Football Daily - TCV: Premier League returns & John’s wrestling mask

Episode Date: August 21, 2026

John Murray, Ian Dennis & Ali Bruce-Ball are back for series three of The Commentators' View. John and Ian relive their experience of getting into the World Cup final and Chris Sutton's clash with the Spanish commentators. Ali reflects on coming off the back of a week of commentating on athletics for the first time and they look ahead to a new Premier League season. Messages, questions and voicenotes welcome on WhatsApp to 08000 289 369 & emails to [e-mail] 1’50 - Ali commentating on Athletics for the first time 4’10 - The Open 5’50 - John & Ali’s antics getting into the World Cup Final 9’18 - Chris Sutton’s clash with the Spanish commentators 10’15 - listener correspondence 14’50 - John’s gift from a Mexican Commentator 18’44 - Looking ahead to the first Premier League weekend 21’39 - Tributes to Kevin Keegan 30’22 - Could Man City & Liverpool transition pave the way for Man Utd to finish second? 35’02 - Clash of the Commentators 41’23 - Great glossary5 Live / BBC Sounds Commentaries: Sat 1500 Nottingham Forest v Leeds on 5 Live with Ian Dennis and Chris Sutton. Sat 1500 Ipswich Town v Sunderland on Sports Extra 2. Sat 1730 Brentford v Spurs on 5 Live with John Murray and Michael Brown. Sun 1400 Manchester City v Bournemouth on 5 Live. Sun 1400 Brighton v Aston Villa on Sports Extra 2. Sun 1630 Newcastle v Liverpool on 5 Live with John Murray and Pat Nevin.

The Commentator's View on the Football Daily with Alistair Bruce Ball, John Murray and Ian Dennis. Hello, this is The Football Daily. I'm John Murray, and this is series three of the commentators' view. We are back for the new season talking about the football, our travels and the language we used to describe the beautiful game. And back as well for the start of the new season, Mr Ian Dennis and Mr. Alastair Bruce Ball. one of you is fully refreshed. The other one I don't think of stop working for weeks and weeks. Well, no, John, I did. So after the Open Championship, which was straight off the back of my return from the World Cup,

I did get a couple of weeks in there, but you're right. The last week has been extremely busy learning, you know, talking about commentary on a different sport, actually trying to learn commentary on the world of athletics. So yeah, I've been in Birmingham doing the European Athletics Championships, which, as I've described to you, both off air, has been a steep learning curve, I would describe it as. Yeah, we should talk about that in a minute. But first of all, Ian, you are fully refreshed, fully refreshed.

Look at your beaming face that I can see down the line. Well, I'm feeling a little bit guilty, actually, because obviously Ali has been extremely busy, and you returned to work last week during the Super Cup, didn't you, in Salzburg? I did. Whereas since the World Cup, I've had done absolutely nothing. So this is my first. commitment of my new season.

Very good. So you'd be raring to go then, already? All prepped, all across it? Slightly apprehensive about cash the commentators. I've never felt so undercooked ahead of a new season than I have this particular time.

I'm sure you'll hit the ground running. But Ali, I mean, obviously people listening to this will be you would like to think, interested in radio commentary. So how much of a stretch was it doing the athletics for the first time, wasn't it? Yeah, at a big event.

Yeah, first time on air, John. So earlier this year, I went to a championships where I was sitting in the stadium and commentated on a load of races, but they weren't for anyone to listen to other than me and others to give me tips. So I had a classic Rob Nothman session. Actually, just before I flew out to the World Cup, I did an hour with, we've mentioned Rob on the podcast before, who is a brilliant coach. Chisindy to commentators and pundits and presenters, as well as being a brilliant broadcaster himself.

But Rob gave me an hour. I scribbled a load of notes down, which I then got out at the start of last week ahead of the athletics. And I think, as with any new sport, it's just the only way you learn it and get better is by doing it. Eventually, you have to be dropped in the deep end and just do it. A couple of things that really struck me about the week doing it, though, were one, the instant recognition. that I have of athletes in say football and golf is not there yet in athletics because I've not been immersed in the sport enough yet to

so the sort of top level, maybe top 5, 10%, and the British athletes you recognise them. But when you're suddenly in a sort of 3,000 metre steeple chase and there's not a Brit running. And I mean, you know, they are running in team colours so that sort of helps you. But what I was finding was quite often, and particularly in the shorter races it's hard,

you'd have to look down at a bit of paper just to get a name to remind yourself. And by the time you look up, the actions happen. You know, it's gone. So there's going to be a bit of work. You know, I'm just going to have to just plug in to the sport a lot more, which I'm going to enjoy doing because I love the sport.

And the other thing that really struck me was, but this is the same with all of the commentary we do on any sport, is trying to find different ways to describe the same thing. You know, I mean, we have that in football. We have that in golf. We have it in everything, don't we? But just trying to use different forms. of words to describe.

