Before I start I want to dispel a common myth. The voice at the beginning of the programme shouts Golaccio, which translates as great goal and not Go Lazio, which would just be biased. Just wanted to get that off my chest.
As football programmes go it is really rather good. It started about ten years ago and is Channel Fours only football coverage. It is helmed by James Richardson, one of the unsung heroes of sports broadcasting and is an erstwhile Roma supporter so he is enjoying this season very much indeed. He has a dry delivery of his lines and at times makes the show hilarious with his range of sexual innuendo and sarcastic jibes. His trademark is the paper review where he takes a look at the weeks events and transfer speculation.
He is joined every week by a star guest such as ex-celtic footballer Paul Elliot or Luther Blisset or sometimes even Craig Brown! Yes THE Craig Brown. The disadvantage is that these guests are shite. Although Joe Jordan is quite funny sometimes because of the way he talks. There is a lack of a studio meaning that at the games there isnt a chance for incisive analysis and comment.
The games themselves are alright. The ones featuring two big teams are usually played on Saturday nights so you usually get coverage of a good team versus a diddy team like Brescia. Also the games are intensely boring apart from the Lazio-Vicenza game last week. The pace is very slow and while this could be seen to encourage good technique and use of the ball you have to be into it or support an Italian team to bear it. Commentary is provided by the generally excellent Ken Wolstenholme or Peter Brackley.
Overall the pluses are more than the minuses and if I had my way then all fotball coverage would be handled by Channel Four so I wouldnt have to put up with the intensely patriotic Des Lynham on ITV or Alan Hansen who loves the sound of his own voice.
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Would you object ot Craigy being Scottish boss per chance? He could always entertain us with his loyalist songs on Football Italia. Him and Jock could do cabaret together!
Slim_Lee 12.03.2001 17:15
I was told that "Golaccio!" meant "Goal, at last!" when translated into English. Probably a phrase that doesn't translate (literally) too well then.
Mar 12th, 2001
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