Football Daily - The Commentators' View: Ronaldo’s red & mind-altering shoes

Episode Date: November 14, 2025

John Murray, Ali Bruce-Ball & Conor McNamara talk football, travel & language after Cristiano Ronaldo sees red as Republic of Ireland beat Portugal, and England beat Serbia. What about the ‘mind-altering’ shoes some of the England players are wearing? There’s a European theme to Clash of the Commentators. And suggestions always welcome for our Great Glossary of Football Commentary and unintended pub names from football commentary - WhatsApp voicenotes to 08000 289 369 & emails to [e-mail]00:40 Conor fresh from Ireland-Portugal 04:40 Takeaways from England-Serbia 06:05 Mind-altering shoes & commentary attire 16:05 5 Live commentaries this weekend 18:00 John prepares for trip to Albania 24:55 Unintended (and intended) pub names 33:15 Clash of the Commentators 41:45 Great Glossary of Football Commentary 52:55 Magazine memories5 Live / BBC Sounds Premier League commentaries: Fri 1945 Slovakia v Northern Ireland on Sports Extra, Sat 1330 Man City v Man Utd in WSL on Sports Extra, Sat 1700 Liechtenstein v Wales on Sports Extra, Sat 1945 Greece v Scotland on 5 Live, Sun 1200 Liverpool v Chelsea in WSL on Sports Extra, Sun 1200 Brighton v Leicester in WSL on Sports Extra 2, Sun 1430 Tottenham v Arsenal in WSL on 5 Live, Sun 1700 Albania v England on 5 Live, Mon 1945 Northern Ireland v Luxembourg on Sports Extra, Tue 1945 Scotland v Denmark on 5 Live, Tue 1945 Wales v North Macedonia on Sports Extra, Wed 2000 Arsenal v Real Madrid in UWCL on 5 Live, Thu 2000 Chelsea v Barcelona in UWCL on 5 Live.Glossary so far (in alphabetical order):DIVISION ONE Bosman, Cruyff Turn, Dead-ball specialist, Fox in the box, Giving the goalkeeper the eyes, Head tennis, Hibs it, In a good moment, Leading the line The Maradona, Olimpico, Onion bag, Panenka, Rabona, Scorpion kick, Spursy, Tiki-taka, Where the kookaburra sleeps, Where the owl sleeps, Where the spiders sleep.DIVISION TWO Ball stays hit, Business end, Came down with snow on it, Cauldron atmosphere Coat is on a shoogly peg, Come back to haunt them, Easy tap-in, Daisycutter, First cab off the rank, Has that in his locker, High wide and not very handsome, Howler, One for the cameras, One for the purists, Played us off the park, Purple patch, Put their laces through it, Rolls Royce, Root and branch review, Row Z, Seats on the plane, Show across the bows, Stramash, Taking one for the team, That’s great… (football), Thunderous strike.UNSORTED 2-0 is a dangerous score, After you Claude, All-Premier League affair, Aplomb, Bag/box of tricks, Brace, Brandished, Bread and butter, 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, 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, Keystone Cops defending, 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, 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, Shooting boots, Sleeping giants, Slide rule pass, Small matter of, Spiders web, Stayed hit, Steepling, Stinging the palms, Stonewall penalty, Straight off the training ground, Taking one for the team, Team that likes to play football, Throw their cap on it, Thruppenny bit head / 50p head, Towering header, Two good feet, Turning into a basketball match, Turning into a cricket score, Usher/Shepherd the ball out of play, Walking a disciplinary tightrope, Wand of a left foot, We’ve got a cup tie on our hands, Winger in their pocket, Wrap foot around it, Your De Bruynes, your Gundogans etc.

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. To embrace the impossible requires a vehicle that pushes what's possible. Defender 110 boasts a towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms, a weighting depth of 900 millimetres and a roof load up to 300 kilograms. Learn more at landrover.ca. The commentators view on the Football Daily with Alistair Bruce Ball, John Murray and Ian Dennis, Hello, welcome to the Football Daily.

I'm John Murray and this is the commentator's view where we five live commentators take you with us on our travels and discuss the football and the language of football commentary. And with me today, Alastair Bruce Ball and returning in place of Ian Dennis, who's rested, Connor McNamara, who as we speak. Fresh legs. Well, fresh, not only fresh legs, fresh spirit, Connor.

Because you come to us straight from From, I'm speaking to you just about two miles away from the Aviva Stadium where Republic of Ireland, who having previously lost to the 105th ranked nation in the world in this group, have now beaten the fifth ranked nation in the world. And Ronaldo was set off, and I was at the game, I was very much not in a working capacity, so didn't quite have my BBC neutrality for my verdicts on his crybaby antics leaving the field. That was very, very good fun. I haven't seen it yet. Were there cry baby antics? So as he's going off, and I think, I mean, to be fair, I think it's members of the crowd are doing the,

where you put your fingers up to your eye and twist them, you know, that you're crying. But as he's going off, he's got 50,000 people doing that to him. So he does it back to the crowd. Of course, that's the image that you, that's the image that you get to see, yeah. How funny. So, well, fair play to him then.

Well, you say that, right? Because, I mean, he's obviously given it, it kind of reminds me of, who did it? Was it, Gaudiola did it at Anfield a few years ago where was he, I don't know if he's shown a yellow card or there was something in a Premier League at Anfield and Guadiola kind of... Didn't he put the fingers up with?

Oh, but how many league titles he won? Exactly. I think that was that same incident. Yeah, yeah. Anyway, the point being that it sort of felt like each snowflake in an avalanche says not guilty. You know, up the 50,000 you don't look ridiculous doing it. When one guy does it back to them, he looks ridiculous. Anyway, look, it was just good fun. It was good fun. First red card, John.

I saw in the BBC Sports, a website's match report in 226 internationals for Cristiano Ronaldo. That has never happened before that he's been sent off playing for Portugal. But also, Connor, I was just looking at the fixtures. So in terms of trying to get the runner-up spot in the group, Republic of Ireland, a way to Hungary on Sunday and a point behind them in the group.

