Football Daily - TCV: Awkward interviews, Anthony Gordon & barn doors

Episode Date: September 24, 2026

John Murray, Ian Dennis & Ali Bruce-Ball have their weekly commentator catch-up. Ali gets richly rewarded at Bournemouth, Ian gets recognised as a famous footballer and John goes walkabout in Nottingham. Hear from Anthony Gordon ahead of England vs Spain in the UEFA Nations League. And who will surge ahead in Clash of the Commentators? Messages and voicenotes welcome on WhatsApp to 08000 289 369 & emails to [e-mail]02:30 Meeting the England players, 05:10 Herr Chapman gets tipped off! 10:25 Does Ali get his cake and eat it? 12:50 John Southall goes Basil Fawlty, 18:10 5 Live commentaries this weekend, 19:20 Anthony Gordon ‘surprised’ to be subbed, 30:35 Awkward interviews… 36:00 Clash of the Commentators, 42:10 Unintended pub name of the week, 46:40 Great Glossary of Football Commentary.5 Live / BBC Sounds commentaries: Thu 1945 Portugal v WALES, Sat 1945 ENGLAND v Spain, Sun 1630 Chelsea v Arsenal in WSL, Tue 1945 Czech Republic v ENGLAND, Thu 1945 WALES v Norway.Great Glossary of Football Commentary: DIVISION ONE 50p head Agricultural challenge, Back of the net, Back to square one, Backside and elbows, The Beautiful Game, Booked, Bosman, Bullet header, Caretaker manager, Channel of joy, Checked and cleared, Coupon buster, Cruyff Turn, Cultured/educated left foot, Dead-ball specialist, Draught excluder, Elastico/flip-flap, False nine, Fox in the box, Giving the goalkeeper the eyes, Grub hunter, Head like a biscuit tin, Head like a sheriff’s badge, Head tennis, Hibs it, In a good moment, In behind, Lollipop, Magic of the FA Cup, The Maradona, Need one to get in off their backside, Off their line, Olimpico, Onion bag, Panenka, Parachute payment, Park the bus, Perfect hat-trick, Postage stamp, Put his cap on it, Rabona, Roy of the Rovers stuff, Schmeichel-style, Scorpion kick, Spursy, Stick it in the mixer, Sweeper keeper, Taking it to the corner flag, Target man, Tiki-taka, Towering header, Trivela, Where the kookaburra sleeps, Where the owl sleeps, Where the spiders sleep, You could have two goalkeepers in there and they still wouldn’t have saved it.

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Commentators view on the Football Daily with Alistair Bruce Ball, John Murray and Ian Dennis. Hello, it's the Football Daily. I'm Alastair Bruce Ball and this is the commentators view where we five live commentators talk about the football, the travels it takes us on and the words we use in our commentaries to describe the action, unchanged lineup again this season with us. the BBC's football correspondent John Murray and BBC's it's written here football's senior football reporter Ian Dennis but I know he is the BBC's senior football reporter

Denno have you got your socks for England action because last we spoke you turned up in a Thomas Tuchel press conference without your socks Yes I've remembered the socks I've remembered my deodorant I have remembered everything that is required But thank you for asking Interestingly though

The trend has developed in that. When I met Ian at St George's Park, where we have been this week for the England interview day, Ian also had driven to that event in different clothes to the clothes that he was wearing when he came into the building at St George's Park. Yeah, because it was an early start on the morning and I wanted to arrive fresh. So when I had a change my top in the St. George's Park car park, I had a little spray of deodorant, so I would arrive fresh for when I was speaking to the players because there's nothing worse than being in a confined room

and not being fresh for the England players. Did you take your top off in the car park? I did take my top off in the car park, yes. Interesting. Yeah. It was a quick, swift exchange. On that subject, John, I've got to say, I'm pleased to hear that you're speaking clearly as well after your own little incident at St George's Park.

Oh, yeah. As Ian knows, I badly bit my tongue when I was eating a sandwich. Oh, yeah. Yeah. He actually, it was a shriek of pain. Was it? Yeah. I've had been quite a music, actually.

Yeah, which resulted in everyone sitting around laughing at me. I thought it was nice. We'll get on to England and Nations League in a bit And we're going to hear a bit from Anthony Gordon But it's a chance, isn't it, for you chaps During international weeks to come face to face with the players And interview players, you might not see that often during the season. So who have you been speaking to this week?

What's caught your ear? What's caught your eye? Well, I spoke to Bukaiosaka, and when he came into the room, we had a little handshake rather than a hand clasp, which I thought was interesting. And I just said to him to warm him up,

I said, by the way, Bokai, I said, I'm not going to mention last Saturday because obviously I commented on Arsenal losing at Brighton, and he just nodded. And then I just said to him, I said, mind you, I said, they were good, weren't they? I, E. Brighton. And he went, I thought you weren't going to mention it.

So, yeah, he took it in good spirits, I hope. That was funny. And also, now you mention it, I spoke to the 18-year-old Rio Ungamoa for the first time. And we also shook hands. We didn't clasp hands. We shook hands. And which I thought, teenager, shaking hands.

Good. Well done him. Did he say that? No, I didn't say. Well done. But he was a real ray of sunshine, wasn't he? He was. He was.

He was an absolute delight to talk to. Yeah. He was a breath of fresh. share when John was speaking to him Ali I was stood at the back of the room having to keep turning off the air conditioning unit because it comes on by itself so did you have a top on yes and yeah and I found myself smiling throughout the majority of the interview because it was that it was a feel-good factor interview I'll tell you someone who who I came across again and worked with this week who was well absolutely superb to work with not a breath of fresh air as such

but fran kirby i commentated with in the women's champions league on arsenal hobay kuhr from denmark as i found out they were pronounced it's written h b koga but apparently you say hube kure she she if if if she wanted to go into the commentary game she is fantastic uh just you know just read it so well, articulated it so brilliantly. You know, and as a current player, not afraid to, you know, to, to criticize and, you know, and point out stuff that wasn't going right for Arsenal. But that was a real treat, actually, to work with Fran again on that game. She was, she was, we have a wide range of fabulous summarizers,

but Fran is excellent, really, really good. I did a game, I think, last year with Fran. I would endorse everything that you've said. Meanwhile, has there been any word feedback from Hare Chapman? I've not heard this. After last week on this podcast, Ali revealed the Raffle saga. Yes, well, you clearly weren't listening at 3 o'clock last Saturday then. I wasn't actually.

