Football Daily - The Commentators’ View: Women’s Euros special

Episode Date: July 1, 2025

Ali Bruce-Ball is joined by Conor McNamara & Vicki Sparks ahead of UEFA Women’s EURO 2025. Hear from England striker Alessia Russo, catch Vicki’s Toblerone tales from Basel and will the ‘false one’ get in to the Great Glossary of Football Commentary. Plus reaction to Manchester City crashing out of the FIFA Club World Cup, and will Clash of the Commentators champion Ali Bruce-Ball be beaten?Live show tickets: crossedwires.live/fringe WhatsApp voicenotes to 08000 289 369 Emails to [e-mail]00:50 Man City knocked out of FIFA Club World Cup, 03:10 Russell Fuller slips on his cliché banana skin, 07:30 Vicki Sparks joins the pod live from Switzerland, 13:40 5 Live commentaries at the Women’s Euros, 14:10 Hear from England striker Alessia Russo, 17:05 What are Wales aiming for at first major tournament? 19:20 Don’t give Vicki extra facts on matchday! 23:30 Toblerone tales from Basel, 25:15 Vicki vs Ali in Clash of the Commentators, 32:10 ‘False One’ for the Great Glossary?BBC Sounds / 5 Live commentaries: Wed 1700 Iceland v Finland on Sports Extra 2, Wed 2000 Switzerland v Norway on 5 Live, Thu 2000 Spain v Portugal on 5 Live, Fri 1700 Denmark v Sweden on Sports Extra 3, Fri 2000 Germany v Poland on 5 Live, Sat 1700 Wales v Netherlands on 5 Live, Sat 2000 France v England on 5 Live.Glossary so far: 2-0 is a dangerous score, After you Claude, All-Premier League affair, Aplomb, Brace, Brandished, Breaking the deadlock, Bundled over the line, Champions elect / champions apparent, Clinical finish, Commentator’s curse, Coupon buster, Cultured/Educated left foot, Denied by the woodwork, Draught excluder, Elimination line, Fellow countryman, Foot race, Formerly of this parish, Fox in the box, Free hit, Goalmouth scramble, Good touch for a big man, Head tennis, Honeymoon Period, In and around, In the shop window, Keeping ball under their spell, Languishing, Loitering with intent, Marching orders, Nestle in the bottom corner, Numbered derbies, Nutmeg, One of those, Opposite number, Park the bus, PK for penalty-kick, Postage stamp, Put their laces through it, Rasping shot, Red wine not white wine, Relegation six-pointer, Rooted at the bottom, Roy of the Rovers stuff, Seen them given, Sending the goalkeeper the wrong way, Sleeping giants, Slide rule pass, Small matter of, Smash and grab, Spiders web, Stayed hit, Steepling, Stinging the palms, Stonewall penalty, Straight off the training ground, Stramash, Sweeper keeper, Throw their cap on it, Thruppenny bit head / 50p head, Turns like an ocean liner / aircraft carrier, Put it in the mixer, Towering header, Turning into a basketball match, Turning into a cricket score, Walking a disciplinary tightrope, Wand of a left foot, We’ve got a cup tie on our hands, Where the owl sleeps, Winger in their pocket, Wrap foot around it, Your De Bruynes, your Gundogans etc.

BBC Sounds music radio podcasts. The commentators view on the football daily podcast BBC Radio 5 live. Hello, welcome to the football daily. It's another special edition of the commentators view with me Alistair Bruce Ball and joining us once again from stateside Connor McNamara. This pod becoming a little bit like Alistair Cook's letter from America. So many appearances have we had from Connor across the network from the states. So Connor, first of all, what time of day is it?

Do you know where you are? What you've just seen? What you're doing today? No, I do. I just about know where I am. I'm in Orlando, Florida. I'm going to a theme park this afternoon. I've got a bunch of need a day off.

So I'm looking forward to that. I'll be on roller coasters lately. And speaking of, speaking of, Manchester City last night knocked out of the FIFA Club World Cup. They were beaten by Al Hilal, the Saudi team. We've got loads of familiar faces like Ruben Neves was playing for them. Koulibaly used to be at Chelsea,

Renan Lodi who used to be at Nottingham Forest, Mitra which is normally their main man but he was injured but they did great, they just kept coming back, City thought they'd put him to bed and they kept coming back, kept coming back and after extra time they've knocked out Pep Guardiola's team. Yeah and what's the reaction been to that do you think? I mean again you're in the stadium so you don't really know the wider reaction. I'm sort of talking kind of across the world because I woke up this morning and I see the

headline on the BBC Sport website and the dramatic scoreline and certainly wasn't expecting Manchester City to lose that game, possibly naively. So what do you think the sort of impact that might have? I think first and foremost, they were very disappointed to go out. It's one of those where the Halland scores in the game, um, but he's, he's taken off in extra time and they keep, you know, cause he's the star player. The cameras keep zooming in on his face and you can see the anguish and he's screaming and roaring and you know, any suggestion that City saw this as some

