±«Óãtv

It is great that ±«Óãtv is broadcasting the quarter final of England v Portugal.
I am sure that it will have one of the highest ratings in TV viewer ship in
England. World Cup is really an amazing thing. Today, I came an across an
amazing story of a passionate football fan in India who is so crazy for World
Cup Football that for more than
and then came to enjoy World Cup
Football. To meet his daily expenses he pains flags in the face of other fans.
He is now living in Berlin and his name is Mrinal kanti Ray. If possible, please
write about this story in this blog. I found the original item from ±«Óãtv Bengali
service.

Has the Beeb finally lost the plot?

I caught the 2nd round highlights last night on my freeview box of the Ukraine v Switzerland game, by going "interactive", i.e. clicking the red button. I was shocked to see a caption stating I was watching the "Round of 16" highlights. Has the Beeb gone all American on me? On Saturday when England play Portugal, I'm hoping I don't see a caption for the "Round of 8" - rather than Quarter-Finals.

Steve

I have to say that the ±«Óãtv coverage of this World Cup makes ITV look pretty dire in comparison. Not least because the Beeb had the foresight to launch a channel capable of broadcasting the competition in wonderful high definition. The broadcasts on ITV look truly ugly and blurry, after you've been enjoying the ±«Óãtv HD content.

I also love the relaxed but professional style of the ±«Óãtv analysts. Gary Lineker is a superb and charismatic anchor, but you also have huge respect for the man, because of his achievements in his playing career.

The ±«Óãtv enhances my World Cup experience, whereas ITV's standard of coverage, if anything, detracts from it.

Keep up the good work!

Is it me or is the ±«Óãtv coverage just miles better than ITV.
I'll be watching all the England games on ±«Óãtv.

Please, please, please, someone kidnap Mark Lawrenson. All he does is sneer. He rarely contributes any tactical analysis, and he has the broadcasting demeanour of a sulky eight-year-old who has been dragged to the theatre by his mummy and refuses to enjoy himself, making really awful sarcastic comments throughout the performance. And could he please keep his views on Sven to himself. He may not like Mr Eriksson, but at least Sven has contributed something to English football, having lead England to three major championships (top of the qualifying groups, no less), whereas Mark Lawrenson (born Preston, England) decided to play for the Republic of Ireland.

I agree with Steve Symthe's comments on the excellence of the ±«Óãtv coverage with one woeful exception.

How on earth does Ian Wright keep his job? Or is he just there to dumb down the analysis? On Sunday he didn't even know the name of an Ecuador player, referring to him simply as "their number 4".

Great striker in his day but he'll never ever make a broadcaster

Well this is great news for me that the ±«Óãtv will show more games live. Out here in South-Western Germany, I have the choice of German, French, Swiss and thanks to the glory of Free-to-air Satellite TV from the ±«Óãtv, I have British TV too. I have watched games on all of these networks and will now only watch games broadcast by the ±«Óãtv. If only European broadcasters would take a look and learn.

The only time I have been happy with German TV coverage of the 'Weltmeisterschaft 2006' is when the option of switching to English commentary was available during the England matches, and then good old John Motson was showing them what commentary is all about. (sadly the word 'Motson' sounds the same in German as 'Motzen', to moan and complain.)

Keep it up ±«Óãtv, you've fans further afield than you think.

More Martin O'Neill please and thank you. One good thing about England losing in a cup competition means Ian Wright (albeit only momentarily) shuts up.

I only wish that Barry Davis was doing the commentary, him with Alan Green ...... So much better than Motson ... he drives me mad! Thank god you can listen to Five Live while watching which is the best combination - all thanks to the red button!

I fully support Greg S's comments about Mark Lawrenson.... I think that far better alternatives to his co-commentary exist... What ever happened to that witty, handsome, former Chelsea player... what was his name?

Am I the only person in England who thinks John Motson has lost it?

I started getting annoyed with him in Japan & Korea four years ago, when he kept missing things and made the same 'joke' about "hope you're enjoying your breakfast/lunch" every 5 minutes, and he's got steadily worse ever since.

