El-Reacho Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 That whole punditry business is just jobs for the boys - the ex-footballer's benevolent fund. Neville and Keane are the only ones who will say anything negative about their old pals. But Redknapp, Shearer, Thompson etc are just atrocious. I would rather listen to journalists that are in some way informed than these so called personalities. The classic was MOTD when Lineker asked Shearer to tell us about Hatem Ben Arfa - NUFC's new signing. "I haven't a clue Gary - never heard of him" was his actual response. Clearly the producers etc. upstairs must have worked out that people want to watch players they recognize talk bullshit rather than actually be informed of anything. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 Robbie Savage is one of British football's most controversial and colourful characters. Now a successful football pundit, he enjoyed 17 seasons as a professional footballer, beginning his career at Manchester United and ending it at Derby County. Here is his 11-point guide to the dirty tricks footballers will use to get the transfer they want: Sulk Sulking is horrible and can have a really negative impact on your team-mates and the club as a whole. When you sulk, your whole demeanour changes and you bring people down with you. I came across it all the time when I was a player and at times I could be one of the worst offenders because I couldn't hide my emotions. When I was unhappy, it was obvious. My mood would change completely. Stop communicating Clamming up and staying silent is a very effective tool. It was a tactic I adopted on occasion. Normally, I am a fun, happy-go-lucky guy, so if I stopped communicating, people knew straight away that something was up. I just wouldn't speak to anybody. I'd train as normal but would leave as soon as it was over. I wouldn't stay for lunch and eat with my team-mates, I would simply disappear off home. Savage did not play in Birmingham's last three games before his acrimonious switch to Blackburn in 2005 Faking injury Feigning injury is probably the most popular way of letting a club know you aren't happy. I've seen quite a few mystery injuries in my time. Some players could be sidelined with a twisted sock if they wanted to. It used to be so easy to fake an injury, but that has changed now. If you get an injury, you are usually seen by a physiotherapist and have a scan within an hour. You can't kid people as easily, but you can still fake a niggle - and they can last for ages. When you feign an injury, there is no need to limp or play act. Just say you're not right. Make up newspaper stories Some players have friends in the media and make use of those contacts to get the move they want. I've called newspaper reporters I was close to and asked them to link me with this team or that team, even when I knew it wasn't true. It helped get my name out there and flush out possible interest. It's harder to do that nowadays because the media often know what's true or not, but I called people I knew a few times and got them to make up a story. You have to be realistic, of course. There was no point linking myself with Real Madrid because everybody would know that would be a lie! Use the media From BirmingL You can go one step further with the media and enlist the help of the television companies. When I wanted to put pressure on one manager, I arranged for a camera crew to meet me at the training ground when I knew everyone was enjoying a day off. I wanted to give the impression I was being forced to train on my own. That night, the TV report went out and I thought I had accomplished my mission. Unfortunately for me, the manager saw straight through my gimmick. It was then that I knew I had made myself look a fool. You can listen to Savage explain on 606 how he tried to engineer a move from Birmingham to Blackburn using the above tactic on BBC iPlayer (topic starts at 35:55). Undermine the manager How do you do that? One way is to go straight to the chairman or owner of the club when you want to discuss your future. It was something I did. On one occasion, I was out of favour, so I went to the chairman and told him I wanted to leave. I had two years left on my contract and told him I would settle for one year's pay if he would let me go. The news got back to the manager, who was waiting for me in reception the following morning. He wasn't happy. At another club, I phoned the chairman at home. It was forbidden to do that, but I felt I had no other choice. The chairman was very understanding, but the manager called me into his office the next day and told me I was out of order. Fight with team-mates It's an extreme measure but does happen. At one club, the players knew I wanted to leave but some started to get a little upset at my antics. There was some unrest in the changing room. One day, I had a big argument with the goalkeeper. He came over to me, had a right go and grabbed me by the throat. I got up, we scuffled and he ended up with a cut lip after my head came into contact with his face. Moan to backroom staff Robbie Savag Physiotherapists, coaching staff, canteen workers and secretaries are all capable of reporting back to the manager, so if you want to create a stir, have a moan when these people are in ear shot. It won't be long before the manager finds out how you're feeling. At one club, I was sitting in the physio room and let it drop that I wanted to join