Robbie Savage and other analysts

[pasty]

Before you all start moaning about current pundits, just remember.............................................

we used to get David Pleat

*shudder*

 

[Marshy]

Martin Keown..... does he ever get anything right ?

 

[MattBackHome]

Another one here who hasn't minded Savage on telly at all. He's Welsh. They haven't been in a tournament since 1958, they won their first game and went a goal up against England. Surely we can forgive him for being a bit bias and passionate in the circumstances?

It's not the bias that gets me (to be fair to him I was in the pub so couldn't even hear what he was saying on yesterday's build up) - it's that he has nothing insightful to add about the football itself.

 

[Simster]

It's not the bias that gets me (to be fair to him I was in the pub so couldn't even hear what he was saying on yesterday's build up) - it's that he has nothing insightful to add about the football itself.

But that goes for 75% of pundits in my view. Rio Ferdinand is refreshing in that regard. Alan Shearer and Lawro have historically given the impression they are there on a jolly in between these tiresome football matches between foreign teams.

"We don't know much about Albania"

Well why not Alan? It's your f**king job to find out, not to go playing golf in between matches.

 

[MattBackHome]

But that goes for 75% of pundits in my view. Rio Ferdinand is refreshing in that regard. Alan Shearer and Lawro have historically given the impression they are there on a jolly in between these tiresome football matches between foreign teams.

"We don't know much about Albania"

Well why not Alan? It's your f**king job to find out, not to go playing golf in between matches.

I think that there is an element of that - and IMO the continued employment of Lawro is a bigger stain on the BBC than Jimmy Saville - but Shearer has evolved from his 'say what you see' days and does now offer some insight into forward play and movement on occasion. He's still pretty remedial, but I'm giving him points for trying at least.

Overall, I reckon the studio punditry is light years better than it was say 15 years ago, and fewer of the regulars are happy to stick to the 'we don't know much about these foreigners' or 'what was he thinking with that haircut' lines.

(I hate Hoddle the most though)

 

[Greavsey]

What the f does John Hartson do apart from look like a potato stating the bleeding obvious!?

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

But that goes for 75% of pundits in my view. Rio Ferdinand is refreshing in that regard. Alan Shearer and Lawro have historically given the impression they are there on a jolly in between these tiresome football matches between foreign teams.

"We don't know much about Albania"

Well why not Alan? It's your f**king job to find out, not to go playing golf in between matches.

Nice one. Brings back a memory of when Jack Charlton was manager of Ireland. He couldn't remember the names of his own players, yet alone the opposition's. There might be a generational thing here - some of the older ex-pro pundits don't seem to have a great grasp of, or interest in, the football that is played beyond these islands. It's a kind of football-Brexit position. And England do usually oblige by exiting most Johnny-foreigner competitions suitably early. But maybe not this time................

 

[BBassic]

Robbie Savage is, always has been and always will be a monumental tosser.

 

[crabface]

Before you all start moaning about current pundits, just remember.............................................

we used to get David Pleat

*shudder*

Feeling much better now having been reminded of David Pleat, we are being spoilt compared to what Pleat would have given us.

 

[Triggaaar]

doesn't take himself too seriously, but does, if you see what I mean...

I doubt even you have any idea what you mean

 

[The Albion Roar]

RS's comments prior to the game yesterday were so one-eyed they were almost surreal. Would the BBC show such indulgence to a similarly manic England fan-analyst? I got the impression his fellow pros in the Radio 5 commentary box were getting a bit pi**ed-off with him in the build-up.

There were two summarisers alongside Guy Mowbray - fair enough considering it's one broadcaster 'representing' two sides.

As for insights into the game, he doesn't add much. But at the end of the first half, and through most of the second, that one-eyedness kept repeating ad nauseum that England were the better side, and that Wales didn't offer much. Of course, it's an obvious statement, but one-eyed bias would have meant ludicrous comments not based on reality. Don't recall too much of that.

Apart from 'Why would Gareth Bale go down if he wasn't fouled?' That was truly dumb.

What was funny was that all four pundits at half-time - Shearer, Ferdinand, Saunders and Hartson - were pissed off with their team's performance.

 

[The Albion Roar]

Before you all start moaning about current pundits, just remember.............................................

we used to get David Pleat

*shudder*

I'll see your David Pleat, and raise you Kevin Keegan.

 

[trueblue]

David Pleat was an acquired taste, sure, but pundits like him are in a different class to the likes of Robbie Savage in terms of what they know about the game. The bloke's a walking football encyclopaedia. Just sounded a bit like one too sometimes, which was a shame.

 

[crabface]

I'll see your David Pleat, and raise you Kevin Keegan.

Il see your Kevin Keegan and raise you Jason Roberts.

 

[pasty]

10th Anniversary of this thread tomorrow

David Pleat

 

[Sweeney Todd]

It could be worse. We could have had Garth Crooks imparting his infinite wisdom.

 

[SAC]

One of the joys of watching in the pub is not being able to hear the commentators.

Is Alan Green still on Radio Five? I've not listened for ages but he would always wind me up being negative about England. Beat Germany 5-1 and he would still find something to complain about.

 

[SAC]

It could be worse. We could have had Garth Crooks imparting his infinite wisdom.

Gareth Crooks: Why use 1 words when 10 will do.

 

[northstandsteve]

Bilic class act of the pundits.

 

[Greavsey]

Heard Jens Lehmann as a co-commentator on 5 live last night for the Germany match. It was cringe worthingly fantastic. He contradicted every point that Kelly Cates made to him and appeared to be off message/script on many of them, and she genuinely didn't know what to say as a response. He used 5 words clearly they were expecting 15. Don't think he'll be invited back in a hurry...