Yeah, so a win. I mean, incredibly, because this group has not gone well for Ireland. I mean, I'll be totally honest, they've been written off as an issue. We've lost faith in this team. And, I mean, all the build-up, all the analysis yesterday was, if they can keep this to 2-0 to 3-0, it's probably going to be 5-0.

I mean, the other little subplot was that Portugal, had they won last night, would have secured their qualification themselves, but in terms of, you know, topping the group and being automatic, so that sort of put a little delay for them as well. But from an Irish point of view, incredibly, like, you know, written off,

Ireland are not going to the work-up, it's not happening, suddenly win at the weekend and then it's play-offs. Yeah, and Hymeier-Halgrimson was portrayed, wasn't he, as, well, the wrong choice and suddenly everything seems to have changed and then and i mean it feels like such a long time since ireland have had a result like this whereas there was a time when this sort of thing was commonplace wasn't it yeah no absolutely that that was that's the whole atmosphere you know coming out of the eve and that's like that sort of throwback to the good old days kind of thing and

and you know there were plenty of good old days you know the you know all the big nations have come to opened over the years and have been beaten at various times. There was a Spain team in their pomp. There was, you know, France. Any of the big teams have come and, you know, on their day being beaten Germany, I remember famously. But it's been way too few or far between. And it's not even the sort of hard look stories about it.

It's just the football's not being good. They've not had a confidence not playing well. And what I would say was, what I personally love about this, because I don't like the snobbery in football where everyone tries to play beautiful football. Everyone tries to be Guadiola. last night they reverted to long ball they pumped it in behind turn those Portuguese defenders and hound them down

and it really worked the old put them under pressure kind of mentality and more of that I say you know this you're trying to compete with the Tiki Taka teams with your own Tiki Taka you know unless you've got the players it's never going to happen I think too many

the recent Republican teams have tried to play in Verticama's good football but it's so entertaining to just put the others under pressure and get results like last night I thought you're going to go cowardly lion on us there. Put them up. John, how was England, Serbia?

What's your takeaways from that? Very routine, really. And actually, even though it was won by two very good goals, two very good finishes from Saka and Eza, I have a feeling that that's a match that in a year's time, maybe even six months' time, you'll say to me, do you remember that match against Serbia? And I'll say, oh, what happened that night?

But I suppose just really for England, Thomas Tuchol, I thought, interesting management last night and probably the right thing to do that he stuck with Rogers and Anderson and Rice as the midfield three. So he effectively said to Bellingham, Rogers is the man in possession. And I thought we saw a reaction when a very dynamic Jude Bellingham came onto the field. And, you know, they were awkward opponents, Serbia, who had everything on the line, could still sneak into the playoffs with one of the. of those places through the Nations League. It's a very much an outside chance that they would have of that, but it could happen.

But in the end, another clean sheet for Ingers, so seven wins are seven haven't conceded a goal in the group. Jordan Pickford's now kept ten clean sheets in a row, so he's extended his own personal record, so his last ten matches. He's not conceded a goal as the England goalkeeper.

And off we go to Tirana. And it's been one of those weeks a while, as well, when, you know, obviously there has been the concentration on the football, but also we've been talking about things like mind-altering shoes, which has been part of the conversation. Right. Have you got your pair, John?

I mean, honestly, this is absolute classic football and the media. And because Esri Konzer, the other day, turned up with these things on, and I'm looking at them, I'm thinking, what are they? And they are, for those who haven't seen or read this story, which has been widely reported. Fluorescent red, in inverted commas, mind-altering shoes. And Marcus Rashford was also seen wearing these things, which are made by Nike.

They are the Nike Mind Mules. And Thomas Tuchel, when he was asked about them, said, they told me they can focus better in meetings if they wear these shoes. maybe the most important thing is that they believe it. I don't know the science behind it. So these shoes, they're not yet

available to buy, believe it or not, Nike say the shoes work by quote, engaging the sensory areas of your brain via the thousands of mechanol receptors underfoot. And

players have been wearing them in downtime and at meal times. And what it is is an absolute triumph by Nike and it has been swallowed hook, line and sinker by the BBC and every other media organisation who have widely pictured and reported this. And now what happens next? Connor, your young sons say to you, Dad, can you fork out whatever ridiculous sum these things cost to buy them? Dad, you know, it'll make me concentrate on my homework better. you know you've got to get these yeah yeah but was funny it was in our

commentary last night Ian Dennis referenced these things and during that and I'd not seen it he referred to them as McCarno receptors and I'm thinking McCarno McCarno they've included Macarno in these shoot that's a threat we've seen it this morning I see it is M-E-C-H-A-N-O which I think is mech-o isn't it so just for our younger listeners Macano. I remember Macano well. You obviously know you're Macano. It was like an old version of Lego in a way, but it's not bricks, was it? It was hard plastic and bolts, and you would build structures from it. I mean, I had loads of Macano as a kid. Did you? Did Ian? We'll have to find out. I actually didn't really. I wasn't really a Macano boy. Were you not? Were you Lego? More so. Not. Not massively into Lego. I

either to be honest. No, no. So sport the top level, we are always told is all about marginal gains. This is a classic. If you're going to look at the other way and think there is going to be a genuine impact here, it's looking for that edge in every single department. Let me put this to you two. If they, you know, if these shoes, if you were told that actually you would be sharper and better at commentary, if you put a pair of these shoes on while you were commentating, would you give it a go? Would you be prepared to try that, John? No. No. No. No. no and actually I'm hating myself that we're now talking about it again right because we've been suckered in again now we're doing it okay I think the thing over the years is is is I

certainly have this where you you you get an impression of something and let's just say and you know as we well know the chief is is renowned for being a very smart dresser when he when he commentates what I often feel that you know if you wear a suit if you you've got a shirt and tie on sometimes you do exude a slightly different authority or whatever and you know that that's that kind of in your mind placebo effect I guess you know or I'll often have where oh look you know if I do have another couple of cups of coffee or something that'll wake me up a bit more and you know you're kind of convincing yourself that that if you do these things