kind of inconvenience, I'm just not buying. They wanted to go through, Guardiola wanted to go through. They had been the only team to win three games out of three in the group stage. They were the top scorers in the group stage and when you consider Bayern Munich hit 10 against Auckland, you know, that just shows how many goals City were scoring. But Alhela will say this is not a fluke because they drew at Real Madrid in their opening game. So they've taken on two of the elite and they've come out of it unscathed. They've lived to tell the tale

and while, you know, I'm sure their success won't create enormous waves in England from that point of view. And attention now we'll, we'll focus in on Chelsea as the last standing Premier League team. But I mean in the Middle East, this is huge that they will feel we've been able to come to take on the, the big champions league team and doing themselves proud. So globally, I think, I think it's a massive story from, you know, just the sort of shifting mood where we expected the European powerhouses to dominate, but actually some of the South American teams and now, and now Alilal are making enormous

waves themselves, being yesterday Inter Milan were knocked out. Yeah. No, I was thinking that in terms of what it meant for the sort of the Saudi pro league and the way that is considered and obviously a world cup to come in Saudi Arabia. I imagine that that is, you know, that is, that is massive for them. Yeah So Conor, you were with us last week. That was a Wimbledon special with our tennis correspondent Russell Fuller on. We've got another special this week and I'm about to introduce this week's guest. Just before we do that, do you

remember Conor last week as we got into the pod, we got towards the glossary and started to discuss these sporting terms we frequently use in commentary and Russell being, I wouldn't say sniffy, but sort of talking about how he tried to avoid sporting cliche as much as he could. Yeah, I mean, look, he's very well-spoken, he's very proper, he's very precise, and of course we love Ross, you know,

but there's no doubt, us riff-raff football commentators would be far more rock and roll than his sort of refined classical music, there's no doubt he's, he's, you know, us riffraff football commentators would be, would be far more rock and roll than he's sort of refined classical music. Let's face it. And I think, I think you're right, Ali. I think he's sort of put us in our place on that. Well, so I then said kind of didn't know you and I, and obviously harder for you because you're where you are, I'm at home.

I'm all across five live Wimbledon coverage BBC. So I said to Russell, I'm'm gonna be listening out and anything that bears even close to a sporting cliche or a glossary term I'm gonna be on him. 423 Sunday afternoon the championships haven't even started this is a Wimbledon preview have a listen to this. It must be very strange for Radokanu not to be yesterday's news quite, but to suddenly have this new, very talented generation coming through. Mimizhu is 17, just outside the top 300 in the world despite playing sparingly, so it's a really awkward potential banana skin for Radokanu tomorrow. What's happened there, Ali, is that we've got into his head.

So he had no intention of stooping to such such cliche, but it's there now in the back of his mind and he's almost like, don't say it, don't say it, but that's creating it at the forefront of his thoughts. So unfortunately, that's probably us to blame. And in terms of that term, and we all use it, potential banana skin, that can't go in the football glossary because I think, as Russell's just proved, we use that in other sports. How close is that veer to sporting cliché? But it's one of those, Connor, as you would say, it's one of those terms, as soon as you say that, you know exactly what Russell means about how tricky that first round tie could have been for Emir Adekani. Yeah, yeah. Look, listeners to the part will be well familiar with my stance on this, that

I just don't see the inconvenience of clichés. They are an economy of language. They enable us to explain what we're trying to say very briefly so we can go on and describe other things. It kind of amuses me that some people get so upset about them. But I know what you do want is a scenario where in one paragraph you're blating out three or four cliches and then people say, oh well this is sort of something you could have said before the game even started. It needs to be very relevant to what's going on. But but maybe for for Emma Redicanu, maybe it maybe it really is a and I always think it's ever a banana skin.

It's always a potential banana skin. Potential. Actually, she didn't slip on it. She did beat Mimi Zhu in the first round. So we will follow her progress through Wimbledon. Let's get our guest on this week So as you can already tell no John Murray He's having a bit of a breather after his trip to Bratislava to watch England's under-21s Successfully defend their European championship title. That was a fantastic game Saturday night brilliant commentary on on five live

No, Ian Dennis says here. He's just having a breather. No explanation Live. No Ian Dennis says here he's just having a breather, no explanation. Both in fact are getting ready for their, the equivalent of Glastonbury for them because they're on stage in front of a live audience. It's the TCV live show at the end of this week, Sheffield on Friday, 4th of July, all part of the BBC Sounds Fringe at the Crossed Wires podcast festival. And as we keep telling you all the details and free tickets still available via crossedwires.live. Crossedwires.live, the details of the festival and tickets available there. I do have visions of John and Denno crowd surfing.

