Football Daily - The Commentators’ View: Peckish for pies & Ali Bruce-Burglar

Episode Date: March 28, 2025

The trio are back together as John Murray, Ian Dennis & Ali Bruce-Ball talk commentary life. Expect more football lookalikes, a tight Clash of the Commentators and which football terms will make it into the Great Glossary of Football Commentary?04:35 More clubs with a slash in their name 07:50 The famous ‘One team in Tallinn’ match 11:20 Another soundalike to test your ears 17:15 An update on the Golden Mic goal ratios 20:05 Ali explains his ‘Bruce-Burglar’ nickname 25:00 Ian looking forward to a Celtic pie 31:20 The guys are ‘all back’ for Clash of the Commentators 37:50 Another ‘top corner’ term goes in the Great GlossaryBBC Sounds / 5 Live commentaries this weekend: Sat 1215 Fulham v Crystal Palace in the FA Cup, Sat 1500 Celtic v Hearts in the Scottish Premiership, Sat 1715 Brighton v Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup, Sun 1330 Preston v Aston Villa in the FA Cup.

BBC Sounds music radio podcast. The commentators view with Alistair Bruce Ball, John Murray and Ian Dennis on the football daily. Hello, this is the commentators view where we tell the stories behind the five live commentaries. I'm Ian Dennis alongside me is our correspondent John Murray and back from his assignment, Alistair Bruce Ball. Hello there, yeah not quite back actually Ian because we got FA Cup quarter finals on the way this weekend and I couldn't work the Saturday this weekend and John's at Preston on the Sunday

so there's not a game for me this weekend so I've got the weekend off as well so I'm not officially back from assignment until I think my next game is at Ashton Gate Friday April the 4th and it's England's women against Belgium in the Nations League. So so that is when I'm back Well, enjoy enjoy your extended mini break. Thank you. Meanwhile. Meanwhile, we've we've been absolutely Working our fingers to the bone Ian Yeah, I think John was probably sick of the size of me Ali because We've been joined at the hip for the last week and a half. It was yeah with with England playing against Albania in Latvia in fact We recorded last week's show in the same hotel room and I don't know whether you'd have listened but we had the

The former BBC Wales football correspondent Rob Phillips. Did you did you manage to listen? I did I've listened to the pod and I've listened to you commentating and I've been listening to you interviewing Thomas Tuchel and all the English I'm aware. Did you listen to us churning out podcasts about England? Like there was no tomorrow as well? Yes yes and I did enjoy enjoyed listening to Rob. Rob actually some of his tales took me back a bit to covering Wales when Bale first came on the scene. I think Rob might have even mentioned the game, one of the games, so I did quite a lot of those qualification games up to Euro 2016 and I do remember well Wales's win away to Israel which put them in a really strong strong position in the group. Bale scored twice

and as Rob was saying you know he was just, if he turned it on, what was, I can't quite remember the stat Rob said, something like, you know, a large proportion of goals in qualifying came from Bale and yeah, I remember it well. And actually the other thing I would say is whenever we travel, don't we, and cover Wales or Scotland or Northern Ireland, the welcome we get from Rob and his team and from the chaps like Joel at, you know, BBC Northern Ireland up in Scotland as get from Rob and his team and from the chaps like Joel at BBC Northern Ireland up in Scotland as well, I mean Roddy always looked after us superbly well in Scotland. I've always loved those trips.

Well I agree with that, I mean I had five years covering, no six years covering Northern Ireland from 2003 to 2009 and I've got to say I've made many many friends in the wonderful city of Belfast but by the way there was a revelation last week so John we know doesn't listen when he doesn't appear on the pod but he's also actually told me he doesn't listen back to it anyway which I was surprised about because you remember that the story I mentioned about Peter Lorimer and the snoring in Rome that actually didn't make the final edit so I can tell that story again Yeah, so I think it's important to listen back to see which stories have made the cut Uh-huh. Well, we could always tell them again. Of course doesn't tell me Peter Lorimer story. I usually stop you repeating your stories

By the way, I also mentioned I did when I was on the train back from the England matches, I actually listened to Rob's successor, Mark Poiser, doing the commentary from Skopje the other night, which was excellent. I really enjoyed it and dramatic finish to that match as well. So it sounds like whales are in good hands to me. Well, like you said last week,

podcasts are very good, but you can't beat the live action, listening to the radio, the wireless when it's live. Right, the great glossary of football commentary to come. Clash of the commentators as well as we get back down to league action. But we've been inundated with lookalikes. Now, we don't want this to become the football lookalikes podcast, but we will read out some. And in fact, you can send your correspondence to tcv at bbc.co.uk or the the voice note thing on 08000