Because I'd spoke to Hare Chapman on Saturday morning, and after his two previous weeks where he had little digs, playful digs at the TCB in terms of trails about Alizier problem and and talking about handshakes in the 1950s. I said to him, be very careful today. I've got something up my sleeve. And he laughed nervously. And therefore, he didn't actually make a playful dig at a trail for TCV, which I was most disappointed about. So when it came to kickoff at three o'clock, I actually brought that up and said, do you know what happened coming, you know, about the raffle? And rather disappointingly, he knew all of it.

about it because Andrew Murray, Andrew Murray had called him on the day. No. So Hare Chapman had known about it since the day of the golf. Ah, that's a shame. So it fell a little flat, I've got to say. Brighton against Arsle with Curtis Davis and Ian Dems. Just a quick one. Did you trail commentators view podcasts this week?

I didn't, no. No, so therefore you won't know about the secret that's in the podcast, will you? Well, even if I had trailed it, I still wouldn't know what's on the podcast. because I've just had people tell me. Are you aware that you won a raffle prize on Monday at the golf day that you went and they put your envelope back in the pot so you didn't actually get the prize?

Yes, I am because I got a text from the person who organised the golf day about it. All right, okay. Why was that on the commentator's view? It might have been. Oh, God, hold me back from listening. Anyway, welcome to the Amherstead. That's a shame.

That is a shame because I seem to remember quite clearly saying keep that under your hats that would be lovely to deliver at a later date. There was though, there was.

I don't know if you listen to Monday Night Club this week. It was a riotous off, it felt really off script Monday night club this week. Neddeme Anua was on and there was a half an hour

section in there where Nedham got talking about fallouts with Mancini and Rednapp as his managers when he called it. I mean it was, it really felt

felt like a night where the script got ripped up and they just, you know, they just got talking. Brilliant, listen. But there was an appalling slur on the commentator's view. What's that? I cannot let. Oh, it was appalling, John. And actually, I'm really delighted that Joseph Nathan has got in touch, was obviously listening, has been in touch about this, heard exactly the same thing as me. Dear Ali John and Ian, as a regular contributor to TCV, I feel compelled to respond to Hare Chapman's crass comment on this.

week's Monday nightclub. He had another dig at TCV. This time mentioning unprovoked, may I add, that you only have a handful of contributors whose correspondence you repeatedly read. So Chapas had a dig basically about, we've only got three listeners and we just read out emails from

the same three listeners. Joseph says, may I add, I've never had correspondence to MNC not read out, whereas on TCV I'm frequently ignored, presumably as your listener engagement is wider reach.

I guess by this not being read out, it will only strengthen my point, but I hope it is nonetheless. Keep up the good work from Joseph. So Joseph has failed because we've read it out, but has not failed. That is really funny. And as a sort of hit back at that,

what about the other week when I mentioned San Diego and producer Nathan came up with at least three different people whose emails we'd read out from San Diego alone? I can only think that T.C. CVs getting under his skin because of its worldwide global appeal. Let's hope so. Monday Nightclub, though, this week's BBC sounds out well worth a listen.

Really, really good stuff. And a bizarre, bizarre, bizarre Chris Sutton Tail right at the end of it. Mark Chapman actually messaged me this week and said, listen to the last five minutes. You will not believe this. And I thought, what's he done now? But honestly, go and have a listen to that. It's the end to that show is very funny. Well, I'm actually going to read out some correspondence from Tim in Herriford.

I'm not too sure if we've had one from Tim in Hereford before. So that makes us four. Let's say we have. Just before I do, though, what was quite amusing last Friday, we were talking on the Friday night about obviously the England squad. And it was a Zoom. And there was Kevin Nolan. There was David James.

And there was Phil Jaggi Elka. So a little bit like we can see ourselves now in the gallery view when we're doing it on Zoom. When my face appeared on the screen, David James said to Katie, the producer, I didn't realize Danny Murphy was joining us. Danny Murphy's come out of that very badly. Poor Danny. What you mean by that? That's worse than the chappas slur.

Anyway, Tim in Hereford. After ABB's trip to Bournemouth last weekend, please could we have an update on whether he was greeted with a chocolate bar or Dorset apple cake in the press room? Has Ali reached the status of John, hashtag justice in brackets and cake for ABB Well I can tell you Tim we did mention this at half time

On Five Lives Premier League Sunday with Aaron Paul presenting This is me on commentary with Rob Green Bournemouth have they got the same in the left in the tank And that is the cue for us Aaron Whenever 5 Live come to the Vitality Stadium Ken who's on the door always looks after us extremely well Baked goods arrive from home Coffee and walnut cake ready to go

which is my absolute favourite. I cannot wait. Half time, Bournemouth, Nill, Liverpool, Nell. Okay, I need to ask you a question

about the game. But hold it. Did you say Ken gets your coffee and walnut? No, Ken, when he knows Five Live are coming, he sees his coming,

and then he'll always provide cake. He always, so whoever's here for Five Live. He usually gets me a supermarket's own brand sort of way for biscuit. Well, we got that as well, Aaron, don't worry.

Yeah, we got that. That's a good point. Yeah, we did, yeah. I don't know what kind of preferential treatment this is. Rob Green, I mean, Let's just taking you away from the baked goods for the moment.

