Ian Wright (and TV pundits in general)

**NeilMcD** · 04/07/2006, 3:13 PM

Do you not think though they have provided a good antidote to the hysteria that followe the Jack Charlton reign and the blind loyalty that a lot of the Irish journalists showed. They were over the top in their criticisms in my view but no more over the top than the praise that was heaped upon Charlton by many members of the media.

**OwlsFan** · 04/07/2006, 3:36 PM

What's wrong with a bit of hysteria? God knows we waited 50 years or more for it so we were entitled to it when it arrived.

It would have done no harm if one of the panel was critical of Jack's/Mick's way - what got to me, and still does, is that both were of the exact same view and O'H offered no balance. Time and time again the both of them said the same thing (Dunphy being the more vindictive of course but no contradiction from anywhere). For almost 20 years we had an RTE panel with no balance and no alternative viewpoint. Now, a few more pundits are being introduced which at least breaks up the monolith that is Giles/Dunphy/O'Herlihy.

**NeilMcD** · 04/07/2006, 3:46 PM

Yes but the rest of the media was that balance. I agree RTE should have put someone in there that was a bit more pro Charlton. But I do not like hysteria. I think if eveybody agrees about something that is the time to worry and start disagreeing with them. It is important that there are people who go against the grain every so often. But every phone in show and tabloid and Gay Bryne and Joe Duffy and Cathal Dervan were in love with Charlton and turned a blind eye to some valid criticisms of Charlton. In my view Giles was very fair to Chartlon but Dunphy was over the top.

**Aldini98** · 04/07/2006, 4:17 PM

Anyone hear Darragh Maloney and Trevor Steven the other night "Its hard to believe Zidane has never scored a free kick for France"

**DmanDmythDledge** · 04/07/2006, 8:53 PM

I was over in America for the knockout stages and the commentators there say that it is good defending when a defender nudges an opponent in the penalty area to prevent them getting a header on goal. They also praised Ecuador when their wall moved forward about five yards when the ref turned his back against England, saying something like you have to do these sort of things to win matches.

**OwlsFan** · 05/07/2006, 9:08 AM

Laughing Bill to Giles after that great game last night: "Italy in the Final, John. Who would have believed it?" Bill thinks if the Panel rules someone out, the whole world thinks the same. Drunkphy has now discovered Italy after ruling them out as no-hopers earlier on. Perhaps he is klein4 on this Forum:

_____________________
08/06/2006, 12:34 PM
OwlsFan
First Team Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,492

Competition is in Europe and it will be won by a European team. I'll go for Italy.
__________________

Certainly not klein4

10/05/2006, 1:15 PM
klein4
Banned Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 676

Italy are a mess. FACT. Expect them to be out by the 1/4 finals. possibly all ending in a big row
__________________

**NeilMcD** · 05/07/2006, 9:14 AM

Yeah fair play to Eirebhoy also who predicted great things for the Italians, I had a sneaky feeling for them also but I usually just go with that it wont be won by anybody who hyas not won it before and I felt that England Germany and France woudl not win it either which left me with Italy Arg and Brazil.

I thought the RTE Panel was good last night buy Owls fan you only ever concentrate on little aspects to what they say. I think all the good stuff they say goes over your head and you have trained yourself into spotting the little negatives and contradictions that the panel say.

I think Dunphy judged ITaly on Juventus and Milan in the champions League rather than looking at the work that Lippi was doing as a manager. One of the greatest managers of the last 20 years in my view. Forza Italia

**OwlsFan** · 05/07/2006, 12:28 PM

I also spotted you went for Italy

or Brazil.

RTE missed a lot of the emotional stuff on the pitch after the game. ITV had the panel (Andy T and Venables) talking over the pictures of devasted Germans and elated Italians while RTE had the lovely Giles and Drunkphy to look at - I hope they don't make the same mistake tonight or I'll have to channel surf again. I am hoping it is elated French and devasted Ports to set us a classic France vs Italy Final.

**ColinR** · 05/07/2006, 2:23 PM

in fairness one pundit has italy backed - none other than ian wright.

of course, he only backed them after they won their semi-final

:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...nd/5148832.stm

**Stuttgart88** · 05/07/2006, 2:53 PM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

Anyone see Andy Gray, Roy Hodson and Richard Keyes yesterday evening ? Keyes, who knows even less than O'Herlihy, asked which players of the four semi-finalists would be an addition to the English squad ? They could only come up with 3: Henry, Rinaldo and Buffon. "It just goes to show" says Keyes.

I had to laugh - they've learned nothing.

You're not serious? Bloody hell, even I didn't think they could be that blinded by patriotism! Ronaldo wasn't even in the semi-final!!

Put the question another way: how many of the semi-finalists' squads would the likes of Jenas, Carson, James, Bridge, Walcott and others get into? In fact extend it to the whole tournament, ex- Trinidad and a couple of others & the answer is the same: NONE

But no "we've the strongest squad".

**OwlsFan** · 05/07/2006, 4:04 PM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

You're not serious? Bloody hell, even I didn't think they could be that blinded by patriotism! Ronaldo wasn't even in the semi-final!!

Put the question another way: how many of the semi-finalists' squads would the likes of Jenas, Carson, James, Bridge, Walcott and others get into? In fact extend it to the whole tournament, ex- Trinidad and a couple of others & the answer is the same: NONE

But no "we've the strongest squad".

