World Cup Progress

So the World Cup is over half done, sadly it’s counting down to it’s end, but with the promise of the best games to come. Argentina look the side to beat: they are excellent. In fact I have to agree with Stuart Pearce, ex-England & wonderful Manchester City manager, who said that he’s seen the eventual winners in "this mob".

As usual as it is to decry England’s poor form & constant injuries, it’s almost as traditional to assess the TV coverage & commentators on BBC & ITV so here’s my run-down:

Best is David Pleat as co-commentator on ITV; he’s erudite & concise, just what he should be. Worst is Mick McCarthy on the BBC with long rambling interjections about nothing in particular & with apparently not much relevance to the game, made after seemingly every comment of the lead commentator. It’s a shame as he seems like a nice fella but I wish he’d shut-up & let the pictures do the talking, as Pleat does & when he talks he’s got something to say.

Other than Pleat & Pearce on ITV their coverage has been mostly rubbish & cheap-looking as usual, most annoying is their constant obsession with England. Every game there’s some report or other about England or an English player or how this team might meet England or when this team last met England. I’m English & it bores me senseless so it must be even more infuriating if you’re not.

The BBC has been Ok; Gary Lineker is a bit too laid back & irreverent. Sometimes it feels as though you’ve stumbled upon Big Football Brother where the lads are getting together in the locker room to re-live japes from their playing days. Fortunately Martin O’Neill is on-hand to talk some sense no matter who he’s talking it to! Also good value is Marcel Desailly who is apparently a rare thing: a great football player who can also talk lucidly & intelligently in a language which is not his first. Desailly also looks suitably bemused by O’Neill especially when O’Neill said "I don’t care how many World Cup medals you’ve won, Ghana were poor", or words to that affect.