LAST WEEK, WE went through our pre-tournament pundit power-rankings and because you’re all sound, you agreed with us for the most part.
However, we did have some notable omissions, particularly on Irish TV so, with that in mind, here’s an updated power-ranking as the first round of games comes to a close.
Will your favourite talking head make it?
10. Eamon Dunphy (down three)
Within literally three minutes of RTÉ’s coverage starting, Dunphy was deriding Euro 2016 as a terrible competition because the number of teams would dilute the quality. It’s fair to say he’s been wrong on that front so far.
Coupled with his over-the-top criticism of James ‘He got his manager sacked at Everton’ McCarthy yesterday, and ‘Showbiz’ takes a slide.
9. Uwe Rosler (new entry)
Rosler is definitely, though perhaps surprisingly, of the insightful, analytics-based school of punditry and partners very well with Graeme Souness on TV3. Indeed, the pair were on top form discussing the genius that is Andres Iniesta on Monday.
Paul McShane was also in studio.
8. Kenny Cunningham (new entry)
This was the exclusion last week that got you most exorcised — except that one guy who wondered where rugby pundit George Hook was — but, at this particular moment in time, Cunningham is back on the list.
Fair enough his inclusion is mostly because of his odd opinion on dogs after Monday’s games. The former Ireland captain said:
“Any dog you can pick up with one hand and put under your arm isn’t a dog.” Indeed.
7. Emma Byrne (new entry)
Arsenal and Ireland goalkeeper Byrne marks a welcome edition to the TV3 panel and made her debut during Croatia’s defeat of Turkey on Sunday.
Byrne has been a pundit on women’s games before but it was great to see TV3 take a page out of the US sport handbook and bring a current professional sportsperson — regardless of sex — into the fold for a men’s international.
6. Damien Duff – (no change)
Slightly annoying habit of looking all around him when he’s not being directly asked a question aside, Duff has added a bit of life to the RTÉ panel.
He’s still a little defensive when asked about Ireland but his anecdotes as a player not long removed from the squad are generally interesting and he has a dry wit that could see him become a firm favourite.
5. Slaven Bilic (new entry)
The West Ham boss is pretty much the only good thing about ITV’s festival of banalities so far. He’s insightful and clearly loves the technical aspects of football.
He also speaks his mind and got his broadcaster’s Euro 2016 off to a colourful start by swearing live on air.
4. Dietmar Hamann (new entry)
We’re going to be honest. We forgot Didi last week and it was a terrible omission. Over the course of the first few days of the tournament he’s reminded us why he’s one of the best.
Hamann for president!
3. Gianluca Vialli (new entry)
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When you get past the fact that, even at 51, Vialli is an impossibly handsome man, you also realise he’s an excellent analyst and has really added to the BBC’s coverage of the tournament.
He even quoted Aristotle — “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts” — when describing Italy’s defence. What more do you want?
2. Graeme Souness (up one)
He may have bristled a little when Tommy Martin described him as “practically one of us” as they were previewing the Ireland-Sweden game but Souness’ place as a virtual ever-present behind the spaceship that serves as TV3s desk is welcome.
We’re still waiting for him to really fall out with a co-pundit though. Our money’s on Lawrie Sanchez.
1. Richie Sadlier (no change)
The king stay the king. Sadlier remains the best thing on TV and made for captivating viewing over the course of the last five days, particularly after England-Russia when he pulled no punches.
Disagree, of course you do, let us know who you’d have number one and why in the comments below.
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