Tom English.

[Alex Trager]

Ewan Cameron has pulled him up for being negative and someone who drain the entertainment and enthusiasm out of the Scottish game.

I normally don’t agree with EC and don’t mind Tom English but then it got me thinking, maybe he is right.

It was in the context of Tom English calling Gary Linekar and Rio Ferdinand unprofessional for celebrating Messi’s freekick on Wednesday.

So do you think it is unprofessional and they shouldn’t have celebrated it, quite passionately, or do you think that Tom English typifies the difference in the way BBC Scotland, and the scottish media in general, talk about scottish football compared to those down south and the way they talk about their game?

One focuses on the negatives as opposed to presenting an entertaining show.

[007]

They were unprofessional. Presenters/commentators on a British show shouldn't be blatantly wanting the British team to lose. Liverpool fans are right to be fuming about it. Imagine if we'd had Levein or Skacel commentating on our 3-0 defeat by Molde and celebrating like that.

[TelaStella]

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They were unprofessional. Presenters/commentators on a British show shouldn't be blatantly wanting the British team to lose. Liverpool fans are right to be fuming about it. Imagine if we'd had Levein or Skacel commentating on our 3-0 defeat by Molde and celebrating like that.

Think it really just came down to the excitement of that goal, it was ridiculous. A career milestone of 600 and pretty much sealed the fate of what’s already been a really intriguing tie. Personally I was shouting for Liverpool but like many were amazed by the winner, if it were the other way around and say Sallah had just done that to make it 3-0 I think it would be the same.


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[Marvellous]

Tom English is one of the few people writing about Scottish football who I would even call a journalist.

[O'Rourke3]

https://youtu.be/lpA8Og-MsPE

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[Onceinawhile]

They weren't unprofessional, they weren't presenting at that point. They weren't commentating, they were off air, it was just caught by the cameras.

[Wembley67]

Haud the baw. So an ex Barca and Toffee player celebrates a fantastic goal against Liverpool? And it's an issue?

Weird view.

[Mibbes Aye]

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They weren't unprofessional, they weren't presenting at that point. They weren't commentating, they were off air, it was just caught by the cameras.

Didn't see the game and haven't seen any off-air footage. If they were celebrating the goal then I don't blame them, it was sublime, especially when you see it from the various angles BT had.

As for Tom English, I think he is actually pretty weak as a football reporter or pundit. He stands out because he is amidst a sea of awfulness, so he can get away with being mediocre or average because, let's face it, there isn't anyone else getting media time who is better.

The paucity of decent commentary and reporting in the Scottish game is shameful, given we are meant to be one of the best-attending nations in Europe.

I think there are two options - one where we just settle for punchy highlights, which is the norm in some European countries, or one where we spend money on getting airtime from people who can talk about football articulately. I'm thinking of the way that Sky Sports used to do it in the early nineties when they first got the EPL contract, with Van Gullit and the whiteboard, or the way TalkSport did it with Marcotti, Honigstein and Balague.

[JohnM1875]

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They weren't unprofessional, they weren't presenting at that point. They weren't commentating, they were off air, it was just caught by the cameras.

Exactly this. My god, they celebrated an outstanding free kick. So what? I celebrated it and I love Ronnie and wanted Liverpool to win.

People need to seriously chill out.

[Kojock]

That’s the same Tom English who told us Virgil van Dijk was vastly overrated and is easily found out by decent strikers. Wonder what he has to say now about the EPL player of the year contender.

[Liam6270]

I thought it was brilliant seeing Lineker and Ferdinand cheer like that, I was doing the same haha! Jurgen Flop strikes again

[Hibernian Verse]

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That’s the same Tom English who told us Virgil van Dijk was vastly overrated and is easily found out by decent strikers. Wonder what he has to say now about the EPL player of the year contender.

He got player of the year mate. Hope you're well, might see you again in Europe! (Formerly Milkinho)

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[Kojock]

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He got player of the year mate. Hope you're well, might see you again in Europe! (Formerly Milkinho)

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Cheers mate, just back from hols so missed the announcement. Think Europe is beyond us for this season. Always next season GGTTH

[hibbydog]

I like Tom English. He bases his views on facts and always has examples and stats to back up his points. His articles are normally a good read.

Compare him with someone like Keith Jackson....

[we are hibs]

Linekar and Ferdinand knew the cameras were on them as it wasn't the first time they've filmed their "reaction" to a goal. All a big act. Doesn't bother me but let's not pretend they were doing it because they "love football" and all that pish

[Since452]

Linekar is ex Barcelona and Ferdinand is ex Man United. They'd just watched a trully legendary player score a wonder goal to make it 600 career goals. Sorry, they're only human.

[PatHead]

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I like Tom English. He bases his views on facts and always has examples and stats to back up his points. His articles are normally a good read.

Compare him with someone like Keith Jackson....

