Football Daily - The Commentators' View: Kit gripes & anxiety dreams

Episode Date: August 15, 2025

John Murray, Ian Dennis & Ali Bruce-Ball talk football, travel & language. It turns out Sunderland being back in the Premier League may pose some problems for commentators. Which new players are the guys most excited to see in action? Surely John can’t lose again in Clash of the Commentators, and will any new terms be added to the Great Glossary of Football Commentary? WhatsApp voicenotes to 08000 289 369. Emails to [e-mail]08:15 5 Live returns with 209 Premier League commentaries 11:50 ‘Challenging’ commentary position at the Stadium of Light 15:25 Which players are the guys excited to commentate on? 16:48 Benjamin Šeško or Benjamin Sesko? 18:17 Who will be challenging for the title? 20:00 Any new season resolutions? 22:02 What’s in John’s pencil case? 24:53 Feeling rusty at the start of the season 31:03 Will John lose again in Clash of the Commentators? 36:25 Great Glossary of Football Commentary 47:23 Ian’s FPL beef with Chris SuttonBBC Sounds / 5 Live Premier League commentaries: Sat 1500 Sunderland v West Ham, Sat 1500 Tottenham v Burnley on Sports Extra, Sat 1730 Wolves v Man City, Sun 1400 Chelsea v Crystal Palace, Sun 1400 Nottingham Forest v Brentford on Sports Extra, Sun 1630 Man Utd v Arsenal.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, Goalkeepers’ Union, 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 it in the mixer, Put their laces through it, Rasping shot, Red wine not white wine, Relegation six-pointer, Rooted at the bottom, Route One, 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, Team that likes to play football, Throw their cap on it, Thruppenny bit head / 50p head, Towering header, Turning into a basketball match, Turning into a cricket score, Two good feet, 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.

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I don't think I've got that one. It must have. Unless you've signed it and given it to someone. Yeah. Some autograph hunter. Maybe you gave it away in Sheffield to... To... Julia.

Someone must have... Someone else to come up and said, can you sign your mouth? The Commentator's View with Alistair Bruce Ball, John Murray and Ian Dennis on the Football Daily. Hello, welcome to the Football Daily. I'm John Murray, and this is the commentator's view. And it is a full house today as I'm joined by the BBC's senior football reporter Ian Dennis. Hello.

And Alistair Bruce Ball. Hello. And this means that we are back for the official start of a second series of the commentator's view. This is the day, isn't it, in sort of pre-season training, that we're fully togged up in the new kit. And we're lined up on those benches with our hands sort of clasped on our knees with production. team and staff and the whole team photo line up at the start of season. With last season's trophies lined up in front of us?

Exactly right, yeah. Have you got the Clash of the Commentator's trophy in front of your crossed legs Ali? I should have, shouldn't I? That's a good point. So we're back to new season, aren't we? So that's all forgotten, but I didn't see a trophy for that at the end of the season. I didn't see a trophy either.

And you would be the one, wouldn't you? Who is sitting at the front with the legs crossed? It would be me, yeah. It would be. Thank you. But when you say, Allie, that we're all sitting there with a new kit somebody's missing his muff well for those who are listening we were given last season

a special football daily mic mic to put over our lit mics and somewhere during the summer I seem to have mislaid mine so I've got a generic BBC Radio 5 live Mike

muff on my microphone at the moment to start the new season so that is going to need some attention now the question is is it in A Sheffield B Bratislava Or C

Royal Port Rush You didn't leave it on the 18th did you It could be any of the three Could be any of the three So that's what I've been doing As well as having lots of holiday During the course of this summer And actually as we record this

This is my official first day back at work So I have to say I'm a little bit rusty As for you two Ali, I know you were in Port Rush. Yes, last few you there, John. Scotty Sheffler, the world number one, winning the open as our neighbour.

So I opened my curtains on Sunday morning and saw Scotty Sheffler in the back garden, could have leaned out of the window and said hello. I mean, we're actually recording this, aren't we? So we're previewing the start of the Premier League season this weekend, as our listeners listen to this. We're recording this a week earlier, and that is actually my fault

because having had an inordinate amount of holiday already this summer, I've decided to take another week and I'm missing the first weekend of the season hence why we're recording this today so I actually won't be commentating over the first weekend the season but I will come back super relaxed and refreshed afterwards I've got to say there are concerns

there are concerns because the big man has been shoddy he's lost his muff and also Ali I'm worried about your commitment to the commentators view podcast because you didn't turn up at the live show because you are on holiday we're now recording a week early because you're on holiday

