But then I wouldn't want him on a football pitch either.
The thing is though despite Owen being seemingly dreadful and disliked by many, many of the TV companies can't seem to get enough of him.
Are either we missing something or are the people employing him just completely blind to his faults and how criticised he is (and it's more than just an 'internet mob' who aren't fans of his commentary)?
Not sure if it is for co-commentary work though, as for being a pundit that is a different storey as he seems to come across a lot better even with some interesting opinions.
Im sure BT must be aware of the criticism he was/is getting, sure what we do know a fair amount of money must of been paid so they must be hoping a improvement is forth coming next season.
Also I am not convinced Ian Darke finds it as easy to get on with him as he has done with other co-commentators in the past, again this may all change next season and I suppose this is what we should remember, that the guy is in his first season for a major company in a major role which he had very limited experience in.
Not sure if it is for co-commentary work though, as for being a pundit that is a different storey as he seems to come across a lot better even with some interesting opinions.
Im sure BT must be aware of the criticism he was/is getting, sure what we do know a fair amount of money must of been paid so they must be hoping a improvement is forth coming next season.
Also I am not convinced Ian Darke finds it as easy to get on with him as he has done with other co-commentators in the past, again this may all change next season and I suppose this is what we should remember, that the guy is in his first season for a major company in a major role which he had very limited experience in.
I don't think he comes across well as a pundit either to be honest. He mostly seems to stick to 'say what you see' analysis and when he strays off that he hardly adds much insight and is dull and when he tries to be controversial he just comes across as being unlikable
And for all the talk of this being Owen's first season - it's Carragher's too and Carragher has had next to no experience and has come across as far better.
To be fair to BT they aren't the only people throwing someone in at the deep end - Sky have done it by putting first Gary Neville and then Jamie Carragher too onto MNF from the start and BBC are immediately having Phil Neville commentate on an England world cup game (and outside football Strauss on the Ashes like another poster mentioned).
The difference is though that there was obviously some logic in the Sky decisions (they must have spotted the quality of both quickly) and Sky have been proven right in those cases and it has worked out very well - whereas BT's decision has failed. Owen is not a good co-commentator.
That's the risk with throwing someone immediately into a high-profile position like that - they either sink or swim and the only way to judge is by the results and Sky's risks have paid off and normally seem to whereas the BT Owen risk hasn't.
This may all seem harsh but I think it's quite blunt and how much BT have or have not for Owen doesn't matter to me as a viewer - all that does is whether his role on the football coverage improves it for me and he doesn't.
Carragher has been absolutely spot on when talking about Moyes both on Super Sunday and on MNF. His addition to the Sky team has been another fantastic decision along with Neville and Provan's.
Could we see a Neville triple-header this weekend ? If he did hint that he'd be at Crystal Palace, then he could easily do studio work for SNF and MNF as all three would be coming from London. I'm sure Sky would be keen to have him involved in the United match because of what's happened as well as the huge Super Sunday and obviously MNF.
I know the prediction game doesn't run on this thread anymore but I'll go for:
SNF : Redknapp & Neville in the studio ; Parry & Smith commentating
Super Sunday : Souness & Hoddle in the studio with Neville joining them after the Palace game ; Parry & Provan at Sunderland, Tyler & Smith at Liverpool, Hawthorne & Neville at Palace
MNF : Neville & Carragher in the studio ; Hawthorne & Quinn commentating
Carragher has been absolutely spot on when talking about Moyes both on Super Sunday and on MNF. His addition to the Sky team has been another fantastic decision along with Neville and Provan's.
Could we see a Neville triple-header this weekend ? If he did hint that he'd be at Crystal Palace, then he could easily do studio work for SNF and MNF as all three would be coming from London. I'm sure Sky would be keen to have him involved in the United match because of what's happened as well as the huge Super Sunday and obviously MNF.
I know the prediction game doesn't run on this thread anymore but I'll go for:
SNF : Redknapp & Neville in the studio ; Parry & Smith commentating
Super Sunday : Souness & Hoddle in the studio with Neville joining them after the Palace game ; Parry & Provan at Sunderland, Tyler & Smith at Liverpool, Hawthorne & Neville at Palace
MNF : Neville & Carragher in the studio ; Hawthorne & Quinn commentating
I'd say the above looks likely except I don't think Neville would be doing SNF punditry as he hasn't yet this season - I'd say him commentating on the SNF game isn't out of the question though. Also, I assume Carragher may do punditry on either the Saturday or Sunday too along with the Monday.