Thank you to Ken. The cake was absolutely delicious, as it always is. I think if you'd go there as a reporter, John, that's not always the case. I was with Andy Gillies. So Andy Gillies was our producer who travels up from the Southwest for these games. He has a really good relationship with Ken. And Andy now has a sort of quid pro quo thing going on. So Andy had brought Ken a chocolate bar from Kyrgyzstan this weekend as a swap.

for the coffee and walnut cake. So it's a remarkable exchange. However, going back to Tim's point, if you recall, when John was last there, Ali, Ken opened up a special drawer. There was the usual chocolate bars for everybody else. And I'm sure

that John said he got a four-fingered variety of this chocolate bar. I got a four-finger kick cat. Oh, yeah. And Matt Upson arrived, he just got a two-finger kick cat off the top of the desk. So did you get Two or four fingers? Two. All right, there's no need to be abusive.

You know that answer that. Holding my fingers up, but they were the right way around then, to be fair. Emails TCV at BBC.co.com. And WhatsApp for the messages and voice notes, 08,000, 289-369. John, I know you're looking forward to this. I heard this live on Saturday. Last week in the podcast, we played a little clip of Basil Faulty at his finest in Faulty Tower.

And there was, I mean, John Southall almost said it verbatim the clip we played last week. There was a lovely Basil Faulty moment from John Southall, 5 live last weekend. This is at Tottenham Villa. So he was watching Aston Villa sort of caused themselves some problems playing out from the back. He wasn't on air, but he, so Chappers was talking, but he didn't realize that his microphone was still live. Have I listened to this. In League 1, it's Barnsley-Nill, Leicester won Burton of... What is the point?

Sorry, he's talking about Billish trying to keep the ball. I mean, I'm just trying to give the scores, John. I mean, I thought that was the main part of my job. Yeah, that was very unprofessional. That's very funny. Very funny. Yeah, that did make me laugh. There's been a few of those over the years, haven't there?

Yeah. when people have been caught at thinking they weren't their fader, they weren't on air and they were on air. There's a classic. Some more broadcastable than others. Well, I was just going to say the Russell Fuller Tim Peach one is the absolute classic, isn't it? Where Russell isn't that impressed by the production that's gone on and makes his point. Once before that an entire match, that's clearly not good enough.

Andy Murray talking to Russell Fuller Danny Mills Pablo Zabaletta has just said he doesn't understand why he was sent off this evening That was just production team Well we just heard Russell Fuller there I'll apologise for that let's go to Danny Mills Danny

That's funny that one Right and just before we get to the international football We've mentioned it actually haven't we About the handshakes in the England camp this week But Kenneth in Glasgow through down the gauntlet. Just for the record, just in case

Hare Chapman is listening, we do accept that Kenneth in Glasgow has been mentioned. His correspondence has been mentioned before. So we're going to put that on the record.

Yeah, he threw the gault down last week on the handshake hand-class debacle that we've been discussing. He mentioned how dapping up

is now the popular term for the class these days challenged us to get that into one of our commentaries. So step up the BBC's football correspondent, John Murray.

The most mentioned, Kenneth in Glasgow, who got in touch with us on the commentators' view podcast about this current trend to clasp hands rather than shake hands. And we saw that before the match. And I said, I would mention, because his son says it's called dapping up.

Oh, is that right? So we have a dapping up ceremony when they're clasped hands before the match. So there we are, Kenneth. Thank you, Kenneth. Thank you, Kenneth. Especially for you. Nottingham Forest nil.

Coventry City, nil. Dionne, Dublin, on board with that. Little discipline. You didn't do that with Rio and Gamowah, you know, after you dab him up. Yeah, yeah. If I'd thought about it, I might have done. Incidentally, and I did mention this during the commentary in the first half at the city ground, which is part of the reason why I didn't hear you Ian,

because I was making my way to the city ground last Saturday afternoon. And I actually walked round the ground, and I went somewhere I'd never been before, so I walked round the other side of the city ground, other side of the Brian Cluff stand. and I saw a little path and I thought, where's that going? So it went down this path like quite overgrown. And that is alongside the old Grantham Canal. And it is right next to the city ground. So you walk along the canal, which is now overgrown.

That section of the Grantham Canal is overgrown. So I think it originally flowed down into the Trent. But you can, you know, the Brian Clough stand is, you can see it from the toll path. And it feels like on the, the canal, it feels like you're a million miles away from anywhere. It feels like you're in the middle of the countryside. In fact, you're right next to the city ground. So a new part of Nottingham that I discovered last weekend.

My favourite line from your commentary, I think it was first half, John, was Oliver Glasner's Winter Collection. I'm looking forward to that. It's early, yeah, too early for the Winter Collection, yeah. And you also got onto County Halls under the Hammer with Dion, didn't you? the county all that you parked at that needed a bit of renovation. It was very good. Fair to say it wasn't the best of first halves,

but produced quite a story with Coventry getting their first win in the Premier League for a quarter of a century. Worth making the point as well as we often do, you know, if you want to listen to any of these commentaries again or that moment that Coventry scored that goal, first goal of the season in the Premier League, BBC Sounds app, stations and schedules, get there, go back and find the day, and you can do,

you can do exactly that. And also, that was an incredible goal, really. When you consider it, I think it was his 127th match, and he finally scored his first goal, Jada Silver, for Coventry City. The way that he took it was incredible. You know, the control and then the finish. You'd think he did it every week. Right, this is how your weekend looks on Five Live this weekend.

So this podcast comes out Thursday. We're recording this Thursday morning. So Thursday night, if you're listening to this ahead of a 7.45 kickoff, We have got Portugal Wales commentary in the Nations League. Friday, Northern Ireland in Nations League action. They kick off at five. Updates of that on Five Live. Scotland in Action away to Slovenia on Saturday at 2 o'clock.

