International Football - England - Euros - World Cup Etc

[Paplane]

Yep, the football's been great on the whole (well the bits I've watched so far have been). The biggest disappointment for me so far is the BBC's coverage. For them to stay at home with an animation of the Manhattan skyline projected behind them from their studio in Salford is laughable, when the ITV pundits are actually sitting in front of the real thing in their swanky New York Studio. I don't want to get all political, but to me it shows just how far the BBC's priorities have shifted over the last five years or so.

Also Rooney is the worst pundit around and I don't find the rest of the BBC's pundits and presenters (with exception of maybe Kelly Cates) to be very engaging.

If this is how the bbc are going to handle major global sporting events in the future then they probably don't deserve to be showing them.

I have no problem with the BBC's studio (though ITV's is better like you say) but personally think their punditry line-up is poor compared to ITV. Like you say, Rooney is awful. Ashley Williams isn't much better and Giroud is just a bit dull. I much prefer Keane, Wright, Neville and even Juan Mata on ITV. Not a fan of Matterface and Dixon on the ITV commentary though - Champion/Drury and McCoist are good though.

Been watching a lot of The Rest is Football podcast on Netflix too. I know Lineker is a divisive figure on here but the show is entertaining. They've had the likes of Lampard, Joe Cole and Harry Maguire on it which has been interesting - alongside Shearer and Richards face-timing in whilst in the UK.

I just think we're being gaslighted by the BBC a bit. They've tried to talk up their 'state of the art' studio but the reality is they've spent a few quid on it so they don't have to spend a much larger amount on an on-site studio alongside the costs involved in stationing an associated production crew out there. 

I've not watched The Rest is Football but I might give it a go if you're saying it's decent.