289 369 so the voice notes on whatsapp to 08000 289 369 and Cameron in Manchester hello all stumbled across the show a few weeks ago and I've been keenly listening since. I was commentating myself on Lichtenstein's World Cup qualifiers during the international break and consequently I have my own contribution to the clubs with a slash in their name conversation, such as EB slash Straymur and Bodo Glimt. Now several of the Liechtenstein national team squad represent the club side Eschen slash Maurin who like all of Liechtenstein's seven clubs play in the Swiss league system they're in the fourth tier. Eschen and Maurin are both as it turns out neighbouring towns of around 4,000 people so I can see why they want to club their efforts

together. I don't think I actually reference this in either commentary, so it's been consigned to the big commentary research scrap bin like so many other things, but it may have some use if it makes it onto the pod. Enjoy listening. Many thanks, Cameron. And I think we've been tipped the wink that that is Cameron Palt, son of Adam, BBC radio leads Adam Palt. I think it might be. Yes. Yes. Who's something of a rising star of commentary himself, but he's absolutely,

he's absolutely right. Isn't he there with that feeling that when there's something that you want to mention in a commentary and for whatever reason, whatever reason, things happen, events happen, action happens and you don't get it in. And Cameron there has managed to use that information in a roundabout sort of way. We had a funny night in Vaduz when Northern Ireland went there a few years ago and maybe His Majesty's ambassador to Liechtenstein might send in some correspondence to correct

me if I'm wrong, I might find myself in the commentator's dock. But I'm sure that Vaduz is something like four miles long and two miles wide or vice versa And when we were out with Northern Ireland, we said what shall we do tonight? Should we go into bad oots and someone said well, we we could go into Switzerland Well, we could go to Austria because we were that you know, obviously is it 62 square miles long the entire country Never been to Liechtenstein, that's one of the ones I'm missing. But we were so close to the borders

of either Austria or Switzerland, we didn't have a choice of town, we had a choice of country to go and have a night out in. But that's similar as well, when you fly into Basel, isn't it? To Basel Airport, there are three possible exits. You can go France Switzerland or Germany is that France forward slash Switzerland forward slash Germany the treble slash surely

there surely there are none of those yeah there's one of those exist exactly yeah and and my question then would be and I'm sure people out there will know this is that the same then with Bodo glimped are Bodo and gllimped two separate places? Yes they are. So that forward slash is always going to be... Yeah right okay good excellent learnt something you know how to contact us if we are wrong or if we are right. What on the voice note thing? That's the new technical term the voice note thing just wish I could disappear now like Mr. Ben

or is it the shopkeeper? Hey. Talking of Ross, who is His Majesty's ambassador to Estonia, who now calls himself the TCV Baltics correspondent, he's been back in touch and he actually says, thanks for mentioning my lookalike suggestion. That was the one who said the Ipswich manager, Kieran McKenna, was the lookalike with Jonathan Rhys-Meyers who was starring in Bend It Like

Beckham. Anyway, Ross continues, speaking of Tallinn, did any of the TCB team cover the famous one team in Tallinn match in October 1996? It was a World Cup qualifier abandoned after three seconds as the Estonian team did not show up. I was just wondering what the commentators did, presumably gave up and went for dinner. And by the way, you were talking about Wales playing Estonia here a few years back. That game was not Covid affected. There were lots of Wales fans in town.

I even gave Gareth Bale's Mum and Dad a tour of the medieval Old Town before the match. Now I've got a feeling Ron Jones did that. Oh, he did. Absolutely. He did. That's one of my favorite pieces of commentary. It's absolutely fantastic. And it would be great if we could stitch it into this. But I remember Rod Iphosite was there, Ron was there and Kaj Sol was the producer.

I remember that very clearly. And of course the whole scenario was set up for that match. They knew in advance that Estonia weren't going to turn up because of the issue over the floodlights, do you remember? And therefore, with all of the various comings and goings that there'd been in negotiations with UEFA, it had been very clear before the match that in order to claim the points,

for the short term at least, because I think it was then played a game, wasn it it was then rescheduled eventually but on the day it was felt that if Scotland lined up and actually kicked off then Scotland would be given the points and I think a three-nil win so they were in the position that where they knew exactly the scenario and and I mean Ron's commentary is is. When he describes the scene magnificently, and then the Scotland fans begin to sing, and Ron says, the Scotland fans, the Tartan army, they're singing, there's only one team in Tallinn.

And that of course is true. I hope we can get it and put it in right now. You know, at the moment, have Scotland out on the pitch, I hope we can get it and put it in right now. And that of course is true. The one team is Scotland. John Collins, who is captaining Scotland, has just shaken hands with the referee. The referee and his linesman, would you believe, are warming up and checking the goal nets to make sure that they're alright. And Scotland now, having completed their warm-up in front of no Estonian supporters, with no Estonian team in the half-way to our left. The Scottish supporters are cheering away. Scotland have kicked off and the game has been abandoned by the referee, has been called off, so Scotland have won by default. There is no Estonian team for them to play. The referee now picks up the ball and walks off the pitch towards

us, towards the main stand. All the Scotland players now troop off and that is that. It's a great piece of commentary. We've had quite a Baltic week, haven't we, with Latvia as well. We enjoyed the company of the Latvians, didn't we? We did. Yeah. But I've got a good one, Ali, for later on when we get to the glossary. I've got a Latvia related glossary issue. Yes.

If you're actually listening to the commentary on Monday, I think you might have heard it. So I mentioned the lookalikes, Joshua from Grimsby. My lookalike is actually a soundalike. Let's have a listen. I'm really happy. Even more when you see the results. It's amazing. I'm really proud to be here and to see this. So it's a big day for me. I think it's

amazing. I think it's really cool to be here. Last year we were a little bit on the back foot in the first part of the season which cost us the title at the end of the year. So if we can start the season strong I believe we can have a shot. A. Do you think it's a soundalike? B. Any guesses? No. A. A quizzical look from ABB? I've got a clue of they are. No but I do think it's there is a soundalike I can see I can see why someone has spotted the the similarity in voices but I that because there was no clues in what they actually said there that could have

been any sport I mean are they both are they and they're both footballers well judging by the script in front of me I'm gonna give the answer away here Killian Mbappe actually waved Charles Leclerc home to victory with a chequered flag at last year's Monaco Grand Prix and they had a little embrace before the race as well well I'm probably slightly hamstrung there in that I'm not sure I've actually heard either of them speak in English before. What, I'm BAPE?