I mean somewhere down the line you're going to have to show a little bit more commitment however you have been recording other podcasts true yes are newly named you've got to remember the name now FPL podcast from BBC Sports

so what was previously Fantasy 606 the BBC's Fantasy Football podcast is now called the FPL podcast from BBC Sport so we have recorded our first edition of that this season. So why is that decision being made? A few reasons, John. Fantasy 606 was always a little bit of a misnomer

in that at the time Chris Sutton and I were on 606 together and it sort of worked as a title. But I think even then, people might have downloaded it thinking, you know, people are going to be phoning in here and chatting to Chris Sutton and it's never been that. But, you know, once you've gone with it in there, name, it is the name. But I think actually, John, it's one of those things. I think if we want to get a bigger audience and sort of spread the word, and we're tying in with the BBC Sport website

quite a lot this season, that actually people are going to search for either FPL or FPL BBC, and you need those words in the title. So it's a little bit of a mouthful. Chris Sutton made great play of that in the first episode asking how many people it had taken to come up with that this summer and how clever it was. But that is what it is. And Ian, what have you been doing? since you last picked up a pen. Well, I don't have to work to pick up a pen. When I've been on holiday, I actually do Suduco, so I pick up a pen quite a lot.

But I've just been relaxing. The benefit of the live show in Sheffield that we did together, and I must say thank you to everybody again who turned up. It really was a very enjoyable afternoon, and I know a number of people made long trips from Colchester and from London and from Merseyside to get to Sheffield. But when I actually said, because one of your questions that day was, what have you been doing?

And I said I've been playing golf badly, badly and pretty badly. Andrew Murray, on route to Vancouver, was listening to the podcast and has said, I'll give you some tips. So Andrew Murray is now going to help my golf game. So I am probably more excited about that, the start of the new season. Must say, you know, I was really disappointed to miss that show, but I had a listen. So that is available now. That is the latest episode of the commentator's view, isn't it?

Available now on the BBC Sound app. So if you've not listened to it yet, do have a listen. It is a great listen, that one. I mean, you made the point at the start of the show, Ian, that we don't often broadcast in front of a live audience. And when I do that, certainly I know that makes me a little bit more nervous. But you two sounded supremely relaxed. I mean, the audience clearly really enjoyed themselves.

But you know what? And it sounds a little bit cheesy this. What really came across to me listening to that was, with Pat Nevin dropping a little message in as well, the camaraderie, the relationship between you two and how well you get on. But actually, I think that reflects on our five live football team. I think you hear that on air across the entire team,

presenters and producers and summarizers. And I know it sounds a little bit cheesy, but I think that's what makes listening to football on Five Live such a joy is that, you know, you're getting the live sport and the drama, but you can tell that people are enjoying themselves, they're getting on and they're sort of welcoming you in. You guys are welcoming the listeners in to come and join it. That came across loud and clear, I thought, in the pod. Well, it does sound cheesy, yes. But it was a, it was a very receptive audience. And I think what you say, Ali, is true when, just to reference Port Rush again,

what a great week that was because of the, you know, the team that we have there is a is a very, very similar thing. And I hope people were able to listen and able to enjoy that as well. Can't wait to go back there when we go back there to Port Rush. How on earth did you forget Harrogate in Clash of the Commentator? Because you performed well, but to forget Harrogate and York, I think I was just, I just focused in on western South Yorkshire without thinking of North Yorkshire.

Anyway, that was last season, Ali. Let's put that behind us. Yeah, you would have both beaten me, definitely, that one, definitely. And plus the fact, I thought it was skewed towards the person who was brought up in Yorkshire. Anyway. Says the person who lives in North Yorkshire. Anyway, we are so back, as they say, and the Premier League season that is approaching, this first weekend of the Premier League season. And this, we should explain, shouldn't we?

this is actually the start of a new four-year cycle of the radio rights deal. So what you will hear over the course of this first weekend will set the tone for how things will be for the next four seasons. In actual fact, there's not a great deal of change in terms of the time that you listen to Five Live Premier League commentaries. But there are even more than ever before, aren't there? There are, and I also think to say that you've got a choice of listening. I think that's probably one of the biggest changes at 3 o'clock on a Saturday, because obviously the goal service and the main game will still be at 3 o'clock, but on sports extra, there will be an alternative commentary that wasn't the case last season.

So for the next four years, you're going to have a choice of two games at 3. But also, we just own the weekends, don't we? Five-life sport. if a big game is on at the weekend from 3 o'clock on a Saturday throughout the rest of Saturday and then on a Sunday it'll be on 5 live sport. And also

I would say yes you're right in so 3 o'clock Saturday 5.30 Saturday 2 o'clock Sunday 430 Sunday all 5 live all the way through but if I'm driving somewhere on a Saturday that 12 till 3 listen as well the build up to the 3 o'clock

you know kickoff on Saturday with Mark Chapman and the team is just such a fantastic listen to, isn't it? Do you not mean hair, Chapman? I do. I do. Sorry. Should start as we mean to go on. Absolutely, you're right. So, on the first weekend,

Liverpool-born that is on the Friday night, so there will be updates from that match during Five Live Sport. Then, Saturday, so Ian, the main commentary to begin the season is Sunderland versus

West Ham United at the Stadium of Light with Pat Nevin. And Tottenham Burnley will be on Sports Extra at the same time. 5.30 on that first Saturday. It is Wolves against Manchester City. So I will be commentating on that, which I'm very much looking forward to. And then on the Sunday, 2 o'clock, Chelsea against Crystal Palace with Vicky Sparks and Clinton Morrison. And Nottingham Forest Brentford will be on Sports Extra.

and then at Sunday 4.30 it is Manchester United Arsenal when Steve Crosman will be alongside us presenting from Old Trafford and I will be alongside Dion Dublin. So that's a great selection of commentary matches for the first weekend, isn't it?