That's that's sort of what I'm seeing. You know, festival pod on stage, adoring, sweaty throng masses, listening to their every word and Deno just going leaping across the stage. Not sure and our guest this week is sitting in a football stadium and is getting ready for a major tournament and a massive event and we were just talking about England's under-21s defending their European Championship title where England's women are going to try and defend their Euros title in Switzerland this summer and Vicky Sparks will be providing the commentary not just

on England but lots of games during the tournament. So Vicky, hello, welcome to the commentators view, where are you, what can you see? Hello, what a delight it is to be on with you. Can I just say, this is a career highlight for me because as soon as we started this pod, I was absolutely desperate to be on it. It's kind of how I felt the first time I went on Fighting Talk. You know, as a commentator,

you get to go to all these amazing tournaments and that is the pinnacle of what we do. But I love listening to this this season, so it's brilliant to be with you. Yes, I am in Switzerland, I am sitting, and I've checked how to pronounce this, albeit with someone from Italy rather than someone from Switzerland. But we think we've got it right. St. Jacob Park in Basel ahead of Switzerland's opener against Norway tomorrow. And it is absolutely sweltering.

So much so that all around the empty stands, the only people in here are journalists and broadcasters like us and engineers setting up all the things that are going to be needed for the game tomorrow. There are huge, massive black fans positioned around the edge of the pitch, and they're pointed towards these empty orange and blue stands and seats,

which will be filled with fans tomorrow. And I think they're just testing the actual fans that are whirring around all this hot air in here so yes it's it's sweltering but it's going to be a great tournament. And what about Vicky, I was just thinking this, what about the buzz of this tournament? I don't just mean around England or Wales but I mean in general so I mean if you were able to take yourself back to the first time you went to a major women's football tournament, you were on the ground and experiencing it all and compared it to now,

how does it feel? Yeah, so that was for me, that was the World Cup back in 2019 in France and I think the way that the women's game and the interest in the women's game has grown since then is absolutely huge. I mean, you think about the broadcast coverage, you think about the chatter on social media, you think about the number of journalists that are going to be out here and covering this tournament. the women's league. I think that's a big thing. You think about the broadcast coverage, you think about the

chatter on social media, you think about the number of journalists that are going to be out here and covering this tournament. That's not just for England, as you say, as well. That is more broadly as well. I think the interest is hugely increased. We've seen that domestically as well. We've seen broadcast deals for the women's champions league over the last few years, bringing that regularly onto television. That's only happened over the last few years. And of course, you know, at the BBC with TV and radio, this is the first time that ITV and the BBC have shared the television rights for women's euros. And again, that just shows you the level of interest that there is.

So first assignment for you then, Vicky, we've got plenty of commentaries coming up, you know, on Five Live, on the sports extra streams, all available on BBC Sounds. What's first up for you? So first up, Switzerland, Norway here tomorrow. Then I'm a little bit of a split between radio and TV. So I'm off to, this is where you ask now, Ali, because this, you'll know this as well and Conor will too. When you're at a tournament, it's very much,

what am I doing tomorrow? And then the rest of the week kind of goes out of your head, doesn't it? But yes, Belgium, Italy for television after that. And then England's opener against France the top two. The first one is the Netherlands. The second one is the Netherlands. The third one is the Netherlands. The fourth one is the Netherlands. The fifth one is the Netherlands. The sixth one is the Netherlands.

The seventh one is the Netherlands. The seventh one is the Netherlands. The seventh one is the Netherlands. The seventh one is the Netherlands. The seventh one is the Netherlands. The seventh one is the Netherlands. The seventh one is the Netherlands are in there as well and Wales in their first major tournament too. So yeah I can't wait and I think just the standard of this competition is going to be so high. We saw it at the Euros three years ago which of course England won on that wonderful night at Wembley but

you know the teams are so strong. You've got Spain the reigning world champions, you've got Germany, France still looking to win that first major tournament. How they haven't won one in the women's game is beyond everybody. Could they do it this time? Of course, England there. And then teams like Sweden and the Netherlands and Italy, who had a really good qualification campaign, could perhaps sneak in there and go deep into the knockout stages as well. Vicky, you always associate major tournaments with summer. I know you're saying that the weather is going to be sweltering. I know that the Women's World Cup Cup of course, which sounded great, Australia, New Zealand, these kind of places, but it was there winter wasn't it? It was so cold and you were all huddled under hoods and

warm jackets and stuff. I mean, to me a major tournament has to be played in Inverted Commerce summer, doesn't it? Yeah, I mean to be fair when I was putting my feet in a basin of cold water yesterday to try and cool down in the apartment, I'm not sure I'd fully, fully agree with you. Do you know what? That's a tip from Rachel Brown-Finnis, actually, former England goalkeeper. And that was from the Women's World Cup in 2019, which was absolutely boiling as well. And she said, do you know what, Vicks? The best and fastest way to cool down, if you can't jump in a swimming pool or in a lake or in a shower, cool your wrists down, cool the back of your neck down and cool your feet down. So what I did yesterday in the apartment was I filled the bath to kind of foot level and every time I got too

hot I just went and put my feet in ice cold water in the bath and it worked a treat. So there you go, top tip because I know it's very hot in England at the moment as well. Always a fan of top tips. I mean yeah, feet temperature regulation, I'm feeling a sort of a commentary link coming in here. And I'm probably going to get this wrong and hate myself, but I'm pretty sure it's Gary Tapos who commentates with Sky that when it was really cold, I've seen him put an electric blanket on the ground, take off his shoes and stand in his socks on the blanket.

