best soccer pundit

postalservice

I can't stand Johnny Giles ....... and dont think much of Souness :eek:..... don't hurt me plz

JerryHandbag

Gilesy baby

Spiritoftheseventies

Yes some more honorable mentions. Steve MacManaman, Collymore, Les Ferdinand. But really talking about RTE and BBC as they would be the most watched shows as such. Never watch ITV as a rule

Bubs101

bayviewclose wrote: »

Did I say pundit or host. Richardson is a host.

He was like a one man band back in the Football Italia days. did everything with a little help from Elvis Costello

Panthro

dont know if he got a mention so far or not..
he not in the poll..
only ever seen him do one programme as a pundit..
i wish he was around for more..
he was bloody good i thought though, so for me it would have to be...
the current middlesbourgh manager and all round witty bastid..
mister gordon strachan, oww!

chopperbyrne

No Jamie "I live in the sky sports studios" Redknapp?!!!

flahavaj

Esse85 wrote: »

Wheres the option for Robbie Savage?

Was great on MOTD2 tonight, especially the Noel Edman gag.

kenon

Dunphy for the raw entertainment value.

"Kilbane's head is better than his feet. If only he had three heads, one on the end of each leg."

Neil3030

Baz Glendenning

Holsten

Dunphy, Giles, Souness.

Bring back Liam Brady!

JPA

Dunphy, Giles and Souness the top 3? You utter bastards, what is wrong with you all?

OPENROAD

Holsten wrote: »

Dunphy, Giles, Souness.

Bring back Liam Brady!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPgxJXRly5g&feature=related

blackbetty69

dunphy, giles and brady.. what a team!

Spiritoftheseventies

Yes combined they were the best. But I think Giles and Dunphy could make a better effort to make Sounness feel welcome.

Sean7

Dunphy will win this by miles.

Handsome Bob

The Best

1. Alan Hansen
2. Graham Souness
3. Pat Dolan

The common value that three of the above share is that there is no BS with them. They give their opinions without any alterior motive and simply tell as it is. Punditry straight down the middle that also always manages to be interesting. Can't ask for more.

The Worst

1. Tony Cascarino
2. Ronnie Whelan
3. Paul Merson
4. Eamonn Dunphy
5. Ray Haughton

Reason for the above being the exact opposite of what makes the best pundits so good.

Mitch Connor

I think O'Neil does a great job when he is a pundit (during the WC for example). Actually points out little things from the game that have a big impact overall, and isn't afraid to completely disagree with the panel.

Racing Flat

What I like in a pundit is someone who points things out that you might not have noticed or known yourself about tactics or whatever, how a manager might change things for the better to cope with another team and that type of thing. Terry Venables was always good at this. As opposed to the Cascariono type approach of 'I think Manchester United have to be the favourites against Accrington Stanley tonight'.

A Primal Nut

Whats up with the percentages in this poll - why don't they add up to 100?

The Muppet

A Primal Nut wrote: »

Whats up with the percentages in this poll - why don't they add up to 100?

And why is the thread title best soccer pundit yet the poll is for favourite soccer pundit?:D

LuckyLloyd

Lee Dixon on a Sunday night on BBC2 is actually good. He gets enough space and time to deliver interesting analysis.

Generally, punditry on TV is horrendous. When pretty much everyone in town is a moron, I'll take the loudest and most entertaining one - so I voted Dunphy.

Spiritoftheseventies

And why dont people know the difference between host and pundit. James Richardson is a host. Not a pundit. And Bill is hammering him in sister poll!

mormank

Kinetic^ wrote: »

I voted for RTE's three amigos. I think they make a great panel and they've lovely bottoms.

kinetic, you cant say that!

mormank

JPA wrote: »

Dunphy, Giles and Souness the top 3? You utter bastards, what is wrong with you all?

they are the most entertaining bunch of 'pundits' going! you cant argue that

Prufrock

Giles all the way. I'd say he sleeps in the rte studio and waits under the table until he's told it's show time.

Morzadec

In terms of who has the most interesting analysis of the game it has to be Lee Dixon. His tactical analysis is always very interesting and he has a great knowledge of the game. I think he could be a good manager to be honest.

To be honest, how anyone can vote for any of the RTE lads (except maybe Souness) is a joke. As pundits their job is to be knowledgeable about the game, and they come across as lazy and unprepared most of the time. Do they do any research at all? They often won't know a thing about some top players and clubs in Europe. Their incorrect pronunciation of names is embarrassing sometimes.

So if the question is 'best', then the RTE lads fall well short because their much of their knowledge of the game is limited or based on false assumptions most of the time.

That said, I love to watch them. It's often comedy gold and great TV. So I can see why Dunphy has received so many votes, for pure entertainment value. But as to whether they're 'good' pundits (i.e. good at their jobs) then no, no, no no, they are awful!

am i bovvered

I cannot believe the Giles has so many votes :eek:
I have heard him twice say that "all tactics are irrelevant"
He has very limited knowledge of players outside the premier league.

Handsome Bob

am i bovvered wrote: »

I cannot believe the Giles has so many votes :eek:
I have heard him twice say that "all tactics are irrelevant"
He has very limited knowledge of players outside the premier league.

