BBC Five Live/McClaren/Euro 08

[Glyn]

(This doesn't fit under "General Non League" so forgive me for sneaking it onto the HTFC forum, more of you will read it on here anyway!)

Here's the text of an email many of you have had from me already, so primarily for the benefit of those whose em addresses I don't have, but anyone can join in!!

http://www.thestirrer.co.uk/oh-no-mclarens-back-0705081.html

If you agree with me that it's a disgrace that McClaren is being employed by the BBC as an "expert" (ha!) for Euro 2008 then please join in in either of the following ways or both


a) comment on The Stirrer Message Board (you will need to register to do so but that doesn't take long)

b) Complain direct to the BBC, using either my wording (feel free to copy and paste, though you will have to amend references to petitioning the PM as Downing St have refused to carry the petition) or your own

http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/

... gives you a choice of methods for complaining, emailing is the easiest and you will get a reply, though don't be surprised if it's a "standard" one - I would hope though that if enough of us complain they might get the message

Other points:

1) I have heard that McClaren is getting paid "only" £5000 for his stint as an expert. But just stop and think how long and how hard you have to work to earn that much

2) Also that he may be giving it to charity. Can't substantiate either of those points, but either way, in my opinion, McClaren is the last person in the world the BBC should be employing as an expert (with your licence fee money) for this or any other tournament.

I did try also to start a petition via PetitionOnline.com, but sadly, despite three attempts, never got the validation email which would have enabled that to go live.

Please also do the following:

A) Fan out this email to your friends who follow football and ask them to join in
B) if you wish, reply to me so that I can gauge the level of support

BTW the reply from the BBC said:

Dear Glyn

Thanks for your recent e-mail.

We understand that you are unhappy that we've chosen Steve McClaren to commentate on Euro 2008 matches, in light of England not qualifying.

However, Steve is a respected coach and has managed at a high level. No one is more disappointed than Steve that England didn't qualify but his insight into International football is very important and he is a key part of our commentary team.

Nevertheless, I fully appreciate that you feel strongly about this matter and are unhappy with our decision to make him part of our team. Therefore I would like to assure you that we have registered your comments on our audience log. This is the internal report of audience feedback which we compile daily for all programme makers and commissioning executives within the BBC, and also their senior management. It ensures that your points, and all other comments we receive, are circulated and considered across the BBC.

Thanks again for taking the time to contact the BBC.

Regards

Robert Wright
BBC Complaints

The first game for which McClaren will be an "expert" is Austria v Croatia

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/04_april/23/mcclaren.shtml

... so he's going to be giving us his expert view on how Austria should beat Croatia. How the heck would he know?

[TGV]

Dare I say it could be worse?
It could be Collymore!
:eek:

[Glyn]

Dare I say it could be worse?
It could be Collymore!
:eek:

He's there as well (see the link to the BBC Press Release), along with such "experts" as Jan Molby and Chris Waddle who proved their tactical nous with their long and successful careers in management (and one of whom can't even say the word "penalty" properly :mad:)

... in Stan's defence, we've covered this on another thread before, he does actually talk articulately and occasionally meets my criterion for being an expert, ie he tells me something about the game I might not have worked out for myself.

Contrast with such as David Pleat....

"A game is not won until it's lost", and other such gems....

http://www.dangerhere.com/hallofguff/david_pleat.php

:doh:

[Perton Pitman]

Wasn't Peter Taylor summarising on the trophy final? A fine choice given the wonderful job he did for (on) Stevenage this season!

[Glyn]

In the car, during an ad break on talkSPORT, I wandered innocently onto Five Live just in time to hear McClaren say: "I watched this player before we played them at Wembley, and he did nothing but go forward for 90 minutes, up and down that line...."

By my reckoning that means he would in fact be several miles away by the time the game finished....

MUPPET!!

Don't forget that when I complained to the BBC about employing him they told me he is a "respected coach"

A caller to talkSPORT says that when he commented on Croatia's previous game, he expressed surprise that "Croatia have started so brightly..."

This is the team that was two up against his England outfit at Wembley after 14 minutes

:mad::mad::mad::mad:

[Perton Pitman]

I was listening to Mr taylor providing expert summary on the first half of Spain v Russia. His constant beef was that Spain weren't direct enough and that he was getting increasingly frustrated by this approach.
I had to agree with by the end as I thought that the Spanish way of playing was boring, was never going to get them goals and certainly wouldn't break down a well drilled outfit like Russia:D:D:D


give me strength!!!!!!!:

[Glyn]

Yeah, but we did hear early on that GT has got a poorly foot, maybe he put it in his mouth....

:doh::p

[Glyn]

Expert Dean Saunders on Five Live: "If you're gonna give a penalty for that (Romania v Italy) you're gonna have about 6 penalties in every game, we're just watching a replay and he has got his hand round his throat to be fair...."

:doh:

[Glyn]

Motson: "3-1 to Holland in case you've lost count" - or in case you can't read the graphic at the top of your screen....

:rolleyes::doh::mad:

(with apologies to any blind readers/viewers)

[Andy Pipkin]

Motson: "3-1 to Holland in case you've lost count" - or in case you can't read the graphic at the top of your screen....

:rolleyes::doh::mad:

(with apologies to any blind readers/viewers)


Those brail monitors are hard to come by.:D

[Andy Pipkin]

Motson reckoned that the Dutch 2nd goal was made by Chelsea and scored by Arsenal! By that I deduct he means VP plays for the Gooners and Robben??Has no one told the silly sod?:doh:

[Glyn]

To prove I'm not just anti-BBC....

Andy Townsend said on ITV last night: "Servet (Cetin) is literally, literally right up his backside...."

:eek::doh::(

[Perton Pitman]

To prove I'm not just anti-BBC....

Andy Townsend said on ITV last night: "Servet (Cetin) is literally, literally right up his backside...."

:eek::doh::(

Those kind of games should be shown after the 9pm watershed in that case:D

[Andy Pipkin]

To prove I'm not just anti-BBC....

Andy Townsend said on ITV last night: "Servet (Cetin) is literally, literally right up his backside...."

:eek::doh::(

That's why at the interval they say Euro 2008 sponsered by Vasaline!:eek: