The action on the pitch hasn't been electric - and many fans have not exactly been illuminated by the star pundits on the BBC and ITV. The MEN's Peter Spencer and James Robson have taken a sideways look at the experts on the small screen to separate the Jules Rimets from the Vuvuzelas.
Gary Lineker
You can’t escape the crisps salesman. If he’s not in silly adverts on ITV, he’s fronting the BBC’s coverage. Could do with edgier questioning style – it all seems too scripted.
5 out of 10
Adrian Chiles
The voice of the fans contrasts sharply with the BBC’s establishment coverage. His first time as a World Cup anchorman, it won’t be his last.
8
Alan Hansen
Lineker’s big pal needs to change the script. The ex-Liverpool defender has become a caricature of himself – “he’s got pace, he’s got power…” Hansen’s been singing from the same hymn sheet for 15 years. Tell us something new.
4
Emmanuel Adebayor
Caught out when his mobile went off during a broadcast, it was about the most memorable part of the City striker’s contribution to the BBC’s coverage. 3
Alan Shearer
A fantastic footballer but not TV’s biggest personality. We wanted to know what it was like for Rooney having no service against the US and why it didn’t change at half time. Stop defending the pros, Al.
4
Patrick Vieira
Stick to the day job. You seem too reasonable for this punditry lark, when we don’t necessarily want a sympathetic view. Still he has credibility having actually won it, along with the European Championships with France.
4
Robbie Earle
Shame his generosity got the better of him! Viewers have been robbed of one of the more likeable pundits. What’s more, the orange-clad ladies who were allegedly handed his tickets were definitely one of the few highlights of a dour World Cup so far.
5
Lee Dixon
Can’t be all bad, he is a City fan after all. Actually the former Arsenal man is one of the more forthright pundits on show.
7
Andy Townsend
Got a nose for radio, but he does speak some sense. An ITV stalwart because of his reasoned debate – the pundit Jamie Redknapp wants to be.
7
Gareth Southgate
Best of the lot. Offered insight into Sven-Goran Eriksson’s reign as England manager. Shows that ex-players can make worthy pundits, if not managers. Makes you wish Gary Neville could be given a role as well.
8
Edgar Davids
Certainly didn’t wilt under the lights of the cameras. Could one man get more laid back? Needs to be reminded he’s on TV, not in his armchair back home.
4
Marcel Desailly
Speaks with authority, having won the World Cup. Not short of an opinion and one of the more charismatic former players. Could do with more facts on African nations.
5
Jurgen Klinsmann
The style icon of the last World Cup, he scored a bit of a fashion own goal by wearing a T-shirt under a dress shirt.
We know it gets chilly at night in South Africa, but surely they can afford central heating in the studio. Naturally looking smug with Germany starting so impressively – even if their benchwear is more questionable. (That said – what about Brazil manager, Dunga’s, fisherman’s jumper).
6
Kevin Keegan
The ex England manager still acts as though he’s being interrogated whenever questioned about football. Has he forgotten he’s being paid to offer expert insight? Given his rare dressing room knowledge, should be offering so much more.
4
James Corden
Not strictly a pundit, but he’s certainly giving us plenty of entertainment in an otherwise dour tournament. Like Chiles, shares a fan’s point of view and asks the questions we’re all thinking. ITV deserve credit for a wacky approach, which has most of us desperately waiting for the football to finish, just so we can see the Gavin and Stacey funny man.
10
How do you rate the pundits? Have your say.
Comments
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The level of punditry is cringe-making. It's lowest common denominator stuff. Patronising and insulting, much of it. Emmanuel Adebayor's mobile phone started ringing in his pocket live on air the other day. His respect for the viewers didn't even amount to him making sure the thing was switched off. Edgar Davids has been unintelligible, Gareth Southgate hasn't said one interesting thing, Kevin Keegan has been nothing more than a cheerleader for England and Andy Townsend has been his usual bland self, trotting out statements of the obvious with a rapid-fire gusto. "I tell you what, for me, he's gotta hit the target from there!"
who is James Corden so unfunny and only four English International on all the panels. JOKE
Jurgen Klinsmann looks perplxed when Emmanuel Adebayor speaks. He has not got a clue what he is saying,
Who is giving Adrian Chiles anything above a 1? He is shocking. He relies on cheap laughs that someone else has prepared for him and is incredibly dull. In my opinion, Matt Smith is much better than Chiles. Combined with the ridiculous number of breaks and lack of real analysis, ITV should not be allowed to broadcast such events again.
As for James Corden - really? 10? Smithy from Gavin and Stacey may be entertaining but James Corden comes across arrogant and highly irritating. A comedy rip off of TFI Friday surely can't be classed as World Cup coverage....
BBC absolutely has flaws but it's so much better than itv. You have also forgotten to mention Seedorf who has been a surprisingly good panelist.
They are all dire this year! Mind you it must be difficult when they are trying to pass comment on the abilities of either side when most of the time watching paint dry would have been more exciting. Nevermind, the opening games are out of the way now and already we are seeing far more entertaining stuff as one or two teams realise that just stopping better opposition from playing is not going to qualify them for the next round so they will have to be a bit more adventurous and will get picked off. Come on England!
Safe boring gutless.
