Monday 16th November
19:45 Coleraine v Glenavon, IFA Premiership, Sky Sports 1 & HD1
Not much to talk about this week. The last knockings of World Cup qualifying is underway with precious little local interest. So instead, Sky have wheeled out this rare gem from Northern Ireland.
Tuesday 17th November
19:45 Northern Ireland v Czech Republic, U21 International , Sky Sports 1& HD1
This is a European Championship Qualifier. Click to continue reading...

If you haven't heard, some soccer on TV ratings came out yesterday. FSC, America's preeminent all-soccer broadcaster, became Nielsen-rated just about a year ago. Since then, the network's ratings...

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Following a fairly successful appearance on BBC2 yesterday (doesn't Gabby Logan look a bit like a lion?), the nation's favourite broadcaster has offered us some tasty reaction to the Cardiff v Forest match. Firstly, an audio interview with Lewis and Chrissy Cohen, and a few words from Billy lamenting the inability to take chances and the [. Click to continue reading...

Before the last game, a few players and front office people came out to the tailgates to socialize and drop off some "refreshments". Adam Cristman is injuried so he was out there...Kevin Souter, currently on the DL and doing a great job as a fill in broadcaster stopped by also. Here is posing with Mike of Down the Byline fame. Click to continue reading...

At later stages, clubs are now fairly open in their contempt for the FA Cup, fielding reserve teams and compaining about fixture congestion, but at this stage it still matters. This weekend sees the Fourth Qualifying Round, the sixth stage of the competition and that at which Blue Square Premier clubs enter.

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So ESPN's gone out and signed Martin Tyler to be its no. 1 commentator for the 2010 World Cup.
Good. He's a very good, if slightly ubiquitous, commentator. He won't embarrass ESPN like Jack Edwards, Dave O'Brien or Marcello Balboa and he'll make a lot of US World Cup viewers very happy. Click to continue reading...

American soccer fans looking forward to watching the 2010 World Cup will have a familiar voice calling World Cup matches on ESPN.

Sports Illustrated's Richard Deitsch is reporting that ESPN is set to hire English broadcaster Martin Tyler as lead play-by-play announcer for the 2010 World Cup.

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American soccer fans looking forward to watching the 2010 World Cup will have a familiar voice calling World Cup matches on ESPN.

Sports Illustrated's Richard Deitsch is reporting that ESPN is set to hire English broadcaster Martin Tyler as lead play-by-play announcer for American broadcasts of� the 2010 World Cup.

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Awesome. I can't imagine an American soccer broadcaster approaching even one-tenth of that joy and enthusiasm. Maybe Limarzi on amphetamines? Click to continue reading...

Rio Ferdinand is perhaps one of the more unlikely of digital ambassadors. Before yesterday's online-only broadcast of Ukraine v England, the defender offered his opinion on the unique way the game would be broadcast to the nation.

"I'm sure it'll be the way forward and in the future it'll probably be the reality.

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That's about it then right? Enough now with the endless quest for the playoffs? Toronto had to leave Illinois with three points tonight but could only grab one from a match that saw TFC start with a frenetic energy and end with most players about to collapse. The 2-2 result was probably fair for both teams who both showed a lot more in the way of mistakes rather than skill. Click to continue reading...

Well, I'm on a roll so why not.If a country gets the TV it deserves then we are a very bad bunch here in Scotland.Let's leave BBC Scotland out of this for just now (although a lot could be said, right Chick?) and concentrate on the excuse for a modern broadcaster that is STV.With terrible programmes and terrible presenters (I wouldn't wish an hour with Stephen Jardine on my worst enemy) the Click to continue reading...

I'm sick of this crappy little network and having to deal with their bullshit.

They suck. Plain and simple! They promised us 3 games a week and they are already backing off to 2 games a week at best. They promised a contest that never materialized. They pick up Europa and won't even show German teams.

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According to press reports this evening, the Blue Square Premier has been unable to reach agreement with the new boy in the British pay television market, ESPN. This comes as no great surprise. For one thing, lower division football doesn't exactly fit in with the profile that the nascent channel has built up over the last couple of months, a profile based upon top European football, Premier League football and American sports.

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Starting this Sunday,� NFL teams� will� begin their grueling five month battle to see who will win the Lombardi Trophy, which� got us here at STO thinking...�

Out of all the legendary coaches to ever coach an NFL game, John Madden and Mike Ditka have to be considered two legends at� the top of the list.

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If Steven Goff didn't exist, we'd have to invent him department:

Goff, in an ARTICLE ON FRIDAY with a FOLLOWUP TODAY is passing along some disturbing news, namely that the USA - Honduras match is unlikely to be available on a TV set near you.
And we're not talking about another mun2 circus, or even jumping around Justin. Click to continue reading...

"Freedom isn't free
It costs folks like you and me
And if we don't all chip in
We'll never pay that bill"
So I'm sure most of you know by now that Steven Cohen has shut down World Soccer Daily. On Friday's edition of WSD, the broadcaster revealed that his decision was made after some random nutter(s) contacted his stepchildren (via Twitter) and friends. Click to continue reading...

Special1 TV will not be returning to Setanta Sports in the immediate future, according to a Setanta Ireland representative.

The cult hit parody show featuring puppets of Jose Mourinho, Sven Goran-Eriksson and Wayne Rooney will not be returning to the airwaves in the foreseeable future unless the program is picked up by another broadcaster.