You've not heard them BAPE speak, John? No, I don't think I have. Oh, right. In English. Or at least if I have it's not stuck in my head. No, sure. Obviously. Yeah.

We've had some correspondence from Ruth. Watching the BBC drama, The City is Ours, and noticed that the actor Jack McMullen is the image of the Irish centre half and former Derby County player now at Brighton, Erin Cashin. Loving getting to know you all away from the game commentaries and the banter you all have. Who would have thought Ian was funny? Best wishes Ruth, a long suffering Derby fan. Well, at least somebody thinks I'm funny, John. Yeah, well, that reminds me of once when we were working on the golf, Ali, with Bernard Gallagher, Bernard Gallagher, that is a good story. I think said to Connor, yeah, when they were working together

and you'd said something on air. So Bernard was listening and you'd said something funny on air and Bernard had laughed. And Bernard said to Connor, Ali, he's very very funny isn't he? He's very funny some of the stuff he comes up with on air that is so so funny not so much off air but on air he is very funny. Honestly that was absolutely crushing because Burnett is such good company on and off air. And I think everyone gets on with Bernard famously, but that was very, yeah. Connor delighted in telling that story as well.

And after that as well, Ian, Ali went on a one-man mission over a period of years to prove to Bernard just how fun he was off air. What was that story with you, and was it Pep Guardiola John on the golf course? Yeah, that was at the Ryder Cup in, was that Medina rally? It was Medina because it was Olifable. So Olifable had invited Guardiola to come and watch and I think that was when Guardiola was on his year off as well.

Anyway, to explain to people, when we're at the Ryder Cup, we are, you know, we're walking around with the groups and the group that I'm was commentating on must have been a Spanish player or a Spanish pair, probably Garcia or someone like that. And Pep Guardiola was this group and John Inverdale who was presenting at the time. In fact, I referred to the fact that Pep Guardiola was next to me.

And John Inverdale said, Oh, go and speak to him now. Go and speak to him. And he's crouched down. We're not far away from the T actually as well. What I didn't know was that already Sky Television had approached Pep Guardiola and had been told in no uncertain terms that he was not doing any interviews

during the course of this writer cup. So I didn't know that. Anyway, so I sort of moved into position alongside Pep Guardiola and had my microphone and it just sort of live on air. I should have, that was rather ill-advised. But in those scenario, you know, it was basically, it was a punt and I thought,

well, you see, I'm watching the right cup, you know, he'll play ball, because most people do. Anyway, I cycled up to him and I said, they said, excuse me, Pep,, John Murray from the BBC, would there be any chance of a quick word? I mean, the Ryder Cup, what brings you here? And he was in no mood to talk and he just said, the golf. And I thought, hmm. And then proceeded to ask several more questions to which I got one word or thereabouts answers and then tactically withdrew.

But John Inverdale, particularly delighted in the fact that your opening question did sort of offer up a rather obvious answer, didn't it? What brings you here? To which I expected him to say, well, I'm a good friend of Jose Maria Olavarbo's and I'm on a year off at the moment, I'm kicking back, I'm enjoying life and he said, do you want to come and have a look at you, see the inside track on the other blah blah blah blah.

He didn't give me that answer. Not a story for today, story for Klanger's episode. I know we've not set up our Klanger's yet but my worst ever career clanger came at a Ryder Cup and John will know exactly what I'm talking about but it's a story for another day but it was career flashing in front of your eyes moment it really wasn't good. I look forward to hearing that. I could have actually saved that one for the clangers couldn't I? You've done alright in your many years of broadcasting if you're putting that down as your list of clangers Yeah, it wasn't great. Well, yeah, but that's not a that's not a clanger. I mean I go I go cold at the thought of mine

Yeah, well, let's keep it. Let's save it for the episode. Yeah. Yeah So the the email address TCV at BBC dot co dot UK and that whatsapp thingy for the voice notes is oh eight thousand two eight nine three six nine voice notes And we'll get onto some more of those in a bit, but the golden mic It's the first time we've been back together in a little while. So we'll have a golden mic totals to refresh Mmm, so we should so we should explain to people what this actually is go on then Well, this is since we started doing this podcast, how many goals each we've commentated on, on Five Live? And this is episode 18.