there'll be an end product to it I guess it's just it's whatever makes you happy right but the dressing smartly I that's a really good point Connor not only the way that makes you feel but I always think John not not and you've always done this but not just at international level but I actually think when you're going to go down and do post-match interviews with managers and players I actually think it is important to look professional, to look smart. You are going to be taken more seriously, I think, if you are dressed for the occasion. That's what I think. Well, to honest, for me, it goes back to my training days. When I did my radio journalism postgraduate course, we had two

of the local news editors, David Peel and John Ogden, were two of our tutors on that course. So they were working news editors, and they said to us, this is where you start to prepare for the world of work and we expect you to dress properly and smartly. And when I first started work in John's newsroom, John insisted that we wore a tie every day to work, which I did. And I've kind of carried that on because right from the outset of my working life, it felt like I was preparing to work by putting a tie on. Not for a podcast, though. Not for a podcast, no. No, this is a different kettle of fish. I was going to say, there's two, I'm sorry, Mr. Peel and Misty's other name, but how disappointed, John, they would see you, you know, being filmed on the BBC in a t-shirt. Oh,

the game is gone. I've actually just got in from a run and I was hoping to have time for a shower and a shave before this, but it took me a little bit longer than I was expecting. Have we spoken about how John's theory about wearing a shirt and tie is as equivalent as wearing a scarf? Have you discussed this? So, like, I remember on a particularly cold day and saying to John, I wish I brought a scarf and John said back to me, no, no, you don't need a scarf. All you need is a shirt and tie. It does the same function.

A scarf just stops the warm air leaving your body up around your neck and by having it, you know, tied into your neck, shirt and tie. That's doing the same idea as a scarf, which I've never heard reference by anyone else ever, but as usual with John Murray is genius. It's true. Is it? Yeah.

You've got the dubious question from ABB. It's true. Would you ever consider us? I don't always wear it. If it's hot, I won't wear a tie. No. Would you ever consider a snood, John? Phil McNulty, our colleague Phil McNulty, last night was wearing a snood.

And in actual fact, because we interviewed Bukai Osaka in the buildup to the Serbian match, and some of our colleagues were asking him questions for social media clips. And one of the questions was, should the snood come back? And I didn't realize it had gone away. Yeah. I do think immediately after Christmas, when we show up at press rooms before a game, people always have new woolware and, you know, the clearly Christmas gifts that are being, you know, probably not what they would have chosen for themselves.

And, you know, but it gets displayed for a few weeks, then you don't see it again. Speaking of theories, and you reminded me, I remember you once giving me the piece of advice, Connor, that before you commentate, you should never, ever, ever have more than two cups of coffee. And I have, I, you know, to turn the table. So that's something that you've told me that I now always strictly a dear to. So Mrs. Backdabarro, who's an expert scientist with underlining and put in bold the expert part, she sent me a link years and years ago and it was what it was called the tip of the tongue moment. And the idea was that if you're drinking too many cups of coffee, that your brain gets ahead of you.

And those times when you sort of stumble, tip your tongue in your, it's because your brain has now moved maybe three or four sentences ahead of what you've actually said. you trip up and you stumble on it. And this was the theory that it was like, and don't have more than a certain amount of caffeine to prevent that happening. And obviously you want to get that balance right because you want to a little bit or you want to feel,

you know, you don't want to be in slumber. But no, and I have, I have, because I think in main life, I probably drink too much coffee and I do try to limit it. And look,

it's hard on those cold nights, you come in at half time and you might already have had a couple of cups of coffee. You're like, oh, I just have to have another one. But in the main, I think there's a little bit of logic to that of not being too mentally stimulated

that you get ahead of yourself. Yeah, and the other one in terms of trying to look after the voice is no chocolate at half time, isn't it? Chocolate can really clog you up, I think. And we, you know, our producers are brilliant. I was working with Phil Wye, who's back doing some production for us at the moment. And he was always famous for bringing a certain type of chocolate biscuit. And they came out at the city ground on Sunday. And I had to say, look, I'll take one, but I'm not eating that until the end of the game.

Otherwise, the second half, you just, it takes you 10 minutes to clear it out your system. But I do think in Phil's defense, I do think he chooses, because he favoured. And again, we won't be advertising brands, but he chooses a particular brand, which I feel negates what you're saying. Because in terms of the actual chocolate content, that's more of the coating, isn't it? So it's the most of it. I know what you mean, where you don't want is a heavy lump of chocolate that sort of coats your, coats your throat. Slightly unusually, because I agree with you. But last night at Wembley, I've got the sticker there.

I'm showing you the sticker. It was the football foundation were there last night celebrating 20. 25 years of championing grassroots football, and they were handing out chocolate bars before the match. And I couldn't resist them. So I did actually unusually have a couple of bites of chocolate before the match last night. So we will have, coming up, of course,

the unintended pub names, which is all the rage at the moment, and also the great glossary of football commentary. But as ever, we invite your WhatsApp and voice notes to 08,000 289369. We'll be playing some of those shortly. Emails as well, any time, any place, anywhere to TCV at BBC.com.uk. And we will get onto those in a moment. But over the next few days, we have got a broad range of international commentaries, World Cup qualifiers, crucial matches. And you'll find them in a wide variety of places. So if you'll listening to this on Friday. The Slovakia Northern Ireland match is on Sports Extra this very

evening. Saturday tea time 5 o'clock. Lichtenstein against Wales is on sports extra. Saturday night Greece Scotland is on 5 live sport and also on 5 live sport on Saturday. England, New Zealand

and the Ultimate Internationals and Ben Eubank will follow Greece, Scotland. So that's a real bumper day of live sports. Sunday, tea time, 5 o'clock. If you're on the move, Albania, England. I'm making my very first trip to Tirana later today. Stephen Warnock will be with us for the commentary there. So that's five o'clock Sunday. Monday evening, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg is on Sports Extra. Tuesday night, Scotland, Denmark is on Five Live. And Tuesday night, Wales, North Macedonia is on Sports Extra.