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How would ESPN fill the hole left behind by doomed broadcaster Setanta?By producing what is essentially a carbon copy of Setanta if their first live game of the season is any guide.They have turned away from being at the games. Instead we've got Ray Stubbs in a studio. A safe pair hands is Raymond. Under used by the BBC and given his big chance by ESPN. Click to continue reading...

How would ESPN fill the hole left behind by doomed broadcaster Setanta?By producing what is essentially a carbon copy of Setanta if their first live game of the season is any guide.They have turned away from being at the games. Instead we've got Ray Stubbs in a studio. A safe pair hands is Raymond. Under used by the BBC and given his big chance by ESPN. Click to continue reading...

Four days in Mexico City and nothing to complain about. Well, there is that one thing. And as a new friend told me after the US MNT lost 2-1 to Mexico at Azteca, these photos would look a lot better if we won...

But as should have been obvious in the previous post, there is more to life than winning.

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A few stories tonight that are worth checking out. A lot of MLS based items that need discussed and a little US-Mexico hype for Wednesday. If you got a link that you feel needs discussed here just send me an email and I'll do my best to get it up tomorrow.

Blanco and Kljestan Grace FIFA Soccer 10 Cover

Link

Cuauhtémoc Blanco of the Chicago Fire and Sacha Kljestan of Chivas USA will be featured on the front packs of FIFA Soccer 10.

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Below is piece by Graham Cunningham (my favourite racing broadcaster despite him refusing to print off my racing figures at Pontefract one day...claiming there was no printer in there) which was buried in a recent Betfair piece.

If I ever end up on Mastermind then you can bet 1.

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Official Press Release
New York, Wednesday 29th July 2009 – In a stunning rebuke and continuation of his isolation from the football world, Fox Soccer Channel (FSC) today announced that Steven Cohen would not be returning to host the FSC show Fox Football Fone In (FFF) which he has co-hosted for 4 years. Click to continue reading...

From The Guardian
Yesterday, ESPN announced that the sports channel's football coverage would be extended to include matches from the top-flight domestic competitions in Germany, Portugal, Russia and the Netherlands.
The US broadcaster has also secured the UK and Ireland rights to air the remainder of the Major Soccer League competition in the US, featuring David Beckham's LA Galaxy. Click to continue reading...

"We have distanced ourselves and will continue to distance ourselves from any comments that disrespect the memory of Hillsborough.
"We can see no benefit of giving him legitimacy by the club singling him out. Giving Mr. Cohen oxygen is the worst thing we could do.
"He is not a representative, nor ever has been a representative of the club. Click to continue reading...

Book Review: Wark On by John Wark
It must be impossible for those who played top flight football in the era of pre-Premiership riches not to wonder how their lives would have panned out had they been born a couple of decades later. Take Glen Hysen: the Swedish central defender who played for Liverpool in the early nineties recently ended up on the dole after a Swedish broadcaster opted not to renew his contract. Click to continue reading...

Tribal Football has what the owner of Ajax has to say... Ajax director Rik van den Boog has confirmed his club's interest in signing Oguchi Onyewu on a free transfer from Standard Liege.
The 27-year-old is at the end of his contract with the Belgian outfit and has also reportedly attracted the interest of Fenerbahce and a number of English clubs. Click to continue reading...

I have such a love/hate relationship with Sportsnet when it comes to their coverage of Canadian soccer. I mean, they do some good things. I like Craig Forrest and they did bring the EPL to regular cable. For that I am happy and grateful. But today my relationship is much more on the hate side.

Just in case you haven't heard (and despite the glowing headline from the CSA site declaring Sportsnet to Broadcast Canada Gold Cup Matches), Sportsnet will not be showing Canada' s Gold Cup matches on the main Sportsnet channel.

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Phil Wallace has come back from the USA to meet with the board regarding a 20 point plan. It's the plan he hopes will be sufficient enough to get the club through this season after the loss of apparently £100,000 due to the Irish Broadcaster's collapse. £100k is a lot of money for a club of� our size, in the division we're in and whereas Premier League clubs would see that sort of money as change or a weeks wages for one of its players, it's a totally different ball game in the lower leagues.

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Well, it's official. Setanta UK are consigned to the "Televised Football Book of Remembrance" along with other greats such as Saint & Greavsie (and another now defunct show they once presented, On the Ball), our very own Scotsport and the occasional episode of Andy Camerons Cup Final Cavalcade.

Now, I never got Setanta so I can't really comment on the quality of their programme output or, more importantly, the quality of their female presenters.

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With pre-season officially just days away the excitement is building in preparation for the new season. The Blue Square Premier fixtures will be released at the back end of next week and by then Graham Westley's squad will have already been through a couple of tough days of fitness training.

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"Erm, see what comes up if we type in English soccer." Financial broadcaster Bloomberg has showed that football is probably not its number one news priority. The news channel accompanied its story on ESPN bagging the Premier League rights with footage of Cristiano Ronaldo and Christian Dailly. Ronaldo and Dailly have very little in common except they [. Click to continue reading...

Mickey Mouse comes to the Prem Michael Owen might be still passing around his GCSE Graphic Design project, but there is only one Mickey desperate to get into the Premier League who has had any luck so far this summer. Mickey Mouse is coming to the Premier League! Disney-owned broadcaster ESPN has snapped up the Premier [. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool have stolen a march on Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona and secured the services of highly-rated Cadiz teenager Jesus Fernandez Saez, nicknamed Suso, according to Setanta Sports.
The broadcaster is reporting that Rafa Benitez's outfit have beaten the two La Liga sides to the 16-year-old's signature, with the midfielder signing a five year deal at the club. Click to continue reading...