aside from the "who's better/worse than everyone else" debate, is it just me or does Didi Hamann really look like Dominic Monaghan now??
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aside from the "who's better/worse than everyone else" debate, is it just me or does Didi Hamann really look like Dominic Monaghan now??
No, and now I realise that our region is cut off from Eurovision for some reason they can't explain properly other than - we don't have the rights. Bit mad. Had to endure UTV and BBC, as well as Australian and Yank coverage, have to say the Aussies were quite good - great point made by, I think he's Craig Foster, "Australians supporting Serbia who are supporting Serbia, it's better for Germany to equalise so that Australia have a chance to qualify." If you check message boards on Australian football the neanderthals went mental at him - not surprising since their grandparents were run out of ex-Yugo for all sorts. Shows how fragile Australia is.Quote:
Originally Posted by A N Mouse
On balance, all things considered, RTE is far superior to BBC and especially ITV.
Just listen to Adebayor, Keegan, Davids, Hansen, Dixon, Southgate, Shearer etc Woeful.
Jesus thought they were going to have a fight tonight. Dunphy V Souness. 100% agree with Souness. Dunphy was just trying to wind him up tonight.
yeah the same dunphy who not so long ago was mouthing off about player power at chelsea and big name players having the run of the club... terry / drogba / ballack etc and the obsene amounts amounts of money they earn , he fairly changed his tune tonight sticking up for the good upstanding proffesional players :confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by bennocelt
Only saw the last 15 minutes of the game and the panel discussion afterwards. Apparently it was the referee's fault that the Ivory Coast players tried to break two Brazilian legs because he didn't give handball for the 2nd goal?? Did the Ivory Coast players protest much after that one? As for Kaka's sending off, it looks to me as if he gave the player a dig in the stomach with the elbow. Not the face obviously like the IC player pretended. Souness thought he was sent off because of the protest of the IC players?? I assume it was because it was the linesman or 3rd official saw it. Dunphy thought that because it was Kaka he shouldn't have gotten a second yellow card. Kaka was obviously wound up and you could almost sense something was about to happen. Strangely, the only one I didn't see rolling around the place (and the Brazilians were as bad if not worse) was Droghba or did I miss that bit?
Funny thing is Kaka likes to dive a good bit himself.........................
FourFourTwo's Dublin blogger on RTE's coverage: http://fourfourtwo.com/blogs/worldcu...n-t-awful.aspx
Dunphy predicted after the Brazil v North Korea match that North Korea would give Portugal and Ivory coast "a right run for their moneyl".
to be fair, it was only 1-0 and pretty even at half time. I didn't see the second half, but I'm guessing North Korea fell apart!Quote:
Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar
I think you might be right.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
As for your blogger friend, that's the view of one blogger quoting the usual cliches: Laughing Bill "feigns cluelessness and apathy" (how does he know that?). It looks pretty genuine to me. None of the panelists is " afraid to speak his mind and neither sits on the fence" (i.e. none of the panelists elsewhere has any opinion and never says anything is boring - this is patently untrue); all three, "have a genuine love for football, real passion that hasn't dwindled or been watered down throughout their combined 140 years in the game. That's what makes them so interesting and enjoyable to watch". Of course, the panelists on the other channels hate football. "They don't try to sell us anything and they don't make excuses for players or teams who aren't performing well enough. If a game has been cr*p they say so" Another great misconception. The other panels say the same thing except without the word cr*p and therein lies the difference. He then praises Apres Match. Can anyone actually tell the difference between the latter and the real thing because I think they have got them down to a t ?
And without wishing to harp back to my main point, no other TV station would have been allowed its panel poisonously to attack whatever incumbent national manager there was for the past 22 years without some sort of balance. Saipan apart, RTE never had that.
I'm going out on a limb here OwlsFan, but I'm beginning to sense in you a slight distaste for the RTE panel and presenter.
