, oh God a fate worse than death.

[monutdfc]

Absolutely no knowledge of any sport
Someone said it above - that's his angle. He plays the role, he asks the dumb question that the man/woman in the street would ask to elicit some expertise from his experts - especially for Ireland games when more people who don't normally follow football are watching.
Watch him during the Olympic swimming...Gary O'Toole is excellent, Bill plays dumb and you think he knows nothing about swimming. But he does - his daughter is a former Irish Champion.
He might know more about football than her lets on (then again maybe not).

[mandrake]

yeah lads being a bit harsh on bill there...
all 4 of them play a part, i usually go to games but seen them on saturday v cyprus and they were good.
bill throws the questions in and the others bite....works great.
giles and dunphy are so repetitive its unreal, at least giles talks about football, dunphy talks about keane and ferguson.....brady...eh dunno he's ok....probaly bitter he never played in a world cup. wouldnt change them though.

[Clifford]

Stopped watchin murte with sound long ago, watched Setanta for the Cyprus game and Sky on Weds night (where Ohhhhhh Frankie Frankie was super I thought.)

Bill the Buffoon couldn't ask a pertinent question if you wrote it down for him. He stumbles and bumbles along like Bumbling Bertie in the mould that thicko Ireland loves. Doing nothing of substance and judging by this thread losing popularity just as fast as the "leader".

As for the Drunk and his controversial stuff for the sake of it, who watched Prime Time last night when he was in the company of two who wouldn't take his BS? Dolan had him eating chips out of his gigantic knickers. Hand also blew the drunk away. Those two would do me for a panel from now on if the gimps in murte ever get the balls.

[Dodge]

It may be O'Herlihy's angle and it may work for some minor sports (no offence to any bTW) but most people watching would have adecent idea about the game and don't need to hear O'Herlihy's patronising aquestions. I dosagree about the panel in general, I think GIles is by far the best analyst on any channel and Bredy is also miles above the norm.

[zerocoolie]

How many times did Billo say:

"Will you take up the point about Michael Owen there John.."

during Owen's transfer saga?

Wound me right up" :mad:

[thejollyrodger]

Jonny Giles for me needs to hang up his boots. His whole ideas about football look as dated as those black and white football clips that they show of him playing. Football has moved on and Giles looks like he hasnt.

RTE has to re invorigate the panel. The whole idea was great in the beginning when joe public didnt properly understand the game but now the vast majority do have a half decent knowledge of the game. The need at least 1 new panelist. Preferable someone who likes to speak his mind and doesnt see eye to eye with any of the other panelist.

Why dont they get someone from the Eircom League on. Like Dolan or anyone. Im not joking here lads before all the :D start. He does make good points and is passionate about the game unlike Giles. Plus he doesnt sullk as much as Brady and doesnt pull all the funny faces Dunphy does

[Frank 99er]

He plays the role, he asks the dumb question that the man/woman in the street would ask

I see where you're coming from. I don't think he is a total moron, he probably is just playing the fool a lot. However, it's a very condescending approach to the man/woman in the street to be representing them with such ridiculous questions. I don't think it would be possible to confuse the average person with any aspect of football. It just never gets that complicated. I don't think he needs to take such a straw-chewing yokel style to his presenting. I wouldn't consider myself an expert, but there's so many occasions where you just say to yourself, "Jesus, Bill, will you ever shut the f**k up".

[kingp35]

Lads I think you are being way too critical of the RTE panel they are still streets ahead of any of the rest. TV3 are possibly the worst I have ever seen and the best that ever happened was taking coverage away from them. Sky are ok and I really like Quinn as he always seems to know what he is talking about. WHat I like about the RTE panel is that they are not afraid to say it how it is. If you watch and England game all they do is blame the ref, pitch or clour of the ball for England playing badly. The RTE panel are nor afraid to say such and such is playing awful.

Maybe they are the best of a bad bunch but they are still the best

[thejollyrodger]

I like having a go at RTE but christ they are the best of a dirty minging dozen.

ITV is the WORST SHOW ON THIS PLANET. Talk about getting it all wrong.

BBC - Arrogrant smarmy and cheesy. Sickened of gary and his crisps.

