Football Daily - The Commentators’ View: England in Barcelona & John in Neighbours

Episode Date: June 6, 2025

John Murray, Ian Dennis & Ali Bruce-Ball talk football, travel & language. They look ahead to Andorra v England with John & Ian in Barcelona for the match. John gets celebrity spotted. The guys have their say on the dazzling new Premier League ball. Will the biscuit vs cookie debate reach a conclusion? Plus more Glossary chat and Ali gets a guard of honour in Clash of the Commentators.WhatsApp voicenotes to 08000 289 369 Emails to [e-mail] Live show tickets: crossedwires.live/fringe 01:00 John & Ian in Barcelona for Andorra v England 04:35 Interviewing Ivan Toney & Trevoh Chalobah 08:25 How much do the media mingle? 11:30 Biscuit/cookie gate 14:00 Champions League Final reflections 17:35 John gets celebrity spotted… 20:55 New ball for Premier League revealed 24:35 Reminder of the BIG NEWS 31:40 Ali gets Clash of the Commentators guard of honour 41:45 Great Glossary of Football Commentary 53:50 Season finale musical masterpieceBBC Sounds / 5 Live commentaries: Sat 1700 Andorra v England in World Cup Qualifying, Tue 1945 England v Senegal in Friendly.Glossary so far: 2-0 is a dangerous score, After you Claude, All-Premier League affair, Aplomb, Brace, Brandished, Breaking the deadlock, Bundled over the line, Champions elect / champions apparent, Clinical finish, Commentator’s curse, Coupon buster, Cultured/Educated left foot, Denied by the woodwork, Draught excluder, Elimination line, Fellow countryman, Foot race, Formerly of this parish, Fox in the box, Free hit, Goalmouth scramble, Good touch for a big man, Honeymoon Period, In and around, In the shop window, Keeping ball under their spell, Languishing, Loitering with intent, Marching orders, Nestle in the bottom corner, Numbered derbies, Nutmeg, Opposite number, Park the bus, PK for penalty-kick, Postage stamp, Put their laces through it, Rasping shot, Red wine not white wine, Relegation six-pointer, Rooted at the bottom, Roy of the Rovers stuff, Sending the goalkeeper the wrong way, Sleeping giants, Slide rule pass, Small matter of, Spiders web, Stayed hit, Steepling, Stinging the palms, Stonewall penalty, Straight off the training ground, Stramash, Throw their cap on it, Thruppenny bit head / 50p head, Put it in the mixer, Towering header, Turning into a basketball match, Turning into a cricket score, Walking a disciplinary tightrope, Wand of a left foot, We’ve got a cup tie on our hands, Where the owl sleeps, Winger in their pocket, Wrap foot around it, Your De Bruynes, your Gundogans etc.

BBC Sounds music radio podcast. The commentators view with Alistair Bruce Ball, John Murray and Ian Dennis. Hello welcome to the football daily I'm Alistair Bruce Ball this is the commentators view where we talk the language of football and our adventures as five live commentators. It is the last regular commentators view of the football season although one-off specials to come watch this space this summer. Stay tuned to the football daily feed. I am sitting in a rather sort of gloomy and wet Wiltshire this morning, but my dos amigos in far more exotic location correspondent John Murray, senior football reporter Ian Dennis

both over in Barcelona ahead of Andorra against England which is being played at Espanyol Stadium. Yes that's right and actually where I am here if I look out the window it is it's somewhere in that direction out of the window to our left. And actually also out of the window I can see all of the cranes that are reconstructing the new camp, which is going to be brand spanking new rebuilt for the season after next. Have you commentated Ian in the, as the RCDEDE stadium isn't it? Espanol's home? Yeah I haven't Ali, no and I'm thinking I've done a number of games in Spain and you know I've been at both the the stadiums in Seville, Malaga, Deportivo

La Coruña, Bilbao, Barcelona, Madrid whether it be Real or Atlético but I've never I've never been to Espanol's Ground, so it will be a first for me. You will be interested to know that we had a very nice trip out, didn't we, and yesterday we drove out of Barcelona up towards Girona. And actually it was very close to the Costa Brava coastline. So we were near Lorette de Mar,

and England are based at a big golf resort out there, which is actually expected to host the Ryder Cup in 2031. So we got a good look at that. So that's where England are based all week long. So we went there, we spoke to Travichalabar and Ivan Tony and just got an idea of how things have been with Thomas Tuchel's England in Spain this week but lovely part of the world there and it's the golf course of course absolutely pristine heavily wooded great views if

we if we get that far Ali that's very much one to look forward to. The two games in itself Ali are quite underwhelming really, but Andorra is a World Cup qualifier, and then the Senegal friendly on Tuesday night. But I think the week is so important for Thomas Tuchel. And because of the number of players who are obviously in the squad who are going out to the Club World Cup, I wouldn't at all be surprised

if he plays one team for the Andorra game, and then more or less another team for the match at Nottingham Forest City Ground next week just to try and balance the workload but the time that they're spending together is going to be so crucial for Thomas Tuchel bearing in mind that that is the precious commodity going into the World Cup. Yeah seeing it this week it just felt that for the players and I know a great deal can change and form obviously will come into it next season and he said Thomas Tuchel to us that it is going to be much more intense September October November when the the

World Cup qualifying group comes to a climax but I feel that if you're in this squad and you're a part of this which is very much I think a relationship building exercise you know if you're an England player you've got a chance this week and it's a chance that you don't want to let go you know you want to take that opportunity are you two sitting in the same room over there by the way yes we are we're in Ian Dennis's room all right you've got entirely different backgrounds yeah that's the nature of you know if you turned round you'd have an entirely different background as well wouldn't you?

So you're sitting opposite each other rather next to each other? Yes we are. It is a shame that we're not doing the Clash of the Commentators this week together because we would be literally going head to head. What you will have noticed is that however is that my muff has made it to Barcelona but Ians hasn't? No. I left the off at home.