Wasn't sure where to put this, it's not RTE bashing, just something I found interesting:
Souness on England:
http://legendaire.wordpress.com/2010...re-in-trouble/
I watched RTE in my local in Kilburn tonight (Spain v Honduras). Far superior to UK analysis, not even close. Brady, Giles & Whelan, and good questions from Bill.
And Southgate shaking his head wondering where Iniesta was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
I thought Hamann was really good and the other panelists seemed to really take to him too. Ardiles also had a very good debut and it's good to have somebody in there with a background in a completely different footballing tradition.
Turned on the Chile Switzerland game yesterday evening and Eoin Hand was doing the studio analysis bit for Supersport here in SA, unfortunately I missed the end of it so I didn't get to hear him but I thought it was a bit of an odd one. I'll look out for him in the future, I suspect he's only just joined up with them because I haven't seen him before
Souness seems to be going on a bit of a solo run with this altitude lark. Haven't heard it from anyone else. Surely if this was the issue we'd have heard about it from the camp or from other commentators?
Didnt he play/manage in S Africa? Or am I completely wrongQuote:
Originally Posted by endabob1
he did manage in South Africa, read an interview with him before talking about how he used to have security escort him to games, and even to training, simply because he was a white man training black players
Eoin on his time in South Africa. Good and bad.
That message he found even harder to transmit at Amazulu in South Africa. “Long before going as a coach I had played in Pretoria and it was fabulous. I knew South Africa. At our club, Vincent Julius was one of the first black players and when, at the end-of-season dinner dance, the chairman said he had to leave after the food we all walked out. Ruined their night.
“But this was apartheid in reverse. Basically, I was used as a bit of a pawn to test the water with a black club and see how a white coach would go down. It was only pre-season and I was saying to these guys ‘look, I’m Irish. I’m not racist, I have no political affiliations. I’m here to help your club’. Didn’t matter a damn, they just didn't want a white coach.
“There were death threats, stones thrown, spat at. I had to change hotel rooms because I was getting anonymous calls saying ‘we are coming to kill you if you don't listen and go’. And the cops said ‘don’t take this as a joke’. So it was scary. Then at one training session a crowd of 40 formed and surrounded me. I argued with them and tried a different tack, ‘just let me get on with my work’. But then one came from behind and said ‘you are not listening. Last time. If you come back we will kill you.’ Fair enough. You win.
Well I never knew that, but it does explain why he's here.
These days 99% of the players are black or coloured (hangover from apartheid divide and conquer classifications) but most of the coaches are white, a couple with Irish connections, Owen da gama is currently in charge of Bloem Celtic. Sammy Troughton once of Glentoran was in charge of Black Aces until he got canned when they were bottom of the league, they stayed up in a play-off I think.
Hristo Stoichkov was in charge of Sundowns (SA's Man City loads of money but they still can't win anything) Ruud Krol is manager of Orlando Pirates, Former Dutch U21 manager Foppe de Haan is Ajax Cape Town's coach.
Interesting add that comes beside your post for www.BlackBBWSingles.com :). Do the adds pick up on the content of the posts? I'll try too then: nude nude nude nude
Some of ye may have got this email today on the various punditry for yday's England game, worth a read! Imagine for one day, just throwing Dunph into a BBC studio.
Well, Gary Lineker had good news for the English nation yesterday, telling them the BBC’s sources had reliably informed him Stevie would be playing through the middle against Slovenia, “at the head of the diamond”.
Gary, the two Als, Hansen and Shearer, and Lee Dixon then based their entire pre-match analysis on their source’s disclosure, which was unfortunate because the information was thoroughly incorrect.
Roy Hodgson tried to warn them, insisting Stevie would, most probably, play on the left, but Lee Dixon hoped, trusted and prayed he was wrong.
“If he’s playing on the left today we should all pack up and go home,” he sighed.
Match time. Stevie on the left. Lee dusting down his rucksack. But wait, goal. England. Up and running?
Half-time. Fantasy World Cup Punditry, all of them in the one studio. Ready?
Hansen: “Once England got the goal the confidence levels surged, they were excellent.”
Eamon Dunphy: “They just didn’t grow in confidence at all after the goal.”