So updates of that into Five Live Sports. Saturday 7.45, we'll be talking about this game in a minute. England, Spain at Wembley, John and Ian, both on commentary duty with Paul Robinson and Matt Upsson. massive game in the WSL on Sunday at 4.30. Chelsea and Arsenal, both one in the Champions League this week. They go head to head in the WSL. So Vicki Sparks and Frank Kirby, there we go. He's on duty again. So definitely have a listen to that. And 5 o'clock Sunday into that commentary in the WSL updates of Denmark, Wales. So why don't we have a listen to Anthony Gordon? And then we'll chat England, Spain with John and Ian here. So it's England against the world and European

champions on Saturday. Anthony Gordon speaking ahead of this game, he was taken off in the semi-final against Argentina in the World Cup as England went to a back five to defend their lead. It invited the pressure, of course, before Argentina got their two late goals. And Gordon says he was surprised to be taken off. Yeah, I was, being totally honest, only because I just scored. So I'm a type of player that I've said before, I'm really good when I play off adrenaline and when I score, I normally don't have many bad games because I get into like an untouchable mode of confidence. It makes me feel on top of the world, especially in that moment on that stage, I felt really good. But as a winger, to be honest, I come off most games. It's normal. It's usually

the position that is targeted first for substitutions because the players on the bench in your position is usually quick and usually really good as well. So managers are, you very good. feel that when you're getting a bit tired, you can add them fresh legs and they can really go. Obviously, that substitution was different, but it makes a lot of sense to me why the manager would then go more safe and more defensive and really tune in to what got us through the previous two rounds in that moment. It might not to other people, but it does to me being a part of the group. I felt like as players, we could have done more. For me, we had the best team. We had the best players on the pitch in that semi-final, and in the last 20 minutes, we didn't play the best football.

that's certain the manager can't really affect from the sideline. So I think as a group, everyone together should take responsibility. We shouldn't try and blame one man who's obviously trying his best to win the game and win the Cup for us all. But when you compare the England squad with Spain, France, what they've achieved, what they've done, there doesn't seem to be a great deal of difference. And England have got a coach who's won the chance.

Champions League. Yeah. So that it shouldn't be that far a leap, should it? Well, it's not. It's not because we got to the semifinal against the reign and world champions in which we should have won, we can say, in my opinion. We were the far better team for 60 minutes. Okay, things took a turn and we didn't win, but that is football.

Football is not perfect. Football doesn't mean you can be the better team for 60 minutes, you can score and you're always going to win. There's times where Spain will have been winning 1-0 and lost the game. It's not an English thing. Just in the moment, we lost the game. I don't think there is a big leap. I felt like I felt so confident.

I felt like if we would have got to the final, I would have felt so confident playing Spain that we would come out victorious. But we just didn't get there, so we'll never know. Do you think it is not a coincidence that two of England's arguably two best performers, about World Cup played for Bayern Munich and Real Madrid? Well, no. I think all the best players play for the best teams in the world

and there's never a coincidence with that. If it was that easy, then everyone else would do it. So, no, not surprising. There are two players who are at the very top of the game. I obviously watch every one of Jude's games now, hoping they lose. But he has had a tremendous start of the season. Like I said, I watch all of his games. so watch him quite closely and as an individual, he started really, really well.

So that's Barcelona's Anthony Gordon. He's a straight talker, John, in terms of dealing with him as the media, someone you want to talk to. You're going to get answers to your questions. Yeah, I think he's really developed in that sense over the last couple of years and taken on a new standing, which I guess is the standing of a player who would play for Barcelona. So he's quite the go-to guy now in terms of that sort of. sort of issue. Why was it? What happened to England in that last half hour against Argentina

happened? And this widely discussed debate, was it down to the manager or was it down to the players? So he's made it very clear there that he thinks it's a shared thing. It's not just down to Thomas Tuchel. The players have to take their part of the blame. And also, I think the point of my question, my second question there was, you know, Do England, the national team, actually have a disadvantage because they play Premier League football when it comes to the tournaments? Is there something there? And I think it is true, and this was touched on by Anthony Gordon as well. There is definitely something in what happened there against Argentina, in my opinion, that came from the fact that they put in such a massive effort against Mexico at altitude.

Then a few days later, played in the sweltering heat of Miami. and when it came to it in that last half hour against Argentina, they weren't able to change the narrative, change the game, despite, as Anthony Gordon said, he felt they had the best players on the pitch. I think I'm right in saying as well, Ian, he touched on the theme or was asked about the theme of possession of the football controlling games,

comparing it to the likes of Spain. That's an age-old debate about the England national team, isn't it? but we're here again, particularly as they're playing Spain this weekend. But he was also saying, though, that in Spain, he's seen how that control is part of their DNA. And he was actually saying that I'm not too sure that we'll ever get to that level with the English game. But he was also saying that the English game has its other strengths, its other attributes, and maybe we should just stick to that what we're good at.

How long will it be before we, the media, England football fans, stopped talking about the last half hour against Argentina. Let's say England beats Spain this weekend and play really well. That's not going to go away that last half hour, is it? Because it came in the biggest game of all when it really mattered. We're going to constantly come back to that half hour, aren't we? Whatever happens to the next four. Until a point comes where England lift a trophy.

And that's why the Nations League is highly significant for Thomas Tuchel and for England. And also in this very first match against the world champions at Wembley. So Spain's first match after winning the World Cup, and England coming off the back of, as Thomas Tuchel said correctly last week, an unfulfilled experience. If England want to win this group and therefore reach the finals of the Nations League, the likelihood is they will have to win this match against Spain on Saturday. So it's a really big one.

It's a 745 commentary on 5 Live and BBC Sounds. There have been a few withdrawals in from the England squad. So Declan Rice not involved, Cobby Mayne, Cole Palmer. Marcus Rashford, call-ups in James Garner and Morgan Gibbs White. In terms of an England team that we're going to see, any inkling as yet? Are we going to see Trent Alexander Arnold? Do you think Alex Scott might get a go in in central midfield? Not for this Spain game.

