Source: Daily_Mail
Match of the Day 'dinosaur' is a TV turn off, says Stan Collymore
Stan Collymore has launched a ferocious attack on Match of the Day, calling for Gary Lineker to be replaced as anchorman and pundits Alan Shearer and Alan Hansen to go. [LNB]Collymore branded the BBC's flagship football show 'stale, cliched and smug pap' and accused 'lazy' pundits of failing to do their homework. [LNB]He unleashed his thoughts on his Twitter site during MOTD2 on Sunday after being infuriated by what he had seen on two shows over the weekend. [LNB]Fed up with Match of the Day? Tell us what you would change by leaving your comment below... Panel with no punch: are the BBC'sShearer, Lawrenson, Lineker and Hansen really on the ball?[LNB]The former Liverpool and England striker, who has forged a media career of his own, also suggested Shearer should get out to see more games. [LNB]'I love MOTD,' said 39-year-old Collymore. 'I've watched it for 33 years but, right now, in my opinion as a football fan, it's c**p, and like dinosaur football, has to change. [LNB]'The standard of MOTD is so poor - and sorry, it is - that you may as well Sky-plus it, skip the analysis and use your own judgement.' [LNB]TV nightmare: talkSPORT presenter Collymore has hit out at 'dinosaur' MOTD[LNB]As an example, he picked out Shearer's bizarre claim that Hatem Ben Arfahad not been on the radar of big clubs, when the 23-year-old, who joined Newcastle on loan from Marseilles this summer, is in fact a France international who has long been tipped for the top and tracked for years by several Barclays Premier League clubs, including Arsenal. [LNB]Collymore said: 'During the World Cup several teams weren't prepped properly by MOTD and Shearer's "revelation" that Ben Arfa wasn't on many's radar is frankly laughable. [LNB]'We all makes mistakes in commentary and shows but just not finding out about players and teams seems par for the course on MOTD. [LNB]'Does it T me off? Damn right it does. Could I do better? I already do.' [LNB]Collymore was sacked in 2004 as a radio pundit by the BBC, who had taken him on despite his infamous 1998 physical assault on Ulrika Jonsson. He has since rebuilt a career as an analyst on talkSPORT and Five. He insists his comments are not personally motivated. [LNB]'I'm not bitter at all towards the BBC or MOTD,' he said. 'I love public service broadcasting and our national broadcaster but the truth is that in my opinion MOTD is stale, cliched, smug pap a lot of the time. [LNB]'It's a lazy show that doesn't provoke debate in our game and just says, "We've been there and done it and we don't have to do anything but sit here and dole out cliches". Shake it up someone, please. [LNB] Like for like: Collymore says Sheringham should replace Shearer and that the BBC should make the ex-England striker cover games for Radio 5Live instead[LNB]'The most important man in English football is the editor of MOTD, I wasonce told. But the way Sunderland's first half was made to look like a poor performance, with little service to (Darren) Bent, actually shows that the editorial merit is woeful.' [LNB]Match of the Day has been under fire from other angles this season. Wolves players are furious to be depicted as a dirty team and goalkeeperMarcus Hahnemann said he did not watch it any more because it failed toshow his saves. [LNB]'It seems like we're on last every week,' said Hahnemann. 'I never see any saves.' [LNB]Collymore believes new blood would be key to reviving a show first screened in 1964. [LNB]Wright stuff: Collymore believes Ian Wright would make the difference[LNB]'What would I do?' said Collymore. [LNB]'Get a presenter that just presents. Put Lineker as lead pundit, get rid of Hansen and Shearer and revolve the pundits so that Andy Cole, Zola, Di Canio, Ian Wright, Sheringham, Cantona and plenty of players with ideas, opinions and passion all get us thinking about the game. [LNB]'Lineker has the gravitas as the great ex-England striker. Revolve the names around him. Right now it's comfy, matey pap that probably spends more time talking golf rather than football. Stick Shearer on 5 Live and get him out to games, lots of games. [LNB]'If MOTD isn't a debate show and just a highlights reel, then why have pundits at all? [LNB]'I want to see Zola disagree with Sheringham, or Di Canio giving us an insight, or Klinsmann next to Cole and Wright talking about what Torres is going through and how to change. [LNB]'There are passionate players, quiet ones, shouty ones, tactical ones. Like the games being played. Let's have variety of styles on MOTD. [LNB]'MOTD just looks like a golfing clique who have a passing interest in football, and that can't be right?' [LNB]The BBC declined to comment on Monday night.[LNB] Martin Samuel: Don't be fooled by new dross idea for cosy Match of the DayWolves keeper Hahnemann saves his fury for Match of the Day's rough editsWhy Sir Alex Ferguson's row with BBC could cost Manchester United £1m [LNB]
