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[Football] Lineker



Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,335
Withdean area
One of the best posts I've read on here in a long time, and I agree with every point.

In particular the idea of having a journalist on the MOTD panel. A professional writer who went to one of the games that they are discussing that evening. A Paul Hayward, or Martin Samuel, or Henry Winter in the studio would provide some fantastic un-partisan, articulate, interesting analysis on the games of the day. FAR more engaging, surely, than another dreary monologue from Shearer or Murphy.

We have some truly brilliant writers in our media, full of insight and opinion. I'd really enjoy their input on MOTD.

I always like the contributions of football writers (from the Times/Telegraph/Guardian/Independent) on 5Live and TS.

They may not meet Robbie Savage’s “Yeah, but did you play the game?” criteria, but you often learn more from their balanced view and inside knowledge of clubs.
 




rippleman

Well-known member
Oct 18, 2011
4,988
The Beeb are shit at covering sport; that's why they don't really have any now.

I remember the days when they had football, rugby league & union, cricket, horse racing, darts, saloon car racing, motoX, F1.......now they have bits of snooker... and bowls.

Speaks volumes. The BBC can't do sport ........ so they should stop trying
 


Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
62,429
Location Location
I always like the contributions of football writers (from the Times/Telegraph/Guardian/Independent) on 5Live and TS.

They may not meet Robbie Savage’s “Yeah, but did you play the game?” criteria, but you often learn more from their balanced view and inside knowledge of clubs.

Exactly. Martin Samuel is a particular favourite of mine, I rarely find myself disagreeing with him. His columns and match reports are usually bang on the money - I'd MUCH rather hear his views on MOTD than the likes of Jenas or Murphy - who aren't overly "bad" btw, but it would just be far more interesting to hear a perspective from a quality writer. I know Sky do that Sunday Supplement thing, which is very good, but I'm usually too hung over to properly take it in.
 




Brovion

In my defence, I was left unsupervised.
NSC Patron
Jul 6, 2003
19,878
The big problem with BBC's coverage is that it is entirely led by ex-pros. Each have an affinity for their old clubs, but none know what it is really like to be a fan. There is a place for the pro who could give the viewer an insight into what a player might be thinking, but why do we need three or four all with the same thing to give? Why not a fan, a historian, a statistician, a ref, a coach, a journalist? No we'll just have matey banter between ex players who all played for clubs in the top six, because they're the most famous. They will moan when games aren't up to standard even though they are BEING PAID TO WATCH FOOTBALL! They will do varying amounts of research (Somewhere between none: Alan Shearer and almost none: Everybody else) and fill in the blanks with in-jokes about each other's careers. Sky's Saturday coverage seems to be the model, but they have missed the glaringly obvious that this only works because of Jeff Stelling. Without him, left with just the ill-informed blatherings of Merson, Thompson etc. it would be completely unbearable.

As for Lineker, he is a perfectly serviceable presenter in a One Show type of fashion, but he is not, and never will be a comedian. This was made clear to all when he appeared on'They Think It's All over' back in the nineties. It never seems to have been clear to him though and social media has let him indulge himself to Partridge-like levels. As Ted Bovis might have said, if he'd read Stewart Lee's books 'The first rule of comedy Gary is you don't punch down.' As a rich and famous middle aged white man who did half the country's dream job and as a result of that and some adverts, fell into another dream job, you don't have many people to punch up at.

The journalism around our cup run this year has been massively lazy and predictable. We have been cast as both the Premier League team that are going to fall victim to a giant killing and the also runs there to take a pasting from the world beaters. Our story doesn't give easy reward to lazy journalism. We don't have a controversial manager, we play pragmatic football, we're not a city with an industrial working class history, we don't have a long history of trophy success, nor an array of famous players who used to play for us.

The Brighton story is there though. It's the same as, and different to, the story of every football club. It's about people, its about community and history, family, obsession, friendship, love, loss, failure, disappointment and the very occasional success. I'm sure that the likes of Paul Hayward or our very own NotAndyNaylor could have provided an insight into why some of the more than 30,000 people from all walks of life dropped everything and went to witness an almost certain defeat yesterday, and why they were all still there at the end after the winners had left, but this would have involved a bit more intelligence, work and imagination than the BBC was willing to commit.

No story here, let's just let a massively over-privileged group of middle aged men complain that the match wasn't entertaining enough for them. It's always worked in the past.

*Stands and applauds*
 




E

Eric Youngs Contact Lense

Guest
I wrote to the BBC via the BBC contact us webform, google it, on their website a couple of months ago about the poor quality of their coverage of the Premier League apart from the "Big 6" and the lack of knowledge/interest shown in other clubs. I got a reply and was told my comments had been passed to the MOTD team. I replied to the reply but got no further reply. As many people as possible should write to them and not just about their coverage of the Seagulls, but generally about the poor quality of the punditry.

I did something similar during their live text feed from our league game at Old Trafford - in the 2nd we got to something like 70 minutes, without any mention of a Brighton player, coach, substitute or fan. We scored, and they deemed to mention PG - it really was a joke...
Must be worth reminding Shearer of Newcastle's non-appearances at their two most recent FA Cup Finals : Arsenal and Man.Utd - I think his only contribution was getting booked for a foul on Tony Adams - two of the most one-sided Cup Finals since our 4-0 defeat in '83! Bottom line - he is getting wrapped up in the cosy world of BBC punditry and forgetting what a monumental effort it takes to compete against the big boys on big occasions - the gap in stature for us on Saturday was far bigger I would argue than he faced in those finals (TBH I can't remember if he played in the one vs. Man Utd!) As for Lineker, it must be hard to have appreciated fine defending from a genuine goal-hanger!!!!
 


