Your Favourite Football Analyst?

Oscorp

Be it writer or television pundit, who's your favourite person to read or listen to about football?

I usually find Dion Fanning's articles to be fantastic, especially when he writes about Liverpool. Almost always find myself nodding in agreement when reading his pieces.

Pudsy33

Richard Sadlier

Turtyturd

Brian Kerr....voice of an angel.

Also gives great insight like during the Ireland V Hungary game which was delayed due to a flash storm....'There's a lot of bleeeeedin' warter on the pitch'

Mikeyt086

Television: Gary Neville. Breath of fresh air as Sky moved away from the "Oh yas! He's smashed that and it went in!" Style of analysis. Reads and dissects the game very well.

Media: Gab Marcotti. I really respect his knowledge of several leagues and I'm a fan of his writing style.

After Hours answer: Ray Wilkins.

Oscorp

Oh yeah, forgot to mention Neville. Great in the studio, but not so much when co-commentating.

The_Kew_Tour

Oscorp wrote: »

Be it writer or television pundit, who's your favourite person to read or listen to about football?

I usually find Dion Fanning's articles to be fantastic, especially when he writes about Liverpool. Almost always find myself nodding in agreement when reading his pieces.

Good thread idea. Disagree entirely about Dion Fanning. Knows his stuff about Liverpool im sure, but some of the things he has wrote in the past has been a disgrace.

smilerf

Glenn hoddle

Oscorp

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Good thread idea. Disagree entirely about Dion Fanning. Knows his stuff about Liverpool im sure, but some of the things he has wrote in the past has been a disgrace.

Any links or examples? I don't read his stuff religously or anything, not even weekly to be honest, so the controversial stuff has probably escaped me.

Paully D

Lee Dixon or Gary Neville.

ben.schlomo

Media: Ben Lyttleton, does a piece in one of the Irish sundays and writes for the Guardian online more regularly.

TV: Neville, despite how much i hated him when he played you just cant but like his analysis.
I like Craig Burley too on ESPN, syas some funny stuff and not afraid to call people out.

The_Kew_Tour

Oscorp wrote: »

Any links or examples? I don't read his stuff religously or anything, not even weekly to be honest, so the controversial stuff has probably escaped me.

Checked for the one in particular I am looking for is not there so no point in bringing it up. Dont want ruin the thread you set up. If I get it later on I will PM you. At the time I wrote to him individually and he never wrote.(not surprised)

Have not read him since bar the odd occasion. He mellowed a bit I hear though which is no harm.

Oscorp

Forget to mention Sid Lowe from the Guardian. Some fantastic pieces by him on Guardiola, Barca, Bilbao and Bielsa in particular.

S28382

This maybe a little bit different but the lads on Off the ball on Newstalk are pretty good.

Neville is good in studio but as a co comm he is terrible, actually when he was there when Torres scored against barca and they way he reacted was class:D

Jax Teller

Someone needs to put Michael Cox from Zonal Marking on tv .

blueser

smilerf wrote: »

Glenn hoddle

Turtyturd wrote: »

Brian Kerr....voice of an angel.

Also gives great insight like during the Ireland V Hungary game which was delayed due to a flash storm....'There's a lot of bleeeeedin' warter on the pitch'

The fishermen are out in force today.

The_Kew_Tour

Coletrickle88 wrote: »

Someone needs to put Michael Cox from Zonal Marking on tv .

excellent choice!

MyBrokenKnees

I think Robbie Savage is very good watching him on the Olympic coverage with Alan Hanson you can see how past his sell by date Hanson is.

Francie Barrett

Kenny Cunningham has generally been on the ball for me.

miralize

Graeme Souness & Gary Neville

Corvo

Jonathan Wilson
Gab Marcotti
Michael Cox
Martin Samuels

Oscorp

Griffin1988 wrote: »

Jonathan Wilson
Gab Marcotti
Michael Cox
Martin Samuels

He genuinely sickened me with his anti-Irish bs article in the Mail http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=71306428

Corvo

Oscorp wrote: »

Griffin1988 wrote: »

Jonathan Wilson
Gab Marcotti
Michael Cox
Martin Samuels

He genuinely sickened me with his anti-Irish bs article in the Mail http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=71306428

Yeah, true but apart from that he usually knows his onions. Not agreeing with him, but sure I just decided to see past it.

Bodhisopha

Tim to the Vickery.

Corvo

Bodhisopha wrote: »

Tim to the Vickery.

Oh good shout.

Captain Havoc

I really like Kenny Cunningham's break down on games, he puts it in a very understandible language. Brian Kerr has the way of putting his point across that sounds aweful, "your man with the orangey boots", still have huge repect for him though.

G.K.

There are a bunch of fantastic people. Cox obviously sticks out, but Jonathan Wilson is probably my No. 1.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Best (imo) is Sid Lowe, read his pieces every week.

Favourite = Kammy.

Mr.Nice Guy

The boys at The Guardian are pretty good at dealing with issues in a straightforward, non-BS way. On TV I think Neville is probbaly best on the tactical aspects but I agree he needs to be kept away from commentary.

Donnielighto

neville is the best on tv if only for the difference he makes on sky games

gk is probably the best unemployed one

Maire2009

I'm shocked at how good Gary Neville has been, I've also read some good pieces by him in the papers. He did one that was particularly good about the way players go down too easy and look for frees/penalties etc.

I used to like Martin Samuel before he went to the Daily Mail...

G.K.

Donnielighto wrote: »

gk is probably the best unemployed one

I'm flattered but compared to others I'm nowhere near the 'best unemployed one'.

Vurnon San Benito

Bill Herlihy ..

