World Cup 2014 - as seen on TV (commentary, pundits, adverts, the whole shebang)

Pdoghue

I think Kerr is really excellent as an analyst. Obvious that he has a deep knowledge of the game and its players that's not just acquired for this World Cup, but going back years. Whether it was right that he got the Ireland job when he did is up for debate. I was away for those years and can't comment authoritatively.

But Kerr really shows up the relative uninformed Giles, Dunphy and Brady even. It was slightly cringeworthy listening to Giles and Brady last night discuss Diego Costa. Giles seemed to have watched him in a few games towards the end of the season and could therefore claim to be a Costa expert of sorts. Brady hadn't seen him at all, but Brady was deferring to Giles greater knowledge of the player.

patmac

I like ITV's soundtrack but that's about it regarding there coverage.

OwaynOTT

Kerr is the best commentator on RTE bar none.
Has the knowledge and has the wit, and he is likeable.

'The Greeks have been chasing bouncing Czechs all night'

That line at Euro2012 for me means he should have a job for life on RTe.

Aidric

Slight tangent but what's up with the layout of RTE's world cup page on desktop? Massive and clunky.

namloc1980

Aidric wrote: »

Slight tangent but what's up with the layout of RTE's world cup page on desktop? Massive and clunky.

Optimised for mobile I'd say.

KungPao

LiamoSail wrote: »

I like Vickery, but I've no interest in the intricacies of Brazilian pronunciations. As correct as he maybe, he'd be better off sticking to the names as they are commonly pronounced in this part of the world, given his target audience

how far must we dumb stuff down?

1. We are here in Hio
2. Huh?
1. Rio
2. Dur?
1. River of January, Brazil, South America, Planet Earth.
2. Ah, got it.

briany

IK09 wrote: »

I dunno. I cringe when he talks, just waiting for him to embarrass himself. He sounds like a junkie.

"Oh that thick Dublin accent. He sounds like a junkie!"

"Oh that thick Cork, Tipp, Kerry, Midlands accent. He sounds like he loves Crystal Swing and is a cultural isolate!"

Awh, let's just leave the prejudices to one side. Kerr's a very handy pundit. I'd have him replace Brady in the panel as the youthful member of the trio.

padders67

Aidric wrote: »

Thus far I think the BBC output has pissed all over ITV. Even as a Utd fan I wouldn't be Rio's biggest fan but I think he has been a solid addition. Even Linekar doesn't seem to be annoying me as much as usual.

The only downside is the persistence with Shearer. They guy is a cliche machine and wrecks my head.

Cant stand ferdinand normally but actually listened to his contribution after Spain Chile game last night and he was pretty good - very orange looking tho . henry has been decent but the fact that he can comment on Marcelo being a cheat gives you an idea of the world footballers live in

Nerdlingr

briany wrote: »

"Oh that thick Dublin accent. He sounds like a junkie!"

In fairness, you're misquoting him. He never mentioned the Dublin accent.

Kerr is grand but I agree with some people on here... he can find it hard to string two sentences together at times..he mumbles his words, takes two or three goes to gets players names right..and some pople do find his accent a bit grating. That being said he does come out with some humerous one liners rather than any great anaylsis...

Take last night for example. Cameroon made a sub at half time, and the commentator asked him how did he see the formation changing, Kerr responded "I'll tell ya when i see them lined up"!!! He was being serious but come on!!! :D:D

Call Me Jimmy

Kerr is easily is my favourite commentator on RTE. Peter Collins and Houghton (for his unrelenting negativity) get joint bottom-spot.

KungPao

Some great observations here: http://www.football365.com/f365-features/9353565/Pundit365

GreNoLi

Glad Eamon is back.

briany

padders67 wrote: »

Cant stand ferdinand normally but actually listened to his contribution after Spain Chile game last night and he was pretty good - very orange looking tho . henry has been decent but the fact that he can comment on Marcelo being a cheat gives you an idea of the world footballers live in

Who better to have on, talking about cheating, than a cheating expert? :pac:

Henry can talk about cheating all he wants because, well, the world's moved on. It's not been forgotten, because it was a big deal relating to football's refusal to move into the 21st century, but nobody's going to be getting too indignant about it now, as we saw when they had a bit of laugh over the irony of Henry's cheating analysis.