It is, I mean, it is one of the most basic sports of all, isn't it? Running, jumping and throwing. So just try not to be too repetitive with it, I think. That's the other thing. We should move on, shouldn't be? And I must say as well, I did enjoy what I heard of you at the open. It's slightly different for you at the open as well, wasn't it? Presenting for three days.

And then Hare Chapman swans in for the final round. He swaned in on the Sunday. And, yeah, I went back to rank and file. And actually, the funny thing with that, John, your laugh at this is, normally open championship week, we arrive, don't we on, say, the Monday or the Tuesday, have a good walk of the course, get our bearings. So they're golf courses we've been at before. And we always sort of rib, Hare Chapman, for not, sort of not exploring the property. He tends to find a couple of spots he likes presenting from that are close to, like, ice cream vans and coffee stores.

Coffee. Exactly. But I realise very quickly, as the presenter, actually, that is the best thing to do. Then I went out on the golf course on the Sunday to commentate, and I came off a couple of greens. I think, where do I go next? I can't like because I'd not walk the course. I was wandering around a little bit lost, but it was, I'll tell you what. I mean, so you guys were just about to, where you were, getting ready to do the World Cup final.

And we were heading towards the potential of a playoff in the open, you know, sort of crashing into the start of the World Cup final and, you know, where the golf commentary was going to go and all that sort of thing. So, you know, from a work point of view, it was brilliant that Ryan Fox hold that part just to sort of, you know, tie it up, put a neat bow on it and then we could get over to you guys. actually it was a brilliant finish to the Open Championship that. I mean, the way he attacked that final hole, you know, took a big risk with the driver off the tea and birdied it. And in no time at all, you know, he was so quick in the way he did it. And so unfussy, you know, won the Open, walked off the Green. Thanks very much.

It was brilliant. It was a brilliant open, actually. Yeah. That was the first Open Championship that I've not been at since the 1990 Open at St Andrews. I've been at everyone in some capacity since. Yeah. And I must say it was a really surreal experience sitting with you, Ian, in the World Cup final stadium, preparing for that, listening to the Open. It really, it was quite bizarre for me.

But if you recall, I wasn't sitting with you for that long because we'd had quite an arduous entrance into the MetLife Stadium for what had actually been a rather dramatic 24 hours ahead of the World Cup. final. So I'm not too sure if you know this, Ali, but the day before the World Cup final, I was actually told I wasn't doing it. What? Because there was no space. There was only limited space. So there was a lot of forces at play that then got the spaces that we required. So that was an interesting day before the World Cup final, bearing in mind, I'd spent most of the the morning prepping for it, then thinking, well, there's no point prepping for it. Now I'm not doing it. And then John had arrived in the first car nice and early, got in without any problems. So it got in without any problems. It was like getting into Fort Knox.

Yeah. Because Donald Trump was coming. So the security was ramped right up. But then when we arrived, I was in the second car with Chris Sutton, Paul Robinson and Lady Kelly. And at that point, the queue to get in the media entrance was horrendous. I would say you were looking at the least a three-hour wait time to get into the stadium. For some, it took them four hours to get through that queue. Yeah. And again, we managed to circumnavigate that because we were the rights holders. We still had to go through a very stringent security check because of Donald Trump's presence.

So I think by the time I actually got to the position, was it about an hour and a half before kickoff? Was it that close? Can I ask you both? So that was, as I say, the open championship wrapped up, and we all race back to a house and watched it as a group, the Five Live Golf Team who stuck around. So it sort of 15, 20 of us synced to your commentary up with the pictures. It was a terrible game.

It was a great listen. Did you enjoy it as an occasion? Well, I did because it was the World Cup final. And I thought it still had a really good narrative. And also that it was won by a goal, which I always prefer, and I think I can probably name four worse or as bad

World Cup Finals. Go on then. Which would be 1990. 94 was probably the worst in our time. 2010 wasn't very good. What was the other one? Must be 2014. 2014 wasn't great either, was it?

When Goetzer scored. It was very similar. 2014 was very similar. When Goetzer scored, the goal to win it in added time. I just thought the whole Argentina narrative was so interesting and how Spain cope with them. And I still think that England,

had they managed to win that semi-final, I think England might have posed more problems to Spain than Argentina did. Yeah. The other amusing thing during the second half of the World Cup final is that there was a Spanish commentary team in front of Chris Suu, who weren't sitting down.

