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

Did you smash it · 20-12-2020 9:36pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I know Johnny well, and he knows football very well. But I'm not sure he's all that interested in the Premier League and it probably shows. He's great on LOI football and horse-racing, two things he's genuinely passionate about. With regard to Twitter, he's not suited to the medium and I'm glad he's closed his account as he was always getting himself in trouble on it.

His knowledge of football seems bad. His analysis of Irish international footballers is either delusionally positive or overly negative. He tipped shamrock rovers as already having wrapped up the title when they had no goal scorer in their squad. He went on last season about Salah not doing it for Liverpool and should be dropped. He’s a poor analyst. The list of stupid opinions he has offered is long.

I enjoy him and Dan Mcdonnell together because Dan takes the piss out of him and a lot of stuff he says. Dan is a superb analyst.

Did you smash it · 20-12-2020 9:39pm

JeffKenna wrote: »

In a friendly.

Yes, in glorified friendlies they have beaten every strong Southern Hemisphere rugby nation in the world. They have beaten every northern hemisphere nation in the world in competitive games. They have lifted trophies and their players have been crowned as the best player in the world twice and they had two players in the rugby team of the decade.

Meanwhile our soccer lads haven’t had a champions league player in over a decade.

JeffKenna · 20-12-2020 9:43pm

Did you smash it wrote: »

Yes, in glorified friendlies they have beaten every strong rugby nation in the world. They have lifted trophies and their players have been crowned as the best player in the world twice and they had two players in the rugby team of the decade.

Meanwhile our soccer lads haven’t had a champions league player in over a decade.

In a sport that has 9 competitive teams they haven't got past the quarter finals of a world cup. No way would I claim they are successful based on that.

Did you smash it · 20-12-2020 9:47pm

JeffKenna wrote: »

In a sport that has 9 competitive teams they haven't got past the quarter finals of a world cup. No way would I claim they are successful based on that.

They are successful because they win trophies, hence they achieve success, hence they are successful.

20-12-2020 10:05pm

Did you smash it wrote: »

His knowledge of football seems bad. His analysis of Irish international footballers is either delusionally positive or overly negative. He tipped shamrock rovers as already having wrapped up the title when they had no goal scorer in their squad. He went on last season about Salah not doing it for Liverpool and should be dropped. He’s a poor analyst. The list of stupid opinions he has offered is long.

I enjoy him and Dan Mcdonnell together because Dan takes the piss out of him and a lot of stuff he says. Dan is a superb analyst.

Johnny has a stupid habit of coming out with daft and controversial opinions on things like the Rovers one etc etc. But I've been to games with him and he knows what he's talking about, can read a game, understand shape and pinpoint tactics being used etc.

I love listening to Dan and think he is the best thing about OTB at the minute, but I would not rate him too highly as an analyst and have always seen him as a big picture reporter who really gets the administrative and political side of the game.

Did you smash it · 20-12-2020 10:25pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Johnny has a stupid habit of coming out with daft and controversial opinions on things like the Rovers one etc etc. But I've been to games with him and he knows what he's talking about, can read a game, understand shape and pinpoint tactics being used etc.

I love listening to Dan and think he is the best thing about OTB at the minute, but I would not rate him too highly as an analyst and have always seen him as a big picture reporter who really gets the administrative and political side of the game.

These traits do not come over during the course of listening to him during the course of his job.

Dan might not be a superb tactical analyst. But he is truthful and his views are down to earth and he doesn’t get carried away on flights of fancy like Johnny, Dion fanning and other Irish soccer talking heads.

22-12-2020 8:21pm

Did you smash it wrote: »

These traits do not come over during the course of listening to him during the course of his job.

Dan might not be a superb tactical analyst. But he is truthful and his views are down to earth and he doesn’t get carried away on flights of fancy like Johnny, Dion fanning and other Irish soccer talking heads.

Agreed on Dan. You said he was a superb analyst in the original post, though.