When was the last time in? You were at the Stadium of Light? It wasn't that long ago actually. It was about two years ago. Sunderland played Fulham in an FAA Cup tie And you might recall the original game at Craven Cottage, Chris Rigg, who, I mean, he's still, what, 18, so it'd have been 16 at the time. No, he might have been 15, came off the bench and had a late goal disallowed. He would have won it, but he would have become the youngest ever goal scorer in F.A. Cup history had the goal not been ruled out.

Anyway, finished 1-1, back to the stadium of light. I did the replay. So I've got to admit, and I haven't changed. this yet, I'm hoping the commentary position has changed. I was just going to say it's one of the most challenging commentary positions, isn't that? Yeah, I've had two quite vivid dreams in the buildup to the new season. Have you? Not nightmares, I hope. Well, bordering on a nightmare, one of them was at the stadium of light where I actually, this was ahead of my eye test. So I had an, every two years I have an eye test. Yeah, I think that is what most members of the public are encouraged to do. Yeah. So I did that and it was ahead of going into the opticians and I was there at the stadium of light

right at the back of the main stand and we're a long long way back and I did the commentary but I actually couldn't see I couldn't commentate on the shirts and I woke up thinking oh that was quite vivid the other vivid dream was is that bizarrely I stuffed my ISDN equipment our broadcast equipment into my rucksack and damaged my iPad and I wasn't able to view the scores as well which is an essential part of my three o'clock commentary. So it's almost as if it's been in my, I'm returning to work and my worst case scenarios are in the old mind. Those are classic anxiety dreams, aren't they?

That's like dreaming about school exams and having not revised and that sort of thing. Why, so is it just distance from the pitch? Because I've not been to the stadium. I can't remember the commentary position. It's a long way away, yeah. Oh, it's, yeah. It is a long way away, and the problem is,

and I don't know if Sunderland shirts this season not going to show any improvement and I suppose this is a very good chance isn't it for the annual commentators moan about numbers on the back of shirts. So for Champions League matches, for UEFA matches, UEFA insist that if you have

a striped shirt and the number on the back, then there has to be a panel there so you can see the numbers. Incredibly in domestic football the Premier League football league do not take that on, which I think they should. Yeah, I agree. Quick as a flash,

Nathan, our producer, has actually posted a picture of this season's Sunderland kit with Granite Jacqueser's name on the back and the number 34 and no panel and the black is strident. The numbers in black and it does dominate the red and white but it is still clashing with... Manufacturers, what manufacturers should do

is sometimes like those shirts you know, when you're looking at them from three feet away you think, oh yeah, that's clear. What they should do is actually go and sit someone at the back of the stand and see if they can see the numbers. By the way, it's not just the commentators gripe either. Spectators. The spectators. And also, I know the scouts as well.

I speak to a number of scouts. They hate it as well. The fact, there's no blocks on the back of the shirts because the numbers are everything. And also, as you say, John, when you're three yards away, it's great. Very striking and dominant. Ali, have you not been to the stadium of light? I have, but long time ago in.

You climb a number of stairs that will really give you a chance to, well, maybe I'm out out of sort of, I'm not very active and whatever else. Out of shape, is that the phrase you're looking for? Possibly, yeah. Although I have been working my way back to fitness in preseason. But you climb a number of flights of stairs alley,

and then you turn around, and then you've got probably about another 30, 40 stairs to climb to get to the back of the stand. Yeah, I do remember that, I think. Yeah. Anyway, it's the new season. Let's stop complaining about things. Let's say what we're looking forward to.

So after all of the various transfers and such like, which players would you say that you're looking forward to commentating on most? The one player I'm really looking forward to seeing in the flesh is Max Dowman of Arsenal. For the last two years, I've heard Scouts rave about this teenager. And he doesn't turn 16 until December. And I haven't heard such a buzz about a teenager since Wayne Rooney. I agree with that. I was hearing regularly about him last season.

I suppose the question will be, will he play? And I know he's been playing pre-season for Arsenal. Yeah, I'm really looking forward to seeing him. I just think he could be, well, Wonder Kids, superstar. And we spoke to Declan Rice, didn't we, John, last March ahead of an England game. And I mentioned Max Dowman to him, and Declan Rice was saying that he's taken him under his wing, along with Ethan Waniary.