Used to like Tom English when he first appeared. He had no old firm agenda and wasn't one of the boys. Now he's part of the BBC establishment and can't really be bothered with his views. Full of his own importance and trys to come over as an authority rather than a commentator, whether it football, rugby or any sport.

To be fair he was replacing the likes of Jim Traynor so anyone would be an improvement.

I think Michael Stewart is the best by a mile. Criticism when it is due but talks up the game as well. Listen to how he talked up Turnbull of Motherwell.

[Alex Trager]

https://twitter.com/tenglishsport/st...734034951?s=21

[Sioux]

If that had been a jambo and a hun reacting to a goal against Hibs, the reaction on here would be totally different. No matter how good a goal it might have been.

[Winston Ingram]

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They were unprofessional. Presenters/commentators on a British show shouldn't be blatantly wanting the British team to lose. Liverpool fans are right to be fuming about it. Imagine if we'd had Levein or Skacel commentating on our 3-0 defeat by Molde and celebrating like that.

I’d agree with this if they knowingly did it live on air, but they didn’t. They had no idea BT were going to share that.

Of course Lineker & Ferdinand want Barca to win.

Compare that to what Carragher did at Liverpool’s winner v Spurs this season, grabbing the mike and shouting ‘you beauty!’. Now that’s unprofessional

[BoomtownHibees]

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If that had been a jambo and a hun reacting to a goal against Hibs, the reaction on here would be totally different. No matter how good a goal it might have been.

Of course it would and I actually think Tom English makes a good point. He’s taking a lot of stick about it from fans of all clubs but can you imagine the seethe if that was 2 Scottish presenters reacting like that to a goal against the Rangers or Celtc in Europe?? There would be calls for them to be sacked, there would be death threats the lot.

Even thinking about how you would feel if it was a goal against Hibs in the Europa League being celebrated like that by Sportscene presenters

[Pretty Boy]

It's quite amusing that the match thread regarding the game in question on here descended into an argument about how English commentators and pundits were unbearable because of their bias towards English teams.

We've now gone full circle and they are unprofessional for celebrating a goal against an English team.

[SChibs]

If Alan Stubbs was in the studio in a Hibs game vs Rangers do people not think he'd celebrate the goal? Likewise if Everton were to play Rangers in Europe?

Everyone has the right to support a football team and whilst the pundits are watching the game they should be entitled to celebrate the goals they want to. As long as their punditry is unbiased and fair I don't see an issue with it.

[bigwheel]

Cheering goals is a magic reflection of the passion of football...since when do we have to care about teams from our own country ...Rivalry is a great pet of football too ..

[Smartie]

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I like Tom English. He bases his views on facts and always has examples and stats to back up his points. His articles are normally a good read.

Compare him with someone like Keith Jackson....

I agree.

Without doubt he's one of our better ones.

I happen to disagree with him on this subject though.

Football presenters are welcome to celebrate any goal they like, especially if it is a cracker, a goal of significance, a goal scored by someone's former club or against the rivals of a club the presenter is closely linked with - in this case all of the above.

Would anyone expect Levein not to celebrate a goal against Hibs? If he wants to celebrate, he's perfectly entitled to. I don't mind commentators freely admitting they have teams they prefer.

[bigwheel]

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I like Tom English. He bases his views on facts and always has examples and stats to back up his points. His articles are normally a good read.

Compare him with someone like Keith Jackson....

I’d agree with this - but he gets some calls wrong - and think this is one of them ....

[ScottB]

What are they supposed to do, sit in awed silence?

Some folk are far too sensitive. They cheered a cracking goal from one of the best players to ever play the game, nothing wrong with that!

[Just Jimmy]

That'll be the same Liverpool fans who were praising Carrigher the other week for his "genuine passion" when Liverpool got a late winner.

Can't have it both ways.

Sky is dripping in pro Liverpool people and never has a bad word to say about them.

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[matty_f]

I've got a lot of time for Tom English, I don't always agree with him and there are times when I've thought he's completely missed the point of a situation, but the majority of the time I think he gives good insight.

[Spike Mandela]

Guys like Tom English do suck the fun out of football but he has some way to go until he reaches the towering negativity of Davie Provan, imo, who anytime I have the misfortune to listen to or read seems to absolutely detest the sport which gives him a living, especially when discussing Scottish football.

Tom English grates on me with his sneering, arrogant, pseudo intellectual ramblings. It’s clear his first love is rugby, well he is a Hearts supporter I suppose��, and rarely has an insight that takes the conversation to a higher level despite how grandiose he is trying to sound.

By the way , the idea that Scottish pundits off camera aren’t cheering goals for their team or against their biggest rivals is ludicrous. Do you think McCoist off air isn’t cheering a Rangers goal or a goal against Celtic, Preston doesn’t celebrate a goal for Hearts or misfortune for Hibs? The unprofessional part is the tv company broadcasting the tweet.

Too often we have the charade of impartiality on tv when we all know it’s fake.