I find the RTE Euro 2008 coverage horrible.

[Razors left peg]

Now I may well be wrong here but today Eamonn Dunphy praised Grosso to the hilt and referred to him as class.... during the last World Cup did he not insult Grosso and say that he wasn't a top class full back?

EDIT: Now he's talking about Ireland as having ``an awful lot of top players``... he's a self contradicting machine!

In fairness he has said for ages that Ireland have alot of top players and he blamed Staunton, not the players for failing to qualify.

[Stevo Da Gull]

In fairness he has said for ages that Ireland have alot of top players and he blamed Staunton, not the players for failing to qualify.

Fair enough then, I don't watch an awful lot of Ireland matches coverage, I just remember him talking a few years ago and saying that apart from Duff we have no top players but this may well have been pre-staunton.

[tetsujin1979]

just to get back on topic, if the RTE panel is so bad, which is the best? ITV are gone beyond a joke at this stage, and BBC is still the same boys club it was in the last championships. Glad Leonardo saw sense and decided to leave it alone.

[Razors left peg]

just to get back on topic, if the RTE panel is so bad, which is the best? ITV are gone beyond a joke at this stage, and BBC is still the same boys club it was in the last championships. Glad Leonardo saw sense and decided to leave it alone.

Personally I think the RTE coverage is head and shoulders above the other stations. The panel can be a bit over critical at times and seem to be nit picking but at least they are trying to be objective which the other stations dont at times. The lads on RTE arent afraid to upset anyone where as I always get the feeling when watching football coverage in general on any of the english stations that the pundits are afraid to step on anyones toes so the same cliches get brought out time and again.
Just slightly off topic but one of my biggest gripes with Sky Sports is when sometimes they have an injured player as a pundit for a game when his team is playing, its impossible for him to give any sort of opinion in that situation

[tetsujin1979]

just to clarify, I don't find the RTE Euro 2008 coverage horrible, or indeed any of their football coverage. As most people have stated, minor gripes with names of players aside, it is head and shoulders above BBC, Sky and ITV

Leonardo and Desailly didn't come back to the BBC, whereas I get the impression Souness genuinely enjoys working on RTE

[Razors left peg]

just to clarify, I don't find the RTE Euro 2008 coverage horrible, or indeed any of their football coverage. As most people have stated, minor gripes with names of players aside, it is head and shoulders above BBC, Sky and ITV

Leonardo and Desailly didn't come back to the BBC, whereas I get the impression Souness genuinely enjoys working on RTE

Souness is like a different fella when on Sky compared to RTE, hes excellent on RTE but on Sky hes just more of the same and afraid to critisise anyone in the Premiership

[DaveyCakes]

Desailly is back on the BBC

[tetsujin1979]

Desailly is back on the BBCDidn't realise he was there, I hadn't seen him on any of the games I'd watched on the BBC, just Shearer, Hansen and Martin O'Neill

[pete]

And the future is bright, Juve are back in the champions League after the scandal, AC Milan are spending money to bolster their side, already got Zambrotta and Flamini and it's still early. Inter have Mourinho, possibly the best manager in the world behind them and Roma probably have the best young midfield in the world which is gradually maturing into a world class force.

I agree, Serie A has taken a dip due to points deductions and relegations over the last two years. Milan are probably most successful CL club and that history and tradition does not disappear overnight. It is however not a glamour league as stadiums are poor and crowds lower than they have been.

[geysir]

Didn't realise he was there, I hadn't seen him on any of the games I'd watched on the BBC, just Shearer, Hansen and Martin O'Neill
You'd wonder does MON ever take a holiday? Doesn't he get paid enough at Villa? :rolleyes:

I wouldn't contemplate watching anything other than RTE.
Overall the coverage is excellent.
Even when Giles just didn't get it, in the 1/2 time discussion, that Romania were playing very well against Italy, it's like listening to someone in your football family who has his moments.

[TonyD]

Now I may well be wrong here but today Eamonn Dunphy praised Grosso to the hilt and referred to him as class.... during the last World Cup did he not insult Grosso and say that he wasn't a top class full back?

EDIT: Now he's talking about Ireland as having ``an awful lot of top players``... he's a self contradicting machine!