SKY- decent enough coverage but so many ads and some of their commentators are total bluffers

TV3 - Best at covering mediocre games and delayed highlights. Crap at the bigger games.

RTE - good analyitical coverage if it does need to be revamped a little

[Schlooooomp]

You should try listening to the shower of muppets and yes men on Sky Sports and that includes Niall Quinn, I would prefer to watch his wife's surf add than hear his moronic comments

[DubJohn]

I disagree....

I mean, did anyone see the Eng v Aus match last Sat on the beeb... It just reminded me how godawful Lineker and Hansen are. It was extremely boring, they had nothing of note to say and just chuckle at each others banal jokes. It made me want to puke.

Or would you prefer Sky and Andy Gray with his rolex having a seizure over a nil all coca-cola cup fixture between doncaster and reading telling you it was like watching Argentina circa 86?

Or what about UTV.... oh my word. Andy Townsend, Ally McCoist, Gabby Yorath, Des "with a drop of Irish" wine-em, dine-em and Lynam? With their pitchside desk at the corner flag in old trafford. Barf.

Gimme Giles, Dunphy and Brady any day. Talking about playstations eating into street talent... amazing stuff! They were at that again on newstalk yesterday actually.

Just my tuppenceworth.

[homersimpson]

how about shirley temple bar taking over bills role

[ThatGuy]

I disagree with the original post. O'Herlihy's role is to be the presenter, get answers from the experts on the panel, and make the panel accessible to Joe Public. I think that he does a good job.

RTE may well have the worst commentators during games, but their studio line-up is the better than BBC, ITV or Sky in my opinion.

[Clifford]

I disagree....

I mean, did anyone see the Eng v Aus match last Sat on the beeb... It just reminded me how godawful Lineker and Hansen are. It was extremely boring, they had nothing of note to say and just chuckle at each others banal jokes. It made me want to puke.

Or would you prefer Sky and Andy Gray with his rolex having a seizure over a nil all coca-cola cup fixture between doncaster and reading telling you it was like watching Argentina circa 86?

Or what about UTV.... oh my word. Andy Townsend, Ally McCoist, Gabby Yorath, Des "with a drop of Irish" wine-em, dine-em and Lynam? With their pitchside desk at the corner flag in old trafford. Barf.

Gimme Giles, Dunphy and Brady any day. Talking about playstations eating into street talent... amazing stuff! They were at that again on newstalk yesterday actually.

Just my tuppenceworth.

I think you'll find Gray only does Prem or CL games. Sorry to p i s s on the parade there. :D ;)

Sky do an incredible coverage of all football not just the top three in the Prem, a la murte jokers. Don't listen to the experts if you know as much as them.

So sky over exaggerate things, better to watch that than the drunk being controversial for the sake of it. Or Giles contradicting himself (On Sat called for wholesale changes for Weds night, come Weds he slated the fact there were four changes). Idiots they are indeed, with the numptie Bumbling Bill chuckling away cos he managed to manipulate "discussion" out of them. Parochial, one themed, rubbish on murte.

[razor]

Idiots they are indeed, with the numptie Bumbling Bill chuckling away cos he managed to manipulate "discussion" out of them. Parochial, one themed, rubbish on murte.I've often watched the game on Sky and then flicked back to RTE for half & full time analysis.
Controversy rules, say what you think not what you're told to say.
You're hardly likely to get that on Sky now are you?

[DubJohn]

I think you'll find Gray only does Prem or CL games. Sorry to p i s s on the parade there. :D ;)

Sky do an incredible coverage of all football not just the top three in the Prem, a la murte jokers. Don't listen to the experts if you know as much as them.

So sky over exaggerate things, better to watch that than the drunk being controversial for the sake of it. Or Giles contradicting himself (On Sat called for wholesale changes for Weds night, come Weds he slated the fact there were four changes). Idiots they are indeed, with the numptie Bumbling Bill chuckling away cos he managed to manipulate "discussion" out of them. Parochial, one themed, rubbish on murte.


:D Agreed I suppose, I don't have sky so only see it in the swiller when there's a match worth watching that's exclusively on that channel - which is not a regular occurance. I reckon they're a bit loutish though. And I hate exaggeration, it makes me want to destroy everything.