RoversCeltic · 23-12-2020 12:00am

Did you smash it wrote: »

Yes, in glorified friendlies they have beaten every strong Southern Hemisphere rugby nation in the world. They have beaten every northern hemisphere nation in the world in competitive games. They have lifted trophies and their players have been crowned as the best player in the world twice and they had two players in the rugby team of the decade.

Meanwhile our soccer lads haven’t had a champions league player in over a decade.

we beat the world champions in a competive game recentlyenough

cms88 · 23-12-2020 12:02pm

Did you smash it wrote: »

They are successful because they win trophies, hence they achieve success, hence they are successful.

What trophies? THe tournament where one of the teams have won a grand total of 11 games in 20 years and haven't won a game since 2015?

Did you smash it · 23-12-2020 12:29pm

cms88 wrote: »

What trophies? THe tournament where one of the teams have won a grand total of 11 games in 20 years and haven't won a game since 2015?

:rolleyes:

It’s the annual rugby tournament to crown the best northern hemisphere nation.

I’m not a rugby fan. It’s too slow of a game with too much muscle over skill but only a fool would deny Ireland have not been successful at it after lifting the 6 nations trophy 3 times in the past 7 years.

JeffKenna · 23-12-2020 12:36pm

Did you smash it wrote: »

:rolleyes:

It’s the annual rugby tournament to crown the best northern hemisphere nation.

I’m not a rugby fan. It’s too slow of a game with too much muscle over skill but only a fool would deny Ireland have not been successful at it after lifting the 6 nations trophy 3 times in the past 7 years.

By best northern hemisphere nation you mean best team between the British Isles and France.

Did you smash it · 23-12-2020 12:50pm

JeffKenna wrote: »

By best northern hemisphere nation you mean best team between the British Isles and France.

Well if you think one doesn’t equal the other then that’s your own look out.

JeffKenna · 23-12-2020 1:03pm

Did you smash it wrote: »

Well if you think one doesn’t equal the other then that’s your own look out.

They do equal each other. That fact just shows how uncompetive rugby is.

Did you smash it · 23-12-2020 2:46pm

JeffKenna wrote: »

They do equal each other. That fact just shows how uncompetive rugby is.

Indeed but we win trophies at it and have players who have been crowned best in the world. Hence the media and the public take a big interest.

You might not like that but that is the bottom line.

Coillte_Bhoy · 24-12-2020 9:39pm

Did you smash it wrote: »

Yes, in glorified friendlies they have beaten every strong Southern Hemisphere rugby nation in the world. They have beaten every northern hemisphere nation in the world in competitive games. They have lifted trophies and their players have been crowned as the best player in the world twice and they had two players in the rugby team of the decade.

Meanwhile our soccer lads haven’t had a champions league player in over a decade.

If by "a champions league player" you mean someone who has played in the Group Stages i could name at least three in the last decade, nothing to get excited about but still....

Did you smash it · 24-12-2020 11:56pm

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

If by "a champions league player" you mean someone who has played in the Group Stages i could name at least three in the last decade, nothing to get excited about but still....

Ah mate, cillian sheridan and Jonny Hayes. And who else? Gimme a break.

cms88 · 25-12-2020 1:44pm

Did you smash it wrote: »

Ah mate, cillian sheridan and Jonny Hayes. And who else? Gimme a break.

Are they not Irish players or something?

JeffKenna · 25-12-2020 2:41pm

Why is the Champions League even in this conversation. Trying to put down Irish players for not being successful enough in a competition that draws the best players from a 265m playing pool. Of course it's a lot easier for rugby players to play at a higher level when the playing population of rugby is about 1.5% of soccer's.

Did you smash it · 26-12-2020 11:07am

JeffKenna wrote: »

Why is the Champions League even in this conversation. Trying to put down Irish players for not being successful enough in a competition that draws the best players from a 265m playing pool. Of course it's a lot easier for rugby players to play at a higher level when the playing population of rugby is about 1.5% of soccer's.