And let me just say as well, that of course, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland matches can be watched on the BBC as well, the World Cup qualifiers, if you go to the eye player. And crucially there, John, and I think we said this on the last pod, because we're now at the business end, aren't we? I don't know that that gets in the glossary, the business end of qualification here. But if you look at that Greece-Scottland game on Saturday, if Scotland avoid defeat there, that game on Tuesday at Hamden's an absolute humdinger, because that will be Scotland against Denmark, winner takes all. If Scotland, let's say, draw away to Greece, will start that night, won't they?

A couple of points behind Denmark if they win. So if they beat them at Hamden, they would then qualify for a World Cup automatically for the first time since 98. That's correct. Yes. Meanwhile, I'll be going to Albania. Have either of you who been to Albania? No. I don't

think I've been to Albania. Well, well, well, well. Yeah. A country that none of us have been to. So I'm very much looking forward to that. And a familiar old subject with Albania has reed its head. Because Richard in London has sent us this. He says,

In the 1979 European Cup, Celtic were drawn to play Partizani Tirana in the first round with the away leg in Albania. There were concerns raised before the team left that Celtic captain Danny McGrain would have to shave off his beard as facial hair was banned by Albania's hardline communist leader.

That was in the Hodger, wasn't it? Because it was a sign of Western decadence likely to corrupt Albanian youth. There was a story that Danny McGrane's wife had to shave his beard off at the airport to ensure that he could gain entry into the country and play. But it seems that that was apocryphal. And in a Guardian article, Danny McRane did write in his autobiography that he would have shaved off his beard had it been demanded of him, but it wasn't.

and Danny and his beard both did play in Celtics 1-0 defeat. Are you suggesting, John, that the famously heavily stobled Ian Dennis may need to brush up his act ahead of Tehrana? Well, as it turns out, Ian is not going to Tehranah, so that is not an issue. That story, John, does make me think, so Pat and Evan and I were in discussion off-air when we were in Prague recently about,

what those trips to Eastern Europe must have been like as international footballers and club footballers in the 70s and 80s and further back than that totally different experience, I think, to what they are today. It'd be fascinating to be able to get in a time machine, go back and feel what that was actually like to play over there in those times.

Well, I think Tarana, I think Albania is one of those places that has changed beyond all recognition from the time of Inver Hodger. And I'm so looking forward to this because so many people have told me it's such an interesting place to go to. So yes, I always remember Chris Waddle used to tell a brilliant story about England were playing, and I'm almost certain it was Albania, and it was one of his Gaza stories

about throwing bars of soap to hit chickens out the hotel window, which, you know, I can't do justice because Chris is such a great way of telling the story, but basically that they were trying to, there was chickens, you know, quite a distance away, but they opened the window and they tried to throw the soap out to hit the chickens. And Bobby Robson came in, like, what's the big fuss? what's going on in here and they thought they were going to be in trouble and said sorry boss

Gaza was just throwing the bars of soap out to the chickens and he goes what those chickens that far away, no way show me how you're doing Gaz is running down the corridor to get momentum to then fling the bars of soap

but that always just kind of subbed up for me that players just having to hang around the hotels for long, long, long periods in place like that. The other football John will give a mention

just beyond the international football is the Women's Champions League action so we've had a bit of that this week there is more next week I'm at Stanford bridge on Thursday night for Chelsea against Barcelona, alongside Fran Kirby, who I've never commentated with before, who's appeared on 5 Live a bit this season. I'm really looking forward to that.

And big game for Arsenal, because obviously they lost a buy-in this week. They're at home to Real Madrid. So Vicki Sparks and Jilly Flattie are doing that game on the Wednesday night. And it's a similar setup, the women's champions league. It's a smaller big table, but it's still a big table. So it's 18 teams, and the top four go through automatically. and ahead of the one I'm doing, Chelsea, Barcelona are right up there having won three out of three. So have Leon, so of Manchester United.

Chelsea have won two out of three, but you want to get in that top four so that you don't drop into those playoff games to make it through to the quarterfinals. So you'll be able to find all of those commentaries, listen via the BBC Sounds app. And as we occasionally mention, remember that you can pause, rewind the live radio and listen again. So if you, like I did all those years ago, went to Wembley to watch England for the very first time, which is entirely possible, you could actually go back on BBC Sounds and let your children listen again to the match that they attended and see what it sounded like. Now, before we get to some of your latest unintended pub names, Peter from Copenhagen has sent us an email in response to something we were talking about a few weeks back. the Maradonna stroke Zidane roulette stroke Marseille. And Peter says, Dear T.C.V, years before Zidane's prime, La Roulette was known in Denmark as a Loudrop. After Michael Loudrop completed the move in more than one national game and for Barcelona as well,

he is perhaps known even more for his mastery of La Croquetta, a move Andres Iniesta made popular and which Iniesta himself credited to Loudrop as one of his great heroes growing up. So La Croquetta, two inside foot touches, first across your body to stop the defender and then forwards to get away. I'm aware of the move. Didn't know that's what it was called. No. And it's a move.

I cannot remember who did this the other day. I'll tell you who it was. Ungamoa in the League Cup game, Liverpool Palace, that I commented on a couple of weeks ago. I don't think it was a lacroquetta, but it's a move that in radio commentary is really difficult to describe. You know when a winger, it's two touches. It's exactly a bit like that with the inside of each foot. Boom, boom, but moves the ball very quickly, left, right, back to left,

and then round the defender. Which, as you're trying to do radio commentary, you can't describe all of that. So it needs a term like lacroquetta. But that's pretty much, but it's such a quick movement of ball from left foot to right foot and backed, you know, that, it only moves it like a foot, but it's enough to beat the defender, just a tap, tap, gone, like, with a bit of pace. Love it. Yeah.