Yes, those football daily branded mic muffs, which you will see in our social media clips on at Five Live Sport. What are Ivan Tony and Trevor Chalabar like as interviewees? Are they good talkers? Well, as I've said about Ivan Tony in the past, he has got a brilliant radio voice. and people have a listen to him on the football daily, the podcast special that we did on there. He's almost got the voice of

a soul singer. I like him. I've interviewed him a few times now, or just a handful of times in his involvement with England. And he's, I like him. He's got a real, he's got a bit about him. You know, you can tell the character and the personality that he has. And I think that's one of the things that Thomas Tooker wants to see. A soul singer, or it could go into the world of voiceovers

for movies, just when you thought it was safe to get back in the water. And then in contrast, Trevor Chalabur was very, very softly spoken. But we talked a little bit about his future because I was surprised that it would appear if you read a lot about the speculation, despite the strong second half to the season he had at Chelsea, that there's a lot of talk that he might be allowed to leave. But he was just basically saying that I've got three years left on my contract, I'm focusing

on the here and the now. Obviously his chance to make his England debut and then the Club World Cup. But yeah, completely opposite in terms of the way he delivered his words to Ivan Toney. That is always an interesting one, Ian, isn't it? At camps like this, sort of international camps at the end of a season where so much talk can be around players' futures and what's happening club-wise in the summer. Do you ever get instruction from the sort of England media? Is it not instruction but are you ever guided on what you can ask, can't ask, that sort

of thing? No, I think the FA prefer if you do focus on international matters but the thing is regarding Trevor Chalabert and there was no problem with me talking about that yesterday but the thing is is that his club form will dictate what happens from an international point of view so it it is relevant because he's now in the England squad Thomas Tuchel says he's a step ahead of Harry Maguire he's got the opportunity to be playing Champions League football if he remains at Chelsea and he's got three years left on his contract. But if they are prepared to let him go, and there's

been a lot of talk about Jared Brantley maybe moving to to Stamford Bridge, but if they are prepared to let him go wherever he then goes next is going to be vital for him. I think he's got to be playing European football. And so that will have a bearing on potentially his place in a World Cup squad of 26. And on a similar theme, the England under 21 squad, and I'm going to be covering the England matches at the under 21 tournaments when they defend their title, you know, in terms of transfer dealings, that is having potentially a bit of a knock on effect on Lee Carsley's squad. Now that Liam de Lapp has made his move to Chelsea, he's obviously in a team and a club that's going to the Club World

Cup. So that obviously affects the squad because of that situation. And if Joe Bellingham makes his move from Sunderland to Brucia Dortmund, they're going to the FIFA Club World Cup, which means that he potentially will not. So two important players for Lee Carsley's squad who may not now be available for that tournament. And he's also lost important players to injury, Brant Thwaite, Adam Wart and Rico Lewis. So there are five players who would probably be in the starting lineup for that team who will not be available to him. Just before we get onto some correspondence, so emails as always to tcv at bbc.co.uk, voice notes on the way as well, you can send us those on WhatsApp [phone]. Something

our listeners might be interested in is you guys are obviously over there covering England with the written press, you know, television, radio from other countries. How much mingling is there between, you know, all the different media organizations? And I'm thinking particularly, you know, you guys and the writers who cover England all the time, because you're all, I know you're all sitting in press conferences, but then you'll break away, won't you, and do individual stuff as well. How much time do you spend together

sort of discussing the matters of the day? I think it would be different if we were in Andorra. If this match was being played in Andorra, you know, it's a very small place. I've been there before. So therefore you do tend to mingle. Whereas if it's a bigger place, as is where we are here, Barcelona, been there before, so therefore you do tend to mingle. Whereas if it's a bigger place,

as is where we are here, Barcelona, we probably won't see them until, as our producer Gary likes to call it, match day minus one interviews. So we'll see them then. So it depends, I think it very much depends where you are. So for instance, in the autumn, when we go to Serbia and that match, it's not confirmed yet, but it looks as though it's being played in upcountry Serbia, you know, there probably will be a good deal more mingling than there would be. So I think it depends on the location. Yeah, and Ian is there quite a sharing of information as such if you come out of an interview that's going to run on Five Live in a certain slot, you know, would you potentially

go to some of the guys in the newspapers and say, well, we've got this interview, but we're running it at such and such a time, so if you could just hold onto this. They might not have a line that you've got that they might be interested in. Yeah. So the papers, on the media day, the broadcast journalists were given Trevor Chalabert and Ivan Toney, the written were given Eberice and Cole Palmer. But they're protective over what is said

in their press conference, because obviously they wanna try and keep it for the papers. But the nature of the broadcast world, because it's immediate, therefore they're able to get the quotes that go out on either on the television or the radio. But by and large, they would go, oh, what was he like? And we'd go, yeah, he was quite good.

He said this, he said that. When's it going out? When's it gonna go on Radio 5? I think particularly at a tournament, I remember my first World Cup covering England in 2010 when we were in Rustenburg, I was taken aback by the intensity of what it's like being inside the England bubble

With the nature of how it works. I've covered obviously major tournaments before for five live But my first time with England I was very surprised with the attitude and how the media bubble works because it's just so intense Covering England in that respect. Hmm. Well in terms of the games coming up as you guys have mentioned Let's give them a trail because we've got full commentary of both so Saturday 5 p.m. UK time the World Cup qualifier in Barcelona and Dora against England John and Ian have Michael Brown alongside them for that one and then on Tuesday the friendly at Nottingham Forest City Ground, England against Senegal, John Ian again alongside Leon Osmond. Next question, have any biscuits been consumed in Barcelona as yet? I think

you know what this might be leading on to. Don't think we've had any biscuits have we? No. I'm not really a biscuit man, I'm more of a cookie man. I'm actually neither a biscuit nor. I'm more of a cookie man. I'm actually neither a biscuit nor a cookie man as it happens. Okay. Some correspondence from someone who describes themselves here as a long suffering, uh, but entirely realistic QPR fan from Bromley. Hi, my name's Tom. I love the podcast,

but particularly like the cookie or biscuit discussion at the end of the last pod. The last 20, 25 years of my career spent in the hospitality industry and for many years worked in a large chain, think coffee, baguettes, soup, and of course the all important cookies. And we had a pet hate of overcooked cookies as if they're overcooked, they turn into a biscuit Hence they are two different or very different items and they are not the same But simply cookies don't snap and biscuits do thanks. So what do we make of that logic? so cookies are

Softer yeah, is that what we're saying are we taking that as definitive I think Tom has got the insight he's nailed it I think John that's the way the cookie crumbles okay are you accepting it John well I mean that's the opinion of Tom isn't it is that yeah are we taking that as gospel well he does work in the industry okay but you're saying John your your line is a cookie is a biscuit. Well as far as I'm concerned, I don't think they taste any different. Did you get where Mama hides the cookies into your commentary of the Champions League final? No I didn't get where Mama hides the cookies.