I don't reckon rte are mummified any more, they used to be, but they'll just piggy back on whoever's doing well. I agree with your points, but at least it's entertaining and a bit different.

[Clifford]

I've often watched the game on Sky and then flicked back to RTE for half & full time analysis.
Controversy rules, say what you think not what you're told to say.
You're hardly likely to get that on Sky now are you?

Yeah, I agree with you champ, but controversy for the sake of it is just an old and tired tactic by the drunk. It's boring, more boring than seeing the sky panel analysing one decent pass 11 times (at least you don't hear "Stop it there, stop it now, stop it...oh well here will do). I don't think anyone buy's it any more do they? His "controversy" on weds was to include that super star on the tip of everyones lips, Quinn at Sheff United ffs (which he backtracked on last night - a whim he called it) (Has he ever seen the lad play I ask?)

I could give you the script for Saturdays murte offering between Blunderland (Mick Mc) and manure (guess who?) already and I'm sure every single person on here could do the same. Predicatably predictable, as are sky, itv, bbc etc.

As I said above I've no need to listen to their opinions cos I've an ability to form my own, as do most others. If it was insight into back ground stuff like what goes on at training or in the dressing room then fair enough, but it's so obviously not. When watchin the odd live BBC game they give you an interactive option of "crowd noise", try it sometime - it's fun not to have some gimp chiming in with a stat every ten seconds.

[Dotsy]

I think RTE panel are getting a bit stale but I would still rate them head and shoulders above TV3.

RTE have had Trevor Steven on the premiership a few times and I thought he was very good. I think he would be a good addition. He doesn't have any axes to grind with the FAI/Irish team and knows his stuff. He also calls it like he sees it.

[ranting rover]

Without a shadow of a doubt the best TV pundit is Ian Wright on the BBC. He is highly intellectual anaylst with a deep understanding of all the idiosyncrasies of the game, not to mention a comedy genius and always finely tailored. QED

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/worldcup2002/hi/tv_radio_coverage/newsid_1987000/1987768.stm

[thejollyrodger]

are you serious RR ? I read on another thread once that most people thought he was a total muppet. :S

RTE need to sign new people. What about Mattie Holland ? Is he going to get in that side of things now ? I think he did a radio show or TV coverage of a game a while ago


I think sports coverage should just be part of another station and not a station in its own right. Sky Sports was class in the beginning but is sickening to death now and is way over the top.

[Aldini98]

Its easy to fix, have Giles as a co-commentator, have Liamo(sorry lads but he was a class act as a player and actually makes more sense than most) and Denis Irwin as the pundits. Dunphy should have retired after the 'pool won the Champions League because he said he would, he's a f-ing joke that always has to mention Roy Keanbe in the hope of selling a few more books. Houghtons is crap, he seems to think every player should be amazing, he thought Frei should have taken down the cross to him (the header he missed) the other night, WHAT THE F**K are you on Ray and anyway his performance on the Baddiel and Skinner show was enough for RTE to sack him.

[holidaysong]

"Okie doke, we're back live..." :D

[ranting rover]

are you serious RR ?

nope, he's an absolute idiot and the only explanation I can muster for his presence is that he is the BBC's Neandertal card - a desperate attempt at higher ratings - trying to appeal to the dumb masses who think the back page of 'the Sun' is the Gospel and the Koran combined. He needs to be fired and he should go join 'So Solid Crew' where he'll fit in.Thick people shouldn't be on TV, at least the RTE panel have a few brains between them...

Actually the RTE panel is probably superior to the BBC...although Brady seems to be the only one who doesn't contradict himself week after week.

[highlight100]

leave the man alone,bill 'o is a legend!

[Qwerty]

Right on he has more talent in his small toe than all the other pratts in RTE put together. A natural.

[OwlsFan]

leave the man alone,bill 'o is a legend!

This is the buffoon, when Dunphy personally attacked Mick McCarthy, and I am not talking about attacks on his style of play, before and after the Romanian game, leading many people to phone in to complain, stated that it really annoyed him when people criticized "objective :eek: comments". He also allowed Giles and Dunphy for 5 years to attack Charlton without introducing any balance or contradiction.