And he said he thinks that he was the best 15-year-old in the country. but he said it's fine being the best 15 year olds in the country but you've got to make sure that you still apply those levels when you're 16 17 and 18 so there's a degree of caution there from Declan rice but he said he's got a super family and he just thinks he's a real talent he's unreal in his words a lot of competition at arsenal with the various signers that they've made but as you say Ian and you know if if he if he makes an irresistible claim to be in the team then I suspect he'll get a goal Benjamin Sheshko, having commentated on him, which I'm sure you two probably did at the Euros as well, at some point this season, he loves a Thunderbolt from long range. So at some point this coming season, if he plays in the Premier League,

one of us or one of our commentators is going to commentate on something spectacular. I've enjoyed watching him in international football, so looking forward to comment, if he does end up playing in the Premier League. When I've seen, when we've seen it, Ian, yeah. Are we going Sheshko or we're going

Sesco? I think it's I think it's technically Sheshko Sheshko Sheshko Yes and when we've seen him and he's looked

quite raw hasn't he but there again you know players do get to a point obviously where they mature so we'll see if he's going to be

ready for the Premier League I must say I'm looking forward to seeing how Liam Delap does at Chelsea however the signing of Jouao Pedro

suggests that maybe he might be first choice, who I'm also looking forward to saying how he does, bearing in mind how he did when he played in the latter stages of the FIFA Club World Cup when he was making his first appearances for Chelsea. But again, I think with Chelsea, there are so many options and what his best team is going to be. And when we commentate on Chelsea, it's going to be the same as last season, isn't it? You've virtually going to need two pieces of paper. do you think will be the closest challenges to Liverpool? Sorry, so you're making Liverpool favourites to defend their title? Do you mean as champion? They're just defending? Well, I'd both.

I think they're favourites to win the title and also, I think, because as champions, who's going to challenge them? Well, my choice on that would be Manchester City. Mine would be Arsenal. I think Arsenal have strengthened well. I think Manchester City have signed well, and actually signed well in January as well. so they were already thinking about this season really in January and I just think that as long as Rodry stays fit again

that surely Phil Foden has to be more like himself this season and still look at the numbers that Erling Harlan came up with last season I think it was a 35 goals something like that if he really gets going again and of course there is a great thing in their position where you know they for once they've got something to prove this season and I think they will

are just expecting them to be very very very dangerous changing it slightly here's one for you that I thought about this morning just before we came on air the eight second rule for goalkeepers we're going to have to keep an eye on aren't we this season one of those at the start of the season I won't worry too much about that because it'll never ever

it will never be implemented if that gets implemented more than five times this season I will be amazed but the referees are visibly supposed to give them the last five seconds, aren't they? As they've got the ball under control, you're meant to be seeing this referee going 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

What will be a feature, I think? And I think we saw this, didn't we, when it's being used already, in that the crowd begins to count it down. Oh, yeah, yeah. Do you, at the start of a season, have sort of new season resolutions, anything you think, right, this season,

I'm determined to do da-da-da-da-da better or do something differently, or not. The way that you're asking that question suggests that you do. I do. My one every year, and it lasts about two weeks,

is I'm always determined to get my prep done for a commentary game the day before the game, so I'm not prepping on the day of the game. And at the start of the season, you can do that, hopefully. And then within two weeks,

it just eventually, there's just so much going on with the pods and traveling, whatever. You can never do it. You're always chasing your tail. But do you not find on the day of the game anyway that you're always sort of like adding to your notes anyway? You know, you think, oh, you might drive to the game and think, damn, I forgot to do that.

I didn't, you know, didn't do that. I don't mind adding a little one, Ian, but I find if I'm doing too much prep on the day of a game, that's quite a lot of work to do before you've then got a sort of almost clear your head, relax and be ready to do the game. Plus, you might fit a drive in there as well. I find sometimes you just get on a day like that, by the time it comes to the commentary, you're exhausted and actually don't perform. your best. I have to say I do, as you know, I'm very much a last-minute merchant. And even though my best intentions will be, as you say, to try and get things done ahead of time, almost every single match I do, I end up doing lots and lots of work on the day. Yeah. But actually, I think, I think as we have said on this pod before, sometimes it's, if you can't quite get it all done

how you want to, sometimes it's actually better to be fresh, take a rest, and then just rely on your wits a little bit and describe what you see in front of you you know don't you think particularly for radio i think i do and the other thing as well is replenishing the stationary that's a key part that is a key part of the build-up to the sea i think people would be staggered how how much stationary goes into what we do go on then what so what's what's in your pencil case job paper lots of paper different sorts of paper that i need for my record because ian's got his red book whereas I need specific loose leaf paper in order to do my records

my TIPX pen or corrector pen as I should probably call it I need those I need the right sort of blue big pens for the start of the season so it's a crucial part of what we do isn't it? Highlighters? Are you a highlighter? I'm not a highlighter man no. Are you? Yes.

Yeah I'm a highlighter man. I tell you this is the sort of content that people tune in to the commentator's view for, isn't it? Yeah. When you mention the red book and it did make an appearance actually in Sheffield, didn't we? It did. It did. A special appearance. Provided great comedic value actually at the time.