This actually reminds me of, you know, some of the sort of pub games that we three play together, that reminds me one of the categories, do you remember? It was sporting terms that are eponymous, i.e., have to have the name of the person who did it first. or the thing that was not like the Foyfe Turn Penanka Fosbury Flop Yeah There's actually more than you think

All of these are unintentional pub names though Right every single one though The Fusbop flop Yeah definitely And that moves us very nicely on To this week's unintended pub names And again Do send them in TCV at BBC.co.uk

Not just if you hear them in our comment Any football commentaries we love to have and I'm not sure if it features here but there was a great one last night at Wembley but anyway ah yes it does in fact it's right at the top of the bill

because last week we had the falling Somerville the gangly osula and the untatooed calf where I still have not got over the fact that whoever sent in the untatooed calf

actually drew us a picture of the pub side for the untatooed tattooed calf. And yes, top of the bill, great one from the England-Serbia game. Let's have a listen to Paul Robinson and Ian Dennis. That's a good header out by O'Reilly. There is the, there was a false whistle there. It was a whistle sounded. The crowd have reacted to it. Even the, the Tannoy announcer has reacted to it. But play continues. And a lot of the supporters in front of us are heading for the the hospitality suites

as there is the genuine whistle we had a false ending. Didn't we have that away in Serbia as well? I'm sure that was the game that we had a whistle in the crowd, wasn't it? Are you suggesting that he's made his way over from Belgrade? The Phantom Whistler. The Phantom Whistler.

Now there's a pub name. There's an unintended pub name. The Phantom Whistler. What of the best. That's brilliant. The Phantom Whistler. Definitely going there. Definitely going in there.

Are we going to go with the mind-altering footwear? Is that going to make the cut here? I don't think so. That would be cannol receptors under foot. Yeah. The mind-altering footwear, they've had enough publicity. So that was that one. Next up, Robert In Yoval.

Hi, All, how about this from John with Dionne Dublin during the disallowed Liverpool goal commentary against Manchester City? It's a very, very good corner, and I think it's a very good goal. So there we are. Another major talking point as Van Dykes header is ruled out. He headed it over the top of the, the Ducking Robertson, dropped into the net. John Romer diving to his left, couldn't get there. The Ducking Robertson.

The Ducking Robertson. Very good. Maybe not the, it's not the Phantom Whistler. Let's put it like. Simon in Nottingham, I would like to nominate something John Murray said in the Sunderland Arsenal match with James McFadden. That's that moment you're waiting for it. He watches it so well down the outside, manages to get himself into the box.

I could have a bit of skill and a nutmeg. Yeah, super moment. Great piece of skill. The Mozambique nutmeg. As Timba plays it back to Raya. And I have to put my hand up and confess that that does not count as an unintended pub name.

Because when it happened and as a nutmeg reneledo, I think it was. And I said he's nutmeg, the Mozambique. And I thought, that's definitely a pub name. And I have shamelessly gone for the Mozambique nutmeg. Now, during that commentary, I was listening in. I was waiting to present 606 on Saturday night.

And I had commentated on this certain chat we're about to talk about the week before. Who's a tricky pronunciation and one you need to get right. But John did it with such relish during Sunderland Arsenal and Arsenal. I knew we would have correspondence this one. week about this. So this is from Joseph in North London, who says, while listening to John's commentary of that game, I thought for a brief moment I tuned into Hare Chapman's, who do you think you are?

And Sunderland with Roof single, then Mukieli, Ballard and Herr Trouder, then Hume and Reneldell are the... Houtreaulder. Lutz Harald. That is a brilliant name. Lutz Charel. Luchel, Luchel, Herr Trouder. Yeah. Who's Dutch?

Yes. Yeah. But when I first commentated on him, without actually thinking of it, it was with Paul Robinson. And I'd mention Herr Trouder. And he said, during the commentary, he said, is that any relation to Hare Chapman? Any of his comment. Let's have another one from Ian Dennis. Bertie writes in, out on a dog walk, listening to Ian and Pat Nevin on Saturday afternoon.

and had to stop to write in after I heard this from Ian. Off the ball, there was a real coming to with Bowen alongside upside, Fleming. Fleming has to be careful. Fleming's on a yellow card. Bowen is...

It's the bootless Bowen. He's lost it, and Fleming's actually picked it up. And he's tossed it away from where Bowen is. He might score here with his walking at the minute without a boot on his left foot. The word's Hauser he comes to mind. Crawley 2 Fleetwood nil.

Bolton 3, Paul Vail, Nell. Bertie says great commentary and keep up the great work. And Dan the Hammer says the bootless Bowen would, quote, definitely be an East London affair with a good selection of real ales and stouts, pie and mash on the menu, with the jellied eels being optional.

After a few pints, you won't be leaving legless, but might just be a bit bootless. I do love the little giggle that the Detto puts in just before you he realizes as he's saying is what it's going to sound like a couple more Geordie Julie in London a couple of weeks back ABB said Danny Welbeck would be welcome back to Manchester United

with open arms the open arms would be a great name for a friendly pub Oop North it would be open 24 hours with a fire good ale and hearty food served even when it's snowy and cut off the open arms of course which is what the pubs on course at the open are all called. So when you're walking around, you can attend the open arms, yeah.

Yeah, that's a very good point. I remember when they first brought that, when they first appeared on the course at the open, it was probably now maybe eight, nine, ten years ago. I remember when they did that. So the tents, basically, they're just tents, the beer tents on the, on the, on the open championship golf courses called the open arms. I remember thinking, why didn't, why didn't they think of doing that before? It's so obvious, isn't it?

And John in Newcastle says this may be long since done but as it's especially in vogue this season as anyone suggested as an unintended pub name The Long Throw Inn And we haven't, have we? I don't think we have. And I think that is an excellent name, isn't it? The long throw in.

The fact it's got the inn. The double N, yeah, brilliant. I could say that in the Lake District. Well, Gazzar and Chris Waddle chucking bars of soap out the hotel window, those are long throws on there we are that's the selection of unintended club names this week and as I say to send them in TCV at BBC.co.uk on the email or WhatsApp to 08,000 289-369 and producer Andy from BBC Radio Shropshire has got in touch. Hi gentlemen after hearing your chat about

the tap in at the Tottenham Stadium here in Shrewsbury we have a pub called the Harry Hotson Spur. He, of course, is the noble knight who Tottenham use for their nickname. He died in the Battle of Shrewsbury way back in 1403, but the family-owned land in the Tottenham area, hence the connection. Next time Shrewsbury have a decent cup run and you're assigned commentary in these parts, you'll have to pop in for a pint. There's some great pubs in Shrewsbury. Aren't that, Ali, as we know? As we know, although we don't need to go back to the last time we were together in Shrewsbury. that the story of my brief innings has been told

on this pod. With the ashes around the corner it seems somewhat apt. Are you suggesting if you were to open a pub it would be called the brief innings? The Golden Duck. Welcome to the team behind the team. A new podcast series in partnership with the Open University

where we'll be showcasing the people, the tools and the techniques to help athletes and teams reach elite level. Like all elite sports, it's a pyramid and everybody's trying to get to the top. It's not just my vision. It's a shared vision amongst the team.