But otherwise that looks quite like what it may be. And I could see Neville joining the Super Sunday panel both pre the 1st game and after the Palace game as you say.
I do think Carragher is another example of Sky getting it right more often than not with their signings and coverage. Not all of them work out (Quinn as a co-commentator for example/Ben Shephard as a live football presenter) but more often than not with the big things Sky get it right.
I did love Carragher's comments on MNF about goalkeepers being praised as shot-stoppers. And his 'No one wants to be a Gary Neville' comment was and still is very funny.
I'm not saying Sky are perfect (having Yorke as a pundit on Sunday would destroy that argument) but they seem to have a better instinct than most and I'm sure they've been the first in the UK with things that are now very commonplace on football coverage - like injury time being indicated on the score graphic for example.
Poor commentary from Tyldesley and Townsend on the Cech injury. Firstly saying it was a knee injury, then as Cech held his arm and used his shirt as a sling, said he was holding his ribs. It looked like a clear injury to the arm to me.
I do think Carragher is another example of Sky getting it right more often than not with their signings and coverage. Not all of them work out (Quinn as a co-commentator for example/Ben Shephard as a live football presenter) but more often than not with the big things Sky get it right.
Another example you could give is Ian Payne, when he went from BBC Radio Five Live to be a secondary football presenter at Sky (around the time when they first started showing the Champions League).
Last year's edition wasn't shown in the UK, but from reading this bit from an article about sports agency Pitch International, it gives the possibility of the Toulon Tournament (England's U21 are involved) about it being shown here:-
"Pitch International is a leading sports marketing agency specialising in the representation of rights on behalf of a range of organisations including sporting federations, clubs, rights holders and agencies. In partnership with our clients we deliver content to a range of global media outlets from TV broadcasters and DVD distributors to media agencies and sponsors.
Pitch International distributes the Toulon Tournament for national Under-21 football teams since 2013. This year’s edition can be watched in many countries, namely; France, Portugal, United Kingdom, Ireland, USA, Canada, South America, Korea, Australia and New-Zealand, Middle-East, North Africa."
Have Chiles and co gone home? Tyldesley anchoring ITV's coverage and introducing the post match interviews. Here they are. They had trouble getting back pitchside .
Have Chiles and co gone home? Tyldesley anchoring ITV's coverage and introducing the post match interviews. Here they are. They had trouble getting back pitchside .
Turns out the Atletico stewards and or Spanish Police don't like them either (as seemingly most on here).
Earlier on the Sky Planner they were punting a programme called 'The Verdict' presented by David Jones with Ray Wilkins and someone else I can't remember to be on tonight at 10 on SS1 and SSN.
Doesn't seem to be any sign of it now- anybody know what happened?
I'm not sure what they trailed it as earlier - but it was introduced as The Verdict and they've had Ray Wilkins in the studio. But they have done some non Moyes stuff too.
Earlier on the Sky Planner they were punting a programme called 'The Verdict' presented by David Jones with Ray Wilkins and someone else I can't remember to be on tonight at 10 on SS1 and SSN.
Doesn't seem to be any sign of it now- anybody know what happened?
The Sky EPG was trailing it as David Jones with Ray Wilkins and Alan Smith at 10pm but what transpired was a your typical SSN programming with Ray in the studio.
Adrian Chiles presented from pitchside at the Vicente Calderon alongside Andy Townsend and Lee Dixon
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea - Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend, with Gabriel Clarke conducting post-match interviews
Report on David Moyes' departure as Manchester United manager - Richard Henwood
In the absence of a secondary highlights game, the fourth quarter of the programme was given over to discussion about the news about David Moyes plus a brief preview to Real Madrid v Bayern.
Comments
Not sure if it is for co-commentary work though, as for being a pundit that is a different storey as he seems to come across a lot better even with some interesting opinions.
Im sure BT must be aware of the criticism he was/is getting, sure what we do know a fair amount of money must of been paid so they must be hoping a improvement is forth coming next season.
Also I am not convinced Ian Darke finds it as easy to get on with him as he has done with other co-commentators in the past, again this may all change next season and I suppose this is what we should remember, that the guy is in his first season for a major company in a major role which he had very limited experience in.
