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 BBC

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

[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?

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 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".

[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?

[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".

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.