What is this? This is not the way I see the game. The team behind the team with Katie Smith. In partnership with the Open University. Listen on BBC Sounds. Bring more gear, carry more passengers, face greater challenges. Welcome to the world of Defender with seating up to eight, ample cargo space

and legendary off-road capability it's built to make the most of every adventure learn more at landrover.ca The commentators view on the football daily listen on BBC sounds clash of the commentators Ali has won each

of the last three matches is that right? Really? And so in the leader board Ian has five points from seven the champion defending champion And Ali has four points from eight now, and I am languishing at the bottom of the table where I am comfortable with two points from seven. But today we will have not a match that will influence the table, because it is one of our exhibition matches, where, Ali, you are going to be asking the questions.

Yeah, I mean, given I hadn't realized I won three in a row, I'd almost want to be going for a fourth and have you while you're on the back foot today, John. but that's not happening. So this is an exhibition game. Conner loves these. I should have got on the back foot at Shrewsbury, shouldn't I? They might be off stumbling on cartwheeling back towards the wicketkeeper. So I think this is good. I think you'll get a few here.

I wouldn't panic about this one, guys. This is how it works, everyone. These two are going to take turns. They'll have 30 seconds each to give as many correct answers as they can to my question. while the first player answers, the other one will unplug, so they can't hear the category in the answers. Who is going to go first today? Shall I unplug?

I'll go second. Okay. Hang on. I actually heard that unplugged. Yeah, John is waving the connector, so it is unplugged. Right, ready to go. Here we go, Connor. England, in this international break, have played Serbia,

and they're going to play Albania. I want you to name any Serbians or Albanians to have played in the Premier League. The clue here is there are only three Albanians, so you're probably better to focus on the Serbians. And the other clue is the vast majority of

the Serbian names end in itch. You've got 30 seconds, and your time starts now. I've got to say, was Mikatarian, Albanian? That kind of sounds right. Okay, so Vidich, was he Serbian?

Sassalukic. the Nottingham Forest Central Defender what's his name Mihailovich Serbian Oh my brain can't work this early in the morning

Oh, struggling so bad This is terrible No Not by that happened Okay Well I'm not going to let John plug in just yet I just want to look up Mikatarin's Armenian

I'd forgotten that he's Armenian Not Albanian Yeah Yeah So we had Vidich, we had Sasha Lukich of Fulham and

Mihailovich, I'll come back to that Connor, I will come back to that. Right, let's give John a wave. He's not had time for a shower after his run, straight back in here. Can he beat that? Hello John. He's back. Here we go, John. Without further ado, as you will well know, England are playing Serbia and Albania in this international

break. You've just got to name any Serbians or Albanians to have played in the Premier League. The clue here The two clues, the two clues. There are only three Albanians, so maybe focus on the Serbians. That's a hint. And the vast majority of the Serbian names end in itch. You have 30 seconds.

Your time starts now. Alexander Mitrovich. Nicola Milankovic. Sassal Lukic. Oh, the... Oh, what's he called? The Bournemouth defender was on the bench last night. Milos Savilyevich.

That's right, isn't it? Milis Savivich. Petrovich. More Serbians. Serbians. Robert Prasynetsky. Oh no, Croatia. Oops.

Very good. Very good, very good. The Croatians and the Serbians mixed up. Right. I don't want to be doing that. Results are in. named six and obviously Prozanetsky wasn't right but your other five

were correct so five points for you do you think that's going to be enough to be caught you know what's kicking me I'm trying to think of the Albanian who played for Sunderland who I cannot remember his name oh yeah was he called again Lorick how did you pronounce the surname

Chana Sanna Sanna Lorick Sanna Lerick Sanna Broya is the other one you could have got for there Armando Broyo anyway John do you think five going to be enough to beat Connor. See, I had a bit of an advantage because I actually commented on all of those players last night. So I think, I think it might have been yes.

Yeah, it was. It's a morale boosting win. By your distance. Yeah, although it's a bit of a, I feel that's a bit of a hollow victory. So Connor got Vidich, who you didn't get, which was, which is very good. And Sasha Lukic as well. and wanted to say Milankovic but said Mihailovic instead

but meant Melankovic but obviously didn't get that one. I'm just going to chuck a couple of others out there that I think when I say them you'll think of course but it's so much easier when you see the list. Mahalovich was Bulgarian wasn't he? Anyway. Anyway, anyway, anyway.

Branislav Ivanovich. Yes. Kolarov. Matich. Milovievich at Palis. Milovovievich. Milovievich, sorry. Milovovovitch took the penalties, didn't he? We like dogs breakfast, aren't we, of these?

Tadich, Duchamp, Dushan Tadich. Do you remember Nicola Ziggich? Yeah, Bigs fan, Birmingham City. Well played, John. Thank you very much. Yeah, another meaningless victory in an exhibition match for me. Another example of why I don't like playing this game. We have heard from the BBC's Louis Reynolds.

I recently commented on Huddersfield 1, Bolton 2, with Wanderer scoring their two goals. in the 93rd and 95th minutes, completing an incredible turnaround. It was cold, rainy, with both sides needing a result and a good crowd in attendance, the perfect recipe for a dramatic finale. Out of interest, he says, I wondered, what is the most dramatic ending to a game that you've commented on? And he says, I was also at Bradford City's promotion on the final day of last season, which has to be up there for me due to the meaning of the game.

keep up the good work. So thanks for that. Connor, there must be a very obvious answer for you in the recent past. Oh, I think probably the Harry Maguire header against Leon last season to make it 7-6 in stoppages. That'll take some beating. This is Barcelona 99th stuff here. Kabi Mernu has come up with a goal that is going to enter the Manchester United Annals.

