Football Daily - The Commentators' View: Spanish sherry & lackadaisical

Episode Date: March 13, 2026

John Murray, Ian Dennis & Ali Bruce-Ball talk about their commentary travels. Did John get his usual table in Madrid? Are English teams underperforming in the Champions League? The guys have their say on the Premier League title race and Igor Tudor still being at Tottenham Hotspur. Plus more unintended pub names, a royally good Clash of the Commentators and more of your Glossary terms and phrases. Messages, questions and voicenotes on WhatsApp to 08000 289 369 & emails to [e-mail]03:30 John’s special table in Madrid, 05:50 Have English teams underperformed in Champions League? 09:40 John’s Spanish sherry tip-off, 12:30 Will we get more singing on the pod? 15:45 5 Live commentaries this weekend, 20:45 Surprised Tudor is still at Spurs? 24:30 Ali makes fool of himself at Wrexham, 31:10 Unintended pub names, 35:35 Clash of the Commentators, 40:25 Great Glossary of Football Commentary.5 Live / BBC Sounds commentaries: Sat 1500 Burnley v Bournemouth on Sports Extra with Ali Bruce-Ball & Leon Osman, Sat 1500 Sunderland v Brighton on Sports Extra 2, Sat 1730 Arsenal v Everton with Conor McNamara and Pat Nevin, Sat 1730 Chelsea v Newcastle on Sports Extra, Sun 1400 Man Utd v Aston Villa with John Murray & Dion Dublin, Sun 1400 Forest v Fulham on Sports Extra, Sun 1400 Palace v Leeds on Sports Extra 2, Sun 1415 Women’s League Cup Final Man Utd v Chelsea on Sports Extra 3, Sun 1630 Liverpool v Spurs with Vicki Sparks & Clinton Morrison.Great Glossary of Football Commentary: DIVISION ONE Agricultural challenge, Back of the net, Back to square one, Booked, Bosman, Bullet header, Channel of joy, Coupon buster, Cruyff Turn, Cultured/educated left foot, Dead-ball specialist, Draught excluder, Elastico/flip-flap, False nine, Fox in the box, Giving the goalkeeper the eyes, Grub hunter, Head tennis, Hibs it, In a good moment, In behind, Magic of the FA Cup, The Maradona, Off their line, Olimpico, Onion bag, Panenka, Park the bus, Perfect hat-trick, Put his cap on it, Rabona, Roy of the Rovers stuff, Schmeichel-style, Scorpion kick, Spursy, Stick it in the mixer, Sweeper keeper, Target man, Tiki-taka, Towering header, Trivela, Where the kookaburra sleeps, Where the owl sleeps, Where the spiders sleep. DIVISION TWO 2-0 can be a dangerous score, Asterisk, Back on the grass, Ball stays hit, Beaten all ends up, Blaze over the bar, Business end, Came down with snow on it, Catching practice, Camped in the opposition half, Cauldron atmosphere Coat is on a shoogly peg, Come back to haunt them, Corridor of uncertainty, Couldn’t sort their feet out, Easy tap-in, Daisy-cutter, First cab off the rank, Giant-killing, Good leave, Good touch for a big man, Half-turn, Has that in his locker, High wide and not very handsome, Hospital pass, Howler, In the dugout, In the hat, In their pocket, Johnny on the spot, Lackadaisical, Leading the line, Leather a shot, Middle of the park, Needed no second invitation, Nice headache to have, No-look pass, Nutmeg, On their bike, One for the cameras, One for the purists, Played us off the park, Points to the spot, Prawn sandwich brigade, Purple patch, Put their laces through it, Queensbury rules, Reaches for their pocket, Rolls Royce, Root and branch review, Row Z, Screamer, Seats on the plane, Show across the bows, Slide-rule pass, Staving off relegation, Steal a march, Straight in the bread basket, Stramash, Taking one for the team, Telegraphed that pass, Tired legs, That’s great… (football), Thunderous strike, Turns on a sixpence, Walk it in, We’ve got a cup tie on our hands.

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And all the bizarre ways people are using. the internet. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. The commentators view on the Football Daily with Alistair Bruce Ball, John Murray and Ian Dennis. Hello, this is the Football Daily. I'm Alastair Bruce Ball and this is the commentators view where we five live commentators talk primarily about the football, our travels and the language we use to describe the

beautiful game with our listeners help, of course, from their additions to the great glossary of football commentary more on that to come but your suggestions always welcome tcv at bbc co.com.uk on the emails and the voice notes to WhatsApp on 08000 289-389 369 I still need to see that number written down that is not in my head yet I couldn't rattle that off without seeing it john Murray and Ian Dennis are both here how are we chaps hello yes we've had a busy week haven't we all should say Buenos Aires Yes to John. Patatas Brothers.