And John has gone for 3.94 per game. You're now 3.41 per game, because you had Lewis Skelly, what a moment that was against Albania. In fact, you had special moments throughout international break, didn't you? Because you had the Skelly, what a moment that was against Albania. In fact you had special moments throughout international break didn't you because you had the James Free kick and Everett Chiesa with his first international goal. Yeah all three of them their first goals for England. I've gone 2.5 per game

then 2.8 per game and now I'm 2.93 per game because I just as we handed over midway through the first half on Monday night against Latvia, I stole Harry Kane's gold just before the handover. You did, didn't you? The reason being is that- Because you were going to make some convoluted gag. And it didn't really pay off because the Albanian press officer was a guy that,

when you read it, it's Fat John. And I said, oh, Fat John and Big John are talking, but it's actually not Fat John, it's pronounced Fajon. So I said to Anna from the FA, I said, Oh, as a handover to John, I might well say, and here is Big John. And I got it in my head to do it as I think it was Marcus Rashford streaks down the right to deliver a ball in. No it was Declan Rice wasn't it? Declan Rice eventually delivered the cross from the right for Harry Kane. So I break off from telling the story, deliver the goal, finish the story and hand to John, at which point I had actually crept over the midway point of the

of the first half. they managed to find a way through. It will be the easiest, well, one of the easiest goals of his 71 that he scored for England. England 2, Latvia 0, Albania's media man was Fatso, and here is Big John to take it through to Furtel. Well, that was... I'm just thinking, towards the end of this season, if it's tight in this Golden Mike thing and it looks like it's going to be between you two rather than me being involved in this title race at the end of the season you two will commentate on games together so there will be the potential to actually a bit of skullduggery there sort of stealing goals off each other just just leaving it a couple of minutes in an FA Cup final or a Champions League final. Yeah, although there's only one of us here that has been given the title of the burglar.

Yes, yes, yes, to explain that very quickly. I always feel that's very harsh. So that's sort of where the golden mic stems from. So that's a competition we have amongst the commentators at the Olympic Games. So basically, however many gold medals you commentate on, they go up on the board in the office as your gold medley I know you've had absolutely nothing to do with it, but it's just a bit of fun behind the scenes and I got given the cycling gig in Rio in 2016 which obviously is a hot ticket to a lot of gold medals for Great Britain So you sort of rubbing your hands together and I think Simon Brotherton

lot of gold medals for Great Britain. So you're sort of rubbing your hands together and I think Simon Brotherton had been the previous winner of the Golden Mike competition and had picked up the lovely nickname the Jeweler. So that was his nickname as a commentator because every time he turned up he commented on gold medals and then my nickname via Jonathan Agnew who was he was absolutely fuming because I don't think Agger's quite got the medals he thought he was going to get on the equestrian and the cyclists were hoovering up medals left, right and centre. But then one day, as happens at the Olympics, I got sent off to go and cover one race, a

final of some sprint canoeing. So I'd not covered that sport ever and certainly not during the game. I think you'd find I'd covered it all the way through until the final. Exactly. And then I rocked up at the venue for the final and John had given me all the notes and the details of whatever. And I've got to say, actually, I should have looked this up. I can't remember the name of the chap who streaked to gold. But another gold medal went on my tally on the board.

And Agas, incandescent with rage, coined the nickname The Burglar. But Maxime Beaumont still has the lead. But Liam Heath, as he comes past me, is now going strong. with rage, calling the beyond the finish line. He's got it! He's got it! He roars with delight and he splashes the water with his hand. Liam Heath takes the gold medal in the men's single kayak 200 metres. It is a golden start to a sun splash Saturday in Rio for Great Britain, a 25th gold medal of the games.

Well done Liam Heath. Basically I just pitched up, commentated on a goal, got in a taxi and driven off again with my swag bag. Alistair Bruce Burglar he called you. Well you also said Ali, in the Golden Mike thing, so we've now had the voice note thing and the Golden Mike thing. Oh yeah, yeah. Your last goal was nearly three weeks ago, Chelsea Leicester, and you're not working for another fortnight.

Exactly. You're like a continental, you've had a mid-season break. Cole Palmer missed his first ever penalty in that game. Well, I say missed, it was a fabulous save by Hermansen of Leicester. But you know, funny enough, earlier in the season we were talking about Conn Tater's curse, and obviously as he stepped up to take the penalty and he's been out of form and not scoring goals, you automatically go down the route of, well, he's not missed one of these, you know, and then immediately you're like, ah, you know that Chelsea fans are going

to be screaming at you basically. But yes, I need a goal, a bit of a drought. What about birdies at the Masters? Do they count? No. You'll have your own competition when you go there. So the five live commentaries this weekend, that does not include Alistair Bruce Ball, it's FA Cup quarter-final weekend.

So Fulham, Crystal Palace, Saturday 12.15, Conor McNamara and Mark Schwarzer. The usual three o'clock goal service takes us north of the border, Celtic Hearts, Pat Nevin alongside me for that. And then Saturday 5.15, Brighton and Hovalbian against Nottingham Forest with Chris Wise and Michael Brown. And then John Murray is joined by Leon Osmond again

on Sunday, Preston North End against Aston Villa. A trip to Deepdale for you John. Yeah I don't know about you but I'm looking forward tremendously to these FA Cup quarter finals. Bournemouth Manchester City as well which is the later one on the Sunday which we'll obviously have covered on Five Live as well but I think we could have a very very interesting well it's an interesting enough line up in the quarter finals but for the semi-finals it could have a really different look about it, couldn't it? That is also, would you not agree, I think that was Manchester City's toughest possible draw Bournemouth away.