Now he gets player names wrong, constantly misses touches off players that take the ball for a corner or goalkick, and his tactical analysis is shocking.

I hope this is his last world cup, it's not nice to see such a legend struggle to carry on when he just isn't up to it anymore.

The stars of the ±«Óãtv's coverage so far (in my opinion) are the excellent Adrian Chiles and Leonardo, who I'd love to see on Match Of The Day next season.

Martin O'Neil is the bloke in the pub who won't shut up when you're trying to listen to his more interesting mate while Wrighty is great to watch but not a pundit.. give him Garth Crooks' job and get him out of the studio.

Lineker, Lawro and Hansen are solid, but I miss Le Saux's tactical inputs and Gavin Peacock deserves a higher profile role.. stick him in the studio instead of Wright and let Motson retire to a sunny field somewhere.

I get the feeling that if England were to reach the semi-finals, ITV would have just wasted a lot of money. Would anyone actually watch their coverage over that of the ±«Óãtv? I don't think so!

Well done the ±«Óãtv....another good presentation trouncing ITV - keep up the good work....Not only the match coverage but the build up on 5Live and also the analysis and seeking out of supporters by Nicky Campbell in the morning.

Top performances by the legend that is Alan Green, closely followed by Adrian Chiles!!!!

I agree with 11. Motty and Lawro have had it - Guy Mowbray was better last night. The Beeb's pundits are mixed, O'Niell and Strachan are honest and lively, but Shearer is a very dull man. Why did you get rid of Le Saux? At least they are better than ITV's lot.

The streaming coverage by the ±«Óãtv is excellent - ahead of its time - keep it up.

Personally I like the ±«Óãtv studio people, but I can't bear Motty and I also can't bear Alan Green and Terry Butcher on Five Live. If both ITV and ±«Óãtv were screening the semi-final, I would watch the build up, half-time and post-game analysis on the ±«Óãtv, but watch the match on ITV.

I agree with 11. Motty and Lawro have had it - Guy Mowbray was better last night. The Beeb's pundits are mixed, O'Niell and Strachan are honest and lively, but Shearer is a very dull man. Why did you get rid of Le Saux? At least they are better than ITV's lot.

The streaming coverage by the ±«Óãtv is excellent - ahead of its time - keep it up.

Did anybody hear Lawro's impression of Sven in the last England game?

Motson is tedious in the extreme, but I'd rather listen to him that Clive Tyldesley on ITV - who has to go down as the most irritating, patronising commentator of all time. OK, I know both Klose and Poldi are Polish-born - I don't need to hear it ten times every time they play.

As for the studio panel, more Martin O'Neill, please. His slating of Ibrahimovic was pure comedy classic stuff. Ian Wright can be funny at times, and is good for his ad-libs - but this is all. I agree with the previous poster who said that he should be given Garth Crooks' job.

I'll be watching the build up of england's semi-final (if we get there) on bbc 1. But if motson is commentating, i would rather listen to peter drury on itv during the game. Motson is immensly boring, has no rhythm in his commentary and keeps telling us pointless facts from 50 years ago.

Lineker, Hansen, Leonardo and Shearer are top class and Wrighty always makes me smile. So all in all, good work bbc. Keep it up.

I agree, John Motson is losing it, he constantly gets names wrong and for the first 25 minutes of the Brazil vs Croatia match he was calling Ronaldinho (arguably the most recognisable player in the world) Ze Roberto, it often takes him 2 or 3 replays to realise that a shot had deflected off a defender when the rest of us saw it on the first occasion, and his reason for Nesta and Cannavaro being rated as one of the best defensive partnerships in the world was because of their many years playing together at club level (although they never have played for the same team). Motty will always be a legend in the world of football but it really is time to retire...despite this, he still beats the fools on ITV such as Clive Tyldsley & David Pleat hands down...apart from Motty's muckups, ±«Óãtv's coverage rules

I think some of the commentary on the ±«Óãtv is bias especially when it comes to England playing.

Hi there, just a little comment to the ±«Óãtv people to say why not show a bit of goodwill to football/soccer lovers over the pond. Read blog in the NY Times below and you will see they're suffering big time for want of some half-decent world cup commentary. I'm sure there are rubbish copyright issues to consider, but why not let them access 5Live commentary or something. Just to be nice, eh...?