Although I did get, has the ball under his spell. They are well done. I did use that with Kavarac's Kaliak. That's 4-0 and this Georgian who is an absolute delight to watch, with his slight figure and his blue socks down and his white cape round his left wrist, the man who keeps the ball under his spell, well, he's waved the wand and the PSG celebrations now are absolutely in full swing here in the hall of Bayern Munich. Yeah, I want it... One takes away with one hand. Yeah, I did want Chris Sutton to be surprised by...

Well, but the thing is, none of the goals, I mean, let's get onto's get on to that job because obviously you have commented on that Champions League final since our last our last pod. So that was you and Chris Sutton in Munich for a fairly astounding I mean, not as a contest, but in terms of an event and the way it played it staggering. Yeah, staggering. It was a staggering occasion that and great location as I suspected it would be an unforgettable occasion and I know I see I do say that on a regular basis and then a year later I'll think what did happen in that final but I do think that that's one I mean to be there as commentators you you'd love to see records don't

you when it when it's when it's a record occasion and that was a record occasion the first time there's been a five nil in a European club final in a one-off match. And only the third time that a team has scored five goals in a single match European final. And also to see Inter given a shellacking like that. And I know they conceded the goals that they did in the semi-final. But part of the history and the culture of that club is it's all built on defense and to see them in really disarray, which for me was more to do with the way that PSG played and how satisfying that had to be. I think that was a big part of the celebrations for Luis Enrique that it all came together,

you know, in the biggest stage of all, those performances that we've seen them consistently put together in the second half of the season, they managed to do it again when it mattered most, on the grand stage, in the big occasion and I think that's why they were quite as satisfied as they were. I do wonder if some of the the Premier League clubs have missed a trick with Quiritz-Caillier because even when he was at Napoli he was a player who you know was always going to be a star and I just think that fair play to Paris Saint-Germain they have they have built a genuine team they've gone against their previous

sort of like mandate of we're going to get in the big name players this is how we're going to do it they've actually built a team and even if you consider that in the first half of the season, when I saw Paris Saint-Germain against Arsenal in the league phase, Dembele didn't travel. He was left at home because of a dispute. He hadn't fallen into line of what Enrique wanted. So he was sort of like banished at that point. They were very, very tame against Arsenal. Arsenal won 2-0 and yet he's transformed them and they are now a proper team with so many as you say so many attacking talent in that in that team they're a joy to watch and you know the teams that they've beaten they thoroughly deserve that title.

And as we've discussed I've seen them time and time and time again this season and throughout that team everyone has contributed you know PSG you've got something special there whether they'll be able to retain it or not I honestly don't know because you know the challenge now is well we have to go and do it again. Yeah and as you said in last week's pod John two clubs in very different places in terms of sort of average age of squad and managers so Simone Inzaghi has already left into, he's off to go and earn some money.

Earn some money? The highest paid job in football, the highest paid manager's job in football, that's extraordinary isn't it? Extraordinary. I think it's supposed to be 25 million pounds or euros per year. With al hilal. Bumper deal. Bumper deal. It's a bumper deal. I must tell you about the incident as well that happened. We went to a very entertaining Italian restaurant in Munich both the night before and on the day of the match. What was amusing the night before was that I've never been whisked through as we were by the waiters in there which was great because we were actually we

just wanted a quick bite so it's fantastic it was exactly what we wanted. Anyway the next afternoon a different waiter who is a bit of a character and as we're finishing off he looked at me and he said, I see you, you are, I know, you are popular. You are popular. I'm very popular, yes. With my colleagues, yes I am. He's Italian as we discovered.

Popular means famous. Is that right, Ali? In Italian, it means you are famous. Is that right Ali? In Italian it means you were famous. I would have said famoso but... Populari I think. He said no you are populari, you are populari. You... you were in Neighbours. Harold Bishop.

Who did he think you were? Harold Bishop? No, Carnabin. I thought probably Carl Kennedy probably. Carl Kennedy? Dr Carl Kennedy. That's amazing. Was anyone else there to witness it? I know you've told the world now but... Steve Crossman was there. Much more. He enjoyed it tremendously incidentally. Would you say Dr. Carla would you say Harold Bishop me yeah for John Jason Donovan yeah it's not I was just gonna say it's not Craig McLachlan Guy Aitus chaps Guy Aitus I've been told by producer Nathan is the word for biscuits in St. Petersburg is it? Thanks very much.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And the other question before we move on. Bouncer? The dog? Bouncer, yeah, yeah. The other question we have to ask as well, this featured earlier in the season, your PSG USB memory stick which has information on it, so the question here is have you added a star to it now that Paris Saint-Germain have been crowned champions of Europe for the first time you've got a good memory I'd forgotten about that it's in the script it's in

the script can't can't can't claim credit for that right what's that voice notes to 08000 289 369 emails to TCV at BBC dot co dot UK Liverpool supporter Scott gets in touch Stephen Gerrard on the TV coverage of the Champions League final said that PSG pass forward with spite. Could this be one for your glossary? I've never heard it before, certainly can't be used in rugby obviously because the ball can't go forward. Could it apply to other sports? I've never heard of that idea of a ball being passed forward with spite. No, I haven't. Have you?