I mean maybe you could argue Villa away, well Brighton and Forrest as well but I just think that is a really, really difficult game for Manchester City. Maybe not quite in as good a form as they were Bournemouth however I think that they will definitely pose City's questions won't they in that match? Oh yes without a doubt yeah. So Celtic hearts Saturday, Celtic are not in a position yet like if they win that game they don't that's not the title is it? No No, there's not so at the moment you've got celtic who are 13 points clear of ranges

But bearing in mind that celtic have dropped 15 points all season It's just a it's a matter of when rather than if but the top six split after 33 matches so in three more games time and then it'll be during that period that uh unless Rangers of course drop more points but that'll be when Celtic clinch yet another title yeah they're great trips those aren't they commentaries at well I mean any any of the any of the grounds because we don't do them regularly but in terms of the Scottish grounds that we go to. I went to Rugby Park last season in May when Celtic actually clinched the title that night with a resounding victory over Killy and yeah I'm looking forward to going back to Celtic and I'm looking forward to tasting the pies at halftime as well, make no secret of that. On the subject of pies, do you have a particular preference?

The pies at Hamden and at Celtic at half time, and they're little bite-sized pies, aren't they? They're not big, but those are absolutely delicious. What flavour are those? They can get the choice, can't they? I think it's the pastry, you know. The Scotch pie has a particular... Scotch pie. It's a particular type of pastry. Yeah. It's very, very thick. It's a sort of spiced meat, isn't it?

That's what I would call it. Exactly, John. That's what I'm trying to think of, because it's not steak and ale. It's not as rich as a steak and ale pie. No. It's not a mutton pie. But the ones in Celtic have got a little bit of,

it's almost like a beef stew. Almost like a braised brief. Whereas the one at Kili is more of a Scotch pie. But they do a balti pie there as well. I do like balti pie, I have to say. But I have, since we were last on here, Ali, I have eaten what I would consider to be the pie of the year so far.

And there is a pub which is on our route home from St. George's Park. And after the, was that the England media interview day? It was when I spoke to Morgan Gibbs White that day. You were heading south, but I was going back home to the north. And as I was driving back, I saw this pub and even though it was quite early in the evening, I thought, Oh, I think I'm going to stop and have one of their pies and they are excellent. And I had steak and kidney pie, which I feel

like I've not had steak and kidney pie for years and years and years. You just do not see that on most menus these days. Normally it's steak and ale, steak, steak and mushroom, steak and Stilton. You never see steak and kidney pie. I had the steak and kidney pie there with mash and it was absolutely delicious. And I think you've been a little bit economical with the truth there because what you said was, rate, I'm now going to shoot off form if you don't mind. Right. You went off home, Gary Flint's offer myself was still left holding the fort. We had an appearance on five live sport, which we did in a

car park Coventry city's ground ground we got there at three minutes to seven Gary sets up the equipment at which point we get a message on that whatsapp thing from John in our little group chat and he sends an emoji of a pie and he'd stopped off for a pie and we're still working and he he is enjoying the delights of this pie. Very quickly on the culinary front, so during this couple of weeks off I've had, I have had one of the best meals I've eaten

in a long, long, long time, restaurant recommendation, seafood place down on the south coast near Limington, and it was one of these fancy sort of tasting menu places, so lots of little delightful, inventive, clever dishes of food. I don't think it'd be up in Streat. I can think of someone whose street that would not be up. But and actually I saw I saw Hare Chapman on Monday night. He was in there? No he wasn't in there, his kind of place but he wasn't in there. He was in there listening to the pod. Yeah yeah but he

very much cocked a snook when I talked him through the menu and what was going on. He wasn't having any of it. But the bit I was telling him was, so it was seafood based but it was actually one of the desserts. So lots of little courses and we got two desserts. It was a pre-dessert and a dessert. The pre-dessert they brought out. Do you remember a Sherbert fountain? Because that is very much sort of 80s confectionary that so great You know that and people are listeners who don't know that was a sort of yellow and red paper tube full of sherbet with a

Licorice stick that you would lick and then stick in the sherbet and it would stick to the licorice and then you get the combination Of the flavors they brought out a sherbet fountain dessert. So licorice ice cream licorice flavored ice cream out a sherbet fountain dessert, so licorice ice cream, licorice flavored ice cream sprinkled in crunchy sherbet. And when they said what it was I thought that, that really doesn't sound, that doesn't sound great. It was absolutely delicious and it took me right back, first mouthful to being a kid and having the sherbet fountain. It was a sensational meal. So that's what he was doing Ian, while you and I were heading up and down the country reporting from the boot of Gary's car In focus on the football daily every Saturday Catch the biggest names from the Premier League and beyond as they share all with nothing off limits

We are here to speak to awesome Ricardo Calafiore Ruben Amorimourinho, welcome to the Football Daily. When I had this invitation, I felt that I had to do this. Rodri, that was incredible. Thank you for having me here. In Focus, only on the Football Daily. Listen on BBC Sounds. The Commentator's View, with Alistair Bruce Ball, John Murray and Ian Dennis on the Football Daily. I did love your Mike Gatting story John from the pod.

I've not heard you tell that before. That's a great story. Anyone who is listening to this and doing the other last one, that's where it is. Well yeah exactly, go back and listen again exactly. You can listen to all back of the previous Sev if you wanted to listen to what? Yeah all back Yeah on that on that BBC sounds thingy. He was a Swedish international wasn't he with Marcus all back or my He was a forward actually played for Aston Villa Marcus Marcus all back. That's right Yeah, although it wasn't pronounced all back was it probably not Although it wasn't pronounced all back, was it? Probably not.

