[Homesdale]

Originally Posted by tiny_tim

I agree, it would be a travesty.

However Sky have managed perfectly well without him on the commentary roster - why would they be so keen to crowbar him back in?

Can't see what all the fuss is with Andy Burton. All he has done is what any other bloke would do if he found out someone has been mucking about with his bird.

Give the bloke a break!!!!!!!

[Scott117]

Decided to get in early this week, here are the predictions

Tottenham v Arsenal - Alan Parry & Brian Marwood
Man Utd v Middlesbrough - Martin Tyler & Andy Gray
Newcastle v Chelsea - Ian Darke & Alan Smith
Aston Villa v Portsmouth - Rob Hawthorne & Andy Gray
Burnley v West Brom - Alan Parry & Gary Birtles
Man Utd v AC Millan - Ian Darke & David Platt

[alexm2268]

Originally Posted by Homesdale

I remember when Super Sunday started at 2pm and then the game didnt start until 4.05pm. Then i'm sure the programme went on until 7pm.

It was a long old programme!!

I know what you mean, what i was referring to was before the match (it's now 1pm start, first match 1.30, then the 4pm game programme starts at 3.30)

[Pab]

Originally Posted by Homesdale

Can't see what all the fuss is with Andy Burton. All he has done is what any other bloke would do if he found out someone has been mucking about with his bird.

Give the bloke a break!!!!!!!

I totally agree with you. There is so much unnecessary fuss over all this.

[Homesdale]

I see Jacqui Oatley is set to become the first ever women to commentate on Match Of The Day on Saturday, when she does the Watford v Man City game.

Apparently this hasn't gone down to well with some of the regular commentators, as they feel she is being used just for her novelty value!!

[Mark.]

If she was a good commentator, then I would have absolutely no problem with her being used, just like I have no problem with Gabby Logan presenting.

However, she's probably being used simply because she's the only female football commentator on the BBC's books. And that, really, is wrong.

(BTW, where did you read this?)

[mikw]

Originally Posted by Homesdale

I see Jacqui Oatley is set to become the first ever women to commentate on Match Of The Day on Saturday, when she does the Watford v Man City game.

Apparently this hasn't gone down to well with some of the regular commentators, as they feel she is being used just for her novelty value!!

Oh no! Tell me this isn't true.

I would have NO problem if she was up to the task (like Gabby at presenting) but from what i have heard so far, she isn't ready yet.

This will set female football commentator's back years.

[mlt11]

Originally Posted by Homesdale

I see Jacqui Oatley is set to become the first ever women to commentate on Match Of The Day on Saturday, when she does the Watford v Man City game.

What are the odds the BBC will try to make a big thing of this by interviewing her about it - not just on Football Focus but also general news / current affairs programmes like Simon Mayo on Radio 5 etc?

Then how about something in the next BBC Annual Report about it, eg "promoting equality, for the first time a female commentator on MOTD" etc etc.

Although it is a different point, it reminds me of how BBC are trying to merge sport (and news) with general entertainment - eg all the BBC sport / news people who have gone on Strictly Come Dancing - Matt Dawson, Peter Schmeical, Nicholas Owen etc.

[Tokyo]

They were discussing this on Talksport this morning and Graham Beecroft said the crunch will come when she gets to call a goal going in and her high-pitched voice might not go down well with the viewers!

I've not heard much of her radio work (those of us outside the U.K. are excluded when it comes to BBC live commentaries) - is she really that bad?

[Mark.]

Originally Posted by Tokyo

They were discussing this on Talksport this morning and Graham Beecroft said the crunch will come when she gets to call a goal going in and her high-pitched voice might not go down well with the viewers!

Well Jonathan Pearce has his fans, to there may be hope for her

[mikey1980]

Originally Posted by Tokyo

They were discussing this on Talksport this morning and Graham Beecroft said the crunch will come when she gets to call a goal going in and her high-pitched voice might not go down well with the viewers!

I've not heard much of her radio work (those of us outside the U.K. are excluded when it comes to BBC live commentaries) - is she really that bad?

I'm afraid she isn't great - certainly not good enough to be given a Match of the Day berth. In my opinion, she struggles with the pace of a match and doesn't effectively describe the action. I'm not against any woman being given the opportunities she has been given - providing they're good. Donna Simmons, the West Indian cricket commentator, is excellent. However I just feel that Jacqi is being pushed too soon, unfairly so.

[Tony Yeboah]

Spurs v Arsenal- Alan Parry and Brian Marwood
Man Utd v Boro- Martin Tyler and Gordon McQueen
Newcastle v Chelsea- Ian Darke and Tony Gale
Villa v Pompey- Rob Hawthorne and Andy Gray
Burnley v WBA- Tony Jones and Garry Birtles

Man Utd v Milan- Martin Tyler and Trevor Francis

[TOON FAN]

Tottenham v Arsenal - Ian Darke and Tony Gale
Man Utd v Middlesbrough - Martin Tyler and Alan Smith
Newcastle v Chelsea - Alan Parry and Brian Marwood
Aston Villa v Portsmouth - Rob Hawthone and Andy Gray
Burnley v West Brom - Bill Leslie and Garry Birtles

Man Utd v Milan - Rob Hawthorne and Alan Smith

[bridgendhatter]

Tottenham v Arsenal - Alan Parry and Tony Gale
Man Utd v Middlesbourgh - Rob Hawthorne and Alan Smith
Newcastle v Chelsea - Ian Darke and Brian Marwood
Aston Villa v Portsmouth - Martin Tyler and Andy Gray
Burnley v West Brom - Bill Leslie and Garry Birtles

Tie Break
Man Utd v A.C.Milan - Rob Hawthorne and Gordon McQueen

[tiny_tim]

Originally Posted by Homesdale

I see Jacqui Oatley is set to become the first ever women to commentate on Match Of The Day on Saturday, when she does the Watford v Man City game.