I haven't. Yeah, so I suppose it would have to be more commonly used, wouldn't it, to get into the glossary? I would think so. Does it work? So, what's the definition of spiteful? Spiteful's, there's an intent to hurt there, isn't there? Yeah, there is. So it does work? Nasty! Nasty pass. there isn't yeah yeah yeah there is yeah so it does it does work nasty nasty nasty pass yeah yeah okay not glossary yet then we'll have to see if it comes into the into the lexicon next season and the other thing that has just popped up in the in the script for today I don't know how much this interests you

chaps the new Premier League ball the actual football for next season has been revealed the Puma Orbiter Ultimate PL have you seen it sounds like it should be attached to the space station doesn't it yeah if I was gonna describe I've seen it now because I'm looking at the picture yeah if I was gonna describe it it's I mean like all these balls is paneled the panels are like jigsaw pieces all fitted together and there's a real sort of Fiorentina purple About it as well. Did you get excited about?

New match balls no massively no quite like the quite like the balls that are used like for the Champions League final that sort of quite like that And like for the tournaments when the balls for Euros or a World Cup actually have the details of the match written on them. I quite like that. Do you get excited about balls, Ali? I don't Ian. I've got a young lad, Rory, who plays football and went through that stage of always wanting the latest Premier League ball or plays football and went through that stage of always wanting the latest Premier League ball or the Euros ball and that sort of thing that then you start to look at it a bit more closely and

Like John says I think the special match ones I mean if you imagine I guess and I don't know about sir Jeff Hurst one But Mbappe's match ball from the last World Cup final will have You know the date the place the time won't it on on the ball where he scored three goals in last World Cup final will have, you know, the date, the place, the time, won't it, on the ball where he scored three goals in a World Cup final. That's quite special. That's a special thing to have. The first ball I think I got excited about was, I think it was a special ball that was used for the League Cup final. And so at that stage, basically every ball was just white.

Oh yeah. And I think this one for the League Cup final had a red belt, it was like a red belt around it, do you remember? Yeah I do, you go into the early 80s there, probably 81. That was quite ahead of its time back then. Yeah, although I know we talked about Pacers suites last week, what about the old orange and black balls that you'd get from Woolworths, the old plastic balls that you'd hit it. Theys, the old plastic balls that you'd hit it, they were never much use on the farm, those ones.

No, I can imagine. Or the beach. Well, it was always crazy. They'd go everywhere, don't they? Felt like it was very windy very often on the top of Adrian's wall. It's the closest... That wasn't much use. It's the closest though you can put one into where the owl sleeps.

Yeah. And you can resemble Zico the into where the owl sleeps yeah and you can resemble Zico just for a fleeting moment yeah but that's that's another i mean i mean i know i know football fans particularly you know those who enjoy the nostalgia go back and do match balls but the um the 82 world cup was that a tango was that well 78 world cup was the original tango, wasn't it? Was it? As in Argentina. Yeah. Well, the blurb on this new one for the Premier League, I think you'll enjoy this.

Apparently, it's been crafted for iconic moments and it has been built to spark new ones. With 12 evenly sized panels for perfect balance and high frequency moulding for lasting shape and a soft touch in all conditions it brings Premier League greatness wherever you play. So is it not to be used for moments that are not iconic? It's not meant to inspire those John. Is it not? It's not. Well let's hope none of those have, let's hope we don't see any of those done with it. We don't want a gold mouth scramble and it going in off someone's backside with this magnificent ball do we? More of the great glossary of football commentary to come in this podcast. Let's remind you of the big news that we finally

broke last week and this is important if you want to come and see this podcast being recorded live this summer so we are doing the small matter of this first live show at the start of which could potentially become our world tour in Sheffield on friday the fourth of july from three o'clock in the afternoon in the old Cole Brothers department store. It's with BBC Sounds having been announced as the official Fringe Festival partner of the Crossed Wires podcast festival which runs in Sheffield from the 4th to the 6th of July. So lots of live podcast recordings there and special sessions for you to experience and

tickets are now live. You are now able to get your tickets They're completely free and you can reserve seats for individual shows online Via the crossed wires dot live website, so you're punching crossed wires dot live Go and get those those tickets now, and I'm expecting chaps. I'm expecting them to go Flying off the shelves yes, although we should point out that you're not going to be there. Yeah. So it's me and Ian.

So if people don't turn up, your embarrassment is going to be spared. And also, I just had a look at the website for the Crossed Wires podcast festival, and I suspect that we are going to be billed under Football Daily, but we are not top of the bill for the fringe events. and I suspect that we are going to be billed under football daily but we are not top of the bill for the fringe events so you'll need to go to the fringe events section. We're not top of the bill from what I saw when I looked on the website. Top of the bill is Gardner's question time. Ah for a horrible moment there I thought you were going to say Monday night club with Hare Chapman was ahead of us. No Gardner's've got a question for gardeners question time I have you yeah my Cianthus is

starting to it's losing its flowers sorry to hear that I know yeah I'll have to ask them a question about that you can ask it live you can have yeah bunny Guinness isn't it is that right used to be on gardeners question time for a long time so I need Guinness I think so. So by the time you listen to this you can go to crosswires.live and go and get your tickets but reminder as well entry on the day is on a first-come first-served basis even with a ticket so make sure you get there in time get there early to avoid any disappointment. Three o'clock Friday the 4th of July in Sheffield, John Murray, Ian Dennis. And I actually think the, well there's a reason that the festival's happening. This podcast, like a lot of podcasts, lends itself really well to a live performance in front of an audience

in terms, because we do all the voice notes and emails, but people are actually there to ask the questions live and you can have conversations. And I don't know how Clash of the commentators is going to go there, I don't know quite how we're going to do that but I'm looking forward to it. I've got a feeling I know how it'll go. Are you playing today? I don't think you are, are you? No I'm not. You're not.

I am done. Done. Pete, one of our listeners, Pete, is slightly devastated. He's got in touch on TCV at bbc.co.uk. Today I was supposed to be at Wembley watching the mighty York win promotion back into the Football League, but Oldham put a stop to that. So what did I have to look forward to in the close season?

