MOTD

[Jon Crofts]

Is he still outside IR35? How the chuff does he manage that?

HMRC have felt his collar on it, and it's just awaiting the tribunal. My considered opinion is that he's got absolutely no chance.

He owes about £5 million doesn't he? Good. I haven't had a sniff at an outside IR35 piece of work in ages, pretty much every contract consultant I talk to says there's absolutely nowt doing unless it's via an umbrella inside 35.

[Somniloquism]

Looks like he will be coming back.
Missed opportunity to change the guard.

I agree on everyone else's take that MotD is old and needs a shake-up. However the BBC weren't removing him for this, they had suddenly decided to remove him for daring to criticise a policy many know is unworkable. There was nothing controversial or offensive* in those tweets to make the BBC decide this was the action needed. In fact justifying it on impartiality reasons a few weeks after the Chairs controversial appointment make is look even more like censorship. I was actually more offended with his tweet when Emery was appointed. And don't forget it wasn't just the old guard, lots of presenters new and old took it as massive overreaction and unfair. Unless they went down the route of no presenters, I think most would look at taking that job as a poisoned chalice.

So no, I don't think it was a missed opportunity to change the guard on the back of that. The missed opportunity was when they decided to renew his contract in 2020.

* apart from history buffs.

[Risso]

Is he still outside IR35? How the chuff does he manage that?

HMRC have felt his collar on it, and it's just awaiting the tribunal. My considered opinion is that he's got absolutely no chance.

He owes about £5 million doesn't he? Good. I haven't had a sniff at an outside IR35 piece of work in ages, pretty much every contract consultant I talk to says there's absolutely nowt doing unless it's via an umbrella inside 35.

A lot of employers take a zero tolerance approach these days, and just say it's PAYE or nothing.

[lovejoy]

The government are relaxing the IR35 reforms aren't they - not sure this is sending out the right message personally.
Either way the tax affairs of a football presenter are small beer in comparison to inhumane treatment of desperate people and ugly rhetoric around our response to them.

[SaddVillan]

Looks like he will be coming back.
Missed opportunity to change the guard.

I agree on everyone else's take that MotD is old and needs a shake-up. However the BBC weren't removing him for this, they had suddenly decided to remove him for daring to criticise a policy many know is unworkable. There was nothing controversial or offensive* in those tweets to make the BBC decide this was the action needed. In fact justifying it on impartiality reasons a few weeks after the Chairs controversial appointment make is look even more like censorship. I was actually more offended with his tweet when Emery was appointed. And don't forget it wasn't just the old guard, lots of presenters new and old took it as massive overreaction and unfair. Unless they went down the route of no presenters, I think most would look at taking that job as a poisoned chalice.

So no, I don't think it was a missed opportunity to change the guard on the back of that. The missed opportunity was when they decided to renew his contract in 2020.

* apart from history buffs.

Take your point on the format. It's tired, derivative and lazy.

It doesn't cover the Prem equally, the focus is only ever on the "Super Six" and then on which ever one is "in crisis", the rest of the are treated in a very patronising manner.

A major criticism is that it relies on the chumocracy of ex- professionals who by and large have difficulties with English grammar, struggle to explain themselves and duck out of criticising players.

They're happy to stage off referees,
never call out cheating or diving and they never call out shite performances.

Could/would the public tune in for something that's a bit less tabloid?

Get a referee on to explain how decisions are made.

Focus on a different club each week.

Get FSA representatives on to discuss issues of concern to supporters.

On the continent football programmes have panels that include top journalists who are able to provide a more detached analysis of the game - looking at the bigger picture, with proper criticism and analysis, and not just pointing out who kicked what where.

If one good thing comes out of this episode, it might be a major review of the MOTD format and concept.

And a final thought - good though Lineker may or may not be and setting aside the current controversy - how many viewers would the programme actually lose if he were replaced when his contract expires by say Mark Chapman?

[clash city rocker]

How relevant is motd these days ? I never watch it. Not like years ago. Sky and the Internet changed all that. I see average viewing figures are about 2.1m...is that a lot in today's viewing figures?  For me  I might be more tempted to watch it if it had different pundits on every week. Maybe players and managers from lower leagues who might give viewers a different insight. Even non league pundits. There might be some right stars out there. Fuck this shearer/wright/murphy/ richards/ Lineker...week in week out....

[Brend'Watkins]

Not sure about the workings of IR35 but wasn't it aimed at people who do 100% of their work for one company?  In GE's case he works predominantly for the BBC but also does some BT stuff, then there's the Crisps, modelling and other endorsements he's involved in. 

[Brend'Watkins]

How relevant is motd these days ? I never watch it. Not like years ago. Sky and the Internet changed all that. I see average viewing figures are about 2.1m...is that a lot in today's viewing figures?  For me  I might be more tempted to watch it if it had different pundits on every week. Maybe players and managers from lower leagues who might give viewers a different insight. Even non league pundits. There might be some right stars out there. Fuck this shearer/wright/murphy/ richards/ Lineker...week in week out....

I'm the same in that it's not a must see most of the time.  Having said that, watching a match we're involved in down the pub live I look forward to the highlights on MOTD to get their analysis if we play well and win.  Shearer's limited adjectives to describe our good play give one a nice warm glow after a feed of beer.

[Risso]

Not sure about the workings of IR35 but wasn't it aimed at people who do 100% of their work for one company? 

No. Not at all.

[Brend'Watkins]

Not sure about the workings of IR35 but wasn't it aimed at people who do 100% of their work for one company? 

No. Not at all.

Oh. In a sentence explain to the uninitiated (me) what it's about please, who is it meant to trap/control etc?

[Risso]

Not sure about the workings of IR35 but wasn't it aimed at people who do 100% of their work for one company? 

No. Not at all.

Oh. In a sentence explain to the uninitiated (me) what it's about please, who is it meant to trap/control etc?

It's designed to stop people who should be employees of a company disguising themselves as self-employed and therefore paying less tax and national insurance. There's no one measure that means you are or aren't an employee, but HMRC and the courts look at a range of factors. As somebody involved in this area for a living and who has no love for HMRC whatsoever, I would politely suggest that Lineker is taking the piss.

[pauliewalnuts]

Is he still outside IR35? How the chuff does he manage that?

HMRC have felt his collar on it, and it's just awaiting the tribunal. My considered opinion is that he's got absolutely no chance.

He owes about £5 million doesn't he? Good. I haven't had a sniff at an outside IR35 piece of work in ages, pretty much every contract consultant I talk to says there's absolutely nowt doing unless it's via an umbrella inside 35.

I've been looking at maybe doing some contracting some time, having not done any for a while now.

IR35 used to (years ago) basically get ignored. Now it just seems utterly unavoidable.

[Pete3206]

It's high time for the return of Andy Townsend's Tactics Truck.

[JUAN PABLO]

I do find it odd that lineker being BBC s top earner on £1.35 million and is joined by the likes of Shearer on 440k and either Ian Wright or Jenas on over £200k , yet MOTD has only 2 million viewers .  It just seems a lot to pay for the 48th most watched program.

[AV82EC]

On MOTD I haven't watched it at all for the last 10-15 years and quite frankly its a dated and tired format. But its utterly uncontroversial and is a great shop window into the domestic sports market for the PL. No criticism of their behaviour from the BBC or anyone involved in it so a great chance to sportswash your product to a non football audience.

On IR35, I've very fortunately found myself outside on my current contract and have also noticed how few and far between these contracts are. With the emphasis moving to employing companies being liable for contractors tax status its quite obvious they're taking a completely risk averse approach.