another club. I added that I was so confident of a deal happening that I insisted I would be playing for that club the following week. Lo and behold, the manager called me in the following day and asked me to explain myself. Be a bad influence Any player can cause havoc in the changing room or out on the training pitch. You just need a bad attitude. It doesn't matter what it is, do it badly and you soon get a reputation the manager cannot ignore. If he doesn't, then the risk is you start affecting everyone around you. Don't put the effort in It can be hard to do, but one sure way of losing the manager's backing is by not giving 100% in a match. I say it's hard to do because you're not just letting yourself down, you are letting your team-mates, fans and family down. I only did it once and I'm not proud of my actions, but it felt like it was the only avenue left open to me. That was the point at which the manager knew he had lost me and there was nothing he could do to keep me. Let other clubs know you want to move Tapping up is illegal but it goes on. Players do it and managers do it. I had two managers call me at home while I was still under contract at a club. And I've tried to engineer a move myself by speaking to players at clubs I was interested in joining. A discreet chat with a player from another club - maybe while we were both on international duty - was an obvious way of letting another club know I was interested in signing for them. prick http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23703265 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted August 15, 2013 Moderator Share Posted August 15, 2013 I make a point of not reading anything he has to say. He won't use up any of my life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 i regret it myself but just even after football he proves he is a grade A tosser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shillzz Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Saved me a job Zatman. I didn't think Savage could make himself appear any more stupid, how wrong I was. Terrible article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post villa-revolution Posted August 16, 2013 Author Popular Post Share Posted August 16, 2013 I wish football punditry would take a leaf out of Cricket's book. Great Ex cricketers, people like Nasser Hussain, Bob Willis, Geoff Boycott, Micheal Holding, Ian Botham, Shane Warne etc etc who provide in depth analysis ball by ball & are not afraid to slaughter somebody without thinking they are going to be upsetting their paymasters or anyone else. Their knowledge, opinion & explanation takes cricket punditry to a whole new level. Add to this the unbridled humour that David Lloyd also brings & you have the perfect package. That's one of the major problems with football pundits. Everyone is so straight laced, safe, grey, boring & totally devoid of humour. Eg The only time Lee Dixon, Martin Keown, Gary Neville or Alan Shearer ever made me laugh was when they tried to pass a ball for England. Jimmy Greaves was the last funny man that I remember & that was yonks ago. We really do need to rid ourselves of this jobs for the boys love in. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest av1 Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Couldn't agree more mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MessiWillSignForVilla Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 I wish football punditry would take a leaf out of Cricket's book. Great Ex cricketers, people like Nasser Hussain, Bob Willis, Geoff Boycott, Micheal Holding, Ian Botham, Shane Warne etc etc who provide in depth analysis ball by ball & are not afraid to slaughter somebody without thinking they are going to be upsetting their paymasters or anyone else. Their knowledge, opinion & explanation takes cricket punditry to a whole new level. Add to this the unbridled humour that David Lloyd also brings & you have the perfect package. That's one of the major problems with football pundits. Everyone is so straight laced, safe, grey, boring & totally devoid of humour. Eg The only time Lee Dixon, Martin Keown, Gary Neville or Alan Shearer ever made me laugh was when they tried to pass a ball for England. Jimmy Greaves was the last funny man that I remember & that was yonks ago. We really do need to rid ourselves of this jobs for the boys love in. Football commentary/punditry is just terrible in general. It's just so plastic. Rugby and cricket are much, much better. I'm going to miss ESPN's rugby coverage, the commentator's just had a chat whilst watching the game, going off on tangents telling stories from when they played, like you would with mates down the pub. The same with cricket. Plus as you say, they actually have some knowledge of the sport aswell which never hurts. It's quite telling when someone as boring as Gary Neville is considered by far the best pundit around, although I do like him, he is actually good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P3te Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 ive never understood why people get so worked up about pundits. why do you need someone to tell you what you're seeing? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MessiWillSignForVilla Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 (edited) ive never understood why people get so worked up about pundits. why do you need someone to tell you what you're seeing? That's the problem, that's what most football pundits do, say what you see. Whereas a good pundit will actually explain why Team A picked apart Team B, rather than the current lot saying Team A picked apart Team B. They will explain why option B or C was better than option A which player X took. Someone like Shearer would just say Player X took option A, I would've taken option B. And so on. People get worked up about pundits as they are useless and offer no valuable insight, but there is the potential for pundits to really be valuable and offer interesting views on games, which currently doesn't happen. Edited August 16, 2013 by MessiWillSignForVilla Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradarmstrong_ Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 That BBC article is an absolute disgrace. What kind of example does that set to up and coming kids in the game? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacbuddies Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 I found it amusing that they've put about 6 new pundits in the space vacated by Lawro. That's one big arse. At least the new pundits will have a change of shirt between weekends! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P3te Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 That's the problem, that's what most football pundits do, say what you see. Whereas a good pundit will actually explain why Team A picked apart Team B, rather than the current lot saying Team A picked apart Team B. They will explain why option B or C was better than option A which player X took. Someone like Shearer would just say Player X took option A, I would've taken option B. And so on. People get worked up about pundits as they are useless and offer no valuable insight, but there is the potential for pundits to really be valuable and offer interesting views on games, which currently doesn't happen. Again though, even your definition of a "good pundit" is still telling people what they've seen themselves. Do people REALLY need guys on the telly to tell them why something worked, or why something didnt, and what the alternatives are? Can viewers not figure that stuff out for themselves? Is the general viewership of football that clueless about the game that they need to be told about how it works? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oaks Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 On MOTD I would much rather more highlights and Lineker say well that a good result by so and so and on to the next game. Sky can afford to go in depth with their analysis, Monday night football was great last season. I just hope it's not ruined by Charagggghhher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest av1 Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Whilst annoying as a football fan, is anyone actually surprised given the attitide of the articles aurther? Disgusting horrible word removed who makes a mockery of everything we love about sport. And considering we (licence payer's) still fund his lifestyle is a complete joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Anyone listening to 5live? Savage and Shearer are idiots (not that we didnt know that) Discussing whether Terry will start this season Savage: 'Well they have that De Bruyne back now, as well as Luiz and Cahill. They will all make it hard for Terry to start' Then Shearer eluded to Bent's fake clause yet again to prove a point. Morons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Cropley Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 In fairness, if I wanted to leave St Andrews I would have tried all of those things.....and more. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Folski Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 For what it's worth. Le Tiss: Draw Merse: Arsenal Nicholas: Arsenal Thompson: Arsenal Lawro: Arsenal worth noting Jason Sudeikis is going for a 7-7 draw 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rovers13 Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 (edited) Edit: Post probably shouldn't have been in this thread so i got rid of it Edited August 23, 2013 by Rovers13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaGoMarching Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 I wish football punditry would take a leaf out of Cricket's book. Great Ex cricketers, people like Nasser Hussain, Bob Willis, Geoff Boycott, Micheal Holding, Ian Botham, Shane Warne etc etc who provide in depth analysis ball by ball & are not afraid to slaughter somebody without thinking they are going to be upsetting their paymasters or anyone else. Their knowledge, opinion & explanation takes cricket punditry to a whole new level. Add to this the unbridled humour that David Lloyd also brings & you have the perfect package. That's one of the major problems with football pundits. Everyone is so straight laced, safe, grey, boring & totally devoid of humour. Eg The only time Lee Dixon, Martin Keown, Gary Neville or Alan Shearer ever made me laugh was when they tried to pass a ball for England. Jimmy Greaves was the last funny man that I remember & that was yonks ago. We really do need to rid ourselves of this jobs for the boys love in. I'm sure it was Glenn McGrath who was a pundit for the 1st test on TMS, he was brilliant, no loyalty to Aus, just called how it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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