Lineker: “The goal really settled them, didn’t it? They pushed on from there.”
Ronnie Whelan: “You’d think they’d have kicked on from when they scored, but they actually got worse.”
Roy: “England’s crossing has been absolutely outstanding.”
Giles: “Some of the crossing was just awful.”
Shearer: “Rooney looks more confident, he’s getting around the pitch a lot better.”
Dunphy: “It’s shocking to see Rooney so subdued, he’s been reduced to a shivering wreck.”
Shearer: “They look much more comfortable on the ball, they’re passing it with a purpose, with pace, they’re closing down – a much better performance, it’s encouraging.”
Giles: “They’re much better than they have been, but they couldn’t have been worse.”
No arguments, then. Second half. England held on. Full-time. Ready?
Lee Dixon: “A great performance.”
Dunphy: “Shocking . . . absolutely incredibly bad . . . pretty awful stuff.”
Hansen: “The commitment was there, the spirit was there, the enterprise was there, the creativity was there, they passed it better – they could have scored five or six quite easily. Capello will obviously be delighted with the performance.”
Giles: “If that’s the shackles off what’ll they be like when the shackles are back on?”
’Arry Redknapp: “We played with pace, we got after them, we pressed them, there wasn’t a weakness in the team.”
Dunphy: “They were astonishingly poor.”
Lineker: “He looked more like the Rooney we know.”
Ronnie: “Rooney is a major worry, his form, his body language, his demeanour, everything.”
Dixon: “Gerrard was outstanding.”
Dunphy: “I can’t believe how bad Gerrard was today.”
’Arry: “Across midfield we were top drawer.”
Giles: “Barry got worse as the game went on, Milner, Gerrard and Lampard the same.”
’Arry: “Bring it on! Whoever we play we’ll be difficult to beat.”
Ronnie: “If they don’t improve they’ll go straight out, it was a very, very inept performance.”
I was quite impressed with Dinny last night on the Panel. Talks a lot of sense, is articulate and didn't agree with Dunphy most of time. In fact the latter was quite isolated without his "I agree with Eamon" senior analyst buddy. Surprised though that Dinny knew about the personal life of one of the USA players (Donovan?) which Laughing Bill and Dunphy found hilarious. In fact LB made some total non sequitur about one of the women at the end which made no sense and which threw Dunphy in to hysterics. Unprofession slagging someone off about their private love life but...I'll say no more.
By the way, as you listen to Dunphy slag off England, you might be interested in who one of his tips was to reach the Final:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA5wy...eature=related
Changed his spots. Now there's a surprise.
And by the way, Dinny and Brady were more positive about the England performance in the evening than Giles and Dunphy. When the latter two aren't jeering Ireland, they carry it on to England. That's what they do, that's what they've always done, despite one of them recommending people to back England for the Final. Pathetic.
To be fair to Dunphy most punters are getting a roasting!! Funny that he has now Holland in his uptodate tips - never mentioned them at the start
BBC were a joke yesterday - total opposite to RTE. According to hansen Gerrard was brilliant in the Algeria game, tracking back, linking, etc. According to RTE he wasnt doing anything in the centre. Gerrard was rubbish in the Algeria game
Gabby Logan was a joke yesterday, what kind of interview was that!!!
Has anyone seen Keegan on ITV, he is by far the worst, even saying England played well against the USA!
And according to ITV news later that night, England are going to play Argentina in the quarter finals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mark Lawrenson was nauseating yesterday. RTE should offer him a huge contract and poach him from the BBC so I can listen to somebody who actually knows something about football!!!
Lawrenson's "should have been a plumber" comment was bad right.
Though I thought his point about England looking for the killer pass when they'd have been wiser to keep the ball was correct.
His bias in commentary is terrible though, I'd expect it from the farce that is Clive Tyldsley on ITV, but not from the BBC.