Your red book and my bag. Yeah. Got a lot of attention. But I've started book 28 for the red book for the season 25, 26. Only 28? Yeah. You look much older than that. remember I was 44 in 2019

but a little bit like when you're back at school when you start off that first page of you know you know when you that first day of term and you get your little different coloured books maybe it was blue for maths and green for for science and red for English or whatever it was Latin I don't know what it was for Latin I can't remember

you're older than me remember anyway you'd start off really wouldn't you with sort of like crisp neat handwriting very very deliberate and then by page three or four five six you'd gone back to your scroll so i've started off with really good intentions no mistakes faultless but i know i'm going to dread writing out every single player at the start of the season so by match week five match week six the squads are bedded in it's just a question of putting the asterisk next to the players but that first monday after the opening weekend i dread that because i've got to write

down every single player who's played and even then for match day two and match day three you're then still adding players until the squads are bedded in that is quite a laborious process yep i would endorse that in actual fact i'm the first midweek after the premier league i'm actually taking a few days off which means that i will actually have time to do that and in terms of the first commentaries that you do of a season do you find that they are more challenging because there's

you know there's more of a there are more questions really aren't there in terms of certainly the lineup for a start not only that I actually find I feel a little bit rusty as well I don't know about you two I mean I've not broadcast for the best part of six weeks I quite like it

as is the case this season when I will commentate It's on the community shield. I guess it does get you going again. Yeah. But, I mean, the three o'clock's will be slightly easier in the sense that for the football league, particularly leagues one and league two, they're already two weeks in. But I do feel that I find it a bit of a struggle to get going, just to get into a bit of a rhythm.

Yeah, it's the rhythm. It's the rhythm. It's the rhythm of doing it again, isn't it? It's a bit like, John, when we do the golf and we go out that first morning at the open, and you've not commentated on golf since the Masters, which is different anyway because you're not walking with a great. group at the mass as you're in a stationary commentary position. It just takes you a couple of hours to get into the rhythm of the tournament and how you

describe golf and when you hand it to your summariser and when you get it back. And I think it's the same with the football as well. And actually just to lift the lid a little bit on, you know, and I know our listeners will know, you know, Saturday afternoons in particular are far from thrown together. But John, you and I were both included on a group email, weren't we, from Claire, producer on Saturday about a sort of pre-season chat that everyone will sit in on just sort of reminding everyone of the disciplines of reporting in particular not so much commentary but the reporting so that the reports that go into your commentary in where it is so crucial you know that that you are tight and

you are you are bright and you start on the score and you finish on the score and you know and all that sort of thing but there's a there's a meeting ahead of every season just just to you know discuss that and remind people of that so that you do hit the ground running. It's where Claire lays down the law, because I get the, and this is a deliberate word, the incessant talkback on a Saturday afternoon from Claire, but she has to lay down the law that those reporters are looking at possibly no more than 15 seconds for a little insert into the commentary. And whilst they're doing their report, I'm getting the talk back from Claire, so I very rarely hear what's being said anyway. And last little new season resolution. And

it actually relates to that from me. And I think about this quite a lot, but I've just thought about the start of this season, and in particular, in listening to the live show, they played your clip, your goal clip, the Declam Rice two free kicks against Rail Madrid. Economy of language when a goal is scored. You know, so I find I'm quite often guilty.

You want to encapsulate everything. You want to encapsulate the goal. You want to encapsulate the celebration. You want to encapsulate the context. And actually sometimes I just think short, sharp, punchy like that goal clip it it like like john actually said in the show just did everything you needed it to do so economy of language in goal commentary is another little resolution for me talking of which as you say big thanks to everyone who came to our live show in sheffield start of the

world tour or possibly the end of the world tour as i mentioned during that program um the edited version is out now as a football daily podcast so if you look for the commentators view live show on BBC Sounds Research Football Daily, you will find that. And Andy Jones has got in touch, Ian, and he says, Love the podcast and have never missed an episode. In your live episode, we got to hear Ian's Rice, Rice Baby, which Ian said he wasn't sure where it came from,

it just popped into his head. Whilst I admire the delivery and spontaneity, I have to say that perhaps the phrase may have come from a 2022 Muller Rice advert featuring Declan Rice and that very strap line. As someone who worked in the business for many years, maybe this is evidence of the lasting and subliminal power of advertising. And he's actually sent a photograph of the Muller Rice, Declan Rice, Rice, Rice, Rice Baby advert.

And he says, all the best. and keep up the great work. So thank you very much to Andy Jones for that and just to underline TCV at BBC.com. UK for your emails. The only thing I would say that, Andy, and I don't wish to Muller, your suggestion, but until you'd sent that in,

I actually wasn't aware of such an advert existing. Your influence was very much vanilla ice. Actually, since we had the conversation in Sheffield, my son used to walk around the house going rice rice baby england's future captain did he and i wonder if that was possibly sort of like very much where the influences come from but but wherever it's initially come from wherever it's lodged or whatever still you know you can only use it once you can only use that once and obviously deckland rice scoring two free kicks against real Madrid is the time to use it but to remember to use it or the fact

just came from that part of your brain when you needed it. That's the genius. We are back with the Fantasy 606 podcast. Whoa, well, Chris, I've got to stop you there. We have changed our name this season to the FPL podcast from BBC Sports. All you need to do is search for FPL, and if you already subscribe to our podcast, you don't need to do anything at all. Chris, have a guess what the code to join.