Potatas Bravas. Yeah, that's terrible. Off the back of his double Madrid experience, where, particularly on the Tuesday night, John, I will get on to it, but I said to Matt Upsen in the commentary of the Leibikuz and Arsenal game, just we were sitting in the hotel in Germany

watching that Tottenham drama play out in the first 15 minutes. And I was saying to Matt on air that you've been doing the job for 30 years, and still things happen that you've never ever seen before. Exactly. That's exactly what we were saying on air at the time with Paul Robinson. And the funny thing about it was, and there were two, well, there were many cracking matches this week, weren't there, but they were two truly eventful matches, but particularly the first one at Atletico,

knowing that the next night we were going to be commentating on Rail Madrid and Manchester City, but with everything that happened on the Tuesday night, the commentary, the match, the aftermath, what was said. On the Wednesday morning, I was actually thinking, I really feel like that cannot, whatever happens tonight cannot match what we've seen on the Tuesday.

No, no. You actually sent me that in a message, John. You said, absolutely extraordinary last night. Tonight cannot match that. And I replied it, sounded it, you never know, Cabin 8, question mark. It was very much Camdena Ocho. Yeah, were you in Cabinet?

The Burnabelle, is that right? Cabina, Cochow. Excellent. That's very good. Yes, we'll get on to more of that in a second. And I think all the sort of the aftermath of the Tottenham Hotspur thing has been debated ad nauseam this week. You probably don't need to do that. I would like to get your thoughts, though, in a bit on the performances of the English teams in Europe in this first week of knockout football.

Because that's been quite striking, I think, in how well they did in the league phase. and now how a lot of them are struggling now to try and get through to the quarterfinals. Before we do that though, I must say, while I was away, I wasn't with you last week, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to last week's episode with John Hunt as our guest in my place. So did Newcastle fan Julie.

She sent us an email. She says, hello all. John Hunt is such a legend. I was even happy that the Hammers won for him on Monday night. I'm also excited for John Murray, to go to his reserve table at his restaurant in Madrid and do a little spot of football commentary as well. So that's the other question, as well as Cabinoccho.

Was the table there, John? Was it ready and waiting for you? Remarkably, yes, it was. And it's not a restaurant. It's a little bar or a lounge, as it would call itself. And it's, I mean, it is because we've been going there, I've been going there for such a long time over many years. And so I literally just walk in and what they do is, and as we discovered, it's run, it's a family run lounge.

And the man behind the bar, he's Miguel, and his wife is Pippa, and their son and daughter also work in the bar as well. And clearly what they do, which is only recently worked out, they'll put tables with reserved signs on them. and what they do is when who they're considered to be their regulars come in they usher them to these tables and I've been there so many times now over the year I've unwittingly become a regular at this lounge in Madrid

Do you not think given their incredibly generous hospitality because you're probably there during the football season let's say three times maybe during the season, maybe four I don't know but do you not feel you sort of owe it to them to learn a bit of Spanish so you can say more than

Patatus bravus when you go in? It is a very fair point, but we also this week had with us our producer and much-loved colleague George Cummins who can speak quite a bit of Spanish, so therefore we were able with George to learn a little bit

more, and George actually said to Miguel because Miguel and Pippa barely speak a word of English and George said to them, so you know, why is it that, you know, and Miguel said well he has been coming in here for many many years in Spanish to George so it's quite a it's actually quite touching yes lovely I like it I've just had a thought and not just

Ali but that could be a destination for our world tour that's perfect isn't it isn't it a late night live recording yeah in the lounge see Miguel and Pipper that's good that's good yeah I like it um Ian you you you you you didn't travel abroad for Champions League football this week so you were alongside Chris Waddle for Newcastle Barcelona Newcastle are very much in that tie at 1-1 and conceded late but just to get onto that conversation of how the English teams have performed when you saw those ties come out of the hat initially

how many of them would you have made despite the performance in the league phase very strong from the English teams how many of them would you have made the English teams strong favourites for in this knockout round because I think Arsenal-Lavikuzan, yes, and I would have backed Liverpool to go through against Galatasor. The other four, I wouldn't necessarily have made the English team's favourites. No, I wouldn't either.

And with that in mind, I still think that both Arsenal and Liverpool will go through. And a lot has been made of the fact that there's just been the one win. But also, Newcastle should have won. They deserve to win. They were so unlucky. They played really well. They played with an energy and in an intensity. that Barcelona

very, very struggle to get, I think just won the opportunity from Levendovsky's second half. So with that in mind, I don't know, you've got to play the full 90-odd minutes, but it was just that one lapse of concentration by Chow that gave away the penalty.

But I think like you, Ali, overall, I think I would have said, Arsenal, Liverpool, I think it's going to be a very tough task for Newcastle bearing in mind Barcelona's record since they returned to the day, New Camp, they've won all 11 games by an aggregate score of 35 to 4.

So I think Newcastle are going to have to really pull out another excellent performance just to give themselves a fighting chance of going through. But they have hope. I think even had they won 1-0, you know, that they still have to have pulled out a special performance in the New Camp for the return leg. But like you, I would have put Barcelona, Atlago Madrid, who else? Paris Saint-German, all as favourites to go through against the English opposition. The fact is, when the draw was made, and you end up with PSG Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Newcastle, Barcelona, you know, they are incredibly competitive ties.