Of course, it was the TCV World Tour. I cannot describe how gutted I am that the live show will clash with selling my spirits brand at celebration Oh celebration two A's in celebration celebration in Hayward's Heath this will be no celebration for me as I will miss the one event that was going to cheer me up given the mighty York's failure to win promotion have a great summer I hope TCV season 2 is as splendid as season 1 yeah that's a blow for us because I think we might need all of the audience members

that we can get. But Robert in Yorvo says, I hope bumper contracts will be in place from the BBC before the event. That would be nice, Robert. That would be nice, Rob. What a good suggestion. Well done, Rob, for sending Robert something. And ahead of that, we want suggestions for the great glossary of football commentary that we can put into the live show so tcv at bbc.co.uk if there are more of those and

I'm sure there are plenty of them send us an email and we'll see if we can get you involved as part of the show. And the other thing like I was saying at the start of this podcast is nothing concrete as yet but I think on the Football Daily Feed, there might be little bonus episodes of the Commentators' View this summer at events like the Women's Euros, the Open Golf, Wimbledon, which will be great, actually. It should be good to get a slightly different perspective on it. Yes, but we are going to have an official rest.

Although in saying that, we might be on some of those podcasts as well. You two would feature in the golf one, surely? I would have thought so. Will we be able to attract the mighty Ian Carter? I hope so. Because he's quite picky, isn't he, with his podcast? He's quite a podcast man, isn't he? He is, yeah. You say that you're going to get a proper rest. You've still got the Under-21 tournament to cover. Yes. The two of you are doing the golf. yes. So that's not a proper rest. Well I'm hoping that there will be several weeks in between all of those events. Clash of the commentators on the way, so John is not involved but I've got a little quiz

question for you two that's come in from Steve to warm us up for Clash of the Commentators. Steve listening on a treadmill on holiday in Croatia, which club do the current England squad keepers have in common? That is Jordan Pickford, James Trafford and Dean Henderson. Which club do they have in common? I think we'll both know that. Yes. Yeah, I do. And also, if I was in Croatia, I wouldn't be on the treadmill. I'd be I'd be outside If he's in I mean, that's one of the most attractive countries in Europe, isn't it? Yeah, yeah go on then give us an answer then should we say together one two three?

United Very good. That's what being is that Jordan Tickford had a loan spell there as well as when he was it He had loan spells at Preston, Bradford City earlier in his career and Carlisle was one of those loan spells and obviously the other two lads at Cumbria. The EuroLeagues on the Football Daily. Thursdays on the Football Daily join the EuroLeagues team as we bring you the latest from across the continent with a host of top European football journalists.

Come to do an interview with him, and normally it's an hour chat. He comes in and says, what are you looking forward to having for an hour? He says, no, it's not going to be an hour. I'm like, we've got a show to do. Nah, 20 minutes. The Euroleagues, only on the Football Daily.

Listen on BBC Sounds. The Commentator's View with Alistair Bruce Ball, Daily. Listen on BBC Sounds. Right, John, time for Clash of the Commentators. Actually another John in London has written in ahead of this. Thank you for your excellent podcast which keeps me entertained during my Saturday morning dog walks. Now that John Murray's done a Southampton and finished a distant last in Clash of the Commentators, will he be relegated to join Hare Chapman on the Monday nightclub? Thank you, John. Well, maybe. Hare Chapman himself sent me a message this week and said that he'd hit a new career low when he met a member of the public who told him that they listened to the commentators view. Excellent. That could become a thing couldn't it? If ever you see her chat with her

in the barrel, just go up to him and say hey I listened to the Five Life podcast. Yeah. The commentators view. That one on the football daily. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. So there's a challenge for everyone this summer. Find Mark Chapman. He's going to be at the Open with us, so he'll be mingling with the public there.

He's going to love that. If you're at the Open, because Ali, you and I will be there. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And Mark will be there as well. So, what a lovely summer game that'll be. Right, I think I'm handing over to you, John. So looking at the league table, if we were doing relegation, I would be long gone.

Although maybe Ian would be as well, if we were doing two up, two down. And perhaps we should have, can we form a guard of honour for you Ali? Who's coming up? If two are going down who's coming up? Hang on a minute Ian we need to do a guard of honour for Ali. These are always very half-hearted affairs. Oh clapping. How are we?

How are we? Ready? Crikey. Ali on the move. Thank you very much that's very kind of you much appreciate supposed to walk between it yeah yeah so there we are God of Honor and God of Honor which have been all the rage yeah and and so the the leaderboard which will not change with this final clash of the commentators of the season and hopefully forever. Ali, 11 from 13. That is very very good, you know, very good. It is astonishing.

It's almost as astonishing as Paris Saint-Germain. I don't mean astonishingly good, I mean I'm astonished that, because I've played these games with you on air and off air before and I'm not normally very good at these so that is, I'm surprised. Anyway, so Ali is going to be the champion Ian's roughly sort of 50% hang on you're six from 13 just under 50% and I clocked up my Kent defeat in a role last week and I've got three from 14 I think at one stage I was top of the table anyway yeah it was a long time ago so we are in it because we're in the same room here in Barcelona Ian is gonna have to go first so Ali

you're gonna have to disconnect so I'm just watching Ali in his little workroom disconnecting he's put his mic down and he's actually left his seat, Ian. So we are ready to go. Because we are expecting this to be high scoring, good luck with that, we're going to do minus points for any incorrect answers for this one. So the question is PSG beat Inter 5-0 last weekend to become champions of Europe for the first time. But which teams have already booked their places in the league phase of next season's Champions League? Okay. Time starts now. Okay.

So you've got the English six. You've got Liverpool, Manchester city, Arsenal, Newcastle, Chelsea, City, Arsenal, Newcastle, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt, Paris Saint-Germain. Paris Saint-Germain. Hmm. There won't be a wrong one in there. I don't think there is. No. Did well with Eintracht Frankfurt. That was a good answer.

Right, let's get Ali back in. I think he'll beat you. He's just been tending to his begonias. In preparation for Gardiner's question time. It better not be. At the Crossed Wires Festival. Okay, are you ready? Yeah, yeah. Okay, so Ali's back with us.

So the question is, because we are expecting this to be high scoring, we're actually gonna do minus points unusually this week for any incorrect answers, okay? So the question is, PSG beat Inter five nil last weekend to become champions of Europe for the incorrect answers. Okay. So the question is PSG beat Inter 5-0 last weekend to become Champions of Europe for the first time. But which teams have already booked their places in the league phase of next season's Champions League?