That is what has always irritated me about the RTE panel. 95% of the time (Keane and Saipan apart) Giles and Dunphy agreed with each other and Laughing Bill was incapable of putting a contrary opinion. Now at least with Brady there will sometimes be a different opinion and a modicum of balance to the programme. Dunphy is controversial but as a reader of a game he's crap and frequently contradicts himself. I could get my great aunt Maud to appear on the programme (she looks like him as well) and say controversial things and it would be entertaining but she probably knows as much about football as him and probably has far fewer prejudices.

[Tenderloins]

Brady, Giles and Dunphy together can be excellent. Bill will allow them off on a tangent, indeed they often don't even talk about the match that they are covering.
When Brady and Dunphy there is a tension between them, which Bill lets run.
Bill pretends he knows nothing, asking obvious questions , but knows a good bit.
I think Brady, Giles, Dunphy and Bill are just part of the furniture, like George Hook, Tom McGurk and Brent Pope for the rugby. All have their own little bugbears, they might be wrong at times, but are generally informed and entertaining.

[youngirish]

This is the buffoon, when Dunphy personally attacked Mick McCarthy, and I am not talking about attacks on his style of play, before and after the Romanian game, leading many people to phone in to complain, stated that it really annoyed him when people criticized "objective :eek: comments". He also allowed Giles and Dunphy for 5 years to attack Charlton without introducing any balance or contradiction.

That is what has always irritated me about the RTE panel. 95% of the time (Keane and Saipan apart) Giles and Dunphy agreed with each other and Laughing Bill was incapable of putting a contrary opinion. Now at least with Brady there will sometimes be a different opinion and a modicum of balance to the programme. Dunphy is controversial but as a reader of a game he's crap and frequently contradicts himself. I could get my great aunt Maud to appear on the programme (she looks like him as well) and say controversial things and it would be entertaining but she probably knows as much about football as him and probably has far fewer prejudices.

Coud be worse we could have those biased a**eholes that frequent BBC and ITV panels and provide no objective comments about the game whatsoever but just come with excuses everytime England lose. Ian Wright is the worst.

I actually like watching Dunphy, Brady and Giles when I get the opportunity because even though I agree that they don't have a clue (as is also the case with the majority of the BBC and ITV pundits) at least they provide some humour and controversy unlike the boring, patronising, prejudiced rubbish that the British media spurt out on their football shows.

[OwlsFan]

I actually like watching Dunphy, Brady and Giles when I get the opportunity because even though I agree that they don't have a clue (as is also the case with the majority of the BBC and ITV pundits) at least they provide some humour and controversy unlike the boring, patronising, prejudiced rubbish that the British media spurt out on their football shows.

That's all very well until they (Dunphy, Giles and Laughing Bill) all sing from the same hymm sheet and launch vitriolic campaigns against the incumbent managers (Charlton and McCarthy) without any balance or contra-argument and this on the national broadcaster. Disgraceful and nothing entertaining about it.

[NeilMcD]

Why did you leave Kerr out of that too. They launched an attack with Brady against Kerr too.

[klein4]

That's all very well until they (Dunphy, Giles and Laughing Bill) all sing from the same hymm sheet and launch vitriolic campaigns against the incumbent managers (Charlton and McCarthy) without any balance or contra-argument and this on the national broadcaster. Disgraceful and nothing entertaining about it.
so are you saying it was ok they do that as long as you agree with them? they were fairly harsh on Kerr as well but you leave him out.
Do you think they were directly responsible for getting rid of charlton(genuine question.)? I think if anything it seemed to make people like him more the fact that dunphy was his harshest critic.

[Cosmo]

Must've missed this thread when it first started but I can't believe it :eek:

Rte's coverage is second to none - they're the best in the business for it entertainment wise,analytical wise and honesty imo!!

[OwlsFan]

Why did you leave Kerr out of that too. They launched an attack with Brady against Kerr too.

The attacks only started in the last couple of games and weren't persistent and personal. However, I agree that a pro-Kerr pundit should have produced to balance the debate. If you watch PRIME TIME etc there is always at least 2 people with differing views. RTE has failed badly in that regard with Giles and Dunphy wgho 90% of the time agree with each other.