Stats mean nothing Bill.

cournioni

Out of that lot, Souness and Hansen.

am i bovvered

LZ5by5 wrote: »

Stats mean nothing Bill.

some statement for ex-international manager

thebaz

Dunphy for me - Ronnie Whelan and Ray Houghton are proof that not all great players make good pundits

event

64 of yiz picked eamonn dunphy yet only 8!!! picked martin keown

shocking

spiderdan

easy- Graham Hunter

makl

always like the us pundits anytime i've had to watch games on espn us...the amercian football influence definitely adds to it and gives a different angle to a game's analysis... so i went lookin for some and found these. Very little studio analysis, more commentary, but here's some anyway

Highlights of US v Ireland 1992. Top clip.
http://www.youtube.com/ussoccerdotcom#p/search/1/yFScuzsu2zM

Commentary on a Josh Wolff goal
http://www.youtube.com/ussoccerdotcom#p/u/179/M71D6JaDn_k

Not a pisstake this one. Analysis of CLF 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH9mNU7toHw

to put a face to one of them, michael wilbon see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8pgexephJM

Sheepy99

Who is this "Other" you speak of?;)

Spiritoftheseventies

event wrote: »

64 of yiz picked eamonn dunphy yet only 8!!! picked martin keown

shocking

Not really.

cournioni

spiderdan wrote: »

easy- Graham Hunter

Can't stand him. Comes across as more of an anorak that makes up bull**** than a proper pundit. A bit like a sober and more serious Dunphy. Unlistenable.

pickarooney

bayviewclose wrote: »

And why dont people know the difference between host and pundit. James Richardson is a host. Not a pundit. And Bill is hammering him in sister poll!

Hosts like O'Herlihy are supposed to know a lot about the game and pass comments thereon, as well as leading the discussion, which makes them as much pundits as the guy in the next seat over.

gustavo

Went for Souness Dixon Keown and Hansen

Dunphy is a joke

Spiritoftheseventies

pickarooney wrote: »

Hosts like O'Herlihy are supposed to know a lot about the game and pass comments thereon, as well as leading the discussion, which makes them as much pundits as the guy in the next seat over.

Dont know how many times O Herlihy has said something and Giles raises his eye to heaven. Bill good fun but he does get a bit stranded some times.

clap-for-trap

i honestly dont have a clue how 70 people picked dunphy! the chap changes his mind like the weather! for example in the analysis of the first leg against France he went on with graham souness about how ireland have limited players etc,,but then ireland put on that amazing performance in paris and dunphy turns around trying to give souness abuse about saying their limited players when he sadi it himself! the chap im sorry to is say is most of the time the biggest muppet you will find analysing football coming in second only to Pat Dolan. who wouldn understand football if it cracked him in the face!

threebeards

callaway92 wrote: »

Shouldn't Andy Gray be on this poll?? He is great on The Last Word

Not for me. I can't stand him. I wonder how many times he says "BUT...." during a game or on the Last Word

Spiritoftheseventies

Some interesting comments by Whelan tonight. Not sure if Gibson will be ringing him for a reference any time soon!

flahavaj

bayviewclose wrote: »

Some interesting comments by Whelan tonight. Not sure if Gibson will be ringing him for a reference any time soon!

Or Rafa.:pac:

Spiritoftheseventies

flahavaj wrote: »

Or Rafa.:pac:

Good night I thought for Whelan. Made some valid points.

flahavaj

bayviewclose wrote: »

Good night I thought for Whelan. Made some valid points.

Which ones?

Spiritoftheseventies

flahavaj wrote: »

Which ones?

Well bringing in all those overseas coaches for the academy. Getting the point across to young kids would be hard if English is bad. Also made a good point about Fergie talking up his younger players so he could get a good price on them.
And highlighted Gibsons shortcomings tonight. Running away from the ball when you are trying to make a claim for a place in midfield not a good idea.

flahavaj

bayviewclose wrote: »

Well bringing in all those overseas coaches for the academy. Getting the point across to young kids would be hard if English is bad. Also made a good point about Fergie talking up his younger players so he could get a good price on them.
And highlighted Gibsons shortcomings tonight. Running away from the ball when you are trying to make a claim for a place in midfield not a good idea.

The overseas coaches thing is dubious to say the least. Already Liverpool fans have been scrambling to disprove it.

Hes right about Gibson though, just not good enough and will surely be gone in the Summer.

What did you think of his condemnation of Benitez' management, spending etc?

Spiritoftheseventies

flahavaj wrote: »

The overseas coaches thing is dubious to say the least. Already Liverpool fans have been scrambling to disprove it.

Hes right about Gibson though, just not good enough and will surely be gone in the Summer.

What did you think of his condemnation of Benitez' management, spending etc?

Benitez has bought some dodgy players but would be more critical of fact to let Finnan go and he handled the Alonso situation very badly.
He has a certain style of play which is maybe the reason he buys those players but a lot of mediocre players there.

Slash/ED

LZ5by5 wrote: »

The Best

1. Alan Hansen
2. Graham Souness
3. Pat Dolan

The common value that three of the above share is that there is no BS with them. They give their opinions without any alterior motive and simply tell as it is. Punditry straight down the middle that also always manages to be interesting. Can't ask for more.

Pat Dolan? No BS!? Good god...