Hello Tony

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Anyon listen to Tony on 6-0-6 last night. It is normally the type of thing that has me switching stations - but I felt compelled to listen. He does think he can appear as one of the people - but this estuary accent he adopts always makes me laugh. This is someone who went to Fetters school (one of the top ones apparently) and is a barrister. Yet he adopts this um's and ah's in an attempt to come over as one of the people and sincere - and last night was a classic. Martin Kelner of the Guardian describes it better than me:



Most of these asides - and there were many - were firmly fisted clear. Tony was there to talk football and only football, which he indicated by a steep increase in his glottal-stop quotient.

When Mike in Leamington Spa asked him about footballers' wages, the reply came in a flurry of dropped t's. "They ge' a lo' o' money, bu' I'm no' sure we can do much abow i'."

The PM's first World Cup memory, he told Chiles, was watching England's 1966 triumph while on holiday in France. "In France?" his co-host leapt in. "Wasn't that rather exotic in 1966?" Well, we are not all from Sandwell, Adrian, but we know what you are saying: you can drop as many t's as you want, Mr Prime Minister, but you were still a posh kid.


Read the full review at: http://football.guardian.co.uk/worldcup2006/story/0,,1801709,00.html

 

[Tubby Mondays]

Whos Tony? (I havent followed the link in case its porn - I am at work)

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Your pm.

 

[Stinkers Bridge]

Whos Tony? (I havent followed the link in case its porn - I am at work)

I also didn't follow the link, but I am guessing that as he refers to him as PM and 'Mr Prime Minister' he can only mean one person.

Thats right. Tony Prime-Minister from down the way.

 

[Starry]

I listened to most of it before I had to switch off because the amount of eyerolling I was doing was giving me a headache.

It was cringe worthy. Quite why he felt this cheap publicity, hopping on the WC bandwagon was going to do him any favours I have no idea.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I am not particularly fond of Mr Blair, but I think any PM or leader should get involved with the World Cup. Not so much jumping on the bandwagon, but showing an interest. They are representing our country after all.

You are right DKM. He does seem to think he can connect with 'the people', but he clearly can't. I remember how he said he could empathise with homeless people as he slept rough one night in London, trying to make it as a rock star.

 

[Tubby Mondays]

I also didn't follow the link, but I am guessing that as he refers to him as PM and 'Mr Prime Minister' he can only mean one person.

Thats right. Tony Prime-Minister from down the way.

Oh right. Yes, hello Mr Blair, M.P for somewhere in the North East, Prime Minister of this country and erstwhile Newcastle 'supporter'. I am surprised that you have the time and inclination to look at a Brighton and Hove Albion Supporters message board, but greetings anyway.

 

[Starry]

I am not particularly fond of Mr Blair, but I think any PM or leader should get involved with the World Cup. Not so much jumping on the bandwagon, but showing an interest. They are representing our country after all.

Oh quite, but actually having a clue about the very subject he is talking about might have been a better idea. But then again, he's a politcian, so what's new?

 

[Napper]

man of the people, great leader

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Oh quite, but actually having a clue about the very subject he is talking about might have been a better idea. But then again, he's a politcian, so what's new?

Quite! Football is obviously not his game. My mind springs back to that event in Japan(?) when he couldn't quite hit the target!

 

[Man of Harveys]

Let's be honest: pretty much anything he says or does at the moment is going mean he'll be sniffed at for it, rightly or wrongly. The (sad?) truth is, Iraq or not, he actually does understand the game a fair bit, at least as much as most of the rest of us do and certainly more than any prime minister ever has. And if he talked as posh as he did the rest of the time when talking football, he'd be sneered at in equal measure for sounding as annoying as, say, David Mellor when he did 606.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Let's be honest: pretty much anything he says or does at the moment is going mean he'll be sniffed at for it, rightly or wrongly. The (sad?) truth is, Iraq or not, he actually does understand the game a fair bit, at least as much as most of the rest of us do and certainly more than any prime minister ever has. And if he talked as posh as he did the rest of the time when talking football, he'd be sneered at in equal measure for sounding as annoying as, say, David Mellor when he did 606.

But no-one has asked you to air your views on Englands formation - and he knows less than most of us. So he comes on the radio to give his views on whether Owen should be playing or Hargreaves should be playing and then changes his style of speaking and accent for what his people have told him are the audience. And let's be honest - the views expressed are hardly likely to be his.

I can't see the BBC would have set that up - the initiative must have come from his office. So he comes on - and then patronises his audience. If he is going to come on - at least be yourself.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

The bloke is a cock.

He was born to be an estate agent.

 

[Gwylan]

I'm no fan of Blair but it is nice to have a Prime Minister who understands the game following the years of Thatcher (tried to bring in ID cards for supporters) and Major (professed no interest in football until someone told him it would be good for his image).

The only other football fan we've had at No 10 was Harold Wilson, so we were due another one.

Having said that, he's still a cock. I didn't listen to it but the thing that pisses me off about him (apart from changing his accent) is him talking about trying to get tickets for those kids who were ripped off. It makes him sound so caring on the radio but, needless to say, this morning there's a statement saying that it will prove very hard to do something about getting the kids a ticket.

That's typical Blair: go for the cheap soundbite and easy promise and let other people try to pick up the pieces.