A late, late equalizer for six, six. And still it's not over. Five minutes of stop and just. Harry McGuire! Oh, my word! Harry McGuire's header! Makes his seven, six to Manchester United. My voice hasn't quite broken back again since.

Say again? What were the two Australians called? Who did the... Oh, the chef mates. Shetmates. Yeah. That's right. Yeah.

I don't think I've told you this. So obviously, that blew up. on social media at the time and I never really kind of what's the word updated my Instagram account very regularly but they had contacted me on Instagram just like a private message thing to say

would I come on their podcast but I didn't see the message till about two weeks later and obviously it all moved on but that was a shame I could have yeah I know so all I need is another big viral moment and we can resurrect that

also one of the favourite matches my personal favourite matches in recent times that I've commented on was the FA Cup semi-final between Manchester United and Coventry. That was a real... There's a disallowed goal, wasn't there? F-A Cup class.

Victor Taup thought he'd won it. And it was agonizingly ruled out. I don't think I'll ever forget Victor Taup for that moment. Now it is time for the great glossary of football commentary where we add listener suggestions of football-specific commentary terms and phrases to our collection. So Division 1 for football excurs. terms and Division 2 for terms used in football commentary, but also used in other sports.

Last week, we demoted Rolls-Royce to Division 2 after we heard it used in Aussie rules, cricket and snooker, and we added Leading the Line into Division 1. However, David writes in, listening to the recent podcast I heard the suggestion of leading the line sorry chaps but I've often heard it used in rugby union commentary

oh well I mean Connor's a rugby union commentator I've done a bit leading the line how do you lead the line who leads the line in rugby I wouldn't use leading

I mean you could technically be at the front of the line out but I don't think it's used in that sense yeah I know just like because yeah you could often say

let's say that the fly half is sort of the you know the general of the team they're leading by example they're you know influencing the flow of play but not leading the line of not sure yeah I would debate

David on the pot and have a debate about that you know does it come up in horse racing though does a horse lead the line oh on a similar issue imagine a bit of John Hunt's you know leading the line I saw Elliot Soraf who's a former colleague about us

at Manchester City last Sunday afternoon who is an avid listener to the commentators view and he said, he quite urgently said to me, he said there's a phrase that you've not got in the glossary and he said it should be in there and he said particularly after Ian's rice rice baby was discussed multiple times on the podcast last season and the phrase is a dead ball specialist and he says while the likes of snooker and golf

require players to be deadball specialists as a prerequisite to their respected sports because they constantly work with a motionless ball. The phrase is synonymous with football as it captures a distinct role in the game. Yeah, I would agree because I think in rugby they would call it a set piece a lot more. But the dead ball is, yeah, I like that. Yeah. In fact, Elliot says it's poetic, succinct and recognisable to all those attuned to the footballing lexicon and therefore a strong contender for Division 1.

He's quite insistent. Just because we mentioned rugby, often when the ball goes over the dead ball line or whatever, you can say the ball has gone dead or whatever, but you don't say it's a dead ball situation. No, I mean, Johnny Wilkinson was never known as a dead ball specialist and a brilliant place kicker, wasn't he? But he was never a dead ball specialist.

So I think, yeah, well done, Elliot. He's put his case forward. Very good. Brilliantly there. Paul in Gisborne, New Zealand. has put forward something Joby McEnough said on this week's 72 plus EFL podcast when describing a Lyle Taylor goal. It's a long punt from the goalkeeper who's on the edge of his 18-yard box

and he literally smashes it up. The other end of the pitch. The ball is up in the sky. It's come down with snow on it. Somehow, I mean, you've watched it over your shoulder and it is just a touch of dreams. So it came down with snow on it and Paul says, I'm pretty sure this is Div 2

because it may well be used in rugby union, rugby league for an Eddie wearing up and under. Cricket as well for a ball hit straight up in the air. But it's a good Div 2 that. Div 2, yeah. Definitely cricket. Askaya came down with snow on it. On the international theme this week,

Crystal Palace fan Richard writes in, how about a phrase Ali used on last week's show referring to the England World Cup squad? England, though, have already qualified for the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States next summer. But competition is obviously growing for seats on the plane. Jude Belling and Phil Foden both record this time around. We're now courting you back at yourself, Ali.

Yeah. And he says, Richard, seats on the plane used a great deal in the run-up to football tournaments, but haven't heard it for other sports. Lions Tour, rugby world cops? Sheets on the plane, yeah. Yeah, did too. I do think, anything you have to make a squad for, to get the Olympic team, I would say, as well. A trip away.

The qualification, made the plane for Tokyo. Yeah, yeah. So solid div, too. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We should be using seats on the plane more widely because when it comes to the next men's euros, that is going to be in Great Britain and Ireland, isn't it? So there won't be a plane going there.

Seats on the train? Would you, will they be going on my train? They're just going the car. Seats in the car? Seats in the car. Seats in the convoy of cars. There are a lot of old glossary terms which we haven't yet sorted into Division 1 and Division 2. So please do help us with those. You can find them all in the podcast episode, description.

Winston and Mithamroyd has brought one of those to the table. Put their laces through it, which Winston says should go in Division 1. Thoughts? Put their laces through? I think you could hear that in Rugby Union. You know, definitely Union with a punt. A long punt downfield is absolutely put his laces through that. I might say that in rugby, I think. Yeah, agreed.

Rupert in Denver, Colorado. I don't know how many Ruperts there are in Denver. Ruper gets in touch. Gentlemen, I'd like to propose head tennis for the football glossary. I'm an ex-pat Brighton supporter living in the USA and I heard it mentioned by an American commentator several weeks ago. I can't imagine another sport where the phrase would be used, so I assume it's eligible for your consideration to the vaulted hall

of the great glossary of football commentary. I always enjoy listening to the pod, especially enjoyed the guest appearance by producer Claire, which marked the first time my wife, Christina, voiced appreciation for anything soccer, hoping head tennis meets your criteria. So I throw head tennis to

the floor. If you threw head tennis to the floor you'd lose, wouldn't you? Yes. Everyone knows exactly what you mean when you say. Yeah, absolutely. But I don't hear it used in any other, you know, sporting or non-sporting contexts other than.