And it's a cup competition. That can happen. I think probably the surprise is that Chelsea and Manchester City both lost by a three-goal margin. But, I mean, for Tottenham, we know what's happening with them at the moment, and that's one of the hardest places to go, the Metropolitan or to play at L'Aldeco Madrid. And that happened. and so that's where we are and we don't forget we still

you know I think people have been rushing to say well you know what does this mean about the Premier League most of them were away from home

and they've got the home matches to come next week and it's Cup football as I was saying on Wednesday night Pep Guardiola will have been in charge of Manchester City for 10 years

and in that time he's won the Champions League once with Manchester City because it's a cup competition but what is it in the history of the Champions League only four teams have overturned a three-gold deficit. And I think for Chelsea and Manchester City now,

I mean, Manchester City were just all over the place, but Chelsea, they'll be kicking themselves because there was a degree of naive defending, wasn't there, in that second half? When they're only three-two down, you know, you could easily turn that around. Then to concede the further two late goals, I think that's asking too much now for Chelsea to come back from that.

Yeah, and if you look at how it's gone for Chelsea under Liam Resinia so far and his relatively short time in charge when they've come up again. I mean the games they've lost are to the better teams so they've beaten the teams you'd expect them to beat but so far they've lost the three games

against Arsenal in the two in the league two in the league and then to Paris San Jaman but at 2-2 I agree and that looked quite promising for them but it's difficult to see them but we know because of recent experience what Paris Sangeman can do when they're in the move and they're in the flow in the park of France.

And that happened against Chelsea this time. By the way, I've got one other story. I must tell you from Madrid. And again, I think on this podcast, it's a good example of, well, international relations as much as anything else. Because at the start of the week, one of my new Norwegian friends, Marius,

who I met when I went to Buda, who works for the Norwegian broadcasters, and we've been in touch with him since then as well. Anyway, he got in touch and said that they wanted to be, do a piece about all of the various people who've come to Buddha and seen them play in European competitions. So I had a chat with him. And anyway, we were talking about him. They're going to Lisbon next week. So I said, oh, I've got a couple of recommendations for Lisbon. And he said, well, if you're going to Madrid, I've got a recommendation for you. And he told me about this place

in Madrid, which he said, it's actually a sherry bar. And he said, you're going to. And he said, You can only get Sherry in there. And he said, he said, you must go to a terrific place because it's been around for over a century. And it's down a little street, because we did go out,

down a little street. I mean, you would, you just walk past it if you didn't know about it. And Marius was telling me that over the times in the past century where Spain has been driven by political divides, you know people who were friendly but on different sides of the political divides would agree to meet at this sherry bar and the agreement was that you'd leave your politics at the door

and you'd come in and you'd share a sherry and uh you know that would be it and it would all be very very convivial and and so we went there and it is incredibly old-fashioned you know it's quiet there's just a little hubbub in there old wooden tables this bar and behind the bar, it's stacked with bottles of sherry with dust on them. And also, the staff, you cannot take pictures in there, no mobiles, no pictures, and the staff are magnificently unfriendly. Absolutely. There's no chat.

So went to the bar and said, what would you recommend? He said, the list of sherry's there. That's it. What did producer George make of sherry? Would that be his first ever glass of sherry? It quite possibly was, and I think his opening gambit was, oh, it tastes like medicine. And then he proceeded to quickly drink it.

But it was an amazing experience, that terrific place. So I must thank Marius. And so that is an example of the international cooperation of football commentators and reporters. We need to talk singing, John. We know you love to sing. We do. And we're going to have more.

of your correspondence later, but just to keep the singing Nuno Espirito Santo thread going, and I'm not falling into that trap again. Ed from Southampton says, Hi, Denno, John and ABB. I love listening to the podcast, washing up, going for a run, or doing some DIY. I'm emailing in because for the last three weeks or so, I cannot stop singing a song every time the Formula One driver Isaac Hadger

enters my head to the tune of Rock the Casbar by the clash. I'm not brave enough to leave a voice note but I'm hoping Deno or F1 commentator

Harry Benjamin will do the honours. Well John, I hate to be the voice of disappointment but if you'd listen to last week's episode then they actually clipped up

John Hunt singing the Nuno Espirito song that John did the previous week. Had you asked me to do a deacon blue ditty, you might have stood a chance, but I will leave Harry Benjamin in pole position to do anything from... It was clash, wasn't it, Rock the Casbah? The clash, yeah. Yeah, so I will leave that to Harry.

You've got no chance of me doing that. What a shame. It's not very sporting. Isaac Hadjar. Isaac Hadjar. I've been busted doing those sort of silly things before. So quite like you, John, you know, you know, Mark Chapman claims, he doesn't listen to the podcast. He does. They nick the bits out of us making fools of ourselves and then play it for their amusement.

So quite like you, I'm not falling into that trap. Laurie in Melbourne gets in touch on this note as well. I was in the lift today on my way to get lunch and a fellow lift member from a different floor in my building started joining in with my humming. And what was it we ended up singing by ground level after 26 floors? No, I nearly burst into song. You did. Nuno Espirito Santo. It turns out neither of us are West Ham fans.

We're Portsmouth and Liverpool, but both of us are big fans of the commentator's view. Thank you from Laurie. That's brilliant. So down under in Australia, on separate floors, and they're listening to our pod. That is tremendous. That is remarkable.