Ah yeah, we shouldn’t be dreaming of things like having an established player in the champions league in a decade. That’s for the superpowers like Albania, Slovenia, and Montenegro to achieve.

Jesus, I know Ireland is a small time football country compared to countries with similar populations like Portugal and Denmark but I didn’t realize we were smalltimers compared to Albania.

Brock Turnpike · 08-01-2021 9:36pm

I happened to catch some of tonight's show in the car. Was Ger Gilroy hosting from inside a giant lunch box? The sound quality was horrific. Is it usually that bad when he's hosting?

Happy4all · 10-01-2021 4:20pm

I tune in some Sundays because the paper review and guests can be entertaining.

Tuned in today and the two women presenters might just as well be having a personal conversation with each other. Sleep inducing stuff.

Piehead · 10-01-2021 4:26pm

Happy4all wrote: »

I tune in some Sundays because the paper review and guests can be entertaining.

Tuned in today and the two women presenters might just as well be having a personal conversation with each other. Sleep inducing stuff.

Sure you can’t bate an aul woke feminist OTB Sunday !

redbuck · 10-01-2021 6:31pm

What are the listenership figures like for OTB now?

I got out of the habit of listening during the first lockdown and resubscribed to Second Captains and rarely listen to OTB aside from the Saturday show which I always find entertaining.

Ahwell · 10-01-2021 10:28pm

redbuck wrote: »

What are the listenership figures like for OTB now?

Off The Ball, 47,000 listeners (Down 7,000 Book on Book)

https://www.newstalk.com/news/jnlr-newstalk-is-irelands-second-most-listened-to-station-1100976

I wouldn't read too much into "Down 7,000", They have been around 50,000 for years. Sometimes above it, sometimes below.

11-01-2021 9:26am

Ahwell wrote: »

I wouldn't read too much into "Down 7,000", They have been around 50,000 for years. Sometimes above it, sometimes below.

I'm not sure Newstalk management or sponsors wold take such a benign view of losing 13 per cent of your audience share since May 2019. They were at 54,000 for a while. Shows live and die by these figures.

But I suppose they don't take into account people watching live online and podcasting. And it's probably inevitable that a sports show will be hit more at a time when there has been very little live sport to speak of.

generalgerry · 11-01-2021 10:13am

Piehead wrote: »

Sure you can’t bate an aul woke feminist OTB Sunday !

They should have used the opportunity to carry out a sit in protest to against the fact that OTB has no front line female presenter. That would have been funny.

Ahwell · 11-01-2021 3:44pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm not sure Newstalk management or sponsors wold take such a benign view of losing 13 per cent of your audience share since May 2019. They were at 54,000 for a while. Shows live and die by these figures.

OTB is not going to die because one JNLR book has it at 47,000 listeners...and, as you alluded to, something has happened in the world since May 2019 that has had a big affect on sport.

11-01-2021 4:49pm

Ahwell wrote: »

OTB is not going to die because one JNLR book has it at 47,000 listeners...and, as you alluded to, something has happened in the world since May 2019 that has had a big affect on sport.

Live and die was just a figure of speech. I think we agree, but losing that many listeners is still not good as in theory there should have been a lot more people with a lot more free time on their hands to tune in.

I would imagine the show will end up completely online at some point in the future.

Ahwell · 11-01-2021 7:22pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Live and die was just a figure of speech. I think we agree, but losing that many listeners is still not good as in theory there should have been a lot more people with a lot more free time on their hands to tune in.

I would imagine the show will end up completely online at some point in the future.

I can't see that happening. We are talking about one book of figures. There is a time lag in JNLR figures. So the November figures are probably including the time when there was no live sport at all.

It might surprise you that at 47,000 it is still outperforming the second captains when they were presenting OTB, they used to get around 40,000. It constantly surprises me, because I much preferred the old crew. No accounting for other peoples taste I suppose.

redbuck · 11-01-2021 8:51pm

Ahwell wrote: »

I wouldn't read too much into "Down 7,000", They have been around 50,000 for years. Sometimes above it, sometimes below.