Oh. Happy? Got that? Yep. Okay. Okay. Time starts now. So you'd have Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City.

Can't remember who finished where. Newcastle and Chelsea. Let's go for Inter Napoli, PSG, Marseille. Er, hang on, which other countries? Oh, Bayern Munich. Don't even know who finished second. Let's go for Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund. I've said Paris, I've done that. Sporting. That might be a late.

That could be about the same, I think. Just while that gets tottered up, let me mention that one of our producers in the office, Chris Coughlin, and also who won the Five Life Office Fantasy League this season, he got 17 in 30 seconds. Wow. That's not bad, is it? So well done, Chris, with that.

And the outcome is Ian 12 and Ali 15 Didn't sound like 15 didn't sound like 15 didn't sound like 15 did it no oh So 2d9 on the house check complete check complete. It's fine. Perfect Thank you mate. Wait, wait, wait. Onfield decision was offside. Are you happy with this? Are you happy with this? Offside is his goal.

Yeah. That's not what it does. What? Onfield decision was offside. Are you happy with this image? Yeah, it's onside. The image we gave you there. He's played, left back. He's played, he's gone offside. I was going to say, right, I was just was just gonna say I was actually totting up.

Yeah. There was gonna be a stewards inquiry there. I think I know what's happened here. So in actual fact the final score is Ian 15, Ali 12. Very good. Well I knew that I'd got the 14 from England, Spain and Germany. I didn't know Spain had got it. I thought there's no way Ali's got 15 now. How have I got 12? Yeah. By the way, in case people think I'm a blithering idiot, that was a rare misstep on the totting up front from our production staff.

So how appropriate that on the final clash of the commentators, I as the question master actually get the score wrong as well. I didn't say Barcelona or a Realm of Druids, did I? To round off a resounding success of a season. No, you didn't, actually. No, that was silly. But actually, so 14 is a good score though. That is a good score from Ian. 15 was even better. So actually I was only two of Chris Cocker. You were. In alphabetical order they are Ajax, Arsenal,

Atalanta, Athletic Bilbao, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen was the team you couldn't think of Ali. Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, Eintracht Frankfurt, Galatasaray, Inter, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester City, Marseille, you've got Ali. Monaco, I don't think either of you have got Monaco, did you? Napoli, Ali, you said Napoli. Newcastle, Olympiacos, Paris Saint-Germain, PSV, Real Madrid, Slavia Prague, neither of you got Slavia Prague, I'm surprised by that, Sporting Lisbon, Tottenham, Union Saint-Gilouards, and Villarreal. How have they forgotten Tottenham? Union Saint-Gilouards won their first title in 90 years. Gilouards, Gilouards, Gilouards, Gilouards, Gilouards, Union Saint-Gilwa won their first title in 90 years. Guilwa, Gilwa, Gilwa, Gilwa, Union St. Guilwa.

We'll have a word with Tony Bloom, that's his club of course, isn't it, the Brighton owner. That's right. There we are then. So well done. Yeah, very good. 15 out of 17. Excellent Ian. So that means... So I've finished with a 50% ratio. Yeah. 7 from 14. I end the season on a high. And that just rocks my confidence slightly going into the first game of next season.

There's just a sort of little scintilla of doubt has been sewn there. So well done. Very good. Yeah, yeah. Very good. Well done, Ian, for sewing that scintilla of doubt in Ali's head. So Ali wins with 11 points from 14. Ian finishes with 7 from 14. So 50% And rooted to the bottom of the table me with three from 14. So we all played 14 in the end Yeah, well done the production team. Yeah, very good with a couple of exhibitions thrown in here and there. Yes. Yeah, weren't there?

Yeah, I usually wouldn't those memorable goal is draw me and Connor That was hard though, wasn't there? Yeah, I usually wouldn't those memorable goal is draw. It's a me and Connor That was hard though, wasn't it? Isn't it? Yeah, it's ready hard. That was the highlight of Clash of the commentators for me Yeah, not the you know, you heard it because you didn't I didn't actually hear it. You don't You're right. I actually didn't hear it, but I heard about it just the result entertained you. Yeah. Yeah No, no draws can be entertaining. They can. They can. Right, great glossary of football commentary. This is where we add

listener suggestions of football-specific commentary terms and phrases to add to our ever-growing collection. By the way, we should say, we should tell people that they do need to listen all the way through to the end of this, because there's quite an unusual ending to today's

podcast. Oh, I forgot to say yes. Yes, so well done, John, very well done. Yes, this week's pod, so our final regular one of the football season, ends with a song from one of our listeners. And this chap I know quite well, I've had quite a bit of communication with him because he's a regular listener to the Fantasy 606 podcast and he always ends the fantasy football season with a song for us but he's done one for the commentators view and it is brilliant it is brilliant yes although in fairness Tom clearly listened to the end of last week's episode because otherwise he

would not have heard the conversation about the cookies stroke biscuits correct and that's it's always worth listening to the end of this pod because of those little easter eggs. But today, yes, John is right. So first and foremost, we've just got to go through what we did last week, what stays in, what people aren't happy with, etc, etc. So last week we removed struck with venom from our glossary because Simon Mann was describing, I think it was a cover drive possibly or a square cut that had been

struck with venom in a test match recently. We said yes to turns him on a six-bence or turns him on a dime which Mark Schwartzer had used in the conference league final commentary, Sunderland fan Ray in Virginia got in touch with that one as well, and having a winger in your pocket or having a having an attacker in your pocket we said yes for now that came from Richard in Oxford and Ben in Portugal we said no to hat trick we had to say no to that but the email was absolutely brilliant that was from Mark as a young kid who put his hand up in a classroom didn't he when asked what if three babies are all born at the same time but you know what what is the term for that

and he said hat trick which is very good is the winner. Pete in Cheshire, not not football specific. That, that couldn't go in. Has the defender on toast didn't go in. Winger in pocket went in. Defender on toast didn't. Came from Ben in Portugal and James in Muswell Hill. And Mama hides the cookies. Yes, we've discussed that already in this pod. Doesn't go into the, but we love it, but it doesn't go into the but we love it But it doesn't go into the into the glossary although John Your friend who sent us where mama hides the cookies has been back in touch. Would you like to um, yes Yes, Muhammad Riza has been back in touch and says hi dear John Ian Ali and the others was near massive fan of Connor. Oh, he was yeah, but he's now just, Ali and the others. Wasn't he a massive fan of Connor?