That actually makes me think of, I was thinking when I was listening to Tony Livesey's program when I was driving back home once I returned from Madrid. And Tony was talking, this week on his program on Five Live about how he wanted to try and get one new listener every night, which I thought, I thought, oh, we could adapt that. And we could say to our regular commentators view listeners, we could say to them, your task is this week to introduce one new person to this podcast.

So there's a challenge for our listeners. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. If we start singing, man. If we start singing the clash, then I think we'll lose quite a few. The list of just getting onto the football commentaries on the network on 5 Live and BBC Sounds this weekend. I mean, it's an enormous long list this because obviously next week we've got the second legs of all the European football as well.

The other thing I would say just very quickly, because we're going to talk about the football on this podcast, is this weekend is a classic example of where the BBC sounds out. comes into its own, where you can get Five Live, you can get all the podcasts, you can get all the sports extra streams. Because over the weekend, you've got the final Saturday of the Six Nations, which is going to be spectacular, all the Premier League football, we've got the tennis in Indian Wells, commentary on the last two rounds of the players championship in the Gulf. Formula One?

They'll be the Chinese Grand Prix at 7 o'clock. That's right, John, on Sunday morning. So it's absolutely, if you haven't got the BBC Sounds app for a week, weekend like this and if you're a sports fan, you have to have it. We're talking football. So in amongst the rugby on Saturday, I'm going to be at Turf Moore for our 3 o'clock Premier League commentary, which is Burnley against Bournemouth. That will actually start on Sports Extra because Ireland, Scotland, in the Six Nations, which is a massive game, kicks off at 10 past 2. So second half of Burnley, Bournemouth will then appear on 5 Live. If you want Sunderland Brighton in full,

that will be on Sports Extra 2 and then we've got two commentaries from the Premier League at half-past five on Saturday Arsdale Everton and Chelsea Newcastle which will be on Sports Extra on Arsenal chaps because I've just been watching them recently

and obviously we're back into the title race this weekend I thought John watching them in the Champions League playing in the Champions League and knockout football might free them up a little I've watched quite a lot of them recently and they are not freed up at the moment they are, it's, it's a grind. It's a real grind.

And I don't actually think that's going to change now for the rest of the season. I can't see them throwing the shackles off. No. And if that's successful for them, that's fine by me when you've not won the Premier League since 2004. And that is your prime target, your prime goal. Listen, all of the exciting expressive football can come in the seasons ahead once they've got back on the winning track. it's not something that particularly gets under my skin because if you've got to find a way to win

then that's what you have to do. Ian, what are you making of the the Tid dress? I mean, having watched Manchester City, obviously I know it was against Real Madrid and it was in the Bernaband, whatever. Do you think Manchester City are going to be good enough to haul them in? Seven points game in hand, they've still got arsled to come at home?

Well, it was interesting speaking to Pep Guardiola after the victory for them over Newcastle United in the FA Cup the previous weekend when he said, I know what's being said and he was almost saying there's still a long way to go yet and I think he'll still back his team

but I like John just think that Arsenal and as you know even when people were doubting them I said they'll still go on and win the title I back them from the very start so I think it's just a question of getting over the line and I still believe that they'll do that I think psychologically

the meeting coming up between the two of them in the league cup final could have a bearing whoever was to win that but especially if Arsenal can win that trophy then I think that will just give them a little bit of a boost to see them through in the final straight and I must say as well those two big meetings

the Carabau Cup final and the Premier League match we will have commentary on both of those matches on five lives so Sunday 22nd of March at 430 Carabau Cup final and then Sunday the 19th of April 430 at the Ety had the league match between Manchester City and Arsenal And I would also say, I just think, you know, having seen him the other night, I know sometimes you see Harland where he has a very, very quiet evening.

But, you know, he's being used quite sparingly by Pep Guardiola at the moment, if he is nursing something. And for a run now for him of just four goals in his last 17 appearances, that is not the Erling Harland that we've become used to see him. Bringing it back to this Sunday, John, you're at Old Trafford 2 o'clock on Sunday for Manchester United against Astonville. a fresh Manchester United, obviously, because they're not playing European football.

Yes, and a freshty on Dublin, of course, will be sitting next to me as well. And I think with Manchester United at the moment, under Michael Carrick, whatever they do, is very much a story. So, yeah, Manchester United, Astendulla. Two o'clock as well, and earlier finish on a Sunday,

which I always quite like. He might not be that fresh. He's been at Cheltenham this week. Well said, Ian. Well said. Last week's guest, John Huntsman in sparkling form, of course, on the mic at Chelten. This week. Two o'clock Sunday, Forrest Fulham Sports Extra, Pallace Lead Sports Extra 2.

The Women's League Cup final kicks off at 2.15 on Sunday. That's on Sports Extra 3. And then the 430 commentary on 5 live and BBC Sounds is Liverpool Spurs. And actually, I mean, given what happened in midweek with Spurs, that will be, I mean, that could be grim fascination because it is just, I mean, you don't know really I mean we obviously don't know what's going to happen but it's um it's falling in on itself there isn't it is

yeah yeah they are imploding and I'll be honestly that I'm surprised he's still in the job a number of I know a number of Tottenham supporters and for a long time they've been saying oh we're in a relegation dog fight and I thought oh no they'll be all right they'll be all right and I think the alarm bells now

are ringing for everybody for what's going on there well I think I said a couple of weeks ago Ian, remember when they had the two matches against Fulham and Palace and we were talking about Tottenham and I said, well, I don't think they will, but if they were to lose both of those matches, then they're in big trouble.