And he threw, and I've got to say, it distracted me for a while because he threw some ice at one of the commentators to get them to sit down. And he took exception to this yellow, I think they would say in Spain being thrown at him. And he turned round and he was basically saying, I'll see you outside afterwards. And at one point, the guy stood up in front of our box and motions as it was going to pull out our lead. apart. No. He was that irate. So it was probably a good job that Spain actually won the World Cup because otherwise things could have turned sour. But that was quite amusing. But anyway,

on the subject of that. Yes, go on in. Well, first of all, back to the script. This is interesting when John you've just mentioned about that was the first open that you'd missed. But we'll come back to that maybe ahead of the Premier League season. But Meredith from Wembley from Wembley says that for a pub name suggestion, of course unintended pub names, if you're new to this podcast, but he says, I can't remember if you've had this before, but the correspondence from the summer, your coverage along with John's, ABBs and the rest of the crew was awesome. If there hasn't

been a suggestion yet on TCV, a good pub name would be the commentary box. Have we had that before? I'm not sure if we have had that before, but that is, that is a very, very good suggestion, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah. And we will move on to later because back for the new season, we will have some suggestions for the great glossary football commentary. We will have the first clash of the commentators, won't we, of the new season. Your doubt's on favourite for that, John.

Talking of John's, we've had this correspondence from John in Lidham. Hearing the infectious enthusiasm of all three of you leaves me in no doubt. It is all of yours dream job. I enview so much three ohs in so, experiencing it firsthand and relaying it all to us in those magnificent arenas all over the world. I bet you have to pinch yourself sometimes you've landed such a wonderful gig. John is the king though, closely followed by ABB and Ian in no particular order. So John says John is the goat. Well, that's very kind, John. I appreciate that.

Lovely to hear that from Lidtham St. Anne's. But, I mean, it was a lot packed into that. You were away, Ian, the longest of all of us, weren't you? Yeah, 52 days. I left on the 31st of May and I returned on the 21st of July because I had to cover the England pre-camping West Palm and Florida. I mean, there are worse locations to be sent to. Well, there are.

It was such as we knew it would be because it was being played over such a huge place. tract of land that, you know, the experiences were so many and varied, weren't they, Ali? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, and John is absolutely right there. I often think about this, particularly at the major tournaments, because I think that the major events that we cover, you know, when we are abroad, whether they're World Cups, Olympics,

or, you know, the Masters Golf or, you know, well, not even abroad, the Open Championship as well, I'm not sure, had I not been in this job, how many of those I would have got to, and got to see, you know, how committed I would have been as a sports fan to get myself to places like that. And, you know, I mean, you look at the commitment people have to put in this summer to get over to the states and the, you know, the ticket prices and all of that. So we are.

I always think that we are extremely lucky to be there and, you know, watch the sport we love and, you know, and get to work on it. So John is absolutely right there. Jenny's written in, by the way. This is connected to, this is good this, connected to the World Cup. I write this note with a little tinge of embarrassment, but I also felt compelled to drop you a note. My husband, John and I, had the pleasure of meeting John Murray and Paul Robinson in Atlanta during the World Cup. I introduced myself to you as you were recording your pre-show preview, and you were kind enough to stop recording and say hello.

You kindly gave us a shout-out on your last pod, but I'm embarrassed as you rightly pointed out that I completely ignored Paul Robinson. I said to my husband as we walked away from the meeting, I think I might have just ignored a famous first. footballer there. And then I realized who it was. Anyway, please apologise to Paul. I think I was just starstruck by meeting the inimitable John Murray, whose unmistakable voice was the thing that stopped me in my tracks. That's very good, Jenny. I love that. Yes, I did, because Jenny's email was forwarded on to me, so I have replied to Jenny, and I have, as I should, really, I should have said this the first time I wrote, really, it was our fault for not introducing Paul to them. So, so that, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, I should have, you.

Jenny is in the clear. When you say it was our fault, you mean it was your fault. Who knows? Me, Gary, Gary Flint. Paul could have introduced himself. Hi, I'm Paul Robinson. He could have done. He could have done that.

I think you've thrown Gary under the bus there. Jenny was speaking to you. Jenny probably didn't know who Gary was. Okay. All right, I'll put the hands up. I'll put the hands up. It's my fault. It's my fault only.

I must mention as well, a colleague from Mexican TV, who I think I'm, well I did, I met at the World Cup draw in Washington before Christmas, so we'd had a chat there. And then in the aftermath of the Mexico-England match, I was in the media room there, and he came over to me, and he said, I've been looking for you, and we had a nice chat, and he said, and I've got a gift for you. And he reached into his bag, and he pulled out a Mexican wrestler's mask.

And he said, this is for you. I was absolutely blown away by it. So I've got a Mexican, you know, those things that you put over the head those Mexican like they all wear. I've got one of those now. You've just reminded me as well, sorry of the week just gone in Birmingham and actually it connects Ian to your story and you're sort of almost dust up with the Spanish commentary team

at the World Cup final. We had a couple of Hungarian chaps commentate for Hungarian television next to us last week in Birmingham who, you know, I introduced myself to on the first morning Tomash was the name of the guy who was sitting right next to me. A couple of lovely fellas and he was quite amused to learn that it was my first go at at athletics commentary. So then when I saw him on the second day, he said to me, you know, you've got this,

you've got this crack now, you know what you're doing? You're an athletics commentator now. And then at the end of the week, our last exchange last night was where he said, he said, if I see you next year in Beijing, you did a good job. if I don't, you didn't. And I said you're right. Hopefully I will be there for the World Athletics Championships. But also they were quite fun because they,

the worst bit of their job in the morning, someone had to bring them on air and do the first sort of 10 minutes. Like each of us take turns to do the pod. And every day they would sit next to each other and they'd play rock paper scissors to see who would open up the show and I would watch these two fellas.

