These football pundits aren’t fit for purpose | OneFootball

Having been brought up in the era of proper broadcasting legends, I’m currently brassed off by the regular garbage being served up by football pundits the mainstream media.

True greats like David Coleman, Brian Moore and Jimmy Hill are sadly just a distant but pleasant memory.

Even in the 1980s the BBC treat us to the dulcet tones, the smooth and casual delivery of the charming Des Lynam.

Much more recently, Soccer Saturday on Sky became essential viewing, due to the unique, irrepressible and great Jeff Stelling.

All of the aforementioned were honest and consummate professionals, who didn’t to my knowledge show any form of bias.

ITV’s Brian Moore was a splendid anchor man, the first to introduce the ‘Punters Panel’ to our screens. Colourful characters the likes of Brian Clough and Malcolm Allison, would regularly mesmerise audiences with amusing and sometimes controversial footballing anecdotes and opinions.

With the advent of Sky and the Premier League in 1992, the broadcasting landscape soon changed. This would be the biggest ever challenge to terrestial TV’s coverage of football and sport in general.

Gary Lineker became the football anchor man on BBC’s flagship programme Match of the Day, he has now been in the job for 25 years.

During that time there have been some absolutely terrible pundits on the show. Ex-players like Mark Lawrenson and Alan Hansen were a good cure for insomnia back in the 1990s and noughties. Lawrenson in particular had a distinct lack of charisma and personality.

As time has gone by it hasn’t got any better on the BBC. Regular pundits like Alan Shearer and Danny Murphy are exceptionally boring. Micah Richards does get regular opportunities to giggle through proceedings though I suppose.

The latest so-called pundit to really start to get on my nerves is Sue Smith. Smith is now a regular on Sky. Having watched one of her latest appearances on Monday I couldn’t help but become annoyed.

Presenter Rob Wotton is joined by former top referee Dermot Gallagher to chew the fat on the latest decisions in the EPL. Referees and VAR come under scrutiny, as Gallagher is asked to deliver some insight and give his expert opinion.

Sue Smith and Stephen Warnock stand by, also asked by Wotton for their take on the action and any contentious decisions. These two ex-players and professional scousers have quickly developed into a double act, in which Smith and Warnock invariably agree.

This week, the two of them were nearly crying after Dominic Calvert-Lewin wasn’t given a penalty against Newcastle at Goodison Park. Sue Smith is a huge Everton fan and couldn’t disguise her total bias towards the Toffees in this instance.

Sky, BBC, ITV and Talksport have over the years become a massive turn-off for viewers and listeners. This is partly down to the blatant bias that is spouted by over-paid ex-footballers masquerading as football pundits.