I think he'll stick to the tried and trusted players that served him well at the World Cup. Now, obviously there's no Declan Rice who's straightaway springs out in the center of midfield for that. but he could play Jude Bellingham in that position and then play Rogers a little bit higher up. It'll be interesting to see, and Pekarosaka said to me that when referring to that chaotic game against France in Miami, the third, fourth place playoff,

he said the pressure was off. But England embraced the chaos in that game. They just thought, oh, let's just play football. Last game at the World Cup, let's just go and enjoy it. The pressure now is back on. So let's see what approach they take for this game against Spain. But with Livermento pulling out, out. And obviously England have lost a string of right back, Bruce James, Ben White,

on the injured list. Jed Spence as well, injured. And so now Trent Alexander Arnold, really, is what you would consider to be the first choice right back in the squad. What would be a very interesting selection is if Jarrell Kwanza as in the squad has played it right back for England. If he were to play Jarrell Kwanza as the right back ahead of Trent Alexander Arnold, but I think the likelihood would probably be Alexander Arnold, but we'll see. Okay. Watch this team sheet. Clash of the commentators on the way.

We've got an unintended pub name this week and the great glossary of football commentary. Emails into TCV at BBC.com. UK and it's 08,289-369 for your messages and voice notes. So before Clash of the Commentators, a couple of good questions are coming here actually this week. Ashley in North Herefordshire asked after John's recent Aztecker experience at the World Cup, I wonder which England game comes to mind to you three

as the most memorable live match you've seen. So watching England live, I mean, from what you said, John, about that experience, it's that one, isn't it, for you? That will take some beating. The two that spring to my mind from a commentary point of view are beating Germany in Berlin by three goals to two

and also winning away in Spain in Seville I think it was the home of Rail Bettis. Yeah, that was an amazing match. Yeah. Where England really did put Spain to the sword in a terrific first half performance in particular. I think the one thing I remember about that is Eric Dyer's challenge very early on,

which I think was the catalyst to set the tone for the night on Sergio Ramos. Yeah. that was irresistible Sterling Rashford Cain front three wasn't it I remember they were electric that night so here's a question for you John

I've commentated on England once for five live alongside you can you remember can you remember so so it's the only time I think you know what I think it's the only time I've ever seen England live

because I'm not sure I've ever seen them live when I've not been working so I mean you'll never get this you'll never get this Was it not at Wembley? It was at Wembley. It was at Wembley. Yeah, yeah.

I'm not going to get this. No, you've got no chance. You've got no chance. So August 2013, you and I commentated on England against Scotland. England beat Scotland 3-2. James Morrison scored early for Scotland. I remember that. But also, here's another one.

Can you remember who scored England's winner against Scotland? and came off the bench. Oh, Dehneaux's there. Was it Ricky Lambert? Ricky Lambert. Ricky Lambert. Yeah?

That would be my most memorable live experience in England because it's my only one. Was that where I referenced him working in a beetroot factory? Yes, it was. It was. It was exactly that, yeah. It was. That's right. Was it?

A beetroot factory? Yeah. I think so. Something like that. Yeah. Roy Hodgson in charge of England. Gordon Strack and in charge of Scotland. Here's your other.

question before Clash of the Commentator, this is a good one too. I don't know if you've seen this in the script. This comes from Bournemouth supporter Graham, who says, Hi guys, excellent show as always. I've got a question here for you all. Have you ever interviewed someone and realized halfway through they aren't the person that you thought they were, you've confused them with someone else, and you've had to change tack very quickly. Keep up the good work. Now, I think there's variations on that question because I've certainly been in an instance where a sports person's been put in front of me and I'm thinking, right, who's this? And I've got to interview them. And I think the way around that is you can very

cheekily say, just for the levels, just for the recording. Could you just say your name into the into the microphone here and then away you go? Have you found yourself in that scenario? I have. I remember doing a match for match of the day. And, it was a Leicester City match and I was doing the interviews post-match and normally they'll say to you we're bringing in whoever on this occasion they didn't I turned round

and he has a man standing in front of me in a Leicester City shirt and I'm thinking I'm not 100% sure who you are and I had to start doing this interview with him and during the course of the interview I was able to clock and

work out that it was Andy King. Ah. So if Andy's listening, I apologise for not immediately recognising you, Andy. Has it happened to you, Ali? Not like that. I can tell, I mean, a really embarrassing story for me, and I still feel bad about this to this day, was the first masters I ever covered. And in those days, John will remember this.

We used to walk up to that famous clubhouse, big oak tree, and there was a roped-off area, and all the golfers had wandered through and you'd just interview everyone willy-nilly. It's much harder to do that nowadays. It's become much more sort of sanitised and control. But if you could see someone and get two minutes with them, you'd have a chat with them.

And we'd obviously look for the British golfers that were playing in the tournament that year. And there was a chap called Stuart, I must get this right this time, Stuart Wilson, who'd won the amateur championship in 2004, which qualified him for the Masters, which obviously would have been the biggest thing

in his career at that point. And so I went to go and find him. I had Andrew Cotter alongside me, who was very helpful because he was able to point him out, because obviously they're not wearing name badges, and I wouldn't necessarily recognize Stuart Wilson. And then for whatever reason, I got a different surname in my head, and I tried to start the interview in a sort of clever fashion, and really paid for it. And I said to him something like, so, you know, so when Stuart Drummond was a young seven-year-old boy chipping balls in the back garden. Did he ever think he'd be it Augusta National? And he said, I've got no idea what Stuart Drummond was thinking

as a seven-year-old, but I can tell you what Stuart Wilson was thinking. I was like, ah. And Cotter was standing two yards away to my right, and he was laughing his socks off. It was a disaster. Absolute disaster. You, Denno? I don't think I have.

What I have done, though, is where I've interviewed Emmanuel Pogatettes after Austria played Northern Ireland. And I knew I was speaking to Emmanuel Pogatette's, but I didn't realize that it'd been sent off during the game. So when we were talking... How did you not realize that? Well, I just missed it. Right.

So what I'd done, I'd filed my report. Austria beat Northern Ireland. I think Northern Ireland had a player sent off as well. So I left the report, because the commentary must have still been going on, dashed down to the tunnel, caught Emmanuel Pocatez. Emmanuel, two minutes.

He shows me this gash on his chin, and I could not believe it. He said, and the referee sent me off as well. And I went, sorry? I said, you were sent up? Yes. He said, that wasn't happy. So I said, so I wrapped up the interview very, very quickly, got the interview, ran back up to the commentary position.