They lost both of those matches and then experienced what they did in the first half at the Metropolitan or the other night. And the appointment of Tudor has the poor prince of Paratichi all over it, and I would now question the

decision makers at Totham if they allowed his influence to say right, okay, he's going to come in to replace Thomas Frank, I would question their decision making as to now can they get the next appointment right? Because it was such a gamble for Tudor to come in. And I actually thought, oh, that's very, very bold. It hasn't clearly worked.

And the longer they leave it, they place Tottenham's place in the top flight more at risk, more jeopardy. I don't think they would have got relegated under Thomas Frank. And on socials this week, I saw someone replay that clip of Antonio Conte when he lost it after a game against Southampton and went on about how Tottenham Hotspur Football Club is running. You watch that now and you think, crikey, you know. Well, anyway, we'll say, I mean, that is appointment listening.

4.30 Sunday, Vicky Sparks, Clinton Morrison will bring you Liverpool against Spurs. On to the correspondence, TCV at BBC.com.com. UK is the email address, 08,000, 289-369 for the voice notes. First up, Manchester City fan Joe, Hi, T-CV, one of the 100% Club who's listened to every episode, unlike John. You three are a brilliant accompaniment to my Saturday morning runs. I wanted to shout out Five Lives John Acres for his work in the FA Cup last weekend.

My maternal grandfather is a huge Port Vale fan, and there was no one better than John to deliver the shock win against Sunderland with his local knowledge and it allowed the listener into a very underappreciated and lesser-known part of the country after his great work on BBC Radio Stoke for many years on Saturday afternoons.

Thank you to John and the production team for their great work and a few happy tears were shed on an emotional afternoon for one side of our family. Keep up the great work. That is a lovely email, thank you Joe. We'll make sure John will pass that on.

Yes. And I caught bits and pieces of John's commentary, having been at Wrexham on the Friday night. And that was a really enjoyable experience to go to the race course ground. And I must thank Mark Griffith, who is the regular Rexham commentator. We had a lovely chat for about 20 minutes when I got to the race course ground. And his knowledge, because he's commentated on the club, he knows it inside out. some of the stuff he was telling me about everything that's been going on at the club and how it is

and what it's like being involved in Wrexham right now was I just found absolutely fascinating I wonder if he was there to see me make a total fool of myself at the race course ground when working for BBC Radio Bristol back in the late 90s because as you were telling your Wrexom stories with John Hunt last week you know sometimes when we get into conversation on the pod you think oh God yeah that remind I was thinking have I been there

and basically I turned up on a day working for local radio and you know I think as with all of us we've got these these um ISDN boxes which is how we broadcast a sort of high quality phone line and I know how to plug those in and turn them on and dial them up but if something goes wrong with it I've got no chance of fixing it and then you're looking around for some help about 10 more minutes before the show was about to go on air I just couldn't get the line up and running and I was desperately sort of looking around the stand for someone and I spotted someone who I thought I didn't you know You know, you just sort of make assumptions about people.

I just thought they're someone who looks like. Either they might be part of the media team, but also possibly they just might be able to help me technically here. But this chap was sort of sitting there quite close to me with headphones on. So it was obviously about to do some broadcasting. I felt terrible. I was sort of trying to get his attention and whatever. And eventually I did after a couple of minutes.

And then was sort of pointing to my box and saying it wouldn't work and could you help them whatever. It turns out it was former striker and manager of Rexham Dixie. McNeil who would have had much less of an idea about how to work an ISDN kit than I would and Jeff 20 who was I've mentioned on this pod before who was my boss and presenting the show we were

live at the race course ground he let me he watched this all play out and I think he knew who I was trying to get help from and it was Dixie McNeil and he was falling about laughing because Dixie McNeil was just struggling how can it just reminded me of that wrecks

we got on air anyway so that was a fine player as well, Dixie McNeil. And actually, after the discussion last week about how tight it was there, actually it was a brilliant commentary position and I had lots of legroom. It's tight from side to side as opposed to being tight for legroom. But I felt that the race course ground had, you know, it's probably better than half the commentary positions that we are often in. And was it your first visit?

It wasn't. I think it was. Yeah. I'm pretty sure it was my first visit, though. We've been talking about palm trees at football grounds on the pod recently. Chris in Melbourne alerting us to the Central Coast Mariners in Gosford. Gary, producer Gary, has got in touch with the pod and says he's already been there. I thought Gary had enough to be getting on with,

never mind sending emails into our own podcast. Good news, Ian, this, about a potential world tour, starting the Central Coast Mariners in Gosford, England's women trained at the venue during the 2023 Women's World Cup. It means the ground has been wrecked, risk-assessed and approved for live broadcast. So book those plane tickets.