I don't think he comes across well as a pundit either to be honest. He mostly seems to stick to 'say what you see' analysis and when he strays off that he hardly adds much insight and is dull and when he tries to be controversial he just comes across as being unlikable
And for all the talk of this being Owen's first season - it's Carragher's too and Carragher has had next to no experience and has come across as far better.
To be fair to BT they aren't the only people throwing someone in at the deep end - Sky have done it by putting first Gary Neville and then Jamie Carragher too onto MNF from the start and BBC are immediately having Phil Neville commentate on an England world cup game (and outside football Strauss on the Ashes like another poster mentioned).
The difference is though that there was obviously some logic in the Sky decisions (they must have spotted the quality of both quickly) and Sky have been proven right in those cases and it has worked out very well - whereas BT's decision has failed. Owen is not a good co-commentator.
That's the risk with throwing someone immediately into a high-profile position like that - they either sink or swim and the only way to judge is by the results and Sky's risks have paid off and normally seem to whereas the BT Owen risk hasn't.
This may all seem harsh but I think it's quite blunt and how much BT have or have not for Owen doesn't matter to me as a viewer - all that does is whether his role on the football coverage improves it for me and he doesn't.
Could we see a Neville triple-header this weekend ? If he did hint that he'd be at Crystal Palace, then he could easily do studio work for SNF and MNF as all three would be coming from London. I'm sure Sky would be keen to have him involved in the United match because of what's happened as well as the huge Super Sunday and obviously MNF.
I know the prediction game doesn't run on this thread anymore but I'll go for:
SNF : Redknapp & Neville in the studio ; Parry & Smith commentating
Super Sunday : Souness & Hoddle in the studio with Neville joining them after the Palace game ; Parry & Provan at Sunderland, Tyler & Smith at Liverpool, Hawthorne & Neville at Palace
MNF : Neville & Carragher in the studio ; Hawthorne & Quinn commentating
I'd say the above looks likely except I don't think Neville would be doing SNF punditry as he hasn't yet this season - I'd say him commentating on the SNF game isn't out of the question though. Also, I assume Carragher may do punditry on either the Saturday or Sunday too along with the Monday.
But otherwise that looks quite like what it may be. And I could see Neville joining the Super Sunday panel both pre the 1st game and after the Palace game as you say.
I do think Carragher is another example of Sky getting it right more often than not with their signings and coverage. Not all of them work out (Quinn as a co-commentator for example/Ben Shephard as a live football presenter) but more often than not with the big things Sky get it right.
I did love Carragher's comments on MNF about goalkeepers being praised as shot-stoppers. And his 'No one wants to be a Gary Neville' comment was and still is very funny.
I'm not saying Sky are perfect (having Yorke as a pundit on Sunday would destroy that argument) but they seem to have a better instinct than most and I'm sure they've been the first in the UK with things that are now very commonplace on football coverage - like injury time being indicated on the score graphic for example.
beIN Sports 11 HD - Richard Keys with Andy Gray, Graeme Souness, Fabio Cannavaro and Kevin Keegan.
Commentary - Martin Tyler & Alan Smith
Presented by Adrian Chiles with Roy Keane and Lee Dixon pitchside. Commentary from Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend. Reporter is Gabriel Clarke.
Another example you could give is Ian Payne, when he went from BBC Radio Five Live to be a secondary football presenter at Sky (around the time when they first started showing the Champions League).
I have to confess I was wrong on that one;-)
What a surprise.
Now the big question - on or off tube?
A video on the BT Sport website saying what they'll show in May has them down to show it.
I love quoting myself.
Be new one for Tyler to commentate 'on' tube!
Turns out the Atletico stewards and or Spanish Police don't like them either (as seemingly most on here).
Doesn't seem to be any sign of it now- anybody know what happened?
UEFA Champions League Extra Time
Adrian Chiles presented from pitchside at the Vicente Calderon alongside Andy Townsend and Lee Dixon
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea - Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend, with Gabriel Clarke conducting post-match interviews
Report on David Moyes' departure as Manchester United manager - Richard Henwood
In the absence of a secondary highlights game, the fourth quarter of the programme was given over to discussion about the news about David Moyes plus a brief preview to Real Madrid v Bayern.