N17

New member
Jun 21, 2011
557
When i watch matches on TV these days i turn the game on 1 minute before kick-off, find somehing else to do during half time & turn it off on the final whistle. I never watch MotD, just watch highlights on our official site or on You Tube.

I actually support a so called 'big 6' side and can't stand any of the 'expert analysis'.

The jub-eared one needs punching in the face repeatedly until every bone in my hands are broken.
 


TWOCHOICEStom

Well-known member
Sep 22, 2007
10,917
Brighton
There is a place for the pro who could give the viewer an insight into what a player might be thinking, but why do we need three or four all with the same thing to give? Why not a fan, a historian, a statistician, a ref, a coach, a journalist? No we'll just have matey banter between ex players who all played for clubs in the top six, because they're the most famous.

This summer's World Cup coverage over here was really good. The pundits weren't the same for every match, but in the main they were a combination of a decent sports journalist, a player, a manager and a referee.

Each stayed in their lane and gave their opinions from a different perspective. It made for very good TV.

Turning over to English TV to see Linekar, Lampard, Jenas, Ferdinand, Shearer. It's like an old boys club. The only thing they offer different from one another is their personalities.

Football is so much more than just the players. Sometimes the players are the ones with the least idea about what's going on.
 




Tom Bombadil

Well-known member
Jul 14, 2003
6,108
Jibrovia
The Beeb are shit at covering sport; that's why they don't really have any now.

I remember the days when they had football, rugby league & union, cricket, horse racing, darts, saloon car racing, motoX, F1.......now they have bits of snooker... and bowls.

Speaks volumes. The BBC can't do sport ........ so they should stop trying

Erm no the reason they have so little is because of pay tv
 


Hastings gull

Well-known member
Nov 23, 2013
4,652
why anyone actually listens to the pundits is beyond me. I used to look forward to watching MOTD on a Saturday night. Now I record it, then just watch the actual football and fast forward through the interviews and “expert analysis “. Halves the viewing time and trebles the quality.

Exactly what I do for the same reason.
 


mejonaNO12 aka riskit

Well-known member
Dec 4, 2003
21,927
England
Our match was a BOREFEST, let's be honest. For us it was BRILLIANT but a neutral would have found that tiresome. Especially compared to the second semi final.

Linekar's 'joke' is pretty accurate. It wasn't an exciting game.

I've listened to 3 independent (and good) football podcasts and all echoed that.

Football fans are rather precious.
 






Raleigh Chopper

New member
Sep 1, 2011
12,054
Plymouth
Our match was a BOREFEST, let's be honest. For us it was BRILLIANT but a neutral would have found that tiresome. Especially compared to the second semi final.

Linekar's 'joke' is pretty accurate. It wasn't an exciting game.

I've listened to 3 independent (and good) football podcasts and all echoed that.

Football fans are rather precious.

Obviously it was not as good as the other SF and football fans can be precious and we have some very precious fans, but I am not one of them, I usually could not care less what they say and often this season we have deserved it, but I have spoken to many people who found, the 2nd half especially, really exciting (ok more for Brighton fans but nevertheless) we were pressing forward and an equaliser was on the cards, it's not as if we sat back for the whole match and bored everyone stupid hoping to catch them on the break.
We had the MOM and at least 3 others could have got it.
So I still totally disagree with the 'pundits', they were too far up their backsides as many have said.
 


Uncle Spielberg

Well-known member
Jul 6, 2003
43,098
Lancing
Lineker sadly disappeared up his own backside sometime in 2015 and has not been seen since
 




Raleigh Chopper

New member
Sep 1, 2011
12,054
Plymouth
Glenn Hoddle used to clean the Spurs cockerel when he was an apprentice.
He is a pundit tonight on BT Sport.

Lineker, " you wouldn't be cleaning the cockerel now would you, not with your ticker, I bet you are pleased you managed to stay alive long enough to see this wonderful new stadium".
No reply from Hoddle.
 


BRIGHT ON Q

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
9,248
Wonder what he will make of Spurs against City, 0-0 at half time.
 








Bod

Well-known member
Dec 8, 2015
637
Glenn Hoddle used to clean the Spurs cockerel when he was an apprentice.
He is a pundit tonight on BT Sport.

Lineker, " you wouldn't be cleaning the cockerel now would you, not with your ticker, I bet you are pleased you managed to stay alive long enough to see this wonderful new stadium".
No reply from Hoddle.

It was a grotesque comment. Felt like Lineker auditioning for the League of Gentlemen.
 


Horses Arse

Well-known member
Jun 25, 2004
4,571
here and there
Glenn Hoddle used to clean the Spurs cockerel when he was an apprentice.
He is a pundit tonight on BT Sport.

Lineker, " you wouldn't be cleaning the cockerel now would you, not with your ticker, I bet you are pleased you managed to stay alive long enough to see this wonderful new stadium".
No reply from Hoddle.

So I did hear that right then! Lineker has lost the plot. There's been a few very odd things coming out from him (verbally...) that make me wonder about his mental state.
 


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