I said, have you filed my full-time report yet? No, no, not yet. I said, well, don't. I said, I'll do it again. I said, I wasn't aware that Pogatettes had been sent off. That was famously Brannislav Ivanovich, wasn't it, who found out he was suspended for the Champions League final, having picked up a yellow in a semi-final,

he didn't realize in the TV interviewer said, well, such a shame about not making the final. His face just fell. Do you remember that? Yes, I do. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. In the 90s, women's tennis was having a moment. This is a match that will live in the memory of all of us.

Forever he had been so dominant. Suddenly along came Monica Sellis. She hit the barbee. She hit two hands off both sides. And just when tennis fans were licking their lips at the prospect of a rivalry that would push the sport to new heights, one of the strangest and most shocking sporting crimes brought it to a grinding halt. Monica Sillish has been stabbed by a spectator. This man stole her story from her.

Sports strangest crimes, tennis's darkest hour. Listen on BBC Sounds. With a subscription to the BBC website and app, you can now get early access to your favorite BBC podcasts. Listen to shows like, You're Dead to Me, In Our Time, good, bad billionaire, and more. Plus, there's all the other great benefits you get with a BBC subscription, from live streaming the BBC News Channel and acclaimed documentaries

to in-depth analysis and features. Visit BBC.com forward slash subscribe to find out more. The Commentator's View on the Football Daily with Alistair Bruce Ball, John Murray and Ian Dennis. Clash of the commentators. Ah, let's go. My face last week was extremely happy because I got my first win of the season. Up and running on Czech players to have played in the Premier League, although Jonathan has sent us this.

To my dear TCV team, I've been an Arsenal fan all my life. And it was therefore to my utter disgust that Thomas Rositzky was mentioned by neither Ian nor Alastair during last week's clash of the commentators. What really got to me, however, was that he wasn't even mentioned by John during the debrief. All this dismay was compounded by Ian's checkmate pun at the end. So my question to you is, did he do something wrong? Or was he just not the player that he seemed to me to be during my adolescent years? Well, of course, part of the problem with that was that virtually every player you mentioned

had check in their name in some way. and he doesn't. And also, I think in the roundup, I think Ali, you said to me, who's the most obscure name on the list, which obviously was not Thomas Rositsky? Oh, so that's the explanation, Jonathan? So you're blaming it on Ali now.

He not blaming anyone. Was a fabulous player. Like Anthony Gordon. I'm sharing it around. Yeah. No, I agree with Jonathan, though. That's a big, that's a massive miss, not to say Rizitsky because he was a wonderful player to watch, wasn't he?

Well, apologies, Jonathan. It is too late now. It is too late. Too late now, Ali. So Ali and John, who will go top of the table? Because after four games each, it's Ali two from three. It's John two from three. And I'm just one behind with the one win.

So John and Ali will take turns to answer a question and give as many correct answers as they can in 30 seconds. But who's going first? I'm going to put my hand up and say, can I go first, please, this week? Don't know why, John. Is that okay? Yes. Okay.

Once again, I've got to put him at odds on favorite for this. The odds are stacked very much in his favour. Anyway, we're ready to go. Saturday night, 5-live, 745 kickoff, England, Spain and the Nations League. It's the first time England have played Spain since the Euro 2024 final. I want you to tell me anything you can remember about that game. It could be players, goal scorer, the score, venue, kits managers, you name it.

I'll give you one point for each fact you get right. What? What can you remember from the England-Span, Euro-2020 final? Your time starts now. Well, Harry came as to captain England. Cole Palmer came off the bench and scored. It was played in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. Jordan Pickford would have been England's goalkeeper.

I mean, who else would have been in that England team? Rashford, McGuire. my mind's gone completely blank why didn't we say this is hard it's so random I can't think he would have scored the Spanish goal either I've had a nightmare there

if ever he doesn't win a clash of the commentators he will win that one we'll try and wave and get him on you back with us yep are you happy I'm happy if you're happy yeah the book is if you're happy yeah the book is

have stopped taking bets. Okay. Because you are the overwhelming favorite for this question. I always hate it when you say that. I mean... Last time you said that, I lost. Yeah.

Well, you shouldn't lose this one. You really shouldn't. So Saturday night, we've got England, Spain in the Nations League, Commentary 745. It's the first time England have played Spain

since the Euro 2020-4 final. I want you to tell me anything you can remember about the game. It could be players, goal scorers, the score, you, Kitts, managers, you name it.

I'll give you one point for each fact you get right. What can you remember from the England-Span, Euro-24 final? Your time starts now. Okay, well, Cole Palmer scored for England, which made him the... And he was the youngest man, I think, to play for England in a final. Ojasabar scored for Spain. Nico Williams scored for Spain.

Mark Gay had a header at the end that was cleared off the line by Danny Omo. Jordan Pickford played for England. Who nice, Simon played for Spain. Rodry played. He went off at half-time injured. Who else was playing for England? John Stones was playing for England. Harry Kane. Questions I think have got to be asked. I mean, I raised this a couple of weeks ago

about how the questions seemed to be loaded in favour of the correspondent. And I don't know. I mean, I don't even have to know what the final score is there, but I know he's won. I know he's won. But ABB, there has got to be a steward's inquiry, surely. Yeah, I mean, I'm kicking myself. I didn't say the score of the game or either of the two managers. So I'm a complete buffoon for not doing that.

But there we go. There we go. You should be pleased for me. After all of the agonies, I went through last season on this. So did I win? Well, you did win, but I haven't got the full-time score yet. You'll win. You'll win.

Well played, John. Top of the table. 11-5. 11-5. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, fire support. That's a big win.

Rashford and McGuire didn't play. No, I was just lobbing names. I just couldn't picture anyone on the pitch other than Kane, Palmer, didn't say the managers. I said Pickford, I think. But, yeah, strange. Producer Gary hasn't called me, but he has messaged me because he's actually next to me. That Pocatez, of course, is assistant head coach at Forest under Glasner. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Which is where I was last week. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, very good. Very good. Right. So that means John goes to three from four. I'm two from four. Danos one from four. In Clash of the Commentators, that's me on back-to-back defeats. So there we go. Right. Next up, unintended pub name.

