WITH BILL O’HERLIHY and John Giles having both just released books, what better time to revisit some of the RTE panel’s most memorable TV moments?
While their colleagues, Eamon Dunphy and Liam Brady, are often at the centre of some of the more controversial debates, most people would surely agree that the panel just wouldn’t be the same without Billo and his beloved senior analyst.
With that in mind, here are some of the panel’s most memorable moments (with added Graeme Souness).
1. ‘You’ve jumped over the fence baby.’
Liam Brady and Eamon Dunphy had one of their frequent disagreements after Liverpool beat Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-final in 2008. Brady took issue with RTE’s portrayal of Wenger, and a vigorous debate ensued.
2. ‘Anyone who’s pushing Terry Venables has not got the best interests of Irish football in mind.’
While John Giles and Graeme Souness were less harsh, Eamon Dunphy was determined that Terry Venables would not be getting the Ireland job following Steve Staunton’s inevitable sacking.
The criticisms of Cristiano Ronaldo by Eamon Dunphy, and to a lesser extent, the rest of the panel, have gained a considerable degree of notoriety over the years and this highly charged clip illustrates why. Note also the hilarious-in-hindsight praise of Tiger Woods’ supposedly immaculate behaviour in comparison to the Portuguese star.
The panel’s most recent performance was one of their best, as Brady and Dunphy traded cogent points, as they respectively argued for and against Trapattoni’s record as Ireland boss.
When Billo suggested Trapattoni’s style of football wasn’t exactly attracting spectators to watch the Ireland team play, Brady was outraged, and not for the first or last time, the beleaguered presenter was shot down by his colleagues.
8. ‘There is no model anywhere in the world for appointing Steve Staunton’
The day after Staunton’s reign ended, the downhearted panel assessed the ramifications for the Irish team, with their bleak outlook epitomising the depressed state Irish football was in at the time.
9. ‘When McShane came on, we all said: ‘there’s an accident waiting to happen’.
The Ireland-France away playoff leg was interpreted by the panel as evidence that Trap’s side are capable of playing positive, expansive football under the Italian. The debate is particularly interesting looking back now, in light of all the events which have happened since.
10. ‘There’s been a serious and evident decline in the performances his players have given.’
The panel haven’t always been kind to managers of the national team, and Brian Kerr was subject to particularly harsh treatment, as the video below attests.
11. ‘I can’t believe that Capello would play a long ball game with Heskey up front.’
The panel are often at their most entertaining when discussing a typically diabolical performance by England at a major tournament. The video below is a case in point.
12. ‘Gerrard [was] found out tonight. A nothing player!’
In one of the most famously critical assessments of a team that the three wise men have ever given, the panel had few kind words to say about Liverpool, despite the Merseyside club achieving the laudable feat of triumphing at the expense of Barcelona.
The best pundits on the TV (bar none, bar none) ITV got keane in to scowl at the camera but you can’t beat the lads, everyone watches the matches on different stations but switch over to rte at ht/ft for a bit of critical assessment
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I love Eamon Dumphy.
Why don’t you run away with him then….
Well all I said was that I love him, why in gods name would I want to run away with him? :P
The best pundits on the TV (bar none, bar none) ITV got keane in to scowl at the camera but you can’t beat the lads, everyone watches the matches on different stations but switch over to rte at ht/ft for a bit of critical assessment
Ah Ya’s left out the best one, Dunphy on one of his usual rants about stautons management ability said ” Would ya let him drive the train to Cork?”
Can’t stand the lot of them! Embarrassing, only watch Irish games on rte, and never the analysis.
RTE is rife with presenters well past their prime, with these four at the front of the queue. Take them all out for the love of god!
Brilliant stuff, just the kind of lads you love to have with on a nice few pints. That would be a great night….
Superb-always great value
Love the line when Dunphy talks about him and Giles out drinking with Charlton
Stop
from 2009 and dunphy and barcelona a spent force!!!! good call eamo . he would say anything to back up his petty predjudices