Meant Rinaldo not Ronaldo

(which is the correct spelling ?) .

It was Keyes and Andy Gray and Sky nonsense at its best - one of the reasons RTE unfortunately goes to the opposite extreme. How many of the English team would have secured a place in the Italian team last night (Rooney and Gerrard perhaps) ?

Interesting letter in the Irish Times by an Englishman in Ireland:
WATCHING THE WORLD CUP

Madam, - How pleased I am that England's progress in the World Cup has come to an end. Not that I did not wish the team of my native country well in the competition. On the contrary, I had hoped to see the team give a better account of itself. But I am pleased because I will no longer have to endure the jibes of Irish soccer pundits on RT� television and in The Irish Times.

Messrs Giles, Dunphy and co I was able to switch off, but The Irish Times is
essential reading for me each day. No one can object to criticism - and
there are many aspects of England's performances, beginning with squad and
team selection, which have been rightly criticised. But biased reporting
which seeks to belittle and humiliate is a different matter. And I can't
think that readers who might enjoy poking fun at the football team of their
neighbour across the water will have been especially amused by Tom
Humphries's reports because of their repetitiveness in the above regard.

I know this kind of approach in Ireland is supposed to be an antidote to the
English tabloids' hype of their country's team, and I agree that these
newspapers are often a disgrace. I was in England last week: the atmosphere
was terrific, but in no sense did the ordinary fans feel that England had a
great chance of winning the World Cup, still less some sort of right to do
so. This did not dampen their enthusiasm, and it all reminded me of the
atmosphere in Ireland during the 1990 and 1994 World Cups. Jack Charlton's
teams won many a match playing ugly, and no one bothered about that.

Soccer pundits cannot have it both ways. If England is not a world class
soccer nation (a justifiable verdict), the England team cannot also be
scoffed at for displaying, in the match against Portugal, the very virtues
which have served Irish teams (North and South) well - courage and dogged
determination in the face of adversity and to compensate for technical
limitations.

If Tom Humphries's attitude to the England team is, as it were, "politically
correct", a distressing incident which happened to an acquaintance of mine
at the weekend is hardly a surprise. Having hung out a flag of St George on
Saturday, she had her front door and surrounding brickwork daubed with
oil-based green paint. - Yours, etc,

TONY WILLIAMS, Ashbrook, Dublin 3.

**NeilMcD** · 05/07/2006, 4:11 PM

Rivalry is good in sport in my view and we should not say sorry for cheering against the English team. Every rivalry in sport is based on proximity Sheffield Utd V Wendesday, Liverpool V Everton , Man Utd V City and so on. Its part of sport.

However attacking houses is not.

**Billsthoughts** · 05/07/2006, 4:21 PM

He! He! Owlsfan is so silly with his hating of RTE yet he cant turn away. LOL!!!!!

**strangeirish** · 05/07/2006, 4:27 PM

Originally Posted by Billsthoughts

He! He! Owlsfan is so silly with his hating of RTE yet he cant turn away. LOL!!!!!

Well, did you ever watch something that is so bad, that you keep watching to see if it can get any worse? Kind of like that gatecrasher thing RTE has going on at the moment.

**Billsthoughts** · 05/07/2006, 4:33 PM

I could watch Gatecrasher with the sound turned off and still get all the enjoyment I need from it......

**pete** · 05/07/2006, 5:02 PM

Seen the IT letter today & i agree that RTE Engerland bashing was over the top.

Anyone see the Ian Wright piece in Modern Art museum (can't remebmber the name) on BBC highlights show last night. Really strange although he seemed better suited as arts critic than football pundit

**Plastic Paddy** · 05/07/2006, 5:39 PM

Originally Posted by Billsthoughts

He! He! Owlsfan is so silly with his hating of RTE yet he cant turn away. LOL!!!!

Two thoughts:

1. It's all relative - RTE may be shoite but the "competition" just doesn't bear thinking about. (Wright? Wrong.)
2. It's the equivalent of car-crash TV - you know what's coming, you watch it through your fingers but you just can't turn away...

On another note, did anyone watch ITV's coverage last night? Terry Venables has obviously been closely watching his parody on RTE's Apres Match, because it is obviously spot-on in its observations. "Umm, err, yeah, charisma, yeah, playing wif optimism those Eye-talians..."

Priceless.

PP

**eirebhoy** · 05/07/2006, 6:41 PM

This is a quote from Adrian Durham on Talksport last night:

"I should be watching England's World Cup Final opponents tonight in the semifinal"

**OwlsFan** · 05/07/2006, 9:53 PM

Originally Posted by Billsthoughts

He! He! Owlsfan is so silly with his hating of RTE yet he cant turn away. LOL!!!!!

Isn't your name is a contradiction in terms

We are told by Drunkphy that France have a great defence. At the end of the programme the goalie is a clown (aitneann ciarog ciarog eille) - is not the goalie a critical part of the defence so he contradicts himself again

Nice to see O'H actually querying the previously held bad opinions on France and Giles doing the usual "I can only comment on what I see, Bill". Drunkphy wasn't long is attacking France after the game, when before it he told us he had bet on them. Run with the hare, hunt with the hounds comes to mind.

Apres Match was brutal - I gather they will be the panel for the Portugal vs Germany game. Will anyone notice the difference ?