And he says, that's the best way to radiate heat through your body. So that's the sort of opposite thing. So, I mean, as kids, we were told, put a hat way to radiate heat through your body. So that's the sort of opposite thing. So, you know, as kids, we were told, put a hat on, you lose heat through your head. That was all nonsense. Apparently, it's all through your feet. You learn something new every day. Yeah, that sounds very TV to me. That sounds very TV. Standing on a heated blanket in your socks.

Yeah, exactly. What about that screams TV to you? Yeah. Well, I think one of our Five Life summarizers, who maybe I won't ask them on this pod, definitely brings a heated blanket as soon as it turns to be September and sits on that. I think we all know who we're talking about. Stephen Warnock? Yeah, first name Stephen, last name Warnock, yes. But to be fair, at times I've said, could I share that? And unfortunately it's quite small, so I can't.

Right, Vicky, I've just put a little asterisk here we must come back to Toblerone chat as well that is absolutely crucial mustn't forget to discuss that before you go. You've mentioned the commentaries coming up over the next week I'm just going to pick out some main ones so tournament starts on Wednesday Vicky at St. Jakob's Park is doing Switzerland the host Norway that will be on five live eight o'clock kickoff Vicky is alongside Izzy Christiansen the tournament actually kicks off at 5 o'clock that's Iceland Finland first game that's on SportsX2 and then really building up to those big games on the Saturday England and Wales in the same group in action on the same day 5 o'clock Wales Netherlands on 5 live and

then Vicky and Izzy at 8 o'clock Saturday night on 5Live with France against England. Alessia Russo is clearly going to play a massive part for England in this tournament. When I was commentating on the women's team recently, she looks like she's in the form of her life, club and country. Going to be really important for England this summer. We're going to hear a little bit from her now on her saying she feels like a bit more of a leader in this England squad.

I do feel more of a sense of responsibility within this team. Obviously being my third tournament, wherever I can give one piece of advice to one of the girls going into their first tournaments, then that will be great. But I think we've got a great mix of really experienced players. I think this is Lucy's seventh tournament now and yeah the experience that she's got is incredible so I still feel like I can learn so much off of her but also for I don't know an Aggie and a Miesch and a Jess Park this is their first tournaments now so it's exciting for them to kind of feel this and understand what it means to play in a tournament like this for England. Has anyone come knocking on your door to ask for advice yet?

No, they haven't yet. Maybe I'm not the person to give it, but I'm sure there'll be things throughout the tournament that people need. Actually, Grace Clinton came to me for packing. She was so stressed about packing, I was like, Grace, it will be fine. Everything is taken care of for you once you're out there. I think there's lots of overpackers in the team, but yeah, it's great. And they're all so excited and eager to get out there. So that's really nice to see. Great player, Vicky. And clearly, as we've heard on the Tunia Russo pod, fantastic personality as well, Alessia Russo. Yeah, she's going to be really key both on and off the pitch for England at this tournament.

I think, as you say, Ali, she's in brilliant form, 20 goals for the season. That is the best goal scoring season of her career. Arsenal's top scorer and joint golden boot winner in the WSL as well alongside Khadija Shaw. And I think that experience is going to be so important for England. She mentioned Lucy Bronze there as well

in that Clip Alessia Russo, who is such a veteran of major tournaments. And of course, you know, in the buildup to the squad announcement, it was a turbulent time for the Lionesses. They had the shock retirement of Mary Earps and then Frank Kirby's international retirement too. Different circumstances because Kirby, we understand,

wasn't going to make the squad for the tournament, so essentially brought forward her retirement. And then Millie Bright, who capped in the side to the World Cup final a couple of years ago, making herself unavailable for selection, saying that she wasn't in the right place mentally and physically. And so you do have a lot of experience, you know, they've got over 200 caps between them, those three players. You have a lot of experience both on and off the pitch that's not going to be available at this tournament and so the likes of the experienced players who know

what it's like to to play on this stage internationally for their countries is going to be huge. More from Alessia Russo as I say on the Tooney and Russo show that is on BBC Sounds and iPlayer. What about Wales in this group? First ever major tournament Vicky, what will they be aiming for? What will be a good tournament for Wales do you think? Do you know what? It is so difficult for them because they are in such a difficult group. I mean we say you know it's group D, the proverbial, oh here's one for the commentators glossary, the group of death. It is it is the group of death you know you've got France, Netherlands, England, all of whom would really at minimum

want to make the knockout stage. One of those isn't gonna make it. So only the top two go through. And then Wales on their major tournament debut to end up in a group like that. I mean, it is so challenging. But their manager, Rhian Wilkinson, saying, look, you know, outside Wales,

people can think whatever they want. Our goal is to show up and deliver to the best of our ability. No one outside expects much of us but inside we believe no fear just ambition and unity and you know if you listen to the the Wales players speaking as well I think there is this sense, here's another one, there is this siege mentality that nobody thinks that Wales are going to you know do anything even to get a point against one of those sides, considering as well that Wales are the lowest ranked side at the Euros, even

that would be a huge achievement. But look, you never know. It's tournament football. And I think what's interesting as well and what Wales might hope will play in their favor is all the pressure is on England, France, and the Netherlands. And there's real pressure because, as we say, one of those sides isn't going to get out of the group. So can Wales take advantage of that? Can they go there knowing that nobody outside of the camp has this expectation and can they throw a spanner in the works? I think