And Tom Ash, who was sitting next to me on the right, was much, much better at it than the other guy. He said he could read him, but every morning I watched, he won, and the other guy had to present the show. But they were good fun those two. That little tale, John's probably thinking he's got away with the Mexican wrestler's mask. But as soon as John was telling that story, before you then told that one, Alley, I'm thinking the next time that you're recording this from home, you've got to wear the mask.

I'm not sure whether that's a good idea. I'll wear my stetson. You wear the mask. What did you bring back? Denner, there must be... What did I bring back? Did you bring back a great deal? An empty wallet. I know I brought back an empty wallet.

Also, actually, that wasn't the only item of clothing I was given. Oh, right. Because another colleague from Uzbekistan, who had also, bizarrely, I met him in Buddha. And he's called Abdul Vosset. Abdul Vosid, Bechtemirov. and we happened to cross pass again and similarly he reached into his bag

and said here I've got this for you and it was a dupe which are those little square hats that the Uz did you see them the Uzbek supporters it's like a traditional hat that you wear and he gave me this little

it's a very odd thing it's like flat but you pull it out and it's square and you sit it on the top of your head So I've got an Uzbek dupe as well from the World Cup. Excellent. If the powers that be are listening to this now, this is pure social media content. We saw you a lot wearing your Stetson with your partner in crime, Chris Sutton.

John, you've got to wear the wrestler's mask now and the dupe. Pressless mask and the dupe. Yeah, I know. Having just done the athletics, actually, I'm not around for the first weekend of the football season, which is upon us. So what have we got coming up, John, and where are you two going to be? Well, of course, we are on the cusp,

the verge of the new football season, and yet again, as has always been the case, we will on Five Live and BBC Sounds be broadcasting more Premier League football commentaries than anywhere else. So Five Live is the place for the biggest football commentaries

at 3 o'clock on a Saturday, the 530 commentaries on a Saturday the biggest games on Sundays as well and many many more also and that's just the Premier League of course all the other competitions as well but it all gets underway on Friday night when we will have updates

on Arsenal Coventry on 5 Live into Premier League kickoff with Darren Fletcher we will have updates on Hull City Manchester United on Saturday lunchtime into 5 live sport with Mark Chapman, who will be back for the start of the new Premier League season from 12 o'clock on Saturday with all of your favourites. And then I'm going to need a bit of help here from you two across our commentaries on the opening weekend of the Premier League. Ian, you are involved in the main three o'clock match, which is...

Nottingham Forest versus Leeds United, which should be a cracking atmosphere at the city ground. I'll be with Chris Sutton from that at three. but like last season, that's the commentary and the usual goal service, but we've got an alternative offering at three, and Connor McNamara will be doing Ipswich Town back in the Premier League against Sunderland. That's on Sports Extra. Lucky boy. And John, I've just seen you've got two games, John.

You're 5.30 Saturday, Brentford against Tottenham, who've really made some additions to the squad this summer. It'd be really interesting to see how they start the season under Roberto de Zerbie, actually. and then Sunday I see 430 you're at St James's part with Pat Nevin for Newcastle Liverpool but I must mention before that 2 o'clock Manchester City Bournemouth

Ailey Barbara and Paul Robinson doing that game and Brighton and Hovalbion Ian to give them their full title which I know you like to do against Aston Villa on Sports Extra at 2 o'clock so yeah so out of those games John Brentford Tottenham

Newcastle Liverpool what are you looking forward to I think the team that are most looking forward to seeing this season, which I will do at some point over the course of the opening weeks, is Coventry City. I'm really looking forward to going there again and to seeing this team and how they cope in the Premier League because it's been such a long time for them.

And I think whenever you have a club that has had such a long spell out and then they get back to the top division, that's always worth seeing, isn't it? But that Newcastle-Liverpool game will be so, emotional, won't it? Because obviously the day after the World Cup final was the sad news of the passing of Kevin Kegan and two of his former clubs

and, you know, the outpouring of emotion particularly on Tyne side, the amount of shirts and flowers and scarves that were laid down the reeds outside St. James's park was quite astonishing really but not surprising given the

impact that he had there as both a player and as a manager. And the fact that it's Liverpool as the first game where the Newcastle supporters inside St James's part will be able to pay their respect so I think it will be quite something to behold.