With the exit of France and Italy, I am bracing myself (if it hasn't already happened) for a major onslaught by the G & D and Laughing Bill on Trappatoni.
would you expect them to praise the two former champions?Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
Hamann was very knowledgeable, as is Ardles although he talks a bit quickly. <.<
When Irwin speaks he usually has something worthwhile to say, as does Kilbane.
I don't really like Whelan, his knowledge is limited. Johnny Giles even moreso although at the very least to his credit if he doesn't know something he won't spoof it like Dunphy would.
Dunphy and Souness are monkeys who I presume are only there for entertainment since they certianly don't bring useful insights to the table.
Cunningham is probably my favourite panelist, I don't know why he isn't there. Good speaker, good tactical insight and knowledgable too.
Just imagine Shoddy on the panel, be glad you have Gilsey, Brady, and screwball Dunphy, at least they know a bit about soccer .
Brady is the most boring pundit I've ever watched. Never smiles.
Thats one thing i can't stand, when they never smile ala Brady and Hamann so far. The rest are more upbeat and up for a laugh.
Watched the BBC's analysis of the England match yesterday. Although they were scathing of the team and the management, they didn't (or weren't able to) offer any opinion on why England were so outclassed.
A lot of talk about tactics and "dreadful defending" but the only one that could see the bigger picture was Harry Redknapp. For me, he correctly pointed out the different footballing culture and style of play that Germany and the other big guns are operating in.
Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldo. I turned over from RTE as the panel went on ad nauseum as usual about him ("See, we told you we were right"). They were even prepared with the clips so it all pre-planned. He wasn't effective ok (putting it mildly) and a few comments to that effect would have been fine, but it was the usual Panel stuff about him like a bone they won't let go. The match itself seemed to be very much second fiddle to his performance.
There are five things you are guaranteed from the RTE Panel: (a) They will attack the Irish manager no matter who he is, (b) Giles will repeat himself and say "I know I am repeating myself", (c) Laughing Bill will laugh especially now that he has had his teeth whitened (d), they will attack Ronaldo and (e) Giles will say "I agree with Eamonn" and Dunphy will say "I agree with John".
But then I suppose I am like someone with a bone which I won't let go :)
Normally I would take all the punditry with a pinch of salt but this tournament has found me paying more attention than is healthy all in the name of putting together podcasts that highlight the shortcomings of both commentary and punditry teams.Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
Do you ever get the feeling that they forget that we are listening?
Funnily enough the commentary at the end of the Argentina-Mexico match and the start of the Netherlands-Slovakia match dropped out, looks like RTE haven't paid their phone bill.
As I write I'm clipping some of that stuff for the latest podcast.
If you're interested have a listen
http://slightlyoffthepoint.podbean.com/
or on itunes you can (if you like) subscribe for free
http://bit.ly/cBrYFX
all feedback welcome!
Yeah the Ronaldo stuff is excessive. He was poor last night but he was hardly the only one.
In fairness to Giles he's usually spot on with regard to his tactical analysis. He was dead right last night picking up on Spain's lack of width, starting to play very similar to Arsenal, something that may cost them in later ties particularly with Capdevila's reluctance to get forward. Not that the BBC picked up on that, too busy with the "we're all having a laugh act". They may have their faults but RTE's panelists are still streets ahead of what is available across the water IMO.
I'm surprised BBC found any time to analyse the match what with all the talk about Lampard's disallowed goal. Oh wait, they didn't.
I believe I've heard you mention them once or twice right enough ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
Is the punditry that big a part of the experience for you, that you should find their shortcomings so objectionable? Personally, I find their banter entertaining but when it comes to analytical thinking and forming opinions of games/players/miscellaneous people/etc., they're superflous. I can do that myself.* If the window dressing indulges in contradictory rants, it's no skin off my nose. All of which may be horrifying to some RTE suit who sees their function as enlightening the masses but I suspect their priority is also entertainment over substance/consistency of opinion. I find it interesting that someone should have become so genuinely aggrieved with them though. I guess it depends how seriously someone takes them.
* I will say regarding video analysis, that Kenny Cunningham is the only pundit I find thought-provoking or insightful.