And you do occasionally say that in commentary, don't you? As a commentator, you know, there's been a Head to the head to the head of the area. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. The producer Claire episode, which was very popular, is still available on the BBC Sounds app.

If you scroll down on the Football Daily Feed to the 29th of August, that particular podcast was called Trent Dropped and BTS at Five Live Sports. So if you want to go back and listen to that. And I've actually had some suggestions from Martin O'Boyle, one of the Premier League's match managers, who also does a sterling job for UEFA. And he was suggesting that we get more of our colleagues on

from behind the scenes to give people a little bit of an insight into all of the other things that go on around our commentary. Well, he was suggesting engineers. Some of our engineers, we spend a lot of time with. There are. So that's something to consider as well. We, John, are doing that on the FPL podcast from BBC Sports,

so that's our fantasy football offering. So producer Joe is going to appear as a guest next week, and it's less about what goes on behind the scenes. It's because his fantasy football team is currently 23rd in the world out of over 11 million managers. So he's got the three of us, me, Chris and Dave, pontificating each week on what to do with your fantasy football team, and he is a million times better than all of us.

well very good so that's next week yeah excellent so the summary for this week's contenders for the great glossary of football commentary came down with snow on it we've put into division two seats on the plane have gone into division two put their laces through it

division two the business end that was one I suggested earlier well that's too are we going to leave leading the line in division one David's not going to be happy about that though he thinks that's in rugby

I'm not convinced by that we could put that to the grey area put that to the list there is no grey area see what the reaction is to that and also into division one

have gone head tennis and Elliot will be very pleased that dead ball specialist has been placed in division one exit hooray Hooray, indeed. So any disputes let us know, or any other correspondence,

like this from Michael T. Love the pod, I listened to it round the farm and on the harvester. On the subject of Rolls-Royce players, I think you'll find Roy McFarland from Derby was the first person to earn that title. Cluffy described him as the Rolls-Royce of Defenders in a very early 1970s interview in shoot Oh, and thanks to BBC Sport, I can keep up with Barnet while on the other side of the world in Nunjikompita, South Australia.

Just Google it. I've never heard of that. Have you? No. A city in Australia, it's a rural locality in the Suduna region of South Australia, known for its small population and proximity to the southern ocean. That's what I've got so far. I should say that's my AI overview, so that's literally just punitive. it in and that's what I've got so so there we go well I've learned something

there today so so thanks thanks very much Michael and wouldn't it be great if when the world tour does eventually happen that we make a stop in Mnji Competa I tell what I used to like was the shoot shoot match thing was do you remember they would at the start of the season the little cardboard thing that would come with the inserts and you you would peel them out and you could you could adjust your own league table every week. That's fantastic. Yeah.

Yeah. You loved that. My memory of, because I was an avid reader of all of them, but Match had that feature, I might have told this story on the pod, so I'll do it very quickly, of where you could write in with your claim to fame. So have you seen anyone, a famous footballer, you know, what was your encounter? And mine was the story of being an Ipswich town fan as a kid going to a soccer school at Ipswich with my cousin and Terry Butcher, who I've since commentated with, came in. to coach us one morning.

And this, I was absolutely amazing. I mean, one of my absolute heroes as a kid, Terry Butcher, in that great Ipswich team. And he picked me up under the armpits to do a header. So he was coaching us, had a headball, which he probably wouldn't do nowadays, would you, with young kids? And he picked me up to head this ball that was coming across. And as I pulled my head back,

I head butted his nose and whacked him on the nose with the back of my head. I don't think I drew blood. But I got into Match Magazine with that story. And then years and years later ended up, commentating with him and told him the story. That's brilliant. You know, I don't think you've told me that before. I mean, it's the first time I've ever heard that story.

I've heard that. That's been some late-night bar that's been brought up before. It's brilliant. I absolutely love it. I just love the fact that he'd to lift you up, baby, B, because, you know, you're famous. It's a real trip down memory laying in the Q&A, the questionnaires, and they would send out these questionnaires with just the most routine questions to footballers. And it's a real insight.

sight into the relatively normal lives that footballers lived back in the 70s and I remember very often it would be things like what car do you drive? Vauxhall Cortina Ford Escort and also what's

your favourite meal and I remember as a youngster at school that very often almost every other week the footballers would choose steak Diane and I always used to think what is this steak die-ines of which they speak.

Yeah, and there was always favourite clothing. It would always be track suit. There was never anything more interesting than track suit in there. By the way, studio director Mitch, just before we go, John, has this. An old story went viral this time last year, which came

from Shoot magazine in November 1991, and it claimed that President Trump once played for Wolves' youth team. The report stated that Trump once played six games for Wolves Youth Side while his American Air Force father was based

in the West Midlands. It has however yet to be verified. So that could be fake news. But that came from an issue of shoot November 1991. Connor, thank you very much for stepping into the shoes. Pleasure as always. The mind-altering

shoes of Mr. Ian Dennis this week. And I'm sure we will have you back on soon. Ali, enjoy your week ahead. Do keep the glossary suggestions coming in, and remember if you hear an unintended pub name in any commentary, send it in to TCV at bbc.com.uk and voice notes, very, very welcome on WhatsApp to 08,289-389-369. And that is it for this episode of the Football Daily. The next one will be reimagining football. And remember, you can find each and every episode

of the commentator's view by scrolling down your football daily feed. How's it going? Is that Connor McNamara? I think it is Conan McNamara. Hey guys, good morning. Morning, Connor. From Europe.

Well, joining you from the successful footballing nation of Republic of Ireland. We are so back. Five Live Sports. Go to the end show touchdown. NFL. Touchtown. Great play design.

I think you just have to go out there and be the best that you can be. We're going to go out there and lay it all in the line. A 12-yard touchdown run. 105 yards on the return. Where speed, power, and skill collide. And the Eagles are beating the chiefs convincingly in Super Bowl 59. Five lights for NFL. Listen on BBC Sounds.