Says Gary. Yeah, thanks for writing in, Gary. Yeah, hopefully we'll hear from you again soon. Listen, this is a great one, this next email. And this comes from self-proclaimed, long-suffering Spurs fan, Janina.

And Janina says, Hello, TCV, gents. I love listening to the pod and look forward to listening every week. I really enjoyed last week's pod with the brilliant John Hunt guesting. I really enjoyed listening to his commentary at the Winter Olympics. I totally agree with him about listening to sports on the radio. I often have the Kelly box on with the sound muted and the radio commentary turned on for all the sports I follow, especially the football, cricket and rugby. I love it during the big football tournaments when the BBC.

do the radio commentary on the red button. I always took my little transistor radio with me to games at the old white art lane so I could listen to the results and reports on the long walk down the high road to Seven Sisters Underground Station, out of the blue coming on just as I was leaving the ground. I remember one occasion after Spurs had played Everton in December 1989, and the draw for Italia 90 was taking place. As I was listening on my little radio, an Everton fan came over and asked if he could listen as well.

Two of us walked very slowly up the high road, listening to the draw and chatting about how we thought England would do. It hadn't finished by the time we reached the tube station, so we stood at the entrance until it had finished. That sort of thing doesn't happen in this day and age. Now it's fans walking along with the eyes on the mobile phones for results and reports. I still take a radio with me if I go to the match, only now it's a little DAB radio. All the best. Nina. You say it, John, every week on this pod. You cannot beat live sport on the radio. And one thing that has been lost that I don't care what anyone says is better. Is that thing

where, when it came to, you know, the final days of the season, relegation, whatnot. Now there is a real uncertainty about what's happening elsewhere because people are trying and very often in vain to follow it on their phones, whereas in times past, people would listen. on the radio and know what was going on elsewhere. But that's progress for you. And can I just say as well, that game was the 9th of December, 1988, Tottenham beat Everton by two goals to one. Terry Venables was in charge of Spurs,

and Janina was part of a crowd of 29,374. Have you got the goal scorer? It's very good off the top of your head that. Tony Cotty gave Everton the lead, Garolinica, and then Paul Stewart got the winning goal on the hour. That takes me back. That's brilliant. Encyclopedic knowledge.

My name's Steve Bradnell, a sister manager of Royal Oak FC. You may have seen me online with Vinyl. Vinyl sensation. And now the BBC have given me the chance to set the footballing world banter eyes. This could be a great opportunity for us,

a podcast for the BBC. Can I just say, what's a podcast? Brilliant. Right, start. Well done, Bob. Brilliant. We can completely. show utter transparency to Royal Oak fans.

I'll use my charm. Gift it gab. Games gone. The Steve Bracknell podcast. Watch on YouTube. Listen on BBC sounds. This is not the future we were promised. Like, how about that for a tagline for the show?

From the BBC, this is the interface, the show that explores how tech is rewiring your week and your world. This isn't about quarterly earnings or about tech reviews. It's about what technology is actually doing to your work and your politics, your everyday life. And all the bizarre ways people are using the internet. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. The commentators view on the Football Daily with Alistair Bruce Ball, John Murray and Ian Dennis. We love your suggestions for the unintended pub names too that you've heard in sports commentary on the radio.

last time we had the dreaded drop, which everyone tries to avoid, and the man in the middle where referees huddle inside and Howard Webb sings motivational karaoke. This week on the unintended pub names, our first suggestion comes from Billy on the South Coast. It came during John's commentary of the Athletico, Madrid and Spurs match on Tuesday after Spurs went four goals down and they scored a goal. Here's Richarlison, a rare Tottenham attack.

Rishalison into the penalty area still going, works it across. Porro could be into score and he is. Pedro Porro has been able to go back for Tottenham. Well, that's a crumb of comfort but not much more than that.

4-1, Pedro Porro. John described it as a crumb of comfort for the Spurs supporters. This will be a pub with subdued lighting, very quiet music in the background. People speaking in hushed voices and the staff

being trained counsellors that could understand and sympathise and empathise with the disappointed supporters coming in to just mull over the bad games their teams have just had. As I'm a Palace supporter, I'd really appreciate going to a pub like this

the run of games wrong at the moment. So I give it to you now and I hope it will be accepted. The crumb of comfort. Definitely accepted. I like the crumb of comfort. Very good. Sounds like John went to the crumb of comfort at that sherry bar.

There weren't many crumbs of comfort in there. Our next correspondence, Newcastle fan Dave, has sent... Now, you won't be able to see this obviously listening to the pod, but he sent us a picture on WhatsApp, 08,28,289-369. And he says, hello, guys, great show. As you can see from this photo, I'm on the right, and my mate Ron is with me. We were among the 1,800 Newcastle United fans

who recently traveled to Baku in Azerbaijan, to watch the Champions League knockout first leg between Carabag and Newcastle United. What an amazing place to visit. When I returned from Azerbaijan, I listened back to John and Pat Nevin's excellent match commentary on the BBC Sounds app, and I heard John describing the sixth Newcastle goal. Jacob Murphy involved in the match for the first time, really, left for a shot. Deflect it up and in! Over the goalkeepers dive.