Of course he is. Laughed at him last night, Holland will be shown up when they meet a "proper" team. To which Brady had to point out - "well they've played Italy and they've played France, when are they going to meet a "proper" team". Eamonn shot back with "Spain" (never mind the fact he spent most of the analysis of their first game slagging off their defence) he also mentioned Sweden :eek: Better than Italy or France Eamonn ? Also thought Brady was way off last night to claim the French were't "up for it". Very unfair. They may not have had a cutting edge but they never stopped going, even at 2-0 down. Things just didn't go for them on the night but it wasn't down to lack of effort.

[superfrank]

More "Spain must be great, Fabregas can't start for them". :rolleyes:

[stojkovic]

Thats mainly Brady - Arsenal player.

[TheBoss]

Listening last night when they were going through the teams, Dunphy says he did not know Clerc, was he watching the Champions League coverage ?, cause he plays for Lyon every week and how could say that.

Also, I was surprised at Souness not knowing the Dutch keeper, Stekelenburg, Another player that has played for Ajax's first team for about 3 years now.

[OwlsFan]

At least they are trying to be objective which the other stations dont at times.


I don't think you understand the difference between objective and subjective. Dunphy has never been objective.

[geysir]

Souness was perplexed the other day when Germany were playing Austria, after the managers got red carded before 1/2 time. As both managers were not from some stereotypical hot-blooded country he just couldn't understand how they could be so passionate and lose control.
Has he never seen an angry German? :rolleyes:

[gaiscíoch]

Does anyone else feel that Souness is a bit bored? I felt his body language over the last few games was as if he wanted to just head home or away on holidays?


Top 5 Rubbish Commentators
1: Jimmy Magee (ended up taking about boxing half way through a game)
2: Clive Tyldesley (I think Pleat covers him something rotten)
3: George Hamilton (Most annoying commentator in the world)
4: John Motson (Should retire because his eye sight has deteriorated so badly)
5: Darragh Maloney (Should stick to the GAA)

I think Stephen Alkin has been the best commentator I've heard working for RTE. He seems to know his stuff and applies common sence...

[Pike B]

Does anyone else feel that Souness is a bit bored? I felt his body language over the last few games was as if he wanted to just head home or away on holidays?


Top 5 Rubbish Commentators
1: Jimmy Magee (ended up taking about boxing half way through a game)
2: Clive Tyldesley (I think Pleat covers him something rotten)
3: George Hamilton (Most annoying commentator in the world)
4: John Motson (Should retire because his eye sight has deteriorated so badly)
5: Darragh Maloney (Should stick to the GAA)

I think Stephen Alkin has been the best commentator I've heard working for RTE. He seems to know his stuff and applies common sence...
Well if you say it, it must be true... (Puke)

[TonyD]

Something else I'm finding incredibly annoying about RTE coverage at this stage - Do they really need to flash up a logo 6 or 7 times per game telling us what game they are showing tomorrow ? Peeing me off big time.

[Dodge]

More "Spain must be great, Fabregas can't start for them". :rolleyes:

My favourite is when they can't understand how he's not in the team. same reason he wouldn't get in Barcelona's first team...

Anyway watched a fair bit of Tv over alst week or so while off sick and the other Tv companies are still wasy, way behind RTE. ITV have the best commentator/co-commentator package in Tyldesley and Pleat but their analysts are without doubt the worst I've ever watched. Townsend is an embarressment. The BBC is still trying to play the old boys club angle and its still as boring as ****e.

[drummerboy]

What do people think of Jim Beglin on UTV. Think he is a very insightful co-comentator, calls it as it is, perhaps because he had a grounding on RTE. I know from English messageboards that he is highly thought of.

[Ciprian Marica]

Couldn't believe what they were saying there regarding Scolari having better defensive players to work with when he goes to Chelsea. Three of that back 5 will be at Chelsea next season!

[pete]

I think ITV suffer badly in the studio as they get in current players who are usually useless as they don't watch much football.