I think I will always remember where I was when I heard the news about Kevin Keegan's death because it was, as you say Ian and I know it was the same for you too the day after the World Cup final and it felt like you know all of that

that everything that had been involved in the World Cup we'd done the final and then it was the day to go home and we had a few hours and I was just about to go across into Manhattan from where we were in New Jersey and I was walking along the waterfront I got the phone call to say that Kevin Keegan had died

and I knew that obviously we were aware of the fact that his health was not good and probably the end wasn't far away but it just felt really emotional to hear that news because he was my first football football ball hero really when I was growing up

because he was the England captain and you know he was such a personality and and then of course we had to go on there didn't we and just looking back on his career which I do know very well really

but to then go back into it what an incredible life in football he had I mean he was I think anyone who had any dealings with Kevin Keegan will have will have been really affected by him and the news because he was just so infectious, wasn't he?

He was, yeah. He was full of enthusiasm. On the day after I told the story on Five Live, I won't go into it now about the day that we went to Lapland with him. We think it was about 400 deprived kids from Tyneside and how magically he was with all of those schoolchildren when he was still the Newcastle United manager. In fact, that was probably weeks before he then resigned in the January. of that would have been 97. But my last dealings with him was when Mike Inham was

stepping down. And what I'd done, Mike, I think, had worked under 11 different England managers and seven of them were still around. And obviously I reached out to Kevin and said, could you sign this shirt? Because I was going around, getting them all to sign an England shirt to give it to Mike as a farewell gift.

And I contacted Kevin because he was coming up to the northeast. to do a dinner. And so we arranged to meet at Close House. And I took my boy with me, who at the time would have been, I think probably about eight or nine. And Kevin said,

you all meet at this time. And then my son said, Dad, I think he's just left. So I contacted Kevin. I said, oh, I'm in reception. Anyway, to get into Close House, you arrive through one single lane track and you exit through another single lane track.

So he arranged to meet at the top of the exit before he went off to the dinner. He signed the shirt, posed for a photo, signed an autograph for my son as well. And he made Harvey at that time just feel like he was, it was all about the boy.

He's got this ability to make people feel so special. And then he disappeared. And then I sent him a message when I'd heard that he'd got, you know, got the cancer. But that, I think that just summed him up. Yeah.

No, well said in. Funny, you know, his impact was such. I mean, I'm the same as you two. He just played such a massive part in me getting into the game of football. Just at the time I was getting into football as you said, and he was just such a, so much charisma. That's what I love about, you know, the greatest sportsmen and women. Charisma is such a big part of it.

And he had oodles of that. And then I only came across him regularly later on when he was Manchester City manager. And I did a beat as a football reporter in Manchester. I'd go and interview him, you know, once a week in the buildup. to whatever game it was. And he was, he was a brilliant to deal with, as you've both been describing, but also at times, you know, it was, it was great for me because you'd always come back with a line, something entertaining, something newsworthy.

And he was, he was too honest for his own good at times, wasn't he? Sometimes we're thinking, I'll ask this question. Loads of people wouldn't give an answer to it. But he will, and you'd almost think, well, you know, stop, stop a second, you know, but that wasn't him at all, was it? And actually, you know, his impact on, I think, particularly people of our generation. Funny enough, again, at the athletics this week,

I got into conversation with Steve Kramm about Kevin Kagan. And Steve, Steve, you know, I don't think knocked about with him regularly, but obviously two, you know, sporting superstars, you know, from the North East. Obviously, you know, spent time with Kevin Higgan. You're right, John. And it's just so sad. It really, really hit me. Yeah, like you, John, I was just really, you know, for a day or so.

And still now, when you think about it, just really sat just. so sad he's gone. So there will be, I mean, the tributes will be something else, I'm sure. Oh, they will. Absolutely. On Sunday. And it is funny, isn't it? The way that things work, that it has so happened that Newcastle and Liverpool

play each other. And I've always felt that there is a bit of a bond between Newcastle and Liverpool. There are lots and lots of similarities between the two cities, really. And for Kevin Keegan to have managed and had such a link and played for both of them. and then for them to play on this first Sunday, that is going to be quite an event. So that is 4.30 on Sunday. Five live sports.

So here's the first ball of this series. All the cricket you laugh. Shagrel with the show. Lives on BBC sounds. Smash straight back down the ground. This girl. Here ball by ball coverage of the biggest competitions on the domestic and international circuits.

It's a ball cricket and it's the huge one. Right. Tis. Worse. Settle down. It's only. Cricket. on Five Live Sport

Oh, I've living every ball of this. Listen on BBC Sounds. The commentator's view on the Football Daily with Alistair Bruce Ball, John Murray and Ian Dennis. With the new Premier League season coming up and of course as well we should mention Monday night club every Monday,

so Fulham Chelsea, there'll be updates on Fulham Chelsea and so that on Five Live on Monday night. What is it that is most capturing your imagination about the season of Premier League commentary that lies ahead, would you say, you too? Oof. That's a good question. That is a good question.