The BBC Sport League is. Was it 5E? It's BBC FPL. Oh, yeah. Come and play the game with us as we continue to teach Chris about fantasy Premier League. The FPL podcast from BBC Sports. Listen on BBC Sounds. The Commentator's View with Alistair Bruce Ball, John Murray and Ian Dennis on the Football Daily.

So it is time for the first clash of the commentators of the new season. You're right, John. Clash of the commentators and the league returns. A reminder, this is how it finished last season. Ali, very impressive. Deserved champion.

11 wins from 14. I was second. 7 from 14. And languishing, rooted at the bottom, was John. Three from 14. 10 defeats in a row.

Had the odd exhibition win but when it really mattered The bread and butter I absolutely gave a couple of way to you as well Well listen Could easily have had five You would have had five

Well yeah but you didn't I didn't No that's the point That is the point But Ali's very much The Liverpool isn't he He is the defending champion With lots of pressure on him

All I will say Is that if you thought The one in the live event in Sheffield the first leg of the world tour let's not forget if you thought that was skewed towards me I've got to say when I saw this I was thinking I wish I wish that I was taking part in this rather than being the quiz master but anyway enough of that who wants to go first um John you choose which way do you want to play it okay uh I will go first okay I'm plugging okay Ali has unplugged. So

Saturday, BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds, the 3 o'clock commentary of the new Premier League season, Sunderland versus West Ham United. Sunderland back in the Premier League for the first time since 2017. That season they finished 20th. With that in mind,

John, I want you to name any of the last 20 Sunderland managers and your time starts now. Regis Lebris, Howard Wilkinson, Steve Cotroll, Steve Bruce,

David Moyes, Central Manager, Some of Marges. Tony Moore, Brayne. I've got to say, we're going to have to check your suggestion of Steve Cotrell. He's not on my list. I think it's going to be an opening defeat, you know. I think so too.

Anyway, we all say nothing because he's about to... Good question that, though. It was a good question. Right. Hello. Okay. So, the three o'clock commentary, Allie, is at the Stadium of Light on Five Lives, Sunderland against West Ham.

Sunderland back in the top flight for the first time since 2017, when they finished 20th. With that in mind, you've got to name any of the last 20 Sondland managers, and your time starts now. Sunderland managers? Peter Reed, Pala de Cagnos, Sam Allendice, Nile Quinn, Roy Keane, Ricky Spredger, Mick McCarthy. who else has been at Sunderland, Sunderland thinking about Sunderland managers. Steve Bruce. Did it for a while.

I'm not going to get any more than that. Well, without even naming the current manager, Regis Lebris, who has signed a new contract on Whirside. Ali, the defending champion. I mean, I'll wait for confirmation, but I think I already know the result. I wasn't sure if Summer Valleys were in the last 20.

No. Well, that was my thought. Yeah. Pizza Reed not. No. But Mick McCarthy does scrape his way in. And Ricky Sprager also. And the defending champion is off to a flyer.

And once again, the football correspondent is left floundering. 7-4 was the result. So Steve Cotterl was. Not. Very quickly. Regis Lebris, Lebris, Michael Beale, Tony Mowbray, Alex Neal, Lee Johnson, Phil Parkinson, Jack Ross, Chris Coleman, Simon Grayson, David Moyes, Sam Adelaidey, Dick Advois, Dick Poeys, Paul O'Neill, Steve Brews, Ricky Sprazio, Roy Keen, Niall, and Mick McCarthy. Gore, mine, didn't they? I got lucky there. Three or four of mine are right at the start of that run. Yeah. So even if I got Steve Cottrell, that wouldn't have made a difference. Still, still a defeat. yeah that is 11 defeats now competitive defeats it's good good one actually enjoyed that it's good question Matt

always good the clash of the commentator categories yeah generally good so that was clash of the commentators the first one for the new season and ali getting off to a flying start already top of the table and me and Ian joint bottom it is oh hold on we've both got zero point. I'm not, how can I be, yeah, but I haven't played a game yet. Your bottom. Well, we've both got zero points. Now it is time for the great glossary of football commentary as we add listener suggestions of football specific commentary terms and phrases to add to our collection. I do think that we need to be a little bit more relaxed about at this time. I think we've stopped

admitting to, you know, we've blocked too many. And from our live show, We added a team that likes to play football, got the yes. That was my one. That was your suggestion. That was mine, yeah, it was your suggestion. Peter's suggestion, two good feet was given a yes, and Tim's Route 1 was given a yes, but Sean's cute pass was rejected,

and Phil's two left feet was also rejected. Do you agree with all those, Ali? Pretty much, I think, as you pointed out in the show, the two good feet, yes, and the two left feet, no. Do you know what, I think, is to give ourselves a little bit more leeway, because quite often with these discussions, we're getting to points where we go, yeah, but they use it in another sport. I think if it originated in football, we should allow it. So if we think it initially came from football and then it's been taken to other sports, I think that should get into the glossary. I'm not saying two left feet is necessarily one of those. But that's my feeling on just to give us a little bit more wriggle room, possibly.

