By Tony Attwood
Is it fair to call a radio station a “sprout”? After all, it is not a green vegetable, but listening to Talk Sport this morning in what broadcasters call the “build-up”, I am really starting to wonder…
The problem is I can’t get to the Arsenal game today, and the game is only live on TNT TV, which I don’t have, so it is the Talking Sprout as my only way to keep up with football, and it is interesting to hear the build-up to the Arsenal game… which in fact has some people talking about all the clubs other than Arsenal. It is indeed, at less that 45 minutes before kick-off, as if Arsenal not only are not playing but actually don’t exist.
In fact, there is talk about Manchester United, their shots and goals, and their problems handling the opposition set pieces and yet for the lunchtime game, they are not even playing. So I think it really does have to be time to ask why TalkSport is so utterly biased againsts Arsenal.
One interesting point is that in their chit-chat before the game (which kicks off in 40 minutes’ time as I write this) is constant chit-chat about failing clubs talking about their players “surviving on the badge”. Indeed, this tells us a lot more about Talk Sport – they are primarily comfortable telling us how bad Manchester United are … nothing to do with Arsenal, who kick off in just over half an hour. The only bit of this worth hearing is that all the pundits who are STILL talking about Manu have tipped them to win today and Tottenham to lose.
So I think it is now 35 minutes before kick-off and the Sprout are now talking about…. Liverpool against Manchester City, which is not even being played today – it is on tomorrow. Their “revelation” is that the atmosphere is that the Liverpool fans will turn against Manchester City. I mean, how much are they paying attention to reality, or is this life on another planet that we are being treated to?
This is not to say that the events surrounding Manchester City do not need coverage, but to feature that at a time when we don’t know the ManC team because we are still far too far away from kick-off.
So the question arises: why do Talk Sport (and of course they are not the only club that does this) now, just before noon, mention that there is a game here today – by telling us what a wonderful run of games Leeds are having. So there we are. Half an hour before kick-off, in a match being broadcast from Arsenal, and finally we are promised the team. Although it hasn’t actually been discussed yet. We’re now on the adverts…. Oh yes, and have just been told that things are looking positive at Tottenham (although they only refer to the wretched club by their nickname).
Thankfully, most games that I can’t see are on TV. But when we have a day like today with me not being able to get to the game or a TNT television, listening to the talking sprout really is depressing when all they do is go on about everyone else.
PS And now we are being told just how wrong the Arsenal manager is getting everything, and how these journalists know so miuch more. I almosts forgot who won the league last season.