After watching the Community Shield, I think Arsenal have already laid down a mark. And I don't, I remember the time when Erling Harland, I think he made his debut in the Community Shield, it was at the King Power in Leicester. And people were quick to draw, jump to conclusions because he'd made nine touches or something like that. Oh, he could struggle in the Premier League,

and he soon put that to bed. But Manchester City did look off it. And Darwin Nunez had caught the eye, hadn't he, in that particular match, rather than half. That's right. Yeah. But Manchester City, on the evidence of the 90 minutes at Cardiff, I thought they didn't look quite up to speed. But that's maybe not surprising given that players are still coming back from the World Cup and might not have got the minutes in from preseason.

But Arsenal did look particularly sharp. I thought Oedegaard was outstanding. For City, to have lost Pep Guardiola would have been. you know, impactful enough, but to have now lost Rodry, as well as Bernardo Silver, and John Stones, Nathan Akey,

you know, all of the, all of that experience. I mean, that is a massive change for city. And, okay, you know, we'll have to see what happens between now and the end of the Mercado or the transfer window. That is a significant change, isn't it, for city?

Yeah. And to your point, Ian, I thought the same thing, and having summed it up very succinctly after the game. Just, you know, Manchester City are a team in transition, huge transition, all those names you mentioned, John, and Arsenal just very much aren't. Are they? They've made some good additions, but they look, you know,

exactly what they are, a team that know each other extremely well. And I think they're going to start the season well, so it's going to be who can keep, it looks like it's going to be, who can keep pace with them. You could also argue that Liverpool will be in transition this season as well, given a new manager in Andoni Ariola, there's no Mo Salah. So potentially I'm thinking, could Manchester United be, look to take advantage of that and be the closest rivals to Arsenal, given the impact that Michael Carrick had at the end of last season?

I think for me, the thing that I'm most looking forward to is exactly that, Ian, to see which one of those teams is going to be able to make a fast start when there's been so much change at so many different clubs. Yeah, yeah. And there is always only so much you can read into preseason, isn't there? I mean, you know, you look at some of the results, and Liverpool have been letting lead slip, and Juel Pedro's been scoring lots of goals for Chelsea and whatever.

But when it actually starts for real, loads of that does go out of the window. I think the community shield slightly different because I think that did tell a bit of a story about where those two clubs are. But you can be fooled, I think, by quite a lot of the preseason football. The real thing is very different, isn't it? Yeah, I honestly, I know why people go to those matches and they're played all over the world now

and bring in the local audience who can see these players in the flesh, you know, maybe don't have another opportunity, but at the same time, you know, they are paying money to watch football that is totally and utterly meaningless and who was ever going to remember the significance of what happens in those matches. We actually had a question.

I put out a punt on social media asking for some questions, correspondence, etc. And Roberto Hollis asked us the question, who is the player you're looking forward to seeing the most in the Premier League that we saw at the World Cup? That's a good question. What would your answer?

What would you answer to Peter? Do you know what my answer would have been, if the deal had gone through, when there was talk of Venetius Jr. appearing in the Premier League, potentially at Arsenal, that would have been superb, wouldn't it, in terms of a sort of global superstar and what he brings to any game and any football commentary,

but obviously that doesn't count now. I think my answer to that would be Morgan Rogers. Oh, okay. And even though that's not very exotic in terms of who I saw at the World Cup, I wanted to see more of him at the World Cup and now having made that, I thought that was a really surprising move

to go from Aston Vela to Chelsea. But I think the Shabby Alonzo Chelsea is another thing that I'm really looking forward to seeing this season because his by a Levaikuzn team were so exciting. And obviously things didn't work out for him at Rail Madrid. But that Levaecozen team really had something about it. And at that time, he was probably the hottest property, wasn't he, in European coaching. And now he's ended up at Chelsea, where there is a schism there. We've all been there.

You know, things are not right at Chelsea Football Club. There are a lot of forces pulling in different directions. And how Shabby Alonzo is going to be able to bring that all together, I think will be very, very interesting. But he's got a super player there in Morgan Rogers. So I think he's the one I would pick out. My answer would be Ayub Bwadi of Morocco, who's close to joining Manchester City. So he's only 18 years of age, but he's this energetic midfielder with the mop of hair, the bushy hair. Not as bushy and floppy as Cuckerea, but it's not far off. And I thought he was the standout player for Morocco when I saw him at the MetLife Stadium very, very early on in the tournament against Brazil.

and he's only 18 as well so he's only going to get better he's got obviously huge boots to fill if he's going to take the place of Rodry but if he can slot alongside Anderson in that midfield for Manchester City then I think they have a real gem of a player

and I think he would be an excellent addition to the Premier League Roberto's question by the way actually takes us very nicely into the first game of Clash of the Commentators this season if you two are ready for that So this is the return of our famous head-to-head. Clash of the commentators.

Ian is the reigning champion, despite the justice for John campaign. Ian actually established a massive lead last season. Really good, strong form throughout the season. John came back hard but couldn't get it over the line in the end. So apparently I won Series 1 of that. I don't remember that. I don't remember that. I do.