Probably not. Was it all back? Yeah, it was probably all back. Anyway, now it's time for Clash of the Commentators. And John's still not reading his script. I was looking at him, my screen's gone off. Right, do that again. And now it's time for Clash of the Commentators.

Yes we're all back this week, and it is... I'm gonna do that again. Yes we're all back are we all back or all back yes we're all back this week there was another win for you Ian wasn't there last week in the in the England versus Wales exhibition match with with Rob Rob Phillips sadly of course that doesn't count towards the league. This is how it currently stands. It's quite a pivotal match this week, I think. Ali's got five points from seven and Ian, you and I have got three points, but because I've got three points

from seven and you've got three from eight, you're bottom of the table. Yeah, I didn't know you'd mention that again. So this week it's Ali versus John. Ali you could go three points clear. A reminder of how it works I give you a category you have 30 seconds to give as many correct answers as you can. So who wants to go first? Don't all volunteer at once. A shrug for once. He's playing the mind games again Ali. You've put a shrug saying come on and John's not he's just waiting for you to commit. I've not been first for a while. I'll go first, please. I am going to...

He's gone. He's gone. Right. So we're ready to go. It's FA Cup quarterfinal weekend. And as a bonus, our Saturday three o'clock commentary is Celtic versus Hearts. I want you to name as many Celtic or Hearts managers as you can. Your time starts now. Brendan Rodgers, these are going to be a lot of

Celtic managers, Brendan Rodgers, Gordon Strachan, Tony Mowbray, Ange Post Coglu, Neil Lennon, Billy McNeil, come on let's keep going here who else has managed what about hearts what about hearts Stephen Naismith, Craig Levine, John's gonna do much better than this why can't I think of any Celt Didn't get Vini Jansson? I still think that, well it's a vast improvement on your last effort. Nil! Nil, nil with Connor. But I actually think that might just see you over the line. I think it was either 7 or 8. But we'll wait for the final score. We'll give John a wave.

John can come back in now if he's looking. That would help John. Yeah, thumbs up. Are you back with us? I am. Okay. Back go? Well, you'll find out if you're looking for clues.

I've just thought of one. Okay, John as you know it's Cephei Cup quarterfinal weekend but also it's the Saturday three o'clock commentary with the usual goal service comes from Celtic parts Celtic against hearts and I want you to name as many Celtic or hearts managers as you can and your time starts now. Vim Janssen strangely the first one that comes to mind Gordon Strachan, Brendan Ed Poster Coghlu, Martin O'Neill, Jock Steen obviously, Err... Ronnie Diler, there's another one strangely coming to mind, Err... Billy McNeil, Err...

Oh come on, Err... Oh! Oh! This will be tight. I think you've just got that. I think you might have, but I think it'll only be about a margin of one. Yeah, and that's controversial because I shouted one late and I think I got it before the end of the music, but... Well it's also controversial because that's the first one that he said.

Yes! That was strange. How did he? controversial because that's the first one that he said yes Yeah We both said him Just out of interest you could have had dr. Joseph feng loss yeah, Kenny Dalglish the great man John Barnes Neil Critchley of course is the current manager at hearts Stephen Naismith who actually He replaced you did say him Ali. I did I did you you actually did venture into high territory and I didn't do that yeah you know what I was so seeing I thought there's so many Celtic managers yeah exactly yeah

where I'm really going to kick myself here if I lose this and I think I'm going to lose this is I didn't say Martin O'Neill and I didn't say Jock Steen and that is ludicrous oh Oh, hang on. Oh, here we go. Producer speaking to presenter. We have a tie. John Murray eight, Alistair Bruce Ball eight. I didn't say Steen or O'Neil. The drama continues, so now we have a tie break.

So during, and Brendan Rodgers is in his second spell. I'll be interested to hear how late this Vim Jansson actually was then. Well here's the first then you're going to have to listen back to it when it goes out, which is something of course you don't do. So Brendan Rodgers, what is his trophy haul as Celtic manager in terms of titles, Scottish Cups, Scottish League Cups? Hang on, are we allowed one guess at this or do we just keep firing away till we get it right?

One guess. Close this gets the victory. Okay. Well who goes first then? I'll let you go first John. Okay, I'm going to say seven. No it's more than that. Isn't it?

Two domestic trebles I thought, then had won another cup before you left. I'm sorry Ali, I'm going to have to ask an answer, you've had time to think. Got to be prepared to John. Okay, I'm going to say, I'll say nine. Ali, you are the winner, the answer is ten. Ten. Seven's low John. Two domestic trebles and then he left during the third season when he was going to win another one. Yeah, I didn't take as long to think about it as you did.