Kilkenny14

Michael Cox and Jonathan Wilson are the best football analyists around- one of them is usually on the guardian football podcast each week during the football season.

As for Tv I really like Duetmar Hamann.

Rekop dog

Wouldn't be a massive Marcotti fan tbh.

Wilson and Horncastle would be my two favourites. Mucho respect for David Conn's work too.

the realpigiron

Johnny Giles of Ireland the general of United
And if Don Revie had his way then Johnny would be knighted

atilladehun

Lots of great ones here, the GU writers, Giles, off the ball, zonal marking. I'll look up the ones I've not heard of too but I cannot stand Marcotti. He talks like a teenager in an argument getting louder than whoever he's talking to. He just shouts over people, unbearably rude.

Handsome Bob

Pat Dolan

smilerf

Handsome Bob wrote: »

Pat Dolan

hate him but I have to say
He knows his stuff

JaMarcus Hustle

G.K. wrote: »

There are a bunch of fantastic people. Cox obviously sticks out, but Jonathan Wilson is probably my No. 1.

Was there really no alternative way of phrasing that?

razorblunt

Have to agree with Neville Great in the studio but quite poor as a co-commentator.
There's a Scottish guy as well, Provan is it? He's not bad as Sky go.

inmyday

Dunphy, he is so funny. And I agree with him most of the time.

I agree with Neville, he was impressive last season.

But as a co-commentator he really is poor, Id rather brian kerr.
I remember a match last season, I think it was norwich n chelsea, and there was a peno incident, where a player went down, and the ref waved play on... Neville said he didnt know if it was a peno, and when it was replayed again a moment later, he said "I dont know, unsure about that one". It either is or it isnt, he should know the rules, and have his opinion. He saw it more than once, I couldnt believe he wouldnt get off the fence.

Jesus Wept

Phil Babb.

Seans_Username

I agree with a few of the posts so far. I like the lads on Off the Ball, Marcotti is good too because he doesn't just stick to one league. That's why I never liked Sky Sports pundits (Neville may be an exception, we got rid of sky sports this year so I haven't seen much of him), they lick the arse of the English league and everything English. I know that they have to be favoured towards it, but snide little remarks about how European football is always of a lesser standard than the EPL used to piss me off something else.


My favourites though would have to be the lads on RTÉ. Dunphy, Giles and Brady (and Richie Sadlier too). Their knowledge of other leagues is limited, but they have the balls to call it as it is, something sky, bbc and itv will never be able to do. I just find them endlessly entertaining. I may not necessarily agree with everything they say, but at least they'll say everything that needs to be said, instead of avoiding an issue because someone might disagree with it.
It'll be a sad day when they retire.

the realpigiron

Seans_Username wrote: »

My favourites though would have to be the lads on RTÉ. Dunphy, Giles and Brady (and Richie Sadlier too). Their knowledge of other leagues is limited, but they have the balls to call it as it is, something sky, bbc and itv will never be able to do. I just find them endlessly entertaining. I may not necessarily agree with everything they say, but at least they'll say everything that needs to be said, instead of avoiding an issue because someone might disagree with it.
It'll be a sad day when they retire.

i think they lost their edge a bit analysing Ireland when Liam Brady rejoined the panel, because Brady was and is still very close to Trap and Tardelli. Dunphy I think has pulled his punches on Trap because Brady is sitting beside him and he doesn't want to insult him. They have criticised Trap for his style and conservative selections, but it's been tame criticism compared to the criticism Dunphy in particular use to throw at Jack Charlton for similar failings of style and stubborn conservatism. They're older now as well of course.

Still I always watch RTE coverage over ITV or the Beeb or Sky if they are showing a game at the same time and it's mainly because of the lads on the panel.

Roy Keane is entertaining because he won't pull punches either. Looks like he'll be sticking to the pundit game, doubt he'll get another decent shot at management.

grenache

I like Joe Brolly myself. Controversial I know but......

Owen_S

Gary Neville, although I will always watch Bill, John, Liam and Eamon.

but1er

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iBDlJEabiI

say no more!!!

StephenHendry

pat dolan,
kenny cunningham,
brian kerr,
the 'holy trinity' john, liam and dunphy on rte
best of the new pundits is richard sadlier imo

v3ttel

Gary Neville, he was excellent as an analyst last year.

Hopefully his role with the England side won't cause him to have a vested interest when speaking this year. He was honest about United last year, so I presume it won't effect him.

geeky

Obviously Neville's been fantastic but I actually have a lot of time for *braces self* Roddy Collins.

Straightforward, talks a lot of sense, and has his own opinions. there, I said it.

aidan24326

Oscorp wrote: »

Be it writer or television pundit, who's your favourite person to read or listen to about football?

I usually find Dion Fanning's articles to be fantastic, especially when he writes about Liverpool. Almost always find myself nodding in agreement when reading his pieces.

Are you joking? Dion Fanning is a <insert expletive here>
PC answer, he's crap.

the realpigiron wrote: »

Johnny Giles of Ireland the general of United
And if Don Revie had his way then Johnny would be knighted

I've nothing against Giles but there's no way anyone could say he's a great analyst. He's stone-age at this stage. He doesn't even bother to research the teams he's supposed to be commenting on. 'I don't know much about them to be honest Bill'. Really John? You get paid generously to know something about them, a little homework wouldn't go amiss. The trio of himself Brady and Dunphy is still best for entertainment value though.

Rooney10 wrote: »

Hopefully his role with the England side won't cause him to have a vested interest when speaking this year.

Unfortunately it probably will. He'll inevitably be a bit compromised. The way the England set-up is scrutinised to death he'll have to watch what he says a little bit no doubt.