Ian won Series 2. So, John. I've got a feeling. I've made a strong story. start both years and then had a very bad spell. Okay, okay. Look, here's how it works. If you're not listening to the podcast before, if you can't remember,

two of us take turns to answer a question and give as many correct answers as we can in 30 seconds. So when the first player plays, the other person obviously has to take their headphones off so they can't listen to the answers. Who is going to go first today? This could be tricky because we are both in BBC studios, aren't we, Ian? Yeah. And also, I've just noticed that I've got 2% of it. my phone. Oh. So if I go out, nobody's going to be able to call me to get me back in. In that case, just take the headphones off. I'm going to go out of the room. Okay. All right. So

defending chap, I think this is only right, actually. Ian should open up the new season. So this is, this is, plain and simple, Ian. John could have given me a guard of honour before he left, couldn't that's true. All we want from you today is any of the top 20 transfers money-wise this summer. and this is this is not just in the Premier League this is this is in world football we're using data from the transfers website transfer mark so you've got to name

any of the top 20 highest money moves from this summer so far your time starts now okay Gimerich Ferran Torres Anthony Gordon I said I was undercooked I can't think

Okay Do you know what though Knowing John's travails with this sometimes That might be enough Those three are correct I can tell you that Because John can't hear us right now I'm not sure that's enough three

As I said to you at the start I have completely switched off Yeah me too I've been away in Spain I've been speaking Spanish I've been enjoying tapas and everything else. Now, I got the message this morning

that I was hosting this and not playing and I thought I'm delighted about that because I'm exactly the same. I've been in golf and athletics and football has been like the furthest thing from my mind. So I think I would have been very, very similar there. That is good timing. That is good timing.

John is back, right. John, hello. Good timing that. Perfect. Perfect. All wrapped up. Dun and Dusted. Defending champion has unleashed his

opening salvo in this season's clash of the commentators. So let's... Sounds ominous. So let's see how you go on this. All we need today, any of the top 20 transfers money-wise this summer. Okay, not just...

If you moment's lay down. Your time starts now. Morgan Rogers, Elliot Anderson. Um... Christopherson. Solis. I'm trying to think of those.

It's been signed by Manchester United. Andres Santos. Er, Ashton. Oh, Manzambi. Chelsea. Also, Chelsea signed. Oh, gosh.

Oh, I think that's a draw. I think that's a draw. I think that's three all. So Deno only got three Denno got Yeah but Oh no no sorry John you're right Manzambi's there

John you've won You have won You've won the first game In the season I didn't That's a great shout Manzambi So Denno you said Anthony Gordon

Who else did you say I said Anthony Gordon Gimerich and Torres And Ferran Torres Who all featured on the list John you nailed the top two on the list in terms of biggest money, straight away with Morgan Rogers and Elliot Anderson.

Yeah. And then... I should have got those. Yeah. And then you had your Manzambi and Andres Santos sneaks in there. Is he on the list? Yeah.

Is he on the list? Yeah, when I said that, I thought, I wonder if he would be on that list. So I'll rattle through them very quickly for you. Full list. Morgan Rogers, Elliot Anderson, Jan Diamande, Sandro Tanali,

Mateus Fernandez, who's gone to Tottenham. Bruno Gimerich, who Ian said. Gonzalo Ramos, who's gone from PSG to Milan. Yeah, Anthony Gordon. Cresencio Somerville. Jeremy Jacque, who's now at Chelsea. Jan Powell Van Hecker now at Tottenham. Manzambi, Vuskevich, Luca Vuscovich.

These are hard. Rasmus Hoyland, Marco Pallestra, who's another one who's joined Chelsea. Andres Santos at number 17. Mark Cucarrea, who you've mentioned in the pod today, Ian, who's made the move to Rome. Yeah. Ferrand Torres was 19th.

Snuck in there at 19th, the Mason Greenwood. 20th. Well played, chaps. Very good. I think that illustrates how rusty we are. You can say it does. It does. It does. It's a bit of work to be done this week before that start of the season. Winds or win, Josh. Nice to be off the mark. Very good.

Right at the start. Very good. Yeah, but as I said, you know what happened last season and the season before, so I'm not counting any chickens. So that is it. That is the opening clash of the commentator, so you'll be on next week, I presume, Ali. And now, briefly, we haven't got much time left,

a little bit of great glossary of football commentary, and this is where we're building, actually what is now quite the collection of commentary terms and phrases. We have football exclusive terms in Division I, things like cultured left foot, sweeper-keeper, and draft excluder, and then we have Division II for terms used in football commentary, but also used in other sports, for example, corridor of uncertainty, hospital pass

and good touch for a big man. You, I'm sure, if you haven't heard it before, we'll get the idea. And actually, the full glossary is in what we call the episode description on BBC Sounds. So you can have a scroll down there and have a look at the whole thing.

