BACK OF THE NET! (Match of the Day)

Member Name: paulyvous

Product:	Match of the Day
Date:	18/07/09 (27 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: IT'S AN INSTITUTION- SAY NO MORE!

Disadvantages: SOME OF THE PUNDITS!

Match of the Day I think is very important to every football fan! It's just totally symbolic of Saturday nights. My earliest memory of the program goes back to when I was about 9 or 10 years old, when Jimmy Hill was the anchorman. I don't think as far as I can remember anyway, they had pundits in the studio in those days and they only showed the highlights of two top games. Nowadays they show at least very brief highlights of every premiership game and also the goals of any matches that were played during the week.

These days it's introduced by Gary Lineker, with punditry from Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson. I'm impressed with Lineker's presenting skills as he looks totally at ease and pops in the occasional witty one liner or two! Alan Hansen seems to be a shrewed tactician and I'm surprised that he hasn't tried his hand as a football manager over the years. Mark Lawrenson- who was Hansens co- central defender in Liverpool's brilliant team of the early eighties- to me looks a little bored with it all to be honest. He seems a bit lacklastre and when asked a question I expect him to say to Gary
' Can't you ask him, I just can't be bothered today? But I like his style!

MOTD is much better when John Motson is commentating on one of the big games. Everything about his voice just seems to fit in perfectly! He's also a master statitician. He seems to know everything about every player under the sun. I'm sure he must be stalking them!
There's two other presenters' for MOTD, who come off 'the bench' When Gary Lineker isn't presenting. Adrian chiles- steps in but usually does MOTD2 which is on Sunday nights- I can't really take to him as a presenter. He seems very fidgety and unsettled and could probably do with a couple of valium to calm him down. Also there's Ray Stubbs and he's pretty good and reminds me of John Motson due to his vast knowledge of the game!

Ex- England and Newcastle legend, Alan Shearer signed a contract with the BBC to become a permanent fixture as a pundit a couple of seasons ago. I didn't really rate him! He seemed very bland about everything and didn't bring anything into the show. He left the programme about three quarters of the way through last season to take over at his beloved Newcastle United. Looking back that must of been some kind of community hours punishment for being boring on MOTD.

You can also watch this programme on Sunday mornings, sometimes at a ridicuous hour of about 7.30am. Mind you if Liverpool win, might be worth getting up for.
Anyway I've just about got over the withdrawal symptoms of no football since the end of last season and now only four weeks to the start of the new season. I'm just off to the pub for some pre- season training!!

Summary: COULDN'T DO WITHOUT IT!