The one thing that the preseason friendlies have revealed to me thus far is the enormous drop off in talent between the commentary teams that we were spoilt with during the World Cup to the B-level of talent we witnessed during the Man United vs Celtic (Glenn Davis and Kyle Martino) and San Jose Earthquakes vs Tottenham Hotspur (Rob Stone and Taylor Twellman) games. It almost feels like separation anxiety now that Ian Darke, Roberto Martinez and others have left us.

In fairness to ESPN, their usual team of US-based A-level commentators must be taking a well-deserved vacation after working the 31-day World Cup tournament. But still, the lack of decent commentary by the remaining commentators available is alarming. And it’s something that I didn’t pay particular attention to until reality struck that Darke, Tyler, Martinez and company are now back in the UK.

Here are just a few examples of how poor ESPN’s commentary was during the Earthquakes against Spurs game Saturday:

1. Stone and Twellman raved about Robbie Keane and described how he is currently “in his prime” and would be a perfect designated player signing for MLS especially for a team such as New England Revolution. While I don’t disagree that Keane would be a welcome addition to MLS, to describe Keane as being in the prime of his career is absurd. He’s 30 years old. He was on loan to Celtic last season because he couldn’t get a regular starting place ahead of Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe and Roman Pavlyuchenko. Robbie Keane’s prime of his career has long passed. You could argue that his best year was his 2006-2007 season at Tottenham when he scored 22 goals in 44 appearances. That was 3-4 years ago.
2. Here’s an actual transcript of how Stone described one incident in the game yesterday: “Cornell Glen gets his man down, fires, and Cudicini serves up no rebound.” Huh? Cringe.
3. The pronunciation of some of the players names were butchered. For example, the commentators had a particularly difficult time pronouncing the names of Luka Modric and Niko Kranjcar.
4. Twellman was raving about Gareth Bale. I admire his skills too and find him to be one of the most exciting players in the Premier League. But during the game when Twellman described how well left back Bale was playing, he made a comment that wouldn’t England love to have someone of his caliber in that position? Problem is that England has Ashley Cole, one of the best left backs in the world.
5. Last but not least, most American commentators need to put the statistics sheet away and concentrate on the game itself. Watching the San Jose against Tottenham game, it often felt like Stone and Twellman were treating the 90 minutes like a talk show instead of focusing on the game itself. When commentators read statistic after statistic, it makes the listener feel as if the commentators are overcompensating for their inadequacies. It’s also frustrating because it takes us away from the game itself. All we want to do is hear about the match and what they’re seeing on the pitch. Not what happened off it in the past.

Many of the criticisms of Stone and Twellman can be leveled against most B-level soccer commentators in the United States. Twellman, to be fair, was in the color commentator seat for the first time ever for ESPN, so it’ll take time for him to improve. But based on first impressions, it was a terrible performance. Stone, meanwhile, is a much better presenter than commentator, so he was definitely out of his element this past weekend.

But whether it’s the team of Stone-Twellman or other commentators, the fact of the matter is that there’s huge room for improvement in the level of commentating of soccer games in the United States. But the reality is that there are few decent role models in the States. Phil Schoen of GolTV is the best one. JP Dellacamera, while not perfect, has the experience. John Harkes, despite the criticism, is improving and we saw that improvement as the World Cup evolved this summer. Adrian Healey and Robbie Mustoe are getting better and continue to hone their craft, but despite living in the States for several years, they’re technically English commentators, not American. Kyle Martino is likable but needs more experience.

The reality is that there aren’t a whole lot of decent soccer commentators or analysts in the United States, hence the reason ESPN hired most of its talent from Europe this summer. However, US sports networks have an opportunity to groom talent. Consider how many hours of games are available for them to work on throughout a typical season even if the games themselves are using the international feed. There are still plenty of time before, at half-time and after games to hone their craft.

The other option is for ESPN and other broadcasters to hire foreign talent on a permanent deal. While Martin Tyler, Ian Darke and company are well paid for their services in the United Kingdom, there still may be room for other English commentators to ply their craft in the States on a permanent deal. What about bringing over a Steve Banyard or Stewart Robson on a 12-month contract? Someone with quality who can help mentor some of