Anyway, James in Ipswich writes in, Hello, TCV team. Looking forward to the return of the new football season, it struck me that you haven't covered the term full house on the great glossary of football commentary used in football to describe a stadium that is full to capacity. Yeah, but other sports, I mean,

you could have a full house in rugby. Would you say it a cricket match, John, if Lords was packed to the rafters? Yeah, you were doing you. It's a full house. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So that sounds very much division two. Solid div two.

The one I like, John, the next one, this is something you spotted and actually posted on our little WhatsApp group, a term I'd never heard before, well worth discussing this. Alby Collier of Barton Town FC scored four goals in their FA Cup win in the extra preliminary round and it was described by the official FA Cup social media account as a poker. So, and I, you know, when you, I never heard that and I don't play poker.

So I don't, you know, I know terms like flush, but I always thought poker was five, five cards. Five cards? Yeah. So I'm not quite sure. I mean, it says here that apparently the phrase poker goals comes from Spain where a stand of four of a kind in a card game is called a poker hand symbolising four of the same element. But I don't know about you guys.

I've never heard that before. I saw that. I've mentioned it to a few friends. And one or two have said that, yes, they had heard that. Poker for four goals. The first person I saw who scored four goals in a match was Malcolm Poscott of Carl Elyle. So for you, it should be a Posket. I remember at the time being tremendously excited

that I'd seen a player score four goals. Yeah. Can you think of, have we ever done this? We might have even done this in a clash of the comedys. But if you were thinking of famous four goal halls, so specifically four goals, like Albie Collier's scored. One that comes to mind for me is Arshaven did it, didn't he, for Arsenal against Liverpool? I was there.

You were there? You were there? Yeah, come and take it on that one. You're right, yeah. Did Cole Palmer do it? Did he do a four recently? Yes, he did. Was that against Wolves?

I think you're right. at Stanford Bridge, didn't he? Didn't Julio Baptiste also score four in a league cup tie at Anfield? I think you're right, John. For Arsenal. Yeah. I think that might have been the 5-5, was it?

Yeah. Anyway, there's something in my mind that this was the first time that that had been done since Arshabbing. Yeah. I've got a feeling as well that F and Oku scored four for Norwich at Goodison Park against Everton

because Chris Claims he, Chris Sutton claims he set all four up. and doesn't really get the credit for her. I've got a childhood memory of Ian Rush scoring five goals against David Pleets Luton Town in 1983 and on the same day Tony Woodcock scored five goals

for Arsenal against Aston Villa. Wow. Really? That vaguely rings a bell for that's very well remembered that. I commentated on Jermaine Defoe scoring five when Tottenham beat Wigger 9-1 at Whitehart Lane. Who scored famously, I think a hat trick of hat-tricks?

I think nine goals in a match. And the name that I want to say is Ted McDougall. Correct. Correct. Stand at the Vitality Stadium is named after him and he scored those goals in an FA Cup tie and I want to say against Margate. But I'm plucking hat from...

I mean, that could be absolutely nonsense that. but you're right. I think you're right. We've got another, this is not for the glossary. This again came from the punt that I put out on social media. This is from SJT who says, can we finally put this second season syndrome to bed?

And he must be a Sunderland fan because he's referring to Sunderland. So obviously a lot of people are talking about second season syndrome. But he very definitely does not want second season syndrome being put in the Glock. glossary. But if we did put it in the glossary, it would be in Division 2, wouldn't it? I guess. I guess so, but I've not really

heard it talked about in other sports, second seat. That does feel quite footballism. That might be one where we leave that for the listeners to decide. Yeah, yeah. Just looked up Ted McDougal. In an FA Cup tie for AFC Bournemouth in November 1971, he scored nine goals in an

11-0 win against Margate. That's a great shout. Well, don't know. So is there a word to use when someone scores nine goals in a match? So there we are. I think that is pretty much it, isn't it? For this week, for this opening week of the new season,

for the first of the commentators' view podcasts of the new season. And we obviously always love your questions and correspondence. Anytime during the week, TCV at BBC.com.com. or you can send us a message or a voice note on WhatsApp to 08,289-389-369. We, I'm sure, we'll have more unintended pub names for next week. And of course, the other thing to say to round off, I think. I mean, we had a brilliant response, didn't we, or at least I did, to the coverage that we brought from the World Cup during the course of the summer.

I have to say I've been really touched by many of the things that people have said and I would say if you did listen to us commentate on football matches during the course of the World Cup then we are here virtually all the time virtually every day aren't we during the course of the football season bringing you football commentaries from the whole range of sports but it all begins with the football and the Premier League this weekend I know most of the other leagues are up and running and have been for some time but with the Premier League you are never

you are never very far away from a football commentary on Five Live and BBC Sounds so that is it up and running for the new season on the commentator's view and all being well we'll be here all season long is Five Live Sports

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