Oh he was, yeah, but he's now just described him as the others. Anyway, Muhammad Reza says, I cannot tell you how happy you made me when you read my message in your pod. I wanted to jump and hit my head on the roof. You made my day. Also, I heard somebody on the pod talk about Deacon Blue. I don't remember. Anyway, he says, and I almost went crazy. Whomever that is,

who is the fan of them, please tell them that I have been listening to them since 2019 and my favorite song of them is Wage's Day. I heard it on a British boxer entrance song and I think is one of the most underrated songs of them. In all seriousness the way you guys call and describe the game it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Keep up the great work and thank you for your kindness and so thank you Muhammad Riza for getting back in touch. And who was that, Ian? Well, Mohammed Riza, we will never know who it was, but I can tell you. And in the interest of BBC Sounds cross-promotion,

if you find BBC Sounds at the moment and you type in Deacon Blue, it's just been released, you'll be able to hear them on BBC Sounds from a concert they did at Edinburgh's Usher Hall back in March. And I've got to say it is well worth a listen and Wages Day will feature. I was also there at the time and it was a cracking gig. Wages Day also ties in nicely with bumper contracts

and the live show. Maybe your walk on music at the live show, Wages Day. Ian and John, stride on. I think with the bumper contract, and the live show maybe maybe your walk on music at the live show wages day in and john stride on uh... i think that the public contract it'll be a question of waiting for a telephone to ring with a now that is a good decon blue gag very good enjoying that

uh... back to the glossary tim writes in greetings from canada you were right to exclude hat trick from the glossary here uh... in hockey he says when a player scores a hat trick the crowd throw their hats onto the ice the next quarter hour is spent sweeping them all up and if you've just splashed out on a new not cheap hat it can be gone on an expensive night out love the pod keep up the good work that's interesting then i wonder if

you're not considered a proper fan if you don't take it because if i had a hat on that I just paid some money for I would not be slinging that onto the onto the playing arena thinking I was going to lose it. Maybe you take two. Perhaps. Also Blake in Wales says Borodar I know you rejected it already but football is the winner isn't football only because I've heard Jason Bell say football is the winner when discussing American football and Swindon van Nick the phrase turned on a dime stroke six pence reminded me of something older listeners may remember he has a thru penny he has a thru penny

bit head again this is a it's an older thing. It's, it's over my head. When a player heads wide, when should have scored an easy header chance, I guess you would have replaced the Thrupney bit with a 50 pence now. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I've heard that. That's a good one actually. I mean... I suppose you've not heard of a Thrupney bit. Well, as Nick says, you know, something the older listeners may remember. But I think that goes into the glossary. You wouldn wouldn't get you wouldn't get that in another sport no you wouldn't the old thrum any bit head or the 50 50p 50 pence yeah yeah yeah

and voice notes once again I'll give you the number oh eight thousand two eight nine three six nine we're on to disputes here this one from Liverpool fan Lara from Merseyside hi gents firstly can I congratulate you on an excellent first season of the commentators view, it's absolutely my favourite of the football dailies. The Monday night club, well it's all well and good but it's not a patch on the commentators view is it, regardless of what Hare Chapman might say about that. I'm afraid I do need to pull you up on something though because you've entered turn on a sixpence into the great glossary but this phrase is used in show jumping to describe a horse that

can turn quickly after a jump. I appreciate show jumping isn't your rugby or your cricket but if you want your glossary to be exclusively football terms then I'm afraid turn on a sixpence is not. I'm also sure I've heard open his account used in athletics, you know. For example, when Mondo Diplantis opens his account with a first jump at the heights where other pole vaulters are starting to struggle. I'm wondering if you should maybe start calling this the very small glossary of football commentary, given how few terms are actually making it in. Much love. The small pamphlet.

Well I've got to say that's a very strong case from Lara. It is a very strong case. Thank you very much for the voice. She's very much bought into the subplot as well hasn't she? Yeah. And she's right isn't she about the show jumping. Yeah. John we've both commentated on that for the BBC. We have. We should have known that although I don't remember ever using that.

I don't remember using that but I can get you know the whole bit where they have to they could go the long way around or they could turn on a sixpence and cut off the corner. Did you also see that one from Kate in New Zealand? I was surprised turns on a six pence dime was allowed as I believe this is a very common phrase using a lot of sports basketball hockey BMX and also she says don't forget to stop in here on your world tour in New Zealand that's New Zealand Estonia Thailand and Sheffield well most of the Baltic states I think were involved at one stage and actually of Scandinavia, most of Scandinavia was involved. Just going back to the equestrian, it's not a story for now, but one of the most terrifying moments of my commentary career happened while reporting, commentating on the equestrian

events at the Olympics in Athens in 2004. So I'll drop that in as a little tease for the start of next season. Possibly that could be a little category of like the moment when your heart has dropped into the pittiest stomach when you're commentating on live sport. Yeah we've all had a few of those. We were going to do that weren't we? Clangers we were going to do. Yeah we were but we've not done it. If the commentators view returns for the new football season then we could put that on the agenda. Yeah right some new suggestions contracts to be discussed first.