Saw small bit of RTE pre match tonight & don't know they got to it but were talking about poor quality football in the EPL. They have 9 months of the year to talk about that but are unable to talk about Euro 2008 10 minutes before a quarter final. :rolleyes:

[jmurphyc]

Saw small bit of RTE pre match tonight & don't know they got to it but were talking about poor quality football in the EPL. They have 9 months of the year to talk about that but are unable to talk about Euro 2008 10 minutes before a quarter final. :rolleyes:

Yeah I watched the RTE coverage properly for the first time tonight and even though I prefer it to the others I found it incredibly annoying that they barely talked about the game at all before or afterwards. Afterwards it was all about how Scolari would do with Chelsea. They are WAY too Prem-centric.

[old git]

Yeah I watched the RTE coverage properly for the first time tonight and even though I prefer it to the others I found it incredibly annoying that they barely talked about the game at all before or afterwards. Afterwards it was all about how Scolari would do with Chelsea. They are WAY too Prem-centric.

would agree tonight was all about preimership and ronaldo dunphy once again blaming ronaldo for lack of effort & drive seemed to forget he had 10 team mates always thought it was a team game .. amazing after 2 set piece goals ( 2nd should have been disallowed for push by ballack ) scholari is a terrible manager and cannot organise his team defensivley :D

[lionelhutz]

To be fair to BBC, i like Desailly and especially Martin O'Neill. O'Neill is always enthusiastic about the game he is watching (unlike the RTE panel at times) and reads the game brilliantly. He's the best analyst on TV at the mo although I think he's wasted on BBC - if he was on RTE he'd make Dunphy look like the idiot he is. On BBC, he sometimes looks astonished at Shearers et al lack of insight into any game.

[jebus]

RTE should learn from their mistakes and always have a 4 man panel, Giles and Dunphy always seem to be in agreement so you need Souness and Brady to throw a spanner in their ignorance every now and again.

Agree on Martin O'Neill being a fantastic BBC pundit, Desailly and Leonardo are also quite good, but they get drowned out by the Old Boys club a bit too much

[Roadend]

What do people think of Jim Beglin on UTV. Think he is a very insightful co-comentator, calls it as it is, perhaps because he had a grounding on RTE. I know from English messageboards that he is highly thought of.

Honestly, he is awful, I see him as the UTV alternative to Lawro.

[tetsujin1979]

Lost all respect for Beglin in World Cup 2002, "as I said to Ronnie the other day, Ronaldo to you"

[John83]

Lost all respect for Beglin in World Cup 2002, "as I said to Ronnie the other day, Ronaldo to you"
I can't believe I believe he said that.

[Reality Bites]

In terms of Match Commentary, I find Co-commentator Ray Houghton to be overtly negative and whiney "Why didn't he pass it earlier", On the other hand the obnoxious Clive Tyldesley has the superb David Pleat whose tones and commentary add to the atmosphere and are always bang-on the mark!

[DaveyCakes]

Why I hate RTE's coverage....

I came out of my evening class at about 9:20 last night and nipped into a pub to see the last 10 minutes of the game and, so I thought, after the final whistle I'd see the goals before I got my train home...

No so. Instead, we get quarter of a hour of the Eamonn Dunphy rambling ego show, without a sniff of any action from the match. I saw the goals on Match of the Day when I got home.

[tetsujin1979]

On the other hand the obnoxious Clive Tyldesley has the superb David Pleat whose tones and commentary add to the atmosphere and are always bang-on the mark!
Don't get me started on Clive "That wonderful night in Barcelona" Tyldesley. He's enough to make me turn of Champions' League games, every time a goal is disallowed, he mentions Scholes' VS Porto when Mourinho danced down the touchline. Wonder if he'll changed it to "that wonderful night in Moscow" next season?

[osarusan]

I think Pleat is pretty good, except when he's commentating on team he used to manage (usually Spurs), when he has to tell us about all the players he bought and sold, and why the bad results weren't his fault etc.

[blinkx]

The worst commentator/Analysist for football RTE have by a country mile is Jimmy McGee, the man has just about grasped the rudiments of football yet badgers on about it like he's the be all and end of all of Football commentators. He should have retired 20 years ago. Shame on RTE for hanging onto him.

[John83]

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Jimmy Magee's alive??????
He lives down from the road from me and is a regular at UCD games. I think people are being a little harsh on him here. He's not the most insightful commentator, but he's relatively easy on the ear.

Tyldesley may be the most annoying commentator I still bother to endure. Motson, I just turn off.

