Women and the offside rule - Andy Gray sacked

[5ft811st2 Durham]

It will be interesting to see what happens next at Sky. They cover other sports, cricket and rugby for example, in an intelligent, informative and entertaining way. I just hope they are able to bring the same values to football rather than just serve up more of the same.

I too am wondering this.

When BFR had his moment of doom, it was fairly easy to write him out of ITV's history given his role. Richard Keys and Andy Gray are so much more than that though - they're essentially the embodiment of post-1992 football. Almost every significant moment in Premier League history has the voice of one or the other of them on the clip. Watching the Premiership Years in the summer months is going to be a little odder now.

But regardless of the views that got them fired, they've looked out of place for some time, like some irreplaceable boys' club. It would be nice if Sky's entire football coverage got shaken up in the aftermath of this. Highly unlikely I know mid-season, and I suspect Jeff Stelling (by far the best broadcaster Sky Sports has offered in the last ten years) will step up and fill the role of Keys, while - God help us - Jamie Redknapp will take Gray's place.

But next season, wouldn't it be great to take a more intelligent approach? Sky can look in-house for how well they are capable of broadcasting, notably their cricket coverage, with David Gower presenting, and Atherton, Botham, Lloyd, Hussain and Holding providing something for everyone. It's intelligent stuff - not excessively highbrow, though also not pandering to the lowest common denominator as Sky's football coverage so often does. It would be nice to see the football take a similar direction. I don't think Stelling will become the main anchor - I think his current workload would prevent it - but I listen to the Guardian football podcast regularly and hear James Richardson on there. As much as the podcast wouldn't be the same without him, he really is wasted in that role. Sky should bring him in and give him free rein, and surround him with higher calibre pundits than we're currently subjected to.

I hope that Sky surprise us with a new direction. I'm not counting on it, though.

I couldn't care less if they got Keith Chegwin and Anthea Turner to present their football coverage.. If there's a game on that I want to watch then I'll watch it irrespective of the presenter. I think that applies for most people.   

[Legion]

Even if it was John Barnes?

[Dave P]

I couldn't care less if they got Keith Chegwin and Anthea Turner to present their football coverage.. If there's a game on that I want to watch then I'll watch it irrespective of the presenter. I think that applies for most people.   

e.g. I still watch England games on ITV despite Adrian "Tight Jumper" Chiles getting the gig.

[Chris Jameson]

I don't get to watch much 'live' football on tv but if it's a match I want to watch I don't tune in to see who the presenters/commentators/summarisers are before deciding whether to watch it, to be honest I watch the 90 minutes of football and never bother with any of the padding that comes with it.

Gray and Keys going will have no effect whatsoever on the viewing figures.

[Fergal]

Even if it was John Barnes?

That is taking it a bit too far, you will be telling us he is a rapper next...

[Chris Jameson]

I'm no fan of hers but I did like her response.

from theguardian.co.uk
He said Brady had refused to pick up the phone when he tried to call to apologise, claiming that it may have been a tactic to keep her club off the back pages.

Brady responded tonight: "Perhaps Richard thought I was too busy making the tea and washing up to take his call but a cursory glance at the weekend's newspapers or television would have made him well aware that I was heavily occupied with the West Ham and Newham Council Olympic Stadium bid."

"West Ham's future in the Olympic Stadium is of far more significance to me than his future. It is most unfortunate that he has chosen to add insult to injury today by suggesting that this incident has done me a favour by getting West Ham out of the press, as after all I did not ask to be part of his sexist tirade.

"This is not about an apology to me, but about an apology to all women. Richard represents views that myself and those who work in the business of football find totally dinosaur."

[Hammer]

A good response from Brady there.

I understand the point that people will watch football however its covered, however you just need to read the opinions on ITV's coverage over the last 20 years or so to understand why it's an interesting subject.

(For the record, I thought ITV's World Cup coverage was far superior to the BBC's, which must be the first time ever)

In addition - just saw this tweet from the Grauniad:

Major - and boy do I mean it - football exclusive coming up on guardian.co.uk sometime around 5.30.

Keys/Gray related maybe? The Guardian aren't usually taken to hyperbole in the way the red-tops are.

[damon loves JT]

It will be something crap.

[Hammer]

Booooo, don't spoil the fun.

[PeterWithe]

Olympic stadium related I reckon.

[5ft811st2 Durham]

I'm no fan of hers but I did like her response.

from theguardian.co.uk
He said Brady had refused to pick up the phone when he tried to call to apologise, claiming that it may have been a tactic to keep her club off the back pages.

Brady responded tonight: "Perhaps Richard thought I was too busy making the tea and washing up to take his call but a cursory glance at the weekend's newspapers or television would have made him well aware that I was heavily occupied with the West Ham and Newham Council Olympic Stadium bid."

"West Ham's future in the Olympic Stadium is of far more significance to me than his future. It is most unfortunate that he has chosen to add insult to injury today by suggesting that this incident has done me a favour by getting West Ham out of the press, as after all I did not ask to be part of his sexist tirade.

"This is not about an apology to me, but about an apology to all women. Richard represents views that myself and those who work in the business of football find totally dinosaur."

I can't see much to like about that. Just typical spiteful crap. She's got where she is because she's a woman rather than in spite of it.

[Chris Jameson]

I'm no fan of hers but I did like her response.

from theguardian.co.uk
He said Brady had refused to pick up the phone when he tried to call to apologise, claiming that it may have been a tactic to keep her club off the back pages.

Brady responded tonight: "Perhaps Richard thought I was too busy making the tea and washing up to take his call but a cursory glance at the weekend's newspapers or television would have made him well aware that I was heavily occupied with the West Ham and Newham Council Olympic Stadium bid."

"West Ham's future in the Olympic Stadium is of far more significance to me than his future. It is most unfortunate that he has chosen to add insult to injury today by suggesting that this incident has done me a favour by getting West Ham out of the press, as after all I did not ask to be part of his sexist tirade.

"This is not about an apology to me, but about an apology to all women. Richard represents views that myself and those who work in the business of football find totally dinosaur."

I can't see much to like about that. Just typical spiteful crap. She's got where she is because she's a woman rather than in spite of it.

No, of course you can't. Spiteful? If it were do you not think it's justified?

[barrysleftfoot]

   


   Vile person, who is useless at her job.

  MON would be WHU manager now if it was'nt for her ineptitude.

  Tickets fiasco whilst at SHA, charging supporters for the away club, vile person,arrogant , ignorant, why is she held in such high esteem..

  Did;nt like Keys, but he was right about her.

[TimTheVillain]

   


   Vile person, who is useless at her job.

  MON would be WHU manager now if it was'nt for her ineptitude.

  Tickets fiasco whilst at SHA, charging supporters for the away club, vile person,arrogant , ignorant, why is she held in such high esteem..

  Did;nt like Keys, but he was right about her.

Oooooooo that's controversial on here.

[Chris Jameson]

   


   Vile person, who is useless at her job.

  MON would be WHU manager now if it was'nt for her ineptitude.

  Tickets fiasco whilst at SHA, charging supporters for the away club, vile person,arrogant , ignorant, why is she held in such high esteem..

  Did;nt like Keys, but he was right about her.

Oooooooo that's controversial on here.

Very eloquently put though. Almost makes me want to defend her. Almost.