Jacob Murphy will claim that. It was on target. It took a flick. but it's in the net and Newcastle score there sixth of the match their first in the second half Carabag one

Newcastle six and well done Murphy you need to be strong to get onto the ball if you're going to come onto the game have an effect in the game it's cut in from the right hand side on his left foot

but to be fair everything that could possibly go wrong so far for Carabag has gone wrong that is a gigantic deflection there isn't it I think it might, believe it or not, have come off the head of the unfortunate Medina. Dave says the unfortunate Medina would not only be where the Carabag players and manager headed after the game to drown their sorrows, but it would also be a chain where despondent supporters would gather in dark alleys and dimly lit market squares

across Mediterranean Europe and North Africa to thrash out and a portion blame for their team's poor performance. I can see very animated groups of loud supporters in team colours gather, around bowls of olives, glasses of red wine and tapas as they dissect the match before disappearing into the night. The unfortunate Medina as well would have given us another song opportunity. Do you remember Tone Loak, Funky Cold Medina? I can hear Hare Chapman singing the unfortunate Medina because that would be his kind of music, I think. So maybe we'll lay that out as a challenge to him. Yeah, good idea. So that's Gerben Goerbernoff would find himself in the unfortunate Medina then wouldn't he?

He said a funky coma data. Thank you very much, as always, for your suggestions on those. We absolutely love them and the descriptions of the pubs just like that. So if you spot them, let us know. TCV at BBC.com. And the WhatsApp to 08,289369. Next up, on the commentators' view, it's a big one. It is Clash of the Commentators.

If you are listening for the first time, this is how it works. Two of us taking turns to answer a question. we give as many correct answers as we can in 30 seconds. And last time out, Ali stunned the runaway league leader, Ian, on teams beaten by Boda Glimt this season. So Ian now two defeats in a row, having a bit of a wobble. The league table has Ian at the top with 10 from 14, then Ali in second on 6 from 14,

and then me with 5. from 13, although of course, if we ever do finally get the result of the ongoing protest, that would make life very interesting because that would take Ian back down to 9 and knee up to 6. So it would actually be quite tight once the verdict eventually comes in. Well, there isn't a verdict to have. It's becoming quite tedious. This week, it's Ali versus John, because you're right, I am having a wobble. but who wants to go first? John, you choose.

What would you like to do today? Okay, I'll go first then. Okay, I'll unplug. You're going to enjoy this one, John. I was just going to say, is it a good question this one? You're going to enjoy this. I'm going to say, I personally am glad that I'm the question master. So, 430 commentary on 5 Live, Premier League Sunday this weekend, Liverpool versus Spurs.

All the talk this week has been around, Igor Tudor, and his decision to sub-off his goalkeeper, Antonin Kinski. So Tudor and Kinski. On this theme, I want you to name any player with a period of British history in their name or a British monarch in their name.

So any player named after a British monarch or a period of British history, we will accept repeated names. Your 30 seconds starts now. Paul Stewart Mattie James, Paul Williams, Gary Charles, uh,

Windsor, um, um, uh, I'll say, how much of curious, so. Oh, um, Stern John. Uh, Jay. Give him the thumbs up.

All will, all will be revealed, Allie. So the 430, commentary this weekend is Liverpool Spurs and all the talk has been around Igor Tudor and his decision to sub off goalkeeper Antonin Kinski. So Tudor and Kinski. On this theme, I want you to name any player with a period of British history in their name or a British monarch in their name. What?

So the players, and you have to name the players. After a British monarch or a period of British history, we will accept repeated names. Your 30 seconds starts now. So, I mean, are we allowed Charles and Zogbia for King Charles or George Paris, King George? We are, we are doing that, are we? Okay. Why am I struggling all of a sudden?

What about Arthur Masuaku? I'm not going to do very well at this. That was in time. This could be tight. This could be... You're joking. This could be... I've got to say that was a tough one.

I mean, suggested the answers that I had was Thierryon Re, Rico, Henry, Roman Pavlacchenko, Norman Walshienko, Norman Whiteside, Stuart Pierce, George Best, Eduardo, Odson Edward, William Saliba,

John Charles, Mary Earps. Yes, very good. So, we wait for the final. decision. Oh, here we go. The final score is in. Allie four, John five. Hooray! Well done John. I think sometimes the niche ones suit you actually, John, don't they? They're slightly sort of ones where you have to go off a tangent. I'm actually now on a

reasonable run of form in this. Yeah. So where does that leave the league table now? You and I are both on 6 from 14. Dano's on 10 from 14. I could potentially be just two points behind him. Right. On to the glossary. This is where we add commentary terms and phrases to our collection. You can find the entire glossary in the episode description.

Division 1 is for football exclusive terms. Division 2 is for terms used in football commentary, but also used in other sports. Last week we put the no-look pass and put his cap on it. He could have thrown his cap on it into Division 1. But Dave, the very happy Lincoln fan, says no-look pass is Div 2. If you want to see the master, this is a good point actually, Dave. Watch Scottish rugby player Finn Russell offloading the ball to his right while looking left.