I've got about four into that answer, haven't I? I'm pretty impressed with that. You're Russell Fuller's going to be groaning. Exactly. Connor, in terms of, you know, you've done a whole load of major tournaments just off the top of your head. An underdog win, is there anything that stands out to you in particular of a game you've been at where, you know, a team in a position like Wales at this tournament has pulled something out of the bag? I'm just trying to think of something that's on my head.

I think the, you know that Greece winning the Euros 2004, that's probably the all-time sort of, you know, then you go back as well to Denmark, Euro 92, the fact that they'd been hoisted off the beach. So stranger things have indeed happened, but I'll tell you that if in just the hours ahead of this tournament now that a new team suddenly gets promoted, can I just tell you this, Ali, right? If the new country came in and Vicky had no prep done on them,

do not under any circumstances reach out to her to try and offer some little bit of tidbits. Because I mean, I don't know about you, Ali, but you know, just before a game kicks off and someone will say something like, this is the youngest team that Ruben Amorim has ever chosen since he's become Man United. And I go, oh, that's a good line. I'll use that. Or something like, you know, this is the same referee who sent off Rodri in the, and you go, oh yeah, good. I must remember that. Right. And even in the seconds for kickoff, I find that really valuable. However Vicks, you just, you don't do it with Vicky. Vicky does not want to know.

Do you know what it was? We have this going back a while now, don't we, Connor? Like, I can't remember what it was. I think you must have come up to me at a game and said, oh, did you know this in a very nice, helpful, one BBC sort of way. I'm the sort of person, and Ali, you're going to have to be the judge and the casting vote on this.

If I've done my prayer on a match day, and I will caveat this, Connor, because if it's something that you know only on the day, so for example if this is the youngest starting lineup that Ruma Damarim has named, you're not going to know that until the team lines up and the team is named. So if I couldn't have known it, then that actually is quite useful. Or I think you very kindly actually told me once that somebody was injured, so that was helpful. There'd been a late injury that we hadn't known about in the

warm-up. But if it's something I could have looked up before, I don't want to know. I don't want anything else in my head. My brain is so full of all these facts and stats. So now Connor will just very kindly message me random facts, such as, you know, medium-old is quite a good player, that sort of thing, which is helpful. So go on, Ali, which are you? If you see someone 90 minutes before kickoff do you want a stat or do you just want a high? I think in general I'm more sparks than McNamara. What I would say is what I definitely can't deal with is sort of a big old stat pack being sent to me. I mean if there's loads to wade through there's no chance I'm doing that an hour before kickoff even to try and pick and pick out the two or three that you really like. But, I mean, we all do this very differently.

I would say my commentary notes, when I lay them out on a table in front of me, one side of A4 on the right has the two, you know, a sheet divided in half vertically and it has the two squads either side. And on the left, I've got my match notes, which are printed off my iPad, but they can be scribbled on and so quite often things will get added on there sort of an hour before the game, half an hour before the game even if you know even if it's something I've spotted on the way into the ground that I think oh I want to mention that in commentary but I bet I'll forget and I would just scribble a note to myself and I'll just have it in the top right of that page so

I've always got something to go to if there's a quiet moment. No, I think you're right Vicky, that you do reach this sort of, it's like when it doesn't happen so much these days, but in early versions of mobile phones, your memory would get full, you know, you had too many photos taken,

there was just too much in there. And yeah, you do reach a point where particularly, as Adi said, if you're given a lot of information, where you can't, oh no, hang on, I can't get my head around this now, it's too late. You know, I can't go trying to pick out a nugget from all of that. But it always makes me giggle.

The day that we had the original conversation, I think he was just like, Connor, thanks very much, but don't tell me any stuff. I don't wanna know anything. Really does me giggle. Five Live has the perfect lineup of podcasts to accompany the Euros. All the latest analysis, interviews and debate from Switzerland in the Football Daily podcast.

We have them experienced players that have experienced winning with England. That Welsh passion, we never know when we're beaten. Hello, I'm Maisie Adam. And I am Susie Ruffles. And together we host the women's football podcast, Big Kick Energy. The award-winning. Oh yes, award-winning. Yes, very much so. And join Lionesses, Ella Toon and Alessia Russo

in the Toonie and Russo podcast. I know where I'll take you for your hen do, Benidorm. Oh yes. I would like that. Take the Euros with you this summer. Search women's Euros on the BBC Sounds app. The commentators view on the football daily podcast. BBC Radio 5 live.