Apparently this hasn't gone down to well with some of the regular commentators, as they feel she is being used just for her novelty value!!

OMG - I really can't believe it... I don't know how old JO is but it sounds to like she is still developing both her on-air style and indeed confidence. I don't actually think she is the best female sports reporter on Five Live yet so this is surelu a PC bridge too far.

It's actually potentially quite a big match because (if my maths is right) Watford could be officially relegated with a defeat.

Still, let's judge after the event.....

[adamsky]

If i am corrrect she has not even commentated on a Premiership match on 5 Live yet. She is truely awful. I cannot believe that she will be on MOTD- Ian Brown/John Murray/Dave Woods are 3 5 live men who would be much better on MOTD if given a greater chance.

Saturday night i think i know what a lot of us will be looking forward to now though!

[liverpool_9009]

Dave Woods commentated before millions around the world at the World Cup, so I can't see why the BBC don't use him occasionally on MOTD.

I have never heard a full commentary from JO, but from the highlights I have been able to hear, she doesn't sound all that great. Im sure there are better female football commentators out there.

Who are the BBC trying to impress by doing this?

If they wanted to give her a game on TV, why not give her a Womens FA Cup Final?

[liverpool_9009]

Ian Darke and Trevor Francis at the Emirates for Arsenal v Man City.

[Li4m]

Rob Hawthorne and Andy Gray at Old Trafford for Sky.

[Homesdale]

Are there any audio clips of her commentating anywhere, as i have never ever heard her!!

[IanFergus]

Alan Parry at Old Trafford for TWI. Not sure who is the co-commentator.

[casinoman]

Man Utd v Sheff Utd.........8.00.Skysports1

Actual commentators.......Rob Hawthorne and Andy Gray

Alexm2268,Liam Davis,Hibs Kid,Tommyboyuk,Sephzoni,Johnnylogic,Li4m,Digi Man,JBO,FCH and Mlt11 all got 3 points for that combination.

Everyone else scored a point for getting either Hawthorne or Gray but im afraid Zapp and Mikey1980 both failed to score.
So the full table.
JBO...................10points
Hibs Kid..............7points
Li4m...................7points
Bridgendhatter...6points
Tommyboyuk......6points
Sephzoni............6points
FCH.....................6points
Andrewatnufc......6points
MLT11..................6points
Liam Davis...........5points
Casinoman..........5points
Digi Man...............5points
Alexm2268...........4points
Sudsy23...............4points
Tony Yeboah........4points
Johnnylogic...........4points
Scott117...............4points
Jamesp84..............4points
Pm Aint Bad...........4points
Mikey1980.............4points
Meekz 13...............3points
Liverpool_9009......3points
Luke Sauzee..........3points
Toon Fan................2points
Ariusuk...................2points
Tiny Tim..................2points
Zapp.......................2points

Well done indeed to JBO on a good victory on a hard selection of games.
Bad luck to everyone else.

[QPRKeithJ]

What! Jackie Oatley on MOTD???

I bet she's not done twenty live radio commentaries on national radio in her career. There are better commentators who work a whole career without getting on that programme - Brackley, Bloom, Banyard etc. How must they be feeling?

And Watford - Man City is quite a "big" game too, as it could more or less confirm Watford's demise.

She is utterly awful on the radio, her voice is too high pitched for good delivery. I am appalled by the BBC's pandering to political correct point scoring on this one.

A few weeks ago on the thread I said that the BBC's MOTD rota, especially among the non-staffers, was far stronger than Sky. A stunt, for thats what it is, does nothing but undermine that strength.

Has "footygirl" commented yet on this? Oatley will set female commentary back years.

I dread to see what kind of circus the BBC make of her debut too. I bet they'll turn it into a MOTD2 feature piece, and photographers will be up on the gantry, she'll be all over the news and Football Focus.

We licence fee payers want good commentary, not PC gimmicks!!!! I doubt Sky will follow suit.

[QPRKeithJ]

The Daily Mail report she's doing Fulham-Blackburn, not Watford-Man City.

[Mark.]

Interesting from The Daily Mail:

ROGER MOSEY
Head of BBC Sport
At BBC Sport we want to reflect the nation and it’s daft that we’ve had so few women commentators.

It is something we want to put right.

Overall we want our team to be modern, diverse — and excellent at what they do. Jacqui, like all our other commentators, has been selected on merit.

(My bold)

Surely he's got that wrong. Being excellent should come first, well before diversity.