What the pundits & media are saying about us

[CanadaSpurs]

It would be nice if we were getting pundits on based on their tactical insight and presentation skills, but we're absolutely not.

Token women like the adds-nothing Carney and the God-awful get-in-the-bin Farrah Williams are doing no more good for the women's game than old dinosaurs like Souness or biased bitter twats like Redknapp. They're all rubbish.

There is so much awful punditry in the game and the introduction of women isn't improving things - it's just adding a wider pool of banality. If we were watching Emma Hayes - a proper student of the game - as the Chelsea rep in the studio it'd be different. But they won't put her in front of the camera, they only want the "glam" ones. It's the Alex Scott school of hiring.

Don't think football is somehow moving on and modernising just because there's some women appearing in the studios - it's still absolute tokenism, and the BBC and Sky are both as bad as each other at it.

What’s the argument here? If we’re going to be hiring bad pundits, let’s make sure they’re all men?

 

[SuperLuka]

Martin Tyler vs Peter Drury



please just retire, Martin. Your dull delivery ruins great moments.

Tyler almost celebrates when we concede.

 

[Frozen_Waffles]

What’s the argument here? If we’re going to be hiring bad pundits, let’s make sure they’re all men?

No, but they should be added based on two things - football knowledge and charisma.

Adding a woman to the panel, just because we won the euros is blatant sexism (just the other way). Only England internationals as well (as far as I'm aware).

For example, I'd be happy to see the girl from talk sport appear on sky/motd. She's an arsenal fan, but she talks sense and she's interesting. She has earned the right to be there through quality broadcasting, not because she played for the England women's team when the standard was lower than conference football.

 

[Norgie]

No, but they should be added based on two things - football knowledge and charisma.

Adding a woman to the panel, just because we won the euros is blatant sexism (just the other way). Only England internationals as well (as far as I'm aware).

For example, I'd be happy to see the girl from talk sport appear on sky/motd. She's an arsenal fan, but she talks sense and she's interesting. She has earned the right to be there through quality broadcasting, not because she played for the England women's team when the standard was lower than conference football.

Laura Woods and I agree with you, think she is brilliant on talksport when I've heard her.

 

[double0]

RE punditry, does anybody else get irritated by Dermot Gallagher from „Ref Watch”?

Guy has as much tv charisma as a shitting sloth.

He is what you call dead weight.

 

[Bobbins]

What’s the argument here? If we’re going to be hiring bad pundits, let’s make sure they’re all men?

No, but they should be added based on two things - football knowledge and charisma.

Adding a woman to the panel, just because we won the euros is blatant sexism (just the other way). Only England internationals as well (as far as I'm aware).

For example, I'd be happy to see the girl from talk sport appear on sky/motd. She's an arsenal fan, but she talks sense and she's interesting. She has earned the right to be there through quality broadcasting, not because she played for the England women's team when the standard was lower than conference football.

What he said. Let's get quality, not box-ticking.

There must be people out there (and for me it doesn't all have to be ex-players - there are some quality journo's with great knowledge of the game who would make great pundits) who can add something new/different/better to what we've already got.

The worst thing about the women who have been added to the pool is that they're just female versions of the same old say-nothing male pundits.

For example, I thought in the Euro's that Anita Asante was excellent, but we barely saw her. I'd like her to get more opportunities. The other one who stood out was Anouk Hoogendjik - and no, not just because she's very pretty. She was next to Williams on several occasions and her use of English was far superior and she actually pointed out some things I genuinely hadn't noticed in the game, which is what I want a pundit to do - tell me something I don't know because I've not played the game at that level.

There are great pundits out there - men and women - but all the actual football shows seem to just be patronising their audiences by going for the most boring, stupid, can't-talk-properly nodescript dross as presumably that's what they think the people want to see.

 

[Gb160]

There is so much awful punditry in the game and the introduction of women isn't improving things - it's just adding a wider pool of banality. If we were watching Emma Hayes - a proper student of the game - as the Chelsea rep in the studio it'd be different. But they won't put her in front of the camera, they only want the "glam" ones. It's the Alex Scott school of hiring.

This is what irks me when female pundits are criticised in here, it instantly gets jumped on as being sexist.
And just to add I've seen Emma Hayes do a couple of matches and I think she's head and shoulders above the other female pundits, and quite a few of the men....as you say though I don't think she has the look that broadcasters are after.

 

[Tony-Bish]

Martin Tyler vs Peter Drury



please just retire, Martin. Your dull delivery ruins great moments.

Maybe one day there will be multiple commentators per match and you get to pick who you listen to

 

[Col_M]

Maybe one day there will be multiple commentators per match and you get to pick who you listen to

lets face it most of us are watching some dodgy Arabic stream anyway

 

[iddebu52]

Tyler almost celebrates when we concede.

Almost??? He does?

 

[vegassd]

The worst thing about the women who have been added to the pool is that they're just female versions of the same old say-nothing male pundits.

Totally agree with what you're saying about having quality rather than ticking boxes etc.

One thing that stands out for me however is that if we are going to have three fairly "same old" pundits on the screen I do think it's a positive thing for one of them to be a woman, when they are relevant at least. It can demonstrate to young women who are into football that it isn't necessarily a closed shop. So I reckon that token gesture by a broadcaster can have a meaningful impact... even if the broadcaster is doing it for optics only.

Things like this are generally achieved through baby steps, so it's gotta be a good thing in my book. I can understand how broadcasters are cautious about who to put on screen, and pundits are probably aware of social media backlash etc. for making any comment outside of the cliche book, but it would be great if we get some real quality insight in the studios.

