ITV v BBC

[Tristan Shout]

Not just saying it because our Slav is on there but the ITV coverage is much better than the BBC, even to the stage now that I'm having to think if I really want to watch the match if it's on the BBC

[mental hamster666]

Agreed, BBC is the same old format and b*llocks.

[Robbie]

Lineker is now almost Alan Partridge with his puns.
Tired and boring.
Never thought I'd say it but ITV are smashing it!

[evomutant]

If ITV ditched Ian Wright they would pretty much have it nailed.

Amazes me that you would have a pundit so obviously uninformed about any team in the competition except England.

[southbrishammer]

But ITV are still employing Andy Townsend.....

[Rio]

Both have awful theme music.

The Beeb should have just used the Allo Allo theme, which would have been appropriate given the security over there

[Robbie]

But ITV are still employing Andy Townsend.....

I thought they got rid of him a while back..........?
Count how many times he says 'sloppy' during a game.

[mental hamster666]

Andy 'irish as a pint of Boddingtons' townsend? ****er

[fjthegrey]

Both are fairly equal.

Rio is an excellent pundit. So is Danny Murphy. I don't particularly care for Henry although he can be informative at times. Keown and Shearer are dreadful and Savage is almost intolerable. I don't mind Lineker.

On ITV Bilic is obviously great. I find Wrighty to be entertaining personally and I think Lee Dixon is reasonably good at analysing defensive aspects of the game. But Karembeu and Petit don't speak good enough English, especially Karembeu. Hoddle just comes across as bitter and miserable even though he's fairly intelligent and obviously understands the game.

I'm just glad Chiles is gone. He single handedly made ITV unwatchable. The worst presenter in the history of sport.

The ESPN coverage has been good as well. Michael Ballack and Santi Solari are both brilliant. Kasey Keller is also good and I like Ian Darke and Taylor Twellman as a commentary pair.

If only a British channel would get Brooking and Brackley back together, the ultimate commentary team.

[giantsteps]

I've *never* been an advocate of ITV's football coverage in the past but yes, they are head and shoulders over the BBC this tournament.

Even though they had Tony Pulis on co-commentary the other night.

[eastsider]

Watching the highlights on ITV, absolutely awful.
Saha and who??
Shortest of highlights from the games, and seems like the budget is tiny, or is it me??

[Puff Daddy]

I just make up my mind about Ian Wright. Twat or good pundit? And I don't think the signing of Lothar Mattheus was a great idea either. Terrific player, but he doesn't seem to contribute much to preceedings. There can be no doubt in my mind, ITV's coverage turns into the Slaven Bilic show

[pablo jaye]

I think the reason that ITV is better is largely down to Mark Pougatch. Not a bland ex player but a trained journalist/broadcaster who knows his onions and draws the best out of the guests. I am sure I have seen Lothar Matteus on other shows and he has been fairly one dimensional but I think Pougatch and maybe Slav are getting more out of him.

[Devils Advocate]

I very rarely bother watching the pundit panels, but I have seen bits of Slaven, just because it's Slaven and he's fun as well as knowing what he's talking about. ITV coverage gets marked down heavily due to Clive Tyldesley, who just irritates the hell out of me, though at least recently he seems to have cut down on the carefully rehearsed "ad-libs" that he used to try to shoehorn into his commentaries.

[Bend it like Repka]

England's record or defeats and bad performances on itv is more than enough reason to give all games to the bbc.

[beckton]

I might be a bit biased but Bilic seems to raising the game of all the other pundits when he's on and making them more interesting.

[The Old Man of Storr]

I didn't like the bit where they showed Sturridge scoring that late winner for England otherwise it's been ok from both sides .

[QuintonNimoy]

But ITV are still employing Andy Townsend.....

This can't be ignored. Also ITV's graphics look like a school project, awful.

Slav is carrying them but the star player doesn't make the team. Except for France obviously

[JCA]

I think it's all about the panel line up game by game. Slaven is off course masterful and everyone seems to dote on him, particularly Ian Wright. I like Gary Murphy and also Rio is direct and insighful.
Gary Lineker is becoming very hackneyed and we'll soon be micking him more a la Lawro. I know Souness is tied to SKY, but would have been great to see him on the couch.
Of the foreigners (other than SB) being used, Lothar Matheus is quality once you re-interpret from his lack of english vocabulary.

[Rio]

Has to be said ITV have upped their game. presenter wise enormously. Not been this entertaining since Mick Channon and the Line-Acre days.

Pougatch makes Adrian Chilles look like the charlatan he is and I think Jacqui Oatley has been very good.

Slav obviously is the Messi of the pundit world though