[bennocelt]

Jim Beglin pummels defenceless baby seals on weekends. He's a monster lads..


jeez there is actually someone on this site who thought beglin is good, my god:eek:

i agree with you Sosa he is a spoofer

[OwlsFan]

Is he like 111 or what??

Just 5 years older than John Giles at 73. Let's have no ageism here. Jimmy knows his sport but I agree there is a time to hang up the microphone.

[TonyD]

He lives down from the road from me and is a regular at UCD games. I think people are being a little harsh on him here. He's not the most insightful commentator, but he's relatively easy on the ear.

Tyldesley may be the most annoying commentator I still bother to endure. Motson, I just turn off.

Yeah, leave Jimmy alone. I think he's great. Tyldesley is horrific, Motson similar, possibly more so. I don't like George Hamilton, but I'd listen to him anyday in preference to those two. John Giles is the best co-commentator I've ever heard. Superb to listen to during a match. Sadly he doesn't really do that role any more.

[blinkx]

Just 5 years older than John Giles at 73. Let's have no ageism here. Jimmy knows his sport but I agree there is a time to hang up the microphone.

Its not ageism, I just dislike the way he name drops constantly, Bang in the middle of a match he'd reference the time he became best pals with Pele or some other Blarney. As Tom Humphries said a few years ago, Jimmy is long past his sell-by date for television/radio.. As well as blocking any decent young commentator from coming through too.

[Angus]

I watched the first week of the tournament in Spain and was reliant on BBC and ITV.

Both are utterly utterly cringeing with every Portugal reference beocming a Ronaldo reference, every Turkey a Kazim Richards reference - truly awful

I was gasping for RTE upon my return.

We will only have Giles and Dunphy for another 4 or 5 years and we should savour it - they have been compelling watching and while Brady is excellent, there is not much coming after them

Ni fheicimid a leithead aris

[pineapple stu]

As Tom Humphries said a few years ago
There's your problem there.

[Éire Óg]

A few greats quotes from RTE in the tournament so far!

Souness - "Croatia were a little bit tippy tappy for me".

Bill - "What do you think of Group B gentlemen?"
Souness - "Looks abit like World War II, Bill".

Dunphy on Saturday "Real Madrid are offering ronaldo €250,000 a week after tax, he has a model girlfriend, he's 23, he's good looking, I hate him"

Dunphy - "Sergio Ramos is like Paul McShane on steroids".

Quote by Jimmy Magee, in the Portugal v Czech game.
He was talking about the midfielder for Portugal who had just taken a shot at goal.
"He is clearly a privileged spectator as that is the first thing he has done all day"

Jimmy Magee again : and the ball is passed wide to Ricardo Ronaldo '...Kinsella was too polite to correct him then a min later he says...'I just promoted the Portuguese goalkeeper to the wing'.

Jimmy Magee again: "This must be the most attacks by an Italian team in an international match in the first 16 minutes than anyone can remember"

Dunphy - "Holland look good but they haven't played a proper team yet"
Brady - "They beat Italy 3-0 and France 4-1, two WC finalists. What do you mean a proper team?"
Dunphy - "Sweden"

Mark Kinsella after 15 minutes the match between Austria & Germany..............
"I see what the Austrians are tryin to do here, they are tryin to stop the Germans playing football"

Mark Kinsella when the challenge was made on lahm (which resulted in ballacks stunning freekick)...........talkin bout the austrian who brought lahm down "he really needed to make that tackle........doesnt matter bout the free kick lahm was on a good run".............ballack riffles one home.........."ya see needless freekicks cost ya

Jimmy again: klasnic has scored for poland, they lead one nil" then it shows the replay and he realise it was a goal against poland and he says " of course that was Klasnic of portugal who got the goal

BILL:
"Just one interesting point.Italy have now qualified for the quarter final with 4 points ,when last time they failed to qualify with 5 points.Whatever that means,i don't know"

Souness - "I agree with Liam......"
Dunphy - "Its Eamon"
Souness - "Sorry, whats your name....haha....good job Liams not here"

Rte quality discussing Italys second goal
Souness: Henry didn't want 2 know...too concerned in covering his manhood that he turned his back on the ball
Dunphy: Think it was a bit low to be worried about his manhood
Giles : Eamonn how do u know his manhood doesnt go down dat low!?

[ollie]

Top class!