Come on everyone, James Corden is like so funny!
Unlike all those boring pundits and former players. Yawn!
No wonder the writers gave him a 10, he's fat but does physical stuff. Hilarious!
Townsend and co can't hold a candle to him.
Can't stand Chiles but glad that it is mainly ITV's advertising clients that are now paying his salary, rather than BBC license payers.
The quality of the multitude of presenters, pundits, commentators and anchors leaves a lot to be desired.
To be honest, it's so poor that only the other day I mentioned to a mate "bring back David Pleat, all is forgiven" - it's that bad!
They are all dross, especially that Chiles clown. Nobody ever says anything about anything. What's the point of that? Get Eamon Dunphy on, he's not frightened to say what he sees...
Even though I tease them I do like Gary, Alan & Alan. I also Like Andy Townsend and Adrian. I like them all. Emmanuel's score was a bit low, I would give him 9. And 9 for Patrick. Kevin Keegan 10.
Does anyone understand Emmanuel. I think Hansen and Jurgen tried to cut him out of the conversations.
They didn't rate Clarence Seedorf, who I quite like both as a panelist and a player.
Chiles is poor by default now that he's on ITV. He was also arrogant to write off Ghana's chances against Serbia.
I despise Townsend. He's awful, and the sooner they get rid of him, the better. Ditto the crisp-advertising, Dumbo muppet.
Raindazed is spot on. I, too, thought Corden's show = "TFI Friday rip-off".
If James Robson ever appeared on the telly, he would get a straight -10 :).
Never mind judging thier talents.............why are TV companies (especially the BBC) sending their pundits (at our expense) all the way over to SA?
Does it add to the experience of watching the game the fact that the pundits are in SA?
No it doesn't. Full stop.
I don't even watch the pundits...half time is for making something to eat, nipping to the loo and the off licence.......
Complete waste of licence fee payers money.
Frank Kelly summed it up 'patronising and insulting', Roy Hodgson is the exception
Guys check out if possible Irelands RTE, there analysis is top class and they do not hold back, the like of Jonny Giles, Liam Brady, Eamonn Dunphy, Ronnie Whelan are excellent even Greame Souness is completly different on RTE. It really is so much better than ITV and BBC, just like their prem and Champions league coverage,
Corden is only a 10/10 football pundit for morons and the 75% of WC viewers who only have a modest interest in football and are more showing an interest in the World Cup circus having fallen for the media driven hype.
I only watched the first one and was disgusted with ITV for putting a true legend like Gordon Banks, resplendent in his shirt and tie and deserving of a little more respect than only being asked the same question twice on the entire show, alongside a young footballer who just missed out on the squad, and then making them play a distant second fiddle to the ubiquitous Simon 'professes not to even like football' Cowell, the ridiculous Katie Perry, in her ludicrous dress, and the painfully dim Abbey Clancy who just sat their and 'whooped'.
Bring back Skinner and Baddiel - now THAT was a proper football based light entertainment programme. Until then wake me up when England have been knocked out and us true football fans can have our game back from the England car flag waving, James Corden loving unwashed masses....
James Corden just keeps making jokes about himself being fat all the time, which is all he has ever done and the jokes are wearing thin now, and if anyone can keep up with Adebayors 10 word-a-second comments then good luck to them.
nearly re tuned my tv when i saw e.a on bbc....nice thought though.
James Corden is living off one show he did a few years back everything else he has done is complete pap, it just involves being a bit matey with a couple of sports stars and slapping them on the bum. I saw the true talent of the man on the Horne & Corden show. Utter poo poo. He is an actor not a comedian and trust ITV to get him after the bbc realised he was just a fat man who likes to get his wobbely guts out.
James Corden -1000
James Corden has done a lot of work for the BBC with united so he just happens to get ten out of ten. Another Biased MEN article then and proved buy the fact that Adebayor is marked down as a 3 just because the judges are too lazy to actually listen to what he has to say. He is just as good as the rest of them even though they are all only worth 5 points with the exception of Clarence Seedorf (Not mentioned here) who is the most honest and natural of all of them and worth a 6 along with Klinsmann.
James Corden I suppose is regarded as the next big comedy thing. Especially if you like the same old jokes told hundreds of different ways and with pathetic, old hat punch lines.
Wayne 'No one likes a show off'. How hysterically side splittingly original!
Another duck egg with a self deprecating fat suit personality. He’s trying to be the modern day Oliver Hardy without the craft. Basically he’s pure rubbish.
Corden 10 ?????????????????????? He's not funny !!!!!! Just a boring third rate so-called funnyman with a tired script. Seen more amusing folks down the Legion on a Saturday night. He makes Johnny Vegas sound hilarious. Hell fire !!!!!!
the guy is not funny whatsoever and no one on the show apart from the ex players knows anything about football and are blatant about it! end of!
Adrian Chiles
The voice of the fans contrasts sharply with the BBC’s establishment coverage. His first time as a World Cup anchorman, it won’t be his last. 8"
Are yu being seriou this man know less about football than my nan, and is possible the most anoying person currently on TV
Should of given the world cup to Sky then we would of got some proper coverage and good pundits
Adebayor & Vieira dont score much higher when they play for City.......
I liked Chiles when he did MOTD 2 but he aint has good for ITV.