Degag

Jesus, Eamon has lost it now. Yaya is only an average player apparently.

Even as a United fan I can admit how damn good he is.

aperture_nuig

briany wrote: »

"Oh that thick Dublin accent. He sounds like a junkie!"

"Oh that thick Cork, Tipp, Kerry, Midlands accent. He sounds like he loves Crystal Swing and is a cultural isolate!"

Awh, let's just leave the prejudices to one side. Kerr's a very handy pundit. I'd have him replace Brady in the panel as the youthful member of the trio.

For me, it's not really the accent, more the high pitched whinyness of his voice that really grates on me. He's a great pundit, but very hard on the ears.

efb

Eamon moved Mexico to South America...

Pdoghue

Not watching RTE, but not surprised at Eamo there.

Yaya Toure is a very good player imho. To call him average is unfair. Though I remember a very good piece of analysis done by Didi Hamann on MOTD with Shearer back in the winter when Shearer was raving about him. Didi just coldly ignored Shearer and pointed how how Toure didn't track back during some routine league game. He predicted that Toure and Man City wouldn't get away with that in the CL and he was proved right.

Diabhal Beag

Massive fan of Liam swotting up last minute notes on live television while being in shot. Nice jacket too.

Rojiblancos

Eamon keeps saying Rodriguez came in a 40m package with falcao to monaco. Obviously doesn't know that falcao came from atletico madrid and Rodriguez from Porto

Pinturicchio

Eamon's pronounciation of Yepes was hilarious.

They're good craic but Giles, Brady and Dunphy's tactic of not doing any research whatsoever is really being shown up.

Kerr is brilliant. The best co-commentator I've ever heard.

Looper007

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

Kerr is easily is my favourite commentator on RTE. Peter Collins and Houghton (for his unrelenting negativity) get joint bottom-spot.

Houghton is bloody awful, the fact he's the main one instead of Jim Beglin still shocks me. I think the fact what he did for Ireland in Euro 88 and WC 94 is the reason he's there but I find him as you said real negative and he finds the whole thing below him somewhat.

Looper007

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

Massive fan of Liam swotting up last minute notes on live television while being in shot. Nice jacket too.

Liam's the man as an Arsenal fan he's one of our greatest but what he did in Italy was even more amazing. What we would do now for a player like him.

Liam is the one with the common sense, Giles and Dunphy still talking crap at times especially about Toure. He bought in the common sense.

Agent Coulson

I really hope this is the last World Cup we will have to listen to Mark Lawrenson.

On a bright note for the BBC Danny Murphy is doing a really great job for them both as pundit and Co-commentator.

Looper007

Agent Coulson wrote: »

I really hope this is the last World Cup we will have to listen to Mark Lawrenson.

On a bright note for the BBC Danny Murphy is doing a really great job for them both as pundit and Co-commentator.

Keep Robbie Savage to radio commentary, Danny isn't there for his own ego stroking like Savage. Lawrenson is only there to pick up the check really and his looking down and making a joke of the whole thing annoys the hell of me. but nothings worse then Andy Townsend for me.

efb

Good pundits on BBC. Henry Murphy Hansen

Looper007

efb wrote: »

Good pundits on BBC. Henry Murphy Hansen

Henry has a career in it if he wants one with his Charisma and straight to the point punditry , I'm sure Sky Sports will snap him up plus he's one of the greatest to ever grace the Premiership so it's there if he wants it.

efb

Shearer and Rio annoy me

Looper007

efb wrote: »

Shearer and Rio annoy me

Rio needs to find his feet at it but I think he be okay at it doubt he get a big job on Sky sports though.

I like Shearer, don't get the hate for him plus he Alan ****ing Shearer he don't need to prove himself.

GreNoLi

'Yeepers creepers'.

jojofizzio

Has Dunphy had a few?

