Why the hell is Rio in Rio?

Majestic 12

One of the definitions of a pundit is: ' a learned person'.
Well I fink dat Rio falls well short ov dat.

I will watch the matches, and have to walk out the room whenever he's on. I cannot afford to purchase a new telly and am very fearful of hurling an object of reasonable mass at his rubbery fizzog.

uddy_puffer

I thought he was pretty good actually. He was insightful, made some great points and didn't just grunt a few "yeah" or "no" answers. Setting aside his Lahnden accent, which there's not much he can do about really, I reckon he did very well. I'd have him rather than loads of the other dross that passes for punditry such as Shearer, Lawrenson, Townsend, Savage, Quinn, etc, etc.

jawooga

I enjoyed it when he talked about getting skinned by Gareth Bale.

As soon as he started talking with insightful about positioning as a defender, Shearer buts in with "yeah yeah yeah, as an attacker, I'd be thinking about this and doing that (waits for recognition)". I think the match of the day lot have been told to buck up there tactical opinions after Gary Neville showed them how it should be done, so Shearer is desperate to impress. But, imvho, he's an awful pundit.

RideOnTime

Because it sounds good.

sloppyschleckonds

Uddy Puffer wrote:

I thought he was pretty good actually. He was insightful, made some great points and didn't just grunt a few "yeah" or "no" answers.

It was well scripted, like a kid at school who was told to read out his homework in front of the class. In a foreign language.

DeVlaeminck

Did a lot better than most of the pundits - his point about Spain's midfield wanting to play with a different sort of centre forward ahead of them was interesting and one of the rare moments when they give an insight most sitting at home wouldn't have thought of.

sloppyschleckonds

Its a shame none of them talked in depth about how the Dutch would play......

apple15

So its a toss up between Rio or Adrian Chiles on the other side, Rio and Co all the way I'm afraid

sloppyschleckonds

Apple15 wrote:

So its a toss up between Rio or Adrian Chiles on the other side, Rio and Co all the way I'm afraid

Seriously, over Dixon & Poyet? Hmm.....

eric_draven

Not a massive fan of Rio,but i can listen to him on football,wish either a player or a manager would turn round turn and tell Adrian Chiles to Shut the F**k up,and what do you know about the game anyway,as for Robbie Savage could someone just punch him,mediocre player at best,but a total gobsh*te

debeli

I am not a huge fan of Rio the former WHUFC Leeds and MUFC player, this for largely tribal reasons.

Nonetheless, he was quite a player and he seems to be warming to the role. I hate to say it, but I find his comments insightful and positive.

Chiles, on the other hand (was it Stewart Lee who referred to him as a human Toby Jug?) is a dish best simply never served. His rise to blokeish stardom baffles me. There are good parts to the ITV coverage (Dixon and others) but Chiles adds nothing and takes away a good deal.

Henry is excellent and I quite like the cold-eyed hit man for the cocaine cartels.

My favourite ever was Mick Channon, because he had so much trouble with the name 'Lineker'. But he may be grazing on different pastures now.

simonhead

Better than Ian Wright who seems to be constantly going on about his days as a player or laughing at his own jokes, made a decent pair with Henry, alas Shearer was the week link. Cant watch it on ITV as find the commentary quite dull and the analysis awful.

Majestic 12

After watching quite a few games and the punditry to go with. Perhaps Rio isn't as bad as his peers. I am totally bemused by ITVs attempts to grab any passing ex footballer off the promenade at Copacobana. They seem completely bemused by Adrian Chiles, especially Fabio Cannavaro who was subjected to the unwanten physical advances of Chiles on Saturday night.

Paulie W

Why are so many pundits ex-footballers? There is an assumption that they have some special insight into what will happen and are able to explain what has happened on the pitch. Sure, they can tell you what it feels like to be in the tunnel before a big match, they can describe the feelings of elation and despair that go with winning and losing but why assume that they have any real tactical insight - you only have to watch the England Italy game to see how most players are not really able to read a game tactically and adapt. Many players rely on instinct and physical prowess over any real understanding of positioning. Yet these are people we have to listen to pre- and post- game telling us what will and what did happen (the two rarely matching up).

Mikey23

Watching spain v chile tonight. I found it quite amusing that thierry henry has a better grasp and use of the english language than rio, bless him...

antfly

He's there because his name is Rio and he dances on the.. etc.
I noticed they stuck Shearer between holier than thou Henry and Sedorf cos they were getting too chummy, Henry always looking at him for approval when he spoke. I enjoyed it when Henry thought Spain were right to play the utterly useless Casillas because he played in the cl final, and Sedorf said the opposite, he looked shocked.

Omar Little

He's been better than i thought he was going to be so far.

When Robbie Savage, Mark Lawrenson, Ian Wright, John Hartson and Adrian Chiles have all been involved Ferdinand is a long way off from being the worst!

Just a shame James Richardson isnt involved - if he was to replace Chiles it would raise the standard of ITV coverage so much.

morstar

Adrian Chiles is there because he would have agreed it in his deal to go to ITV. Not going to the World cup is why he left the Beeb.

I actually enjoyed his hosting of The Apprentice You're Fired but now just think of him as a petulant dick. Just because you are a TV presenter and like football doesn't mean you should host the show. Good on him for negotiating a contract that suits his needs but surely his salary would fund attending the World cup as a spectator if he was so desperate.