So in the top right of my piece of paper today I've scribbled down Toblerone needs a mention. So we're going to do that before we get to Clash of the commentators. So Toblerone Tales Vicky from from out in Switzerland. Yes. So it was actually when we were transiting through Paris and I went into a shop to get some lunch and I saw my first Toblerone outside of the UK and it just made me think, Ali, of when... it was this stadium, wasn't it? Yeah. Where you definitively defined the BBC pronunciation of Toblerone, which should be Toblerone, apparently.

Well, I took a massive risk on air, so I was calling it Toblerone whereas I think most people in the UK would call it Toblerone. Toblerone, yeah. And Mark Chapman, Hare Chapman as he's known on this podcast and whoever else he had alongside him were falling about in the studio. Like what a ridiculous pronunciation, where have you got that from? And the half time whistle blew in this Champions League game between FC Basel and whichever English team it was.

And you should never ever ever do this on air, it was such an unwise thing to do. But Basel fans were starting to come up the stairs past our commentary position. And I said, as I was on air, because they were ripping me, I said, right, no, come on, let's get a native on, let's get someone on and we'll ask them how you pronounce. And I just grabbed this fella, you know, I mean, he could have had about 8 pints by the time he came on air and I put this microphone in front of his mouth could have said anything and I said tell us how do you pronounce this chocolate bar and I have one on the desk and then thankfully for the punchline he actually he said he did say I don't think it is he said Toblerone I was only

saying Toblerone but he said Toblerone or Toblerone and it sounded a bit more like a striker for Inter Milan I think I said at the time old Toblerone up front but it was risky yeah that could have gone badly wrong. This could go badly wrong and actually Russell go blimey Russell last week on Clash of the Commentators was unbelievable against Connor I'm glad I didn't run into him I am worried about running into Vicky though Connor take it away. Yeah Ali I didn't run into him. I am worried about running into Vicky though. Connor, take it away. Yeah, Ali, I can't express so much that I'm happy to be quiz master here.

It's too early in the morning American time to be feeling the stress. And I can see the perspiration of Vicky's face on radio. Welcome to the Vicky's. I've got my notes here. Vicky, yeah, yeah, look at it. By the way, Vicky, I've got a stat to tell you. Oh no, don't.

Right, time for Clash of the Commentators after Russell absolutely wiped the floor with me last week. This time round it's our league champion, it's Ali Bruce Ball representing the pod, up against the challenger Vicky Sparks. Now how do you want to do it? Who wants to go first? What way do you want to make it work?

I will unplug, that's probably easier for me to do here. I will unplug and let Vicky go first if you're happy with that Vicky. Yeah, that's fine. I'll do that now. I've also been told inicky go first if you're happy with that Vicky. Okay, yeah that's fine. I'll do that. I've also been told in my ear from the AR, no notes allowed Vicky, you've got a full rub of the book. Oh no, what I mean is, sorry, I feel like we should clarify this before, because basically I think a lot better when I write things, so occasionally rather than just thinking and speaking I might jot some down. But hang on, we're going just 30 seconds,

aren't we? Straight off. If it's the alternate on the fantasy football, yeah, no, I do write things down once the topic has been given. But okay. No, I'll tell you now. And look, we're all in remote locations. We need honesty here. So this, and Ali's unplugged so I can say this, this question has got to do with the tournament you're about to commentate on. Okie dokie. Right, pen down, pen down. No, but also if you had other documentation media guides around, that would be of great use to you, so we're going to trust you that those are all out of our shot.

Right, let me just minimise everything on my laptop. Are you ready? Okay, today's question is, there are 16 teams competing at the Women's Euro 2025, including the host nation. I want you to name as many participating countries who've got the colour red on their flag as you can. 16 countries competing. I want you to name those with red on their flag and your time starts now. Spain, Portugal, Iceland, Switzerland, England, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands, although what shade is that? France,

Germany. Oh you've done well, You've done really well. Netherlands definitely does have Redelux. But I mean exactly I would be doubting myself. That's it. You're thinking about the flags. Is that blue, white and orange? Okay we can invite Ali back in. Actually no Ali don't yet just for one second. Let's just tell you up. So you got Spain, Portugal, Iceland, Switzerland, England, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Germany. You got 11 VIX. That is really good. Do they all actually have written though? Because now I'm second guessing myself. Brilliant. You got 11 correct answers there. You got 11 correct answers. Okay. Ali is coming back on online. Now, Mr. Bruce Ball, how are you feeling? Nervous. I mean, the thing is league title's in the bag, so, and it's an exhibition, so

I should just be able to sit back, you know, and enjoy this, but my competitive nature. You're sort of like Liverpool, once they'd won the league, kind of last a few games. Switch-offs. Right, okay. Okay, Ali, you're good? Yeah, on the beach. Here we go. Today's question. Yeah, good. I'm good. There are 16 teams competing at the Women's Euro 2025, including the host nation.

