Off The Ball Official Thread <Mod Note - Post #1, #533, #6651>

Faugheen wrote: »

SNIP - Mod

Still don’t know if I like Ronan O’Gara as a pundit. He has some interesting insights at times but he takes ages to actually make his point.

Think he is excellent, on TV or on the radio. He speaks freely and his career since he left Munster indicates how much he is interested in learning and not just trying to get a big job.
Do see your point on him being slow to get his point out somewhat.

I've never warmed to O'Driscoll as I always thinks he runs everything through a filter to make sure he is not going to offend anyone. Find his analysis is weak as a result.

(ROG did an interview with Joe back in June and was very open about his motivations and desires as a coach, a lot more than most would be if they were in the position he was in in terms of having options for the next step. It's propbably still on podcast or Youtube)

hawley wrote: »

I rarely listen to OTB anymore because of Kevin Kilbane. He sounds like a twelve year old talking about football, "Oh, that was class Joe." He offers no real insight into anything that happens and never asks an interesting question to a guest. I can't understand how he's ubiquitous, it must be because producers are safe that he'll never say anything controversial.

He's not on near as much now as he used to be. In fact, it's pretty rare when he is on. Damien Delaney seems to be the guy on the phone for Saturdays when the PL is on. Not sure about him yet, bit like what you said about Kevin, don't know if he gives massive insight.

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Is Damien Delaney a fixture on OTB now?
Switched on the radio on the way to the Dublin v Mayo game thought he was very good.
Would be miles better than Kilbane for example.

Reckon that given he has started the season that he is contracted for this year anyway. Who knows, (he started the season with Waterford ).

I'd prefer Kilbane still at this point but expect the more Delaney does, the more he'll develop, he's certainly not bad by any stretch.

Faugheen wrote: »

Ciara Mageean chat was good last night. Spoke very honestly and she came across well.

Yeah, fascinating once again to hear sports people talk about the mental challenges they experience. Being so stressed she ended up crying to her coach in a German hotel bar at the European Championships the night before a race shows what a difficult place it can be.

See the Saturday show finishes at 17:00 now. Think this seems to be a permanent thing.
Seems a bit funny given it doesn't really leave any time to analyse the results of the 15:00 kick-offs in the PL.

Was hoping to hear report on Rugby match and also Utd's defeat today when I turned just after 17:00 but show was over.

Liberta Per Gli Ultra wrote: »

I think asking a professional footballer turned agent about the financial health of the game is like asking a banker or developer about the collapse of the Irish economy. Is he going to admit that the majority of professional footballers are overpaid mercenaries who have little interest in the long term stability of the clubs they play for? Is the banker or developer going to admit that Ireland is a corrupt sh1thole where neoliberal economics reign supreme?

I think, as I said, that a lot of his players will likely be coming from or going to clubs who are within the lower divisions and therefore somewhat at risk of going under like this and so he'd be concerned for the implications.

The majority of pro footballers are probably not that well paid (given numbers involved).

Championship players earn an average salary of £195,750, League One players £67,850 and League Two £49,600.

The average probably is skewed given some wealthy clubs, a median value would be more relevant. Given the average length of their playing career, and prospects afterwards, those figures are even less impressive. The average career length as a pro is 8 years.

For arguments sake, let's say the wage bill of the entirety of League 2 is 28.8M (24 clubs with 24 players each at 50k average).
Sanchez and Pogba earn 30M per annum between them!

I disagree with the banker analogy, most footballers are the equivalent of tellers, customer service, currency exchange, IT or HR staff rather than the big earners.


(Ireland isn't a corrupt sh*thole either btw, certainly room for improvement, but that's for another thread )