Ali, you go three points clear, I remain joint bottom with John. But now it's time for great glossary of football commentary. This is our collection of football commentary terms that we're building with help from the listeners and the criteria is that they have to be terms mostly used in football. So last week Chris from Doncaster suggestion we accepted Roy of the Rovers stuff. Billy in Australia's hotbed was denied as was Paul's after the Lord Mayor's show also refused entry. So I'd like to think we're setting a high bar nowadays for entry into the glossary. So there have to be terms that are more used in football than other sports. We also love our international terms on TCV, with the highlight so far being where the owl sleeps to describe the top corner of the goal. But Rob Green

might have topped that on Monday night when describing the Rhys James free kick. You've got to get it just spot on and he has he's just got it nailed to a tee. It is picture perfect. It's hit the spider's web in the corner of the goal. Now what was funny after that Ali is whilst John was commentating I wrote down postage stamp so John actually mentioned the postage stamp and yet then you went on to mention where the owl sleeps. Yes I did yeah he did a hat trick. So we went through the we ran through the full gamut of them and actually with the um the spider's web uh we've had an email from Stuart who says I believe in Argentina the term used when a goal is scored in the upper corner of the

goal is known as where the spiders make their web. Does this qualify for entry into the great football glossary? Love the podcast, give up the good work. PS, my fellow Liverpool supporters would not see the league as a procession. So if we do an inverted commas, Devon Locke, we will be blaming the curse of the commentator. And there's another one, isn't there, from Alex in Bulgaria. Yeah, he says, I like the phrases that refer to hitting the top corner with a shot where the owl sleeps and postage stamp for the same in Bulgaria.

So Bulgaria as well, you can hear the phrase to wipe the spider's web. You wipe the spider's web with a shot. I really like that. I really like that. Rob told us afterwards, I don't think he said this on air Ian did he during the match, but I think he told us afterwards that that was a phrase that he was introduced to by the former West Ham goalkeeper Ludec McClosko. And he said that was a phrase that he grew up with, Ludeck McClosko. But it's perfect, that is perfect, this is exactly what Conor was talking about, where it's economy of language and it's a beautiful image because if you look up in the eaves or the roof or whatever and those spider webs always attach themselves to those faraway

corners you can just picture, I think that is absolutely brilliant. So correspondence from Bulgaria and also correspondence from Copenhagen again potential venues for our world tour. Peter from Copenhagen, Dear TCV podcast in Denmark and possibly elsewhere in the world in badminton it's common to refer to the little corner in the doubles cart in the in the doubles court as free market. I hope I pronounced that right. Yeah, that's a good thing to postage stamp. It is named as such because the shape of that era, because the shape of that

area is small compared to the rest of the court and it has the same proportions as a postage stamp would. It's probably too niche, but I thought I would mention it. Thank you for your wonderful insight to your world. Keep up the good work. Best regards, Peter. P.S., and in fact he's actually included an image from a badminton Denmark website

with the Free Merkit illustrated. And I exactly see his point there as well with that. Yeah, you were concentrating so hard on getting Free Merkit right, then I know that you actually managed to stuff up a lot there as well with that. Yeah, you were concentrating so hard on getting free-market right, Denno, that you actually managed to stuff up a lot of the English in that. But not the Danish. Yes. Well, I should have just said, as we would say in England, it's free market.

We were talking about Rhys James getting his first goal for England. This is an app message we've had in from Wales. Barry Corring here from Swansea, Cardiff and behind enemy lines. Two terms, I may be so bold as to nominate them. First of which is opened his account. When a goalscorer scores his first goal for a new side, always comes up images to me of a striker wandering into his local bank on a Monday morning after the weekend with a full football kit, with a football to open his account. Second one, again forwards finished with a plumb which I think is a wonderful phrase. We just need your thoughts and look forward to listen to you. Thank you. We've already had a plumb haven't we from several people including

Steve from Chelmsford, Dave and Wyfront wearing Pete. Are we still happy with that mostly used in football? Yeah. And what about opening their account? Well I used this didn't I when we were talking the other week about um uh Christos Solis's first goal for Norwich. This is uh our colleague Chris Gorham I think it was uh Radio Norfolk who's commentating on Christos Solis because they'd newly signed him and when he opened his account for Norwich City Chris during the commentary, said, He's come from Greece. He scored his first for Norwich, which is a great line,

as in the pulp song, Common People, with the lyric, She came from Greece. She had a thirst for knowledge. He came from Greece. He's got his first for Norwich. It's Norwich City 1, Bournemouth 0. Very good. Opening your account, so I really like that, I was just trying to rattle through other sports because this is where we can fall foul. So you can obviously open a bank account, we know that, but in other sports would a tennis player open their account first game first set, would they open their account

with an ace? I don't think they would. Does a rugby player open his account with a try? I don't think they do. a rugby player open his account with a try I don't think they do a golfer doesn't open his does he open his account with a birdie John not really I don't think we use it I don't think we use it in other sports cricket you'd get off the mark you wouldn't yeah I mean I have it don't really not really I think it's more get off the mark isn't it yeah I do so I like opening an account yeah is that yeah I think so don't it? Yeah, I do. So is it opening an account? Yeah, I think so, I don't know. Yeah, I think I actually tend to use it quite a bit. Yeah, right. So on the eve of the Albania match,

I was talking while they watched their team have their training session at Wembley Stadium. I was speaking to some of the Albanian reporters and they said to me, as we were having the discussion, English was excellent. And they said to me, as we were having the discussion, English was excellent. And they said to me, of course, for all of our players to play England here at Wembley, they're putting themselves in the shop window.

To which I thought, I'm having that. I mean, for Albanians to come up with a phrase, in the shop window. So I said, what is that in Albanian? And they said, well, it's the vitrina. If you put yourself in the shop window in Albania, you are in me vitrina. And so therefore, when it came to Latvia on the Monday night,

I thought this will be funny. I'll ask the Latvians about the same thing. So I went up to a group of Latvian reporters and I said, can you help me? And they were obviously expecting a football question to which I then said to them, can you tell me what the Lat were obviously expecting a football question, to which I then said to them, can you tell me what the Latvian is for being in the shop window?

