Match of the Day vs The Premiership

During the good bit of yesterday afternoon (before Redknapp* tried to maim Cahill and things went wrong at Goodison) there was a compendium of Garth Crooks light entertainment moments - including the great man introducing Altered Images on TOTP in 1982 alongside Peter Powell! I nearly choked on my cashews.

(* - in the Goodison h/t tunnel scuffle Redknapp was initially cited as the peacemaker. Steve McMahon said, "You're jokin'. He was in the piano with the lid down." Fantastic.)

Alan Hansen never tried it quite so obviously with Des.

I hope Chiles continues to speak his mind, right or wrong. I mean, I don't think he's very good at this, but no one would want to watch Hansen going round a fish finger factory either.

To paraphrase John Cooper Clarke. "They can’t find a good word for you Hansen, but I can... TWAT." I've never forgiven the cunt for losing that goal against Russia in the 1982 World Cup, they should show that more often, that might shut him up.

As you can see, I've been thinking about this all day.

I am not sure whether AH meant any of it. He did say 'I'm kiddin', by the way - I'm only kiddin''.

I very much agree with Mr Miller, though, that they must get along, as colleagues, and that bullying is wrong.

I think it was seen as an Event that they had managed to get Hansen on at all. He stands somewhat aloof from these 'secondary programmes'. If he goes on Focus, he's always late.

Mike -- this Crooks montage -- are you sure you're not just making it up to get me excited and regretful that I didn't see it?

Carlton Palmer was the loose cannon on the show - ready to give his opinion on an apparently fictional training ground bust-up between Bent and Gravesen ("I'm not surprised those two went at it, cos..." Stubbs: "But it didn't happen, Carlton.") and also carelessly wading in on dubious refereeing decisions. Maybe they won't invite him back.

It was about England vs Germany.

Some bits were good.

What annoyed me: for the first time in 14 years, a retro programme has noticed that Chris Waddle hit a shot on target, in a World Cup semi-final, from the centre circle. Yet after they'd shown it, and Motson had mentioned Pele (very calmly - he would be all excited if now saying the same thing about Rooney or anyone), we just got Gary Lineker sniffing 'He was never gonna score'.

At least it was on target from 50 yards, Gary! Roughly 45 yards further out than most of your shots! Jayzus - I think this was THE BEST SHOT EVER FIRED BY AN ENGLISH PLAYER IN A WORLD CUP, and that's all they can find to say about it.

Not that I can still see these events like yesterday or anything. Dry your eyes mate etc.

Golden boot? He got that 4 years earlier innit.

I just wish they would give Wads his due.

There was, by the way, much discussion of when Wads hit the post. Bobby Robson still says 'theirs was going out - ours was IN', exemplifying an endearing way in which his passion drives his perception.

You've taken that too far.

I don't see anyone making a documentaries about Brz '02 or, for that matter Por '04.

Steve - the point to the programme seemed to be that this was when football came out from its 'hooliganism' image and went to something that everybody liked and many others got into - and this particurlar match was the link.

My brother watched this with me - we were trying to think of players who were booked in a semi of a major tournament and could not take place in the final - what were their contributions to the match? We came up with 3 players and all of them scored apart from gascoigne.

Roy keane was one of them but I can't remember the others.

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Oh, I think a reconstruction of that night in Crystal Palace might be worthwhile - the build-up, the excitement of opening the pizza boxes, the text messages from Mr. Hopkins, etc.

i had not thought of that, good point.

I think Hansen gets this way whenever he leaves the relative comfort of the Main Pundit On The Big Match role.
I remember him appearing as a guest on the Frank Skinner show: he was asked one question and instantly went into a tirade of (slightly paraphrased) "Go on then ya cunt make us all laugh! That's your thing int it ya bam! I say something then you take the piss! Go on then ya brummy wanker! FUCKING MAKE US LAUGH!"
Skinner looked really uncomfortable (almost as uncomfortable as the infamous "You called me a child molester" show with M4tthew K3lly) so I suppose that was a good thing.