And Ian, from our Open Golf Special episode, we added Goalkeepers Union from Tottenham fan, Ben, from Burgess Hill. Are you happy with that one? Goalkeepers Union? Yes, I listen back to that. And, yeah, very, very happy. Have you listened back to the live episode, yeah? I've not, no. But I must, if there is one, I listen back to it, should be that one.

Yeah, new season resolutions, listen back to the pod, there you go. There's what, Eugene. Have you listened back to the podcast? to any John I might have listened back to a small part of one of them I know what's in it how are you going to improve John if you don't listen I've got matches to prepare for anyway for the great glossary your suggestions are all important so voice notes are great on this and they do sound very good on the podcast I would say so all 8,289-389-369 for the voice note.

So, 08,000-289-369, obviously emails to TCV at BBC.co.uk. And one of those came from Rich, from Connecticut, who says, off the back of you talking about sweeper-keepers last season, what about go-stroke, going, stroke, gone, walk-about? I just checked your list, and I don't see it there. A bit astonishing that. but where else is it commonly used

gone walkabout he's gone walk about I know I'm going to just do what you just said at Ali but that is used in cricket isn't it if you stray from your stumps he's gone walkabout yeah I like it I do like it as a turn of phrase I like it you know when a goalkeeper like the famous Manuel Noyer on the halfway line

in the World Cup against South Korea that was a proper gone walkabout that's the perfect phrase to use them but I don't think it can go in And I think I'm almost arguing against what I just said because I'm not sure that did originate in football, even though it's perfect for instances like that. I think that's too generic.

Yeah, I think it's too generic. I would have accepted that. Would you? Yeah. Well, I mean, a fullback in rugby could go walk about. You know, the ball's punted downfield. And suddenly you think, well, hang on, where's the fullback gone? And he's, you know, somewhere else on the pitch.

Anyway, listeners can suggest on that and play their part. What about this one? Simon from Horsford, which is near Leeds. James Milner country. That's Horsford, not Leeds. He went to school there, didn't he? You often hear people who are not from that area pronounced it as horse-forth, don't you?

Yeah, you could have led me up the garden part. If you'd asked me to read that, I think that's how I might have said it. I'm quite grateful that I wasn't asked to read them. There's another couple of those as well, which from Northumberland, Prudel is one that people always struggle with. and

what people say prudehoe do they prudhoe stamfordham's another one and Pontiland of course

Pontiland are somewhere that that is quite often mispronounced yeah if you were to then come down

the north east coast to mask yes a lot of people say mask by the sea they do but it's mask

anyway we're straying we have we're straying in the glossary there so what we can walk about

what we have anyway back to Simon's point from Horsford, potential entry for the glossary, although not sure which of the two below are correct, either left nothing out there on the pitch or left everything out there on the pitch. I'm sure different commentators use different versions. Logically, you could probably argue either make sense, which do you think is correct and do you think it warrants an entry into the glossary? I would say yes. And I think that's quite often a summariser.

phrase, isn't it? They've left everything out there. Yeah. That's the correct one. Yeah. They've left everything out there means there's nothing left. They've emptied the tank. That's another one. They've emptied the tank. They've left everything out there. To leave nothing out there

doesn't quite make sense, does it? You've got to leave everything out there. Don't leave nothing out there. Leave everything out there. But that would apply to American football, rugby league, rugby union. Yeah. That's the thing. And did it start in football? That's that's my question.

Are you saying no to that one as well, Ali? I'd say yes to that. I'd say yes. You see, John's very lenient, very relaxed ahead of this new season, whereas you're quite firm and stringent. Yeah, but I'm a bit of a pedant. I've got to say I agree with you, I wouldn't have that either. Okay.

Well, that's a split decision again, another split decision. And, Ali, there's got the other one? Yeah. Kyle of Bedford, Massachusetts. So we've had Connecticut and Massachusetts. Massachusetts, yeah. Hello, TCV crew, long-time listener, first-time writer, top-top, top-quality content.

Really enjoy the show, much to my astonishment. I'd like to expand on the glossary and include a section of forbidden phrases and words. There are an increasing number of baseball phrases creeping into the commentaries and punditry. It's insidious and must be stamped out. in particular, one pundit is always out in left field and he must step up to the plate and take responsibility.

I enjoy my favourite programming such as the Monday Nightclub, not nearly as good as this, in brackets, 606 and the newly rebranded FPL show. That's right, the FPL podcast from BBC Sport. The news has already reached. Massachusetts. Great news. But please help.