 

[Nayim60yards]

Nothing to see here just the legendary Aaron Mclean (yeah me neither) stating we can't enjoy those moments. ??‍

The bloke can't even spell "replay" so he's right to be confused

 

[rossdapep]

Tyler almost celebrates when we concede.

I think Tyler has just got up in the whole 'narrative' angle. He tries to set up 'narratives' all the time.

Listen to the stats he gives out. For example; "Tottenham haven't conceded from a set-piece in 30 games" By doing this, he is trying to make that set up for when we do concede from a set-piece he can then blab about it. He started doing the Trivia feature some years back and since then his reliance to dish out facts has increased.

The problem is that when something he is trying to set-up never comes, he isn't prepared for the unexpected so he sounds disappointed through his commentary.

He's not biased towards a team, he's biased towards the narrative he's trying to create.

He's got stuck in this pattern for the last 10 years or so.

Drury just focuses on adding colour to everything that happens, so he is not trying to provide set-ups. Therefore, he reacts in an animated way and gives the moment the commentary it deserves.

 

[ukdy]

Maybe one day there will be multiple commentators per match and you get to pick who you listen to

MLB streams have this. Not just that, but 2 streams per game, 1 for each team with focus, insight, and previous players tailored for that team. Seems to resist the echo chamber tendency… but I’d take that over Martin Tyler Lee Dixon, Karen Carney, Michael Owen.

 

[DangerMouse]

It would be nice if we were getting pundits on based on their tactical insight and presentation skills, but we're absolutely not.

Token women like the adds-nothing Carney and the God-awful get-in-the-bin Farrah Williams are doing no more good for the women's game than old dinosaurs like Souness or biased bitter twats like Redknapp. They're all rubbish.

There is so much awful punditry in the game and the introduction of women isn't improving things - it's just adding a wider pool of banality. If we were watching Emma Hayes - a proper student of the game - as the Chelsea rep in the studio it'd be different. But they won't put her in front of the camera, they only want the "glam" ones. It's the Alex Scott school of hiring.

Don't think football is somehow moving on and modernising just because there's some women appearing in the studios - it's still absolute tokenism, and the BBC and Sky are both as bad as each other at it.

Oh, I completely agree. There are far too many pundits who add nothing. I think I was a little sore yesterday as my social media feeds were innundated with anti-female sentiments around this topic. Being a mum to a young daughter and reading some of the diatribe still uttered in modern society makes me despair. You're right of course. Being a woman is not enough, on its own, to merit air time; just as being an ex-footballer isn't enough.

 

[FibreOpticJesus]

Oh, I completely agree. There are far too many pundits who add nothing. I think I was a little sore yesterday as my social media feeds were innundated with anti-female sentiments around this topic. Being a mum to a young daughter and reading some of the diatribe still uttered in modern society makes me despair. You're right of course. Being a woman is not enough, on its own, to merit air time; just as being an ex-footballer isn't enough.

I don't care what colour, sex, religion, age, etc the commentators and pundits are as long as they are knowledgeable, inciteful, speak clearly, give different view points and add something to the broadcast.

 

[HNIM]

The battle against Spursiness is Conte's biggest yet - and as usual he's winning

Conte v Spursiness was always going to define his Tottenham reign. Which all-powerful force would prevail? Right now, it's Conte.

www.football365.com

"Either or both the goals Spurs scored in a searingly entertaining second half of purest Barclays could have been disallowed, prompting Chelsea fans to become the latest fanbase to thoroughly debase themselves by imagining... some deep-state conspiracy against them exists among Premier League officials..."

Clearly a regular reader of SC matchday threads.

 

[Nayim60yards]

I think Tyler has just got up in the whole 'narrative' angle. He tries to set up 'narratives' all the time.

Listen to the stats he gives out. For example; "Tottenham haven't conceded from a set-piece in 30 games" By doing this, he is trying to make that set up for when we do concede from a set-piece he can then blab about it. He started doing the Trivia feature some years back and since then his reliance to dish out facts has increased.

The problem is that when something he is trying to set-up never comes, he isn't prepared for the unexpected so he sounds disappointed through his commentary.

He's not biased towards a team, he's biased towards the narrative he's trying to create.

He's got stuck in this pattern for the last 10 years or so.

The narrative that got me was this constant talk about us not winning there and him trying to create a buzz around some hoodoo. When Kane went one on one in the 61st minute and missed Tyler said
"Even Harry Kane seems affected by the curse of Stamford Bridge."
Funny how he wasn't blabbing about the "curse" when Kane netted the second equaliser 35 minutes later. Stupid "Aaaand it's liiiive" prick.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

Almost??? He does?

Does he fuck. But who am I to swim against the hive. Have it your way, yes Martin Tyler actually celebrates when we concede a goal. It's literally all he can do to not climb down from the comms box and sprint along the touchline a la Tuchel, whilst doing the Mick Channon windmill before stopping in front of the Spurs fans and doing a spot of body popping.

 

[spurmin]

Does he fuck. But who am I to swim against the hive. Have it your way, yes Martin Tyler actually celebrates when we concede a goal. It's literally all he can do to not climb down from the comms box and sprint along the touchline a la Tuchel, whilst doing the Mick Channon windmill before stopping in front of the Spurs fans and doing a spot of body popping.

Mick Channon!!! You’re old. He’s a race horse trainer.