[Archived] Pundits: Good or Bad?

[Mike E]

Reading the red-top rag 'The Sun' online gave me a good laugh today. Mark Lawrenson is paid every week as a pundit on 'Football Focus' and 'Match Of The Day' and is regularly asked to give his opinions on the results of upcoming fixtures. Well it turns out Hulk Hogan is better!

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/wrestling/4791813/Hulk-Hogan-beats-Mark-Lawrenson-on-Football-Focus.html

So in light of this, who are your favourite pundits? Which ones talk BS? Which ones are the most entertaining and who are the best serious ones? I'd take this to also include column-pieces by journalists (my faves being Henry Winter and Martin Samuel).

[K-Hod]

Only Gary Neville does his homework and is worth his salt imo.

Collymore would be alright if he wasn't such a bell-end!

[Amo]

I don't mind pundits such as Robbie Savage or Roy Keane. They might come out with some right b*llocks at times but at least they're willing to shoot from the hip and stir up some controversy, unlike messieurs Shearer, Lawro & Hansen, who spend most of the show circle-jerking each other's opinions. How Shearer has managed to remain on there for so long is beyond me. I could cut some eyes and a mouth of a potato and you wouldn't notice the difference.

ITV are something else, though. They have, what, about ten minutes worth of analysis altogether for a live match (what with the obnoxious ad-breaks they sandwich in at every opportunity) yet they feel compelled to have THREE separate pundits all fighting for airspace. What's that all about?

[Al]

Only Gary Neville does his homework and is worth his salt imo.

Collymore would be alright if he wasn't such a bell-end!

Gary Neville is so pro Scum it is ridiculous

[Guest Norbert]

Alan Green is a whiny voiced, moaning Irish nob. If a game is bad, he just goes on and on and on about how bad it is. You're getting paid loads to watch football you winker.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

Gary Neville, Lee Dixon and Jamie Carragher have been the only pundits that I've really listened to over the past year or so. MOTD is dreadful now Dixon has left. Shearer in particular is deadwood.

Got to love Merson despite the rubbish he came out with about Kean. Le Tissier seems to know what he's talking about.

By far the worst is Garth Crookes. The man takes himself far too seriously.

[koi]

The worst are the paper hacks who appear on that god awful Sunday supplement. I've not watched it in years and just knowing its on makes my flesh eat itself.

[jim mk2]

Cannot stand listening on radio or watching on TV former players who have neither the intelligence nor wit to add any insight into events on the field. Worst is Match of the Day where the cosy and chummy old pals act between Lineker, Hansen, Shearer is nauseating in the extreme. They say nothing of worth and will never say anything that might be controversial or risk upsetting their friends in the game.

Would much rather hear the views of journalists and other independent pundits who at least do not sit on the fence and offer strong opinions.

[DE.]

Can I nominate Merson for dumbest pundit of all time? He has the intelligence of a three year old and the vocabulary to match.

[Baz]

Souness is pretty good, so is Pat Nevin (annoying voice though), James Richardson and Gary Neville. Savage was, but he seems to be going backwards at the moment.

The 2 guys on the Football League show are awful, really, really boring.

[darrenrover]

I think Neville is pretty good and probably the best. Usually knowledgeable and forthright in his views if you can forget his bias.

I always thought Craig Short would have made a good pundit, what's he up to these days?

The worst is undoubtably Garth Crooks.

[Mike E]

Gary Neville, pro-utd? He absolutely slaughtered their defence on MNF last season. He tells it as it is most of the time imo. I also love Souness. Salgado always awesome on Revista de la Liga. Of the Soccer Saturday panel, I can only take Jeff and LeTiss seriously. The rest are just there for the comedy imo. Kamara can be rather good on GoS, but was better alongside Rob McCaffrey. True Bromance!

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Neville, Souness, Salgado, James Richardson, Guillem Balague and Lee Dixon are good. Actually I don't mind Jamie Redknapp either.

The rest range from average to shocking. Garth Crooks is the worst.

Not including people from Talksport who don't even count.

[Mike E]

Jamie's okay, but I wish the little slut would shut his @#/? legs. His suit pants are always tight and my missus keeps pointing out his 'Thomson's holiday package'.

[Guest Norbert]

Paul Merson is an oxygen thief. His complete lack of intelligence, education, and class shines through every time he speaks.

[cn174]

The american fella on FoxSoccer today almost made me think that Jamie Redknapp wasn't that bad at all!! Only almost though.

I really like Gary Neville, actually knows what he's talking about.

I cannot stand Niall Quinn!

[K-Hod]

Gary Neville is so pro Scum it is ridiculous

Are you for real?? I've been astounded by his impartiality, he's praised the scousers and citeh on many occasion, as well as slating man united....

[mr bishi]

Souness was great on RTE (Irish tv). He was given free reign to say whatever he wanted, he's far more reserved on sky.

This is the sort of punditry we have in Ireland

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iBDlJEabiI&feature=player_detailpage#t=212s

[Baz]

Cannot beleive ITV, Southgate just compared us as being the same level as Bradford? I know its a shock result, but not that big a shock surely. Also, 6 games today, 1&1/2 hours highlights and main match gets 10 minutes?

Theyve just shown Oldham and agreed with Moyes there probably was a foul at 1st corner before Oldham equalised when the only foul was clearly on the Oldham attacker. Moyes wanted handball because someone jumped with their hands in the air but didnt touch it?

Kean with great non-corporate response to who do you want in next round too!

[Sparky Marky]

Strachan for me....funny little chap.

[old darwen blue]

Plenty of time for Neville. His book (Red) is a good read too. I think he could make a good manager in time. And this is from someone who hated him when he played for United.

[philipl]

Gary Neville, Souness good, Savage a laugh, with the rest poor to abysmal

[McClarky]

Alan Green is a whiny voiced, moaning Irish nob. If a game is bad, he just goes on and on and on about how bad it is. You're getting paid loads to watch football you winker.

Agreed. He constantly goes on about the ref as well, it's like referee watch sometimes. Can't stand him. If he hates football so much he should get another job.

[John]

Really impressed with Gary Neville. Souness too is good as interesting and has an opinion.

Poor ones, well ESPN seem to specialise in having awful ones on all their football games - also annoying and poor, Niall Quinn, Andy Townsend and Gareth Southgate.

[m1st]

Souness was great on RTE (Irish tv). He was given free reign to say whatever he wanted, he's far more reserved on sky.

This is the sort of punditry we have in Ireland

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iBDlJEabiI&feature=player_detailpage#t=212s

You're fecking lucky [as Fr. Jack would say].

I visit Ireland from time to time and envy the RTÉ equivalent of "Match of the Day". Incisive punditry delivered at a sensible time of day.