Agent Coulson

I think Kilbane has done well on the BBC.

Phil Neville has been ok as a pundit just keep him away from the Co-commentator role.

But it is Danny Murphy who is the best of the new guys on the BBC if not all the channels.

Andersonisgod

Dunphy has just discovered hipster favorites Columbia and Chile.

adamski8

Rte lads freely admitting they no nothing about lots of teams, what great pundits.

Panthro

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Dunphy has just discovered hipster favorites Columbia and Chile.

Eammo is amateur. USA all the way baby!

adamski8

jojofizzio wrote: »

Has Dunphy had a few?

Is that baseline 'a few' for him or 'a few more than normal'?

joe123

Brian Kerr is an excellent co commentator. His pronunciation of names can be iffy but he knows his stuff.

Can someone tell me what the story with Hansen was? I asked way back what was up andthat he hadnt been on any of the BBC shows (until tonight).

I know hes retiring after the world cup but was he in ill health or something?

jojofizzio

adamski8 wrote: »

Is that baseline 'a few' for him or 'a few more than normal'?

Well,dunno...but he wasn't slurring as much the night he dropped the F-bombs:D

blingrhino

Mark lawerance on bbc commentary or jim Beglin on rte , sweet Jeasus maybe I can just turn the volume down !

Agent Coulson

joe123 wrote: »

Brian Kerr is an excellent co commentator. His pronunciation of names can be iffy but he knows his stuff.

Can someone tell me what the story with Hansen was? I asked way back what was up andthat he hadnt been on any of the BBC shows (until tonight).

I know hes retiring after the world cup but was he in ill health or something?

I think he had to take a huge pay cut when the BBC released wages of staff. He was on crazy money for just doing MotD. I'd say that has played a part in him retiring.

£50K for each MotD after pay cut.

Daily Fail

GreNoLi

Haha, Eamo cutting it fine.

Washington Irving

Did Bill just say "via the Twitter machine"?

brevity

The lads are great aren't they.

adamski8

Holy crap, how does anyone ever think he is worth that.

joe123

blingrhino wrote: »

Mark lawerance on bbc commentary or jim Beglin on rte , sweet Jeasus maybe I can just turn the volume down !

I actually think Beglin is one of the best co- commentators out there!

ballsymchugh

the pitchside reporter on ITV (Matt Smith??) keeps reminding andross townsend that he's not playing in the world cup. could he be a bigger bollox if he tried?!

delaad

jojofizzio wrote: »

Has Dunphy had a few?

If I had a euro for everytime i've read that post,.....I could clear the national debt!

efb

Looper007 wrote: »

Rio needs to find his feet at it but I think he be okay at it doubt he get a big job on Sky sports though.

I like Shearer, don't get the hate for him plus he Alan ****ing Shearer he don't need to prove himself.

He can't put two sentences together

murpho999

adamski8 wrote: »

Rte lads freely admitting they no nothing about lots of teams, what great pundits.

I get fed up with this criticism.

Do you expect these guys to have indepth knowledge of 32 teams?

What would it add if they could rattle off some stats?

It's their opinions on the game in general and events that actually happen that I really enjoy as well as their passion for the game.

joe123

murpho999 wrote: »

I get fed up with this criticism.

Do you expect these guys to have indepth knowledge of 32 teams?

What would it add if they could rattle off some stats?

It's their opinions on the game in general and events that actually happen that I really enjoy as well as their passion for the game.

This 100% - I love listening to them. Sure they might be a bit out there at times with of what they say, but they are giving their honest opinions and say what they genuinely think at the time.

You can tell they are really enjoying the tournament and the craic they have at times.

Say Your Number

murpho999 wrote: »

I get fed up with this criticism.

Do you expect these guys to have indepth knowledge of 32 teams?

What would it add if they could rattle off some stats?

It's their opinions on the game in general and events that actually happen that I really enjoy as well as their passion for the game.

I agree, some people take punditry far too seriously, It's just a bit of a laugh, some people probably expect them to have 3 A4 pages worth of information on every player for those obscure teams.