Admittedly, I would consider myself a traditionalist. Despite Ian Wright branding the BBC “dated” with its ultra professional layout and structure, I would give anything for their Match of the Day (Premiership) coverage to continue. Sadly, this has proved an impossible task, ITV are back, with a vengeance.

I am literally foaming at the mouth with the prospect of advertisement breaks roughly every twelve seconds, it is ridiculous. To compound my misery further, we will have to contend with the “extended highlights” of the “Big 4” whilst the remaining sixteen have to reluctantly accept a forty second slot, that is if ITV producers are feeling generous.

The truth is blatantly observable- ITV simply can’t do sports coverage. For me the BBC is the natural home of sport, forget Sky, British television was built on the BBC. ITV on the other hand - with its appalling anchors (Jim Rosenthal anyone?), absurd studio sets and unskilled title sequences - just encapsulates a fundamental sense of which they will never shake off, no matter what they do or whom they employ.
I refuse to dress this up as a topical, open ended article that will provide the readers with genuine food for thought. I gladly accept that what I am writing is a rant, and an anger filled one at that. I just find ITV’s coverage infuriating, whether it be Champions League or the Championship, it screams cheap, nasty and frankly cringe worthy.

I thought, and hoped, I had seen the last of Tyldesley, Townsend and the rest of their useless crew until the Champions League returned. Watching Tyldesley get ridiculously excited by “the home of football” in Salford and “Mr Liverpool” himself is nothing short of disturbing, his platitudes are irritating beyond belief.

Just when you thought ITV couldn’t get much worse, you see Ally McCoist on the pitch at half time screaming embarrassingly loud into his microphone, muttering sentiments that not only lack substance but a true reflection of events.

Usually, most commentators try to appear neutral. Not so Tyldesley. Admittedly and undoubtedly he has proved a particular hate of mine, but surely I am not alone in wanting to reek bile upon the Earth every time he gushes about ‘the nation’s favourite team’? Furthermore, Clive Tyldesley’s constant reminding the viewers about “two minutes of magic in Barcelona” or “Remember that night in Barcelona” in reference to Man Utd’s European Cup victory in 1999 is blood boiling, my fist has been close to the screen on a few occasions, I’ll admit.

Sadly, with football’s increasing status as an entertainment, leisure vehicle as well as a sport, comes stereotypical, hackneyed garbage like Clive Tyldesley (fuelled by the equally contemptible ITV). The man is far too aware of his own presence for comfort, I find it despicable.

So ITV is back, whether you find my “rant” valid or not, one thing will prove a certainty, the nation will barely be able to contain its apathy once the recordings begin. Motty isn’t looking so bad now, is he?