Great news the ±«Óãtv covering the England games, Lineker & co knock the socks off ITV's coverage. Personally i can't understand why ITV have pundits in Germany. They dont get much time to speak because of all the adverts.
Anyway i think Mick McCarthy is a brilliant co-commentator. He knows about tactics and has a dry sense of humour to go with it.

I note that there is general feeling that the ±«Óãtv coverage is superior to that of ITV which I agree with whole heartedly. However, does anyone agree how irritating the beer advert with the two imbeciles is that we face on ITV at the beginning and end of each part of ITV's coverage. If UK broadcasting has stooped to these levels then we are in a very sorry state. I hope the advertiser feels its money well spent as it has ensured that I for one will never buy another bottle of their beer.

I agree with pretty much all the above comments. ±«Óãtv is sooo much better than ITV!!! And Leonardo is sooo cute, how i look forward to seeing him on my television screen! :)

±«Óãtv coverage has been superb. The picture clarity is so much better than ITV. They also have the best pundits in Hansen, Shearer,Leonardo and O'Neill. Only downside is John Motson - time for him to go and the excellent Guy Mowbray made number one commentator.

I agree that the ±«Óãtv coverage is head and shoulders above that of ITV. So why then have the ±«Óãtv given in to let ITV show both semi finals if England get through. Is it because the ±«Óãtv knows that nobody will be watching the ITV coverage of the England game so it will give them a chance to get a few viewers for the other semi final. I would prefer it if the ±«Óãtv showed both semi finals. That is what everyone I know would prefer.

So, even though everyone knows the ±«Óãtv win viewers by a margin of 3 to 1 when both they and ITV show an England game, they've traded exclusivity in the England QF for the best two other QF games, plus first pick for ITV for the SF or exclusivity in the other SF should England get through.

Why be so accomodating?

Brazil and Ghana played a football which was superior to Italy VS Australia and Switzerland VS Ukraine.

I saw the first half in Ayestaran Restuarant [in Miami Florida] and everyone appeared to agree.

I saw the second half in Tower Cafe. Everyone had their eyes on the telly.

Maybe somethings should have been done. But Brazil has shown that it is a force to be reckoned with. Ghana has also shown that it will be a force to be reckoned with in 21st Century Football.

What a good idea for a thread. We can all post where we saw the match, and whether the result changed depending on where we saw it. I was watching the Brazil v Ghana game upstairs and Brazil were winning 3-0. Imagine my pleasure at switching on the little TV downstairs and seeing that Ghana were winning 4-3. Sadly, when I returned upstairs (I had gone downstairs to make a cup of tea) Brazil went back to winning 3-0. What a cruel world we live in.

Thank god for 5live. My girlfriend is trained enough to turn the volume off when Pearce or Motson of commentating. Pearce is dire while Motson is a parody of himself. Lawrenson to is useless.
Graham Taylor Chris Waddle on 5live are superb.
The standard of commentators on tv is getting worse.
Its a crying shame to have the legend Barry Davies wasted on that racquet sport.
BRING HIM BACK PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!

So the ±«Óãtv will show the Italy vs. Ukraine match! An Australian comment:
A female Italian dramatic performer is called a "Diva". You can see them at the Opera.
A male Italian dramatic performer is called a "Diver". You can see them at the World Cup.

Prize for the most ill judged question so far goes to ITV's Gabby Logan.
Asking Robbie Earle (Jamaica), Andy Townsend (Ireland) and Ally McCoist (Scotland) "Wouldn't it be great for the nation if England could win the World Cup"
Cue some awkward looks and shuffling in chairs!!!

Does anyone know yet which strip England will be wearing on Saturday.

paul.

Get rid of John Motson or someone say something, he's always going over the top with his commentating, when there is no near of a threat on goal he would raise his voice! So annoying, and his cliches!!! If you cannot get rid of him, then someone please let him know this, I've never written a comment to the ±«Óãtv before, since he annoyed me so much, I just had to say something.