I want you to name as many participating countries with the color red on their flag as you can. There are 16 countries competing. I want you to name those with red on their flag. And your time starts now. Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, Czechia in there, I'm not sure what they are, Poland? I think that's me done. Oh, you've given that a good rattle. You have come so close, Mr. Bruce Ball. So you had Wales, England, France, Norway, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, not Czechia, Poland you did get.

So what have we got? One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. You got ten, Vicky got eleven. You've been picked to the post, but what an effort. Wow. So of the sixteen teams, fourteen of them have red in the flag. The only wrong answers of teams that qualified would have been Finland and Sweden. But I'm actually sorry, it was 10 you got. Sorry, you got 9. So Vicky wins by 2. Vicky 11, ABB 9.

Okay, comfortable win. Who did you get Vicky that I didn't get? Well, do you know what? You started with Wales and I missed them and that infuriated me. So yes, I think a lot of them were the same. Switzerland. Yeah, you've got Netherlands, which of course is orange, but they do have red in them. I said Netherlands and I thought what shade is that in the actual flag? Oh yeah, what an idiot. So, well you can keep yourself over in the Netherlands and I'll keep myself over Wales. There we go. Denmark was in the rally. Iceland, which you wouldn't sort of think, but they do have red

in the flag. Oh, they do. Yes, that very little bit. The deep little bit of red stripe that borders the cross. Yeah. Wow. Otherwise you've got the ones that you got. Well done. I think as we'll all agree and Conor and I Ive, as we keep saying this part, have played out a nil-nil drawing Clash of the Cometators before.

As long as you don't let yourself down, you don't really mind whether you win or lose, it's just that awful feeling of getting nothing. Is that what you're saying when you win as well, Ali? Would that be the same approach that you've got with me? No, no. I think the most joy that's been taken out of Clash of the Commentators this season is John Murray's just, his desperate struggle, his loss of form and then he just couldn't get it back. But I know he's going to come back strong next season. When they make the documentary of the behind the scenes of TCV, I just hope there's a section

where Vicky is actually just sitting there in the stadium and every single flag of every country is right in front of her. She's goes, yeah, that one, that one. I am going to say, and there's nothing I could have done other than close my eyes. We do have the Switzerland and the Norwegian flags right away to our left. That was two gimmies. Love the correspondence as always. Emails come to tcv at bbc.co.uk and the voice notes you can send us voice notes as well whatsapp to 08000 289 369 so the great glossary of football commentary adding listeners suggestions of football specific commentary terms and phrases to our collection and remember

if you're coming to our live show in sheffield on Friday and you've got an entry, a potential entry for the great glossary of football commentary, then do send us an email at tcv at bbc.co.uk. Right, last time out we added players having the turning circle of an aircraft carrier or like an arctic liner, sweeper keeper got in and head tennis in the Wimbledon episode was my favourite, that's very good. Port Vale fan Dan in Stoke-on-Trent, listening to the latest TCV podcast Wimbledon episode was my favorite. That's very good. Port Vale fan, Dan in Stoke-on-Trent, listening to the latest TCV podcast, Wimbledon Special, I heard the phrase sweeper keeper added to the glossary. I've tried to use an alternative to this

and describe a goalkeeper that regularly comes out of their area and steps into the defense as a false one. What do you think? Will this catch on and replace Sweeper Keeper? You see, this goes back to the whole thing about people not being happy about cliches or whatever. I mean, how amazing must it be to be the person who comes up for the first time with something that then becomes ubiquitous, you know? So I can completely understand why Dan is pushing this. I bet you every game of Fiverr side where he's made, he's trying

to get it. It's like when you want a nickname to stick to one of your friends, you just keep using it over and over again. He's got in touch in the pod. That's a good way to do it. Look, I like where he's going here. I like, you know, it's one of those, it doesn't need explanation when you say it, even though no one's ever heard that before, we all know exactly what he means by it. So he's taking a lot of boxes for me. I like the spirit of where this is coming from, from Dan the Port Vale fan Yeah, I like it You'll have to run it past Karen Bardsley at some point. Won't you?

Indeed the Italians have a great I think it's for the person who plays in the number 10 role I think they call it the tre quartista the three-quarter Player I think that's right But that's that's another you know in terms of using the numbers numbers and where people play. We've had a voice note as well, suggestion for the glossary. This comes from Arsenal fan Katie from Kent. Hi guys, thanks so much for a brilliant pod. I'd like to put forward an entry into the great glossary, which is I've seen them given for a debatable penalty or a debatable red card. However, I'm wondering if VAR is now taken

over and then we don't have those debates or those discussions anymore. Anyway, it'd be great to have your thoughts. Thanks very much. Now that is a great question. Vicki, what do you think? I've seen them given. Yeah, I agree because with VAR you'd have the clear and obvious bar, wouldn't you? So it might still be one where you could say, I've seen them given, but because it's not clear and obvious error, VAR hasn't overturned it. I actually think that still works perfectly with VAR. I think that's a really great shout. Again, it is one of those where you say it immediately and you've gone

into a bit of detail about the actual incident, but then everybody can call up other incidents in their mind with their team or incidents that they've seen and kind of compare. All right. I understand what that is. So no, I think it's a great chart. Yeah, I really like this one. And I think it, it ticks a box, which for me is, is often the questionable part of, of what gets in the glossary in terms of, is it, is it used, you know, exclusively in football? And I don't hear it mentioned in other sports.