The opposing defender always looks to the eyes to see where the offload pass is going, but Finn only passes the way he is looking about half the time. Genius. Mahomes does that in NFL as well, the no-look. That's a really good point. As is about to, as is about Oh, I see, yes. By Richard from Stockport, who says,

I'm afraid the no look pass entry is definitely division two. And Richard says, if ABB had been on the pod last week, he would have immediately called it as a regular part of American football. Famous proponents include Patrick Mahomes. So Richard's absolutely right. He's just done that. He's actually done that. So Richard says, Patrick Mahomes,

Aaron Rogers and Matt Stafford all just about current starting quarterbacks in the NFL. There will be others, and I'm sure basketball has many a no-luck pass also. Inverness fan John, during John Murray's commentary of Rail Madrid against Manchester City, I heard a poetic new phrase from Paul Robinson that I reckon deserves a place in the great glossary.

Rail Madrid have been carved open time and again, and Doku is causing them real problems as Hussanoff does well with it. an excellent challenge on Venetius just inside the real Madrid half. This left-hand side, the channel has proved the real channel of joy for Manchester City in the early stages of this game. I've heard commentators refer to players running the channels and finding joy in the channels before, but the channel of joy stood out as a lovely Robinsonism,

which sums up a team creating chances via the inside forward position. So it's like the corridor of uncertainty, isn't it, the channel of joy? And actually, that could also be an unintended pub name. it could the channel of joy and also when we were when we were reflecting on the match in the lounge the aforementioned lounge over the

iberico and bread that Miguel and Pippa delivered to us Paul actually said as well that he used the phrase which I missed but he said he used the phrase super duper during the course of the commentary he can't remember what it was but he said something he was going to say super but he ended up saying super duper, which I haven't heard being used for a long time. Super duper.

South End United Fan, Ed. To the gantry, I've been reflecting on the linguistic architecture of the modern broadcast and would like to submit two heavy hitters for the glossary. Lacksadaisical, the ultimate commentator's adjective. It's never, ever used in real life. but the moment of centre-back takes an indulgent heavy touch in their own six-yard box, it's the only word that fits. It's the posh, disappointed cousin of sloppy, as heard last week on the midweek match of the day by Danny Murphy. You said laxadaisical.

It is lackadaisical. I did. Virgil bullied a bit too easily, very unlike him. Canardy tries to recover. You know, there's too many mistakes. Is it concentration? Is it fatigue? Lack of confidence.

I'm not sure, but there's too many times in games. I mean, I remember seeing the first half of forest where there was a similar, lack of daisical attitude. There, nobody closing him down. I wasn't the only one. Also, Asterix, the primary tool for the professional belittler. It is most commonly deployed to airbrush and achievement out of history,

most notably used to suggest the COVID season doesn't quite count. Keep up the elite level analysis of the trivia without wishing to label the point. You said asterix. It's asterisk. Asterisk is a little

gollish warrior. Chris Sutton loves an asterix rather than Asterisk. But do you know what? I think those are both really good points. They both have to be Division 2 because they're used everywhere. But I think in the context

that Ed is talking about there, those are absolute classics, aren't they? The Asterisk to say, well, something's gone on here So we're going to have to look at this in a slightly different light. And lack of days, those are classics, but they're div too. They have to be divot too.

Yes, we are. Absolutely, Division II. But you're right. They are. They are. And also, Ed was right. Lacedaesical is a word that, I mean, would you hear that in the classroom? Is that the sort of thing a teacher would say?

Possibly, but the kids wouldn't have a clue what the teacher meant. Yeah, yeah. Does Channel of Joy get in? I mean, that's Paul Robinson original, isn't it? I mean, I've never heard that anywhere. So it'd have to be Div 1 if it does get in, if it exists, if it's a thing. Well, let's put it in Division 1 then. Okay.

Channel of Joy gets into Division 1, no look past, relegated to Division 2, lackadaisical, and asterisk, both going in Division 2. And I said those. I enunciated both of those very clearly. because I could see John staring down the Zoom at me. So, yeah, those are the terms for the glossary this week.

Hooray! So keep the unintended pub names and glossary suggestions coming. Questions welcome as well for our Q&A episode, TCV at BBC.co.com. You can send us a message or a voice note on WhatsApp to 08,289-369. That is it. For this episode of the Football Daily, remember you can find each and every episode of the commentators. you by scrolling down your football daily feet.

Excellent listing skills, John. Thanks very much. Was there a plantagenet, by the way? Not that I can remember. I'm Rich Hall, and this is Sports Strangest Crimes presents Confessions of a Super Bowl streaker. When people ask me what I do, I say to them, well, by day or by night. The story of one man's mission to conquer the holy grail of streaking, the story. Super Bowl.

Mark Roberts is too lively for this body. He's just like the entertainer. Mark pushes the boundaries of what is socially acceptable. No chance. Texas. It's really strict. But then the more of those about it. North of Fying on.

What are you about? Sports Strangers Crimes presents Confessions of a Super Bowl streaker. Listen on BBC Sounds. This is not the future we were promised. Like, how about that for a tagline for the show? From the BBC, this is The Interface, the show that explores how tech is rewiring your week and your world. This isn't about quarterly earnings or about tech reviews. It's about what technology is actually doing to your work and your politics, your everyday life.

And all the bizarre ways people are using the internet. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.