And they said, in the shop window? I said, yeah, you know, how your players tonight will be in the shop window. They said, they will be in the shop window. And I said, yeah, it's a phrase we use. Yeah. No, no, we don't know that at all. So in Albania, they would use the phrase,

in the shop window. And clearly Latvia, it would not be't know that at all. So in Albania, they would use the phrase, in the shop window. And clearly Latvia, it would not be a phrase that was used. However, I can tell you that in Latvia, if you put yourself in the shop window, you were in the vekala lorks. I wonder, I mean, that would be impossible to do, but I wonder if they might take that back to Latvia and introduce it. Someone might use it in a commentary and then it might even

become, might even enter the football lexicon. I could consider myself to be a pioneer. Yeah, yeah. I might have a street named after me in Riga. So in the shop window is that in our glossary? I think that should be in the glossary. Yeah. Yeah, it's football. So Spider's Web and opening his account or opening her account are accepted. In the shop window. I think so. Good.

I think so. We've also had a couple of more lookalikes. TCV at bbc.co.uk for the voice notes 08000289369. Jimmy Nail and Tony Adams, That's from Terry in Bromley Yeah, good. I can see that I think that's Jimmy nail from his days in our feeders aim pet Albert step toe and Jamie Vardy. Yeah, I think Jamie Vardy is gonna be delighted with that No, and also Sam Johnston and Chris wood now they could be twins I've got to say on the image that I'm looking at here yeah yeah looking at the pictures now yes no I can see that definitely

and I wanted to ask you guys one actually just going all the way back to the start of the pod because obviously I've listened to plenty of you guys doing your England stuff this week covering England under different managers will always be different and obviously you know you establish relationships with Roy Hodgson and you know with Gareth Southgate who was the manager for a long time. How have you found Thomas Tuchel first couple of games so I know you've obviously all interviewed him a bit in

his role as other managers but in this camp do you sense you're going to be able to build a rapport with him? Yeah I think I would say very business-like, really good when the microphones are on. But at this stage, there's not a lot of chit chat, but it's still very early days. But in our position, we'll be speaking to him a lot. So over the course of the last couple of weeks, obviously squad announcement, then pre-match, then post-match, then pre-match, then post-match.

So that's all happened over the course of the last week or so. So it's a kind of building relationship. But what I've found is, in terms of first impressions over a first camp of international football, he offers a lot in interviews and I think he offers a lot in whatever scenario he's in. And so from that point of view, he was very like Gareth Southgate, very thoughtful, you know, and very sharp, very quick witted as well with his answers.

You know, I think he'll be difficult to put into a corner. I think he'll be able to extricate himself from whatever situation he's been in because he's got a wealth of experience of doing that when really the pressure has been on at big clubs. But as well with Gareth Southgate, I always felt, and clearly that was a long-term thing that there was with Gareth Southgate as the England manager, and you always felt with Gareth Southgate, he had very much a view on the short term but also a big view on the long term, whereas with Thomas Tuchel, he's only got a contract to this

World Cup and it does feel as though he is going to ruthlessly do what is right for him as the England manager at that time. Talking of Gareth Southgate as well and in the interest of BBC cross promotion, it's available for the next 11 months. If you haven't seen his lecture, Richard Dimbleby lecture on the BBC iPlayer. It is a faultless performance from Gareth Southgate. He talks for 40 minutes, doesn't say er once. It was thought provoking, it was heartfelt, there was a little bit of humour in there as well, but I think that that should be shown in every school. It was that good. It is absolutely outstanding. Yeah and obviously as well Ian, as I say that's an example of Garaselke actually having a long-term

view on not just what happens to young men in football in this country. So well that brings us to a conclusion then. The next episode of the Football Daily will be in focus with Andoni Irola and Guillaume Balaguey and if you've missed any episodes of the Commentator's I've just sent you a picture of mine. Ali? Yeah, hello. Adderz? So, what you do, you disconnect you from the game, you disconnect you from the game, you disconnect you from the game, you disconnect you from the game, you disconnect you from the game, you disconnect you from the game, you disconnect you from the game, you disconnect you from the game, you disconnect you from the game, you disconnect you from the game, you disconnect you from the game, you disconnect you from the game, you disconnect you from exciting new football daily branded mic muffs's the wrong way to do it. Put it in the front. I hope we're recording this by the way.

Right, turn, turn. I really do hope we're recording. So the large, the large, where you've got the hole, put the stem in. You need to take it off the wire. You need to put the stem in there. Yeah. And then put it through down the little hole. No? Put it in the... Watch, I'll show you. I got you. You're a technical whiz this morning, don't I?

I have a confession to make. It took me about five minutes myself to work it out. I wasn't getting there all day today. It's the scandal that rocked Rugby Union to its core. The so-called Bloodgate scandal. Tom Williams now receiving attention. It seems so clear that this wasn't real blood. It's out and out cheating. This is a story of lies and deception, conspiracies and cover-ups. There was terror that it could tear the house down.

Courtroom drama and secret deals. So obviously a lie. And a human cost that changed lives and careers forever. Dean Richards is found guilty and banned for three years. I'm Ross Kemp and this is Sports Strangers Crimes, Bloodgate. Listen on BBC Sounds.