And this intrigues me, Ali and Vicky, and I want, I want your view on this, because this is why I think there's such a pushback to VAR. In other sports, it's either in or it's out. But, you know, be it tennis, whatever. There is so many gray areas in football, and that's why it's so difficult for a video assistant referee

to have to give a judgment on it. And the mindset of a football fan is, I've seen them given, you know, it's like, it could always be debated, there's always a chance. If a decision goes against you, it's not just automatic acceptance because, well, I've seen those given or whatever. So that this to me needs to be highlighted in bold in the glossary

as a really good example of a footballing term. Yeah. But I also think it's a classic for radio, isn't it? So you're listening to a football commentary and you'll hear the summariser say, I've seen them given. And as soon as someone says that, I'm thinking, right, it's one of those. It's one of those where, you know, there is a level of controversy here where the referee on the pitch quite easily could not have given that or they possibly could have, and you can argue it either way.

And then you take yourself home and you go and watch the highlights and you make your mind up for yourself. But it does that catch all thing. I've seen them given immediately tells the listener, ah, right. Yeah, I know what I know. I think you've just inadvertently slipped another one there, Ali, you know, and it's one of those. I mean, that's an absolute footballing term.

It's one of those. You know, I don't need to go any further in my explanation. You all know it's one of those. I don't need to go any further in my explanation. You all know it's one of those. Okay, right. In summary, Vicky's got to go. We've got to say goodbye. The false one, Vicky's challenge during Euro 2025 is to get the false one into one of the commentaries, but we can't put that in the glossary just yet. But I think seenham Given and one of those for now is going in unless unless I get my vote. Absolutely yeah. Yeah, happy with that. Okay Vicky you've got to go probably some more prep to do Connor will obviously be getting in touch just before kickoff ahead of the Switzerland Goal Wednesday.

Have a good tournament Vicks. Yeah Vicky please I mean whether it's during this tournament or next season, please come back on The Commentator's View. It's been lovely to have you. I think also, I think our listeners would love to hear about how you started out and your journey in football commentary and how you've ended up sitting at a major tournament about to commentate on England. No, I would absolutely love to come back on it. It's been such a pleasure. Conor, I was listening at the beginning of the podcast, have an amazing time at the theme park. Honestly, we could have done the whole pod on that. I absolutely love those theme parks in Florida.

Can I ask, are you doing Disney or Universal? Today I'm doing Universal Epic. Other amusement parks are available. Epic Universe. I'm going big today. I'm going epic. As soon as we get off air, I'm sending you a lot of notes about this.

Forget notes before a game. I'm going to tell you queue, which order to do the rides in, which ones to do more. I'm so excited for you. Could not be happier. Love it. Bring us back a Toblerone. And Connor, very quickly, your next assignment after the theme park, football-wise, what's next? Yeah, so we're moving into the quarterfinal stage of the club world cup. So, I mean, it's funny, right? So everyone expected it was going to be Inter against Man City in the quarterfinal. But because Fluminense have beaten Inter and Al Hilal have beaten City, that's now very much a different game than it would be.

Instead of being an all sort of Champions League clash, we've now got South America against the Middle East. But the Brazilian clubs have been great to watch here. The fans are absolutely loving it. So that and then after the quarters, it's it's we move on to New York because both semis and the final are all in New York, which will be where the World Cup final is held next year. So so everyone involved in the tournament will be in New York

for the for the closing days of that. So I'm really looking forward to that. Yeah. Fluminense, Al Helal. It's one of those, isn't it? It's just it's one of it is one of those that we've never seen before. Vicky's gone. Good luck to Vicky. Women's Euros on the way across Five Live, the Sports Extra Streams and the BBC Sounds app. And no doubt Connor will reappear talking to us either on this podcast or on Five Live from the Club World Cup. And obviously we'll be back with us again next

season. And Connor, I will see you at the Open Championship in a couple of weeks time because when Connor finally does get some time off he's going to come and watch some more sport. Yes, can't wait we will have an ice cream together and a Toblerone, yeah excellent. Absolutely and a reminder as well one last shout if you're coming to see John Murray and Ian Dennis crowd surfing our live show and you've got an entry for the great glossary of football commentary send us an email tcv at bbc.co.uk we'll see if we can get you involved as part of the show in Sheffield on Friday. That is it for this episode of the Football Daily. On the next one we're going to have reaction to day one at UA for Women's Euro 2025 and as for the commentators view you can find each and every episode including our Wimbledon tennis special on the football daily feed. And remember TCV live show Sheffield

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