[stojkovic]

A few greats quotes from RTE in the tournament so far!

Souness - "Croatia were a little bit tippy tappy for me".

Bill - "What do you think of Group B gentlemen?"
Souness - "Looks abit like World War II, Bill".

Dunphy on Saturday "Real Madrid are offering ronaldo €250,000 a week after tax, he has a model girlfriend, he's 23, he's good looking, I hate him"

Dunphy - "Sergio Ramos is like Paul McShane on steroids".

Quote by Jimmy Magee, in the Portugal v Czech game.
He was talking about the midfielder for Portugal who had just taken a shot at goal.
"He is clearly a privileged spectator as that is the first thing he has done all day"

Jimmy Magee again : and the ball is passed wide to Ricardo Ronaldo '...Kinsella was too polite to correct him then a min later he says...'I just promoted the Portuguese goalkeeper to the wing'.

Jimmy Magee again: "This must be the most attacks by an Italian team in an international match in the first 16 minutes than anyone can remember"

Dunphy - "Holland look good but they haven't played a proper team yet"
Brady - "They beat Italy 3-0 and France 4-1, two WC finalists. What do you mean a proper team?"
Dunphy - "Sweden"

Mark Kinsella after 15 minutes the match between Austria & Germany..............
"I see what the Austrians are tryin to do here, they are tryin to stop the Germans playing football"

Mark Kinsella when the challenge was made on lahm (which resulted in ballacks stunning freekick)...........talkin bout the austrian who brought lahm down "he really needed to make that tackle........doesnt matter bout the free kick lahm was on a good run".............ballack riffles one home.........."ya see needless freekicks cost ya

Jimmy again: klasnic has scored for poland, they lead one nil" then it shows the replay and he realise it was a goal against poland and he says " of course that was Klasnic of portugal who got the goal

BILL:
"Just one interesting point.Italy have now qualified for the quarter final with 4 points ,when last time they failed to qualify with 5 points.Whatever that means,i don't know"

Souness - "I agree with Liam......"
Dunphy - "Its Eamon"
Souness - "Sorry, whats your name....haha....good job Liams not here"

Rte quality discussing Italys second goal
Souness: Henry didn't want 2 know...too concerned in covering his manhood that he turned his back on the ball
Dunphy: Think it was a bit low to be worried about his manhood
Giles : Eamonn how do u know his manhood doesnt go down dat low!?

You should have just copied the whole thread, here it is ;

http://www.freeforum101.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11975&mforum=lsl

:rolleyes:

[OwlsFan]

Ni fheicimid a leithead aris

Buichos le Dia.

Sean fear agus áiltéir gan morálta .

[TonyD]

More gems from RTE panel. Portugals two goals conceded against Germany from free kicks raise "serious questions" about Scholari as a coach. Russia last night had similar problems and conceded a goal from a free kick, but strangely that didn't raise any questions amongst the lads about Hiddinks abilities. Dunphy, in particular, makes it up as he goes, depending on his particular prejudice that day.

[stojkovic]

In fairness, Scolari pointed out the height difference before the game and did nothing about it. CRonaldo is 6'1" and good in the air and what was he doing for the two goals - nothing, lost his man twice.

[Stevo Da Gull]

Dunphy, in particular, makes it up as he goes, depending on his particular prejudice that day.

Bang on. It's so ridiculous, I think that most people don't even consider Dunphy to be an analyst/pundit at this point.. he's more of a bit of comedy but if your not in the mood for him he can really make you feel like punching him in the face, partly because of the thought that some people may put faith in what he says. Too many of my posts in this thread have been about him, this should be the last one.. until now I had been taking his comments with a pinch of salt... what a waste of salt.

[OwlsFan]

What about Dunphy "He's brought on 3 clowns". Brady: "Hang on a second Eamon, Fabregas is the best midfielder in the world". "You're right, 2 clowns". :rolleyes:

I may be wrong but wasn't one of those "clowns" Daniel Güiza, the leading scorer in La Liga last year and in whom Barce and Arsenal are interested. Then Giles "Torres might do nothing all game but he should be kept on because he MIGHT do something later on :confused:" As usual, like in the Charlton/McCarthy era, they attack the manager - this from 2 failed managers and one who has never even managed Ballygobackwards Under 11s.