Consistency is good, they’re good figures.

11-01-2021 10:25pm

Ahwell wrote: »

I can't see that happening. We are talking about one book of figures. There is a time lag in JNLR figures. So the November figures are probably including the time when there was no live sport at all.

It might surprise you that at 47,000 it is still outperforming the second captains when they were presenting OTB, they used to get around 40,000. It constantly surprises me, because I much preferred the old crew. No accounting for other peoples taste I suppose.

The evening radio slot just seems like an afterthought at the moment. We'll see if the focus on the online stuff has a detrimental effect on figures long-term. Anecdotally it would appear to but maybe as you say that it doesn't really matter what they churn out as they will get in and around 50k anyway. We'll see.

generalgerry · 12-01-2021 9:34am

redbuck wrote: »

Consistency is good, they’re good figures.

I think it just goes to show how silly it was for RTE not to make some attempt to compete a few years ago when McDevitt and Earley left. That was a real opportunity to get a foot in the door.

Felexicon · 12-01-2021 10:01am

generalgerry wrote: »

I think it just goes to show how silly it was for RTE not to make some attempt to compete a few years ago when McDevitt and Earley left. That was a real opportunity to get a foot in the door.

Yeah the current offering on RTE is awful.
I genuinely can't even listen to 5 minutes of them.

redbuck · 12-01-2021 11:12pm

generalgerry wrote: »

I think it just goes to show how silly it was for RTE not to make some attempt to compete a few years ago when McDevitt and Earley left. That was a real opportunity to get a foot in the door.

Is Donnacha O’Callaghan still on Game On? I always found him woeful when I happened to hear it

amlinopta · 13-01-2021 6:49pm

redbuck wrote: »

Is Donnacha O’Callaghan still on Game On? I always found him woeful when I happened to hear it

Yes a terrible presenter on a brutal program completely out of place on the 2FM schedule. They cut the program from 2 hours to 1 hour in the first lockdown, need to finish the job now.

nialler1978 · 15-01-2021 9:13pm

Off the ball celebrating a win by 200/1 horse, amazingly fixated. Horse racing and gambling is such a wonderful sport and a sport for everyone. Ger Gilroy the man of the people or, more to the point, the women, the oppressed, things that are all pure and good for society celebrating a 200/1 winner. That happens all the time right? I’m 16 stone and a fat piece of **** but looks like I might have a shot in this sport if I take it up.

Or it’s a load fixed bollocks and newstalk and that tosser gilroy will do whatever it takes to get a few quid be it promoting corrupt racing or virtue signaling ****e female Irish rugby. Awful stuff. Garbage.

bike2wkr · 16-01-2021 12:12pm

They have to earn a buck somewhere. I like OTB. Good to see they are covering alot of Olympic hopefuls now as well. Good football (soccer) coverage too

Did you smash it · 18-01-2021 12:39am

Paul rouse talking bollocks on the paper review about some non existent moral quandary with regard to sports direct sponsoring Cork.

Felexicon · 18-01-2021 1:14pm

Did you smash it wrote: »

Paul rouse talking bollocks on the paper review about some non existent moral quandary with regard to sports direct sponsoring Cork.

Is it bollocks? There should he serious questions asked about why you would want to align yourself with with such a disgracefully run company.

Did you smash it · 18-01-2021 1:18pm

Felexicon wrote: »

Is it bollocks? There should he serious questions asked about why you would want to align yourself with with such a disgracefully run company.

Why are they disgracefully run? Rouse didn’t put forward actual examples.

Felexicon · 18-01-2021 1:26pm

Did you smash it wrote: »

Why are they disgracefully run? Rouse didn’t put forward actual examples.

I'm on a phone so can't link to articles but a quick Google will show multiple issues including an MPs report that concluded "staff are not treated as humans"

deisedude · 18-01-2021 1:48pm

Did you smash it wrote: »

Why are they disgracefully run? Rouse didn’t put forward actual examples.