So this is our unintended pub name of the week. This feature this season, there is only one, has to be top top to get in here. This week it comes from Michael in Julian, California, and this is from John's commentary of Nottingham Forest Coventry alongside D-on-Dublin. Unintended, plug-name of the week. And Undoy just finds himself edge of the D. Just couldn't curl it in that top corner.

He was looking, to be fair, Rushworth, was looking over his left shoulder thinking, I hope that goes over. And it did. It was probably only a foot over the postage stamp corner. of the Coventry City goal. Unintended pub name of the week. So Michael says John might just have given us TCV's first unintended pub name forward slash great glossary combo.

The postage stamp would be a tiny pub, the size of the six yard box with the walls covered by Panini stickers through the ages and miniature trophies from around the world. The postage stamp. Not to be confused with Trune's famous. par three, the postage stamp. Because you might go in there, John, and, you know, expect something entirely different from that pub. Yes, you could see that. You could see the postage stamp as a pub. Yeah.

Smallest pub you've been in? Yeah, it's a good question that, John. So the one that springs to mind for me is, and it's bigger now, they've extended it, but it used to do an outrageous trade. When I was a student in Bristol, there's a pub called the Coronation Tap in Clifton Village that served exhibition cider in half pints because it was so super strong you couldn't drink more than a half

and as a student in those days you could take 10 pounds out with you and that was more than enough to see you fairly merry for an evening but honestly it was a scrum to try and get served it was a tiny little cupboard the coronation. The Corrie tap

the Cori tap as it was called it's now expanded and is bigger but that would be my memory of trying to get to the bar in there was ridiculous I feel like I've been in a lot of very small pubs in various places. And one that does come to mind is in Morningside in Edinburgh. There is a very, very small pub there, and I can't remember the name of it.

And actually, on pub names, now you mention it just came to mind when I was driving to St. George's Park this week, I noticed, you know, on the screen you have in your car. with the sat nav on it. I noticed that I drove down the A-1, and I noticed suddenly it came up on the screen that I was passing a pub called the Arabian Horse. I wanted an unusual name for a pub. Yeah, yeah.

Then how smallest pub? Crown Posada in Newcastle. That's one of the smallest bars I've been in. There's a famous pub, famous old pub in Salisbury, where I live called the Hornch of Venison that has a front sort of cubby hole. so when you walk into the pub there's a little room

that you can shut the door on it and it's benches all the way around a small table and every Christmas we try and get as many you know try and break the record for as many people as you can possibly get into that little space or having a drink in there it's also the pub where displayed on the wall

is the hand of the hornch of it's not a haunch of venison John it's a it's the hand of someone who had their hand chopped off because they tried to cheat at gambling in that pub and it's displayed in a... The actual hand?

Well, it purports to be the actual hand. Yes, yeah. You can't touch it. That's incredible. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That is absolutely incredible. Yeah, so tried to play fast and loose in gambling, stuck his hand out to take his winnings,

and down came the old butcher's cleaver, chopped it off, and they, you know... Yeah, yeah. Yet the pub is called the haunch of venison. Hornch of venison, yeah. So there's no haunch of venison on display, but there is a severed hand. I don't think so. There's a severed hand, yeah, exactly.

It should be the severed hand. It should be. It should be, but it's not. It's the haunch of venison. So next time you're in town, John, I'll show you. I'm looking forward to that already. Good, good, good. That's got straight to the top of the list.

Okay. Let's get onto the great glossary of football commentary as we build a collection of commentary terms and phrases. Division 1 for football exclusive terms, Division 2 for terms used across various sports. Last week we added, both into Division 1 in fact, needs one to go in off their backside in terms of a striker going through a gold drought and taking the match ball home. But Tom in North Hans has sent us a voice note. Hi, I've just been listening to the latest pod and need to oppose the decision to allow taking home the match ball into Division 1 of the Great

glossary. Surely this would apply to a bowler taking a five-wicket haul in a test innings, where they get to show the crowd of the ball, and I'm assuming taking it home with them. Or half a ball, in the case of Olly Robinson and Josh Tongue, after recently taking five wickets each against Pakistan, where the match ball was quite literally cut in half. Therefore, this must be demoted to Division 2. I'm surprised we didn't think of that at the time. Why did we not say that? not think of that. Yeah, I know. How do we not think of that?

I don't know. Because it wasn't a hat trick because it's five wickets, maybe. Maybe. But taking the match ball home is take, yeah. Yeah, that was a real oversight on our part. That was a worse oversight than not mentioning Thomas Riztki. I had a fleeting moment I was going to mention it,

but then it passed me because, again, it's not a hat trick, is it? No, definitely. But instead, the phrase was taking the match ball home. The match ball home. Did you see Brian Brobby, with the match ball up his shirt, which they quite often do. But it's a new,

I mean, I wonder how many strikers have scored a hat trick in the top flight and been on the losing side. There's probably quite a few. But he looked a little bit clump. Well, it was said, wasn't it? Who?

Was it? I'm trying to remember. It was said he was the first since. Oh. Right. Who was it? I'm hearing, I'm hearing, John. The fifth different player,

I'm presuming that's in Premier League history, not in top flight history, is it? Yeah. The last one, John, was Roque Santa Cruz. 2007. There we go. So that's not happened for almost 20 years. You can't really celebrate. Was he the son of a naval sea captain or something?

Not a beetree farmer. Thank you. Thank you also to listen to Sam and Paul from London, who both told us about the five-wicket hall and made the point. So yes, that has to go into Division 2. Agree. Al in Toronto. Hello, regarding hat tricks in the National Hockey League.

So we're talking ice hockey here, obviously. If a player scores a hat trick, the hockey rink is festooned with hats thrown down by the spectators. Do you know that? I don't know that. Did not know that. Fresh suggestions. Matt in South London says, I will be so bold as to suggest this is a Division 1 entry straight off the bat.