Absolutely new suggestions for the for the little pamphlet of football commentary. Another Liverpool fan Jason in Madison Wisconsin gets in touch. Hi top top, top top gentlemen. As a parent of kids and having played a bit in my youth, I stepped up to coach my son's soccer team. One turn of phrase I did impart to them was put it in the mixer, where a player crosses the ball into the penalty area and the players then vie for it. They caught onto that pretty quickly,

and I knew I was onto a winner when I heard the kids and their parents shouting it from the sidelines. However, not everyone was convinced. It was only when we were watching an England World Cup match when the commentator said and Saka has put it in the mixer! And my son piped up and said, oh that's a real thing is it? I thought it was just something you said. So, as it is a real thing, and as I thought it was just something you said. So as it is a real thing and

as I believe it's only used in football what do you think about putting it in the glossary? Love the podcast, much better than MMC, sorry chappers. Well I think I quite like, I've always quite liked put it in the mixer. I mean that's got to be football only hasn't it? And plus the fact we need to, as has been pointed out, we do need to get football only hasn't it and plus the fact we need to as it's been pointed out We do need to get a few more phrases in there Well again and another sort of key test of this is would you use it would you use it in a commentary? Would you say I think I probably would you know? Yeah, I think I probably would throw that one in on You put it in the mix. I would put it in the mixer. I like it. I like it. Yeah, I it is football specific. I don't think that's in show jumping, is it John? I don't think they put it in the

mixer. In show jumping, I don't think so. Alvin Schockermoller put it in the mixer. Summary for the glossary then. Thruppney Bit Head 50p head is going in. Swindon fan Nick gave us that one and put it in the mixer from Jason there in Madison, Wisconsin. We like that, that's going in. Turns on a sixpence now exits the glossary, turns on a dime, used in other sports and opened his account for the very same reason. And entries please, tcv at bbc.co.uk for the live show. We want lots of glossary chat in the live show, so send us those emails, tcv at bbc.co.uk. It would be nice if people brought them along and actually suggested them as they were in the audience at the event. Yeah. Here comes a treat for you all then. It is time for the closing moments

of the pod today and for this 24-25 football season. Loyal listener Spud, real name Simon Page but I've only ever known him as Spud, has written us a musical masterpiece to see us out in this final episode of The Commentator's View for this season. So without further ado Conductor Batten's at the ready a one two three four I am the very model of a modern football broadcaster. I cover every game from Dawking Wanderers to Doncaster. I'm very well acquainted with the contents of the glossary.

On every game there ever was my prep is polished perfectly. From Parc de France to Stade de France to London Stadium to Lourdes. I've seen a smash and grab, a basketball match and a cricket score. I don't mind tricky names for I can say them without failure From Papa's Dapa, Dapa lost, a Fritzchek, Faber, it's Galea From Papa's Dapa, Dapa lost, a Fritzchek, Faber, it's Galea From Papa's Dapa, Dapa lost, a Fritzchek, Faber, it's Galea From Papa's Dapa, Dapa lost, a Fritzchek, Faber, it's Galea

Instead of Palk de Bus, I say Mitz say mix concrete in Bavaria I know whether it's in or round or in and round the area I know to never crush the beeps I know just where the owl sleeps I know it all because I keep it all in my Excel spreadsheet The emails they come flying in from Canada to Cameroon I share a glass of bread with managers in the last chance saloon I give the marching orders to a fellow's fellow countrymen I dine on finest pie trin-tana dice to time to tottenum

My lip-mite muffles never ruffled and my work is never done My artistry can see right through the stanchion down at Everton From when head chapman hands to me I start and then I never stop I'm more than just top top, in fact I'm Top Top Top Top Top Top Top Top I'm more than just Top Top, in fact he's Top Top Top Top Top Top Top Top Top He's more than just Top Top, in fact he's Top Top Top Top Top Top Top Top Top He's more than just Top Top, in fact he's Top Top Top Top Top Top Top Top The brandishing and languishing, the slide rules and banana skins

are phrases that relate to other sports and so they don't get in. Mbappe's fast but I'm faster, linguistically a grandmaster for I'm the very model of a modern football broadcaster. I've seen the scene between the bogey team and the champions elect. I've crushed Clash of the commentators getting everything correct. From Hamiaki in the north to Plymouth Argyle in the south Without a doubt I sort it out despite the... Whoa! It's in my mouth!

I know how many former times a derby game was played before I know the draft excluders should correctly be called skirting boards I know the woodworks metal though the name implies the contrary Hmm... contrary? What rhymes with contrary? Oh, I know. That's why I'm looking after the school matter of the commentary. That's why he's looking after the school matter of the commentary. That's why he's looking after the school matter of the commentary.

That's why he's looking after the school matter of the commentary. You might think you could call the three o'clock game on a Saturday. You might think you could do my job but sorry mate I'm here to stay. You might think Jackie Oates is good but I can even outlast her for I'm the very model'clock game on a Saturday. You might think you could do my job, but sorry mate, I'm here to stay. You might think Jackie Oates is good, but I can even outlast her, for I'm the very model of a modern football broadcaster. Yes, she's the very model of a modern football broadcaster. Yes, she's the very model of a modern football broadcaster. You do not get that on the Monday Night Club, do you?

I tell you what, that was outstanding. There should be a guard of honor for Spud. Yeah, they should. Yes. That was brilliant. That is fantastic work. That is based on the Major General's song from Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance and producer Nathan tells me we're actually going to put the lyrics in because Spud rattles

through them quite quickly there. They'll go in the podcast description so you can actually sort of read them which I was able to do as you go along there but I promise you he's done that for five or six seasons for us on the Fantasy 606 podcast and they are works of art. I love them. Right that's it for this episode of the Football Daily. On the next one you can catch reaction to our five live Saturday evening commentary, Andorra against England in World Cup qualifying. And as for the commentators view, we are going to be back with some best of episodes and

the odd special edition over the summer, so do look out for those. And do remember to book your Sheffield live show tickets on the internet at crossedwires live cross wires dot live those tickets now available this podcast comes out Friday the 6th of June and tickets now available from today and if you really miss us you can catch all 28 episodes 28 episodes of the commentators view right now on the football daily feed on BBC sounds with John Murray is looking for something to do with some free time this summer John twenty-eight episodes

for you know the summer is going to fly by Hi guys this is Ryland and I'm here to tell you about how to be in love from BBC Sounds. Now, as a single, divorcee, I feel ready to find love again, but I want to see if there's a better way of going about it. In this series, I'm going to sit down with 12 incredible guests who are really going to help me rediscover what love truly means and how I can find it again. People like Stephen Fry, Louis Theroux, Matt and Emma Willis and many more. So join me on this journey as I explore how to be in love.

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