Seeing as you cant be arsed Googling it

Zero hour contracts
Breaching minimum wage laws
Declaring yourself an essential business and forcing employees to work against government guidelines
Terrible working conditions where employees are treated like sh1t

Did you smash it · 18-01-2021 1:49pm

Felexicon wrote: »

I'm on a phone so can't link to articles but a quick Google will show multiple issues including an MPs report that concluded "staff are not treated as humans"

Read the allegations and some are scandalous. I didn’t hear either contributor bring of those allegations up.

I don’t think cork GAA should be passing on the money all the same. As dave McIntyre said where do you draw the line? AIG aren’t scandal free.

Did you smash it · 18-01-2021 1:51pm

deisedude wrote: »

Seeing as you cant be arsed Googling it
Zero hour contracts

Breaching minimum wage laws

Declaring yourself an essential business and forcing employees to work against government guidelines

Terrible working conditions where employees are treated like sh1t

If Paul rouse wants to make an argument it’s up to him to make that argument which he didn’t bring up any of examples of bad practices. That I heard anyway.

Felexicon · 18-01-2021 2:22pm

Did you smash it wrote: »

If Paul rouse wants to make an argument it’s up to him to make that argument which he didn’t bring up any of examples of bad practices. That I heard anyway.

There was definitely mention of it. Including an obscene amount of ambulance call outs to one site and a woman giving birth in a toilet.

These work practices are well documented to the point an undercover documentary was made.

Don't think an hour long paper review gives Rouse the scope to go through the long list of questionable practices by the company.

Not everything can be spoon fed to you and if you have an issue with what is said maybe do a bit or research before claiming people are talking bollocks.

Tell me how · 18-01-2021 2:22pm

Did you smash it wrote: »

If Paul rouse wants to make an argument it’s up to him to make that argument which he didn’t bring up any of examples of bad practices. That I heard anyway.

Any time I've heard Paul Rouse, he's very clear in the points he is making. Doesn't leave much room for speculation.

Either way, surprised anyone interested in sport doesn't know about the history and reputation of Sports Direct at this point.

Felexicon · 18-01-2021 2:25pm

Did you smash it wrote: »

I don’t think cork GAA should be passing on the money all the same.

I know I would be very unhappy if it was my county taking money from that grade of company.

We're in a weird time when the lines between business and community organisation are getting very blurred when it comes to inter county GAA.
It's up to each individual what they find acceptable but I'd worry for the organisation if they proceed with a Money is King attitude towards who they do business with.

Did you smash it · 18-01-2021 2:46pm

Some wrong on my side especially if rouse did address why sportsdirect are a “bad” company.

I heard them go on about the sportsdirect company directors being obese and one liking “blondes and Barbados” and then they waffled on about Nike not liking their products sold by online retailers which was frankly irrevalent. Later Dave challenged rouse on what was an acceptable sponsor, where do you draw the line, Rouse fudged the answer.

BPKS · 18-01-2021 4:16pm

Felexicon wrote: »

Is it bollocks? There should he serious questions asked about why you would want to align yourself with with such a disgracefully run company.

Was there uproar when AIG pumped their millions into Dublin GAA?

The same AIG that were bailed out by the US federal reserve to the tune of 170 billion dollars (12 short years ago) while at the same time hundreds of thousands of people in the same country were forced to hand back the keys to their house when they defaulted on their loans. T

Or when Bank of Ireland sponsored Munster and Leinster GAA.

Felexicon · 18-01-2021 5:03pm

BPKS wrote: »

Was there uproar when AIG pumped their millions into Dublin GAA?

The same AIG that were bailed out by the US federal reserve to the tune of 170 billion dollars (12 short years ago) while at the same time hundreds of thousands of people in the same country were forced to hand back the keys to their house when they defaulted on their loans. T

Or when Bank of Ireland sponsored Munster and Leinster GAA.

I must say I was surprised that wasn't brought up in the conversation yesterday.

Irish bank sponsorship was discussed.

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

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