In Martin Fisher's commentary on the Manchester City v. Sunderland 5.3 on Sunday, he said this a couple of times regarding VAR decision. Lefeuette Anderson gets it away and Lefefeu felt it might have just brushed his arm there as he did so has been checked and cleared and Matt says it's been checked and cleared

I'd like to propose that since the institution of VAR commentators increasingly use the phrase checked and cleared as shorthand to explain to the viewer stroke listener that VAR has checked the village of a goal or a penalty decision, etc, etc. This is surely unique to football, he says.

Even other sports that have some kind of video review don't use the phrase, checked and cleared. Thanks for considering this suggestion. Well, thank you for sending it in, Matt. Checked and cleared. What is that, yeah, I mean, suggestion checked and cleared. Cricket, you wouldn't say that for a third umpire or rugby for a TMO. Would you?

Checked and cleared. In that form. form of words. It's been checked and cleared. You can stick with your original decision is one you'll always hear. Yeah, that's a good one. You can stick with your original decision. Checked and clear. What do we think, Denno? Checked and cleared. I'm a little bit reluctant to say because of what we've, with our oversight from last week, whether there is a glaring... I think we should say it. I think we should say it and then let others

disprove it. Okay. I also quite like, you're on. on screen now. Yeah. From cricket. Yeah. Rocking and rolling. Rocking and rolling. Yeah.

Right. Slightly relieved West Ham fan, Dan, this is from. When Mohamedu Kante got sent off during the barnstorming end to Millwall West Ham, five live reporter Mike Williams said the following. You could argue, Cantay did the only thing he could do. He prevented a near certain goal of Frenchman,

who earlier dragged West Ham back into it by Scalien. scoring their first here at the dead. He's now getting an early bath after only coming on at half time as a substitute. So Dan says I doubt stadiums have baths anymore. The dismissed players more likely to be going for an early hydrotherapy

pool. But going for an early bath is one of those phrases that perfectly sums up what is happening as the player trudges off the pitch and down the tunnel on their own. I would guess this one will be in division two. Would we say early bath in other sports? Yeah, definitely Division two. In fact, I've got

a feeling Eddie wearing. might have been the commentator who started using the phrase early bath. Ah, did he coin the phrase, John? I think he may have coined the phrase, unless, of course, someone knows differently. Get in touch, TCV at BBC.co.com.uk. And staying on the EFL theme, Reading fan Mike has got in touch with something said on the latest episode

of the 72 plus EFL podcast on BBC Sounds. Finnazaz for me is a cut above. I don't know what Joe Bid and he'll think, but he has a football brain, like very few players in the championship. Lovely touch, great vision. And I think he makes them tick. When he plays, they play.

Laran's got seven in seven, and then he couldn't hit a barn door with a banjo on Saturday. We're excellent, unfortunately, because that cost him the points there. Well, that's BBC Solent's Adam Blackmore, speaking on the 72 plus podcast, which is on its own feed this season.

So just search for 72 plus on BBC sounds. way Mike says, hi gents, last week's discussion around a misfiring striker, needing one to go in off their backside, led me towards this other potential Division I entry. Prior to the Derrier-assisted effort, the luckless forward might have been described as being unable to hit a barn door with a banjo. I think what adds credence to this phrase is the fact that it can also be used and understood without the mention of the banjo at all, i.e. couldn't hit a barn door. While this phrase is very much fitting at arenas such as the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season, the wider TCV listenership may be aware of its use in other sports,

so I'd be interested to hear where you would place it. I think probably into Division I'd love to know is, I remember hearing that phrase in my really early days, and I'd love to know where it is derived from. Yeah. Because it won't be sport, will it? be something else. Could have come from the haunch of venison, John.

I've got to say that's got to be Division 2. Division 2 because? Surely it's got to be in other sports. Like... Place kicker in rugby, having a bad day, couldn't hear a barn door? Okay. Darts? You're right.

Couldn't hear a barn door? Well, you'd like to think of dance. You'd like to think of dance, they would actually hit the board. that's a very good point that's a very good point right so in summary the great glossary of football commentary taking the match ball home we are demoting to Division 2 quite right

I don't know what we were on last week with that one early bath from Mike Williams at Millwall West Ham that is going into Division 2 couldn't hit a barn door Ian and I have now relegated that to Division 2 in brackets potentially with a banjo

but going into Division 1 this week for now, checked and cleared. Hooray! Hooray indeed. By the way, John, I've just looked up on the hand because I just wanted to check. I don't want to get you down here under false pretenses. Apparently it's a smoke-preserved mummified hand

that is on that wall that I've seen there in the haunch of venison. Okay. And Gary is very much hands-on because he's just sent me this. Rocky Santa Cruz's father worked as a policeman. in Asuncione in Paraguay his father Apriano Santa Cruz is also his agent

Where was the sea captain then? You're all at sea. Wasn't there a... That notion has been sunk. Neufl. I wonder if it's not him, who is it I'm thinking of? Which footballer's father?

It's a South American footballer who's father or uncle. Yeah. Was a sea captain. I mean, that sea captain really conjures up a vision of something quite grand and majestic and, you know. We might have a contributor from South America

who could give us the aim. Yeah. Who's never been in touch before. Yeah. Yeah, let's hope so. Let's hope so. We'll wait for the latest jibes from Hare Chapman on the Monday Nightclub.

But in the meantime, thank you very much for listening, everyone. That is it for this episode of the commentator's view, questions and correspondence. Always welcome, as you know, from plenty of you all around the globe anytime. TCV at BBC.com.com. Or you can send us a message or a voice note on WhatsApp to 08,000 289369.

And on the next episode of the Football Daily, they will be looking ahead to England against Spain. In League 1, it's Barnsley-Nill, Leicester won Burton. What's the point? What is the point? Sorry, he's talking about Bill of the King. I mean, I'm just trying to give the scores, John. I mean, I don't, I thought that was the main part of my job. Yeah, that was very unprofessional. Welcome to Sheffield FC.

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