I hate to hear these phrases. So, left field and stepping up. to the plate so do i mean we're talking about glossary here so do they belong in the glossary and what do you think about kyle's point in in in not enjoying these being used in football commentaries well he's not it's not saying left field is he that's saying out in left field out in left field yeah you're right sorry in out in left field yeah we wouldn't use that even so a bit left field it's a bit left field is a phrase that's not would be used that doesn't go in the glossary does No.

Well, you can imagine my opinion on this. I'll tell you what, though. I don't mind other people using them, but I certainly wouldn't be using them. With a different ball game or out of the ballpark or another couple of... Well, John, you've just wrecked my gag. I was just going to say, Carl, with his email, has knocked it out of the park. He's knocked it out of the park, yeah. He's done it.

He's done it. Sorry. He killed it. So I'm giving a no to that. So you would not say, John, he's got to step up to the plate. No. I don't think of work. Now you're going to, now you're going to produce several examples of me having said that.

I've said it. Yeah. But that's amazing because we've said no to everything there. So I, at the start of that, I've said yes to the first two. Well, you have, but Denno and I have not. And if you're going to go democracy, you can't go in. That's right. Well, then they are neither, they are neither confirmed nor otherwise until we take the temperature of the listeners on all.

8,000 to 289369 on a voice notes or emails to TCV at bbc.com.uk and we want your other suggestions as well as entirely possible of course with this being a new season that people might have stumbled across this for the very first time in which case you're very welcome but we've already got an absolute stack of phrases which include things like after you Claude which I'm so pleased is included in it and I mean whether that was necessarily a football phrase or not and the very favourite

the small matter of of course which we use on a regular basis if they were listening for the first time that chat about the stationery might be their last time that they said could be so there we are all very excited to be back for the new season yeah

come on let's have a bit of enthusiasm No, no, no. Well, I mean, I'm going to be listening over the first weekend. I'm not working. I'm going to have my feet up and be listening, so I'm really looking forward to it. And then looking forward to getting stuck in when the time comes. Yeah, but as we always say, don't we, the best thing to do, and it will improve your life is to listen to live sport, live football court. I've listened to so much this summer, honestly, on my holidays, whether it was the Euros, whether it was Wimbledon, Test Mike Special, which has been exceptional this summer with that brilliant test series against India. And, you know, it is a, you know, live sport on the radio is a brilliant companion.

I always say this. And while Allie's away, we will see. step up to the plate, John. And producer Nathan has just made a very good point. First episode of the new season done. Have we left nothing out there? Oh, have we left everything out there? Well, it's a bit early to be leaving everything out there.

That's true. That's it. It's a bit early in the season. Anyway, there we are. Enjoy your holiday, Allie. So once you're back, although I suspect you're probably doing the other podcast, the FPL podcast while you're on holiday, are you? We are recording, so that will be out every Wednesday on BBC Sounds this season.

Ian is re-enrolled, has a bit of beef this season. Ian got relegated into head-to-head Division 2 last season. Did he? And that was all fair and square, but Ian's beef is that Chris Sutton has immunity from relegation from the top flight. Oh, really? Yeah, it's a sham. It's a sham.

How you can have a league and one of your players doesn't get relegated, you might as well introduce franchises. Ali, it's a sham. People get very angry about it, John. It is. It was voted in by the board. I don't know how Chris looks at himself in the mirror, by the way. You know, he should have been relegated.

If you had franchises, rich people from other countries could come in and buy you. Ali, they could buy you for millions. Yeah, maybe. Couldn't they? So, if you were a franchise, Ali, what would your name be? That's one for the listeners. That is one for the listeners. for next week.

But every Wednesday, I know we're not talking about this podcast, it's the other one, but every Wednesday for your fantasy football fix on BBC Sounds. Yeah.

Would it be an animal? Yeah. Bruce Bull. Bruce Bulls. Bruce Balls. Careful. Careful. Bruce Balls.

Careful. Anyway, that is very much fun for the listeners. And that is it for this episode of the Football Daily. The next one, listen to this,

will be Wayne Rooney, the big interview. As for the commentator's view, you can find each and every episode right from the start of the first series on your football daily feed. This is remarkable. So I've played my first ever game of poker last night. The age of 52, I've never played poker before. I played my first ever game of poker last night. Have you played?

I have. I played online. Of course you have. Gordon Brown will be after you. Did you win, Ali? I played it with my brother, but I can't remember how to play. that I was like when I was at school. I mean, remarkably, Denno, so we played two, what would you call them, not hands, because

there's more than two games, playing with, obviously, more experienced players than me, and they were kind and sort of helped me along. And I think mainly by luck, I won the first one, but got very lucky in the sort of the key hand. I got dealt two aces, so it was, you know, that was fine. I then actually felt I played better in the second game and lost. I got quite unlucky, I thought, in the second game. but I'm not great. I don't think a great skill of mine is reading people.

I'm not great at that. So, um, difficult game, but I enjoyed it. Yeah, enjoyed it. Yeah, it came out up. So, well, very good. Yeah, I'll probably retire now, I think. Yeah.