World Cup Pundits Revealed: Former Spurs Bosses and Cult Hero Join BBC & ITV Line-ups
According to reports, former Tottenham bosses Ange Postecoglou and Thomas Frank will be on either side of the British broadcasting divide at this summer’s World Cup. Both managers were ‘chewed up and spat out’ by Spurs in the past 12 months and remain out of work.
Frank has been keeping a low profile since his sacking on February 11, while Postecoglou’s ill-fated comeback at Nottingham Forest was the shortest permanent managerial reign in Premier League history. However, the Dane and the Aussie will soon be back on British TV screens as studio pundits.
The Guardian claims that Postecoglou has agreed to work with ITV, while his Spurs successor, Frank, will be part of the BBC’s World Cup line-up.
BBC’s Star-Studded Panel
The BBC panel will also include Arsenal cult hero Olivier Giroud, along with regular pundits Wayne Rooney, Joe Hart, and Alan Shearer. Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan, and Kelly Cates will present the BBC’s coverage from a studio in Salford until at least the quarter-finals, after which they are expected to jet out to the US.
ITV’s Expert Team
Meanwhile, ITV has called upon Andros Townsend to join Gary Neville, Roy Keane, and Ian Wright. ITV, with a much larger budget, has hired out a glitzy Brooklyn studio for their anchors, Laura Woods and Mark Pougatch.
Extensive World Cup Coverage
All 104 World Cup matches will be available live on free-to-air TV.
ITV will show England‘s opening group game against Croatia, their final group game against Panama, as well as the quarter-finals if the Three Lions get that far. The BBC will show their second group game against Ghana and have gambled on Thomas Tuchel‘s side going deep into the tournament. That means they will be showing England in the last 32, the last 16, and the semi-finals, as long as they make it. Both broadcasters have the rights to show the final live on July 19.
It remains to be seen whether this summer will be a springboard for Postecoglou, Frank, or Giroud to pursue more frequent punditry work.
Postecoglou’s managerial career spans more than 30 years, taking in spells with Australia and Celtic, and a Europa League triumph at Spurs. Frank built a stellar reputation in seven years at Brentford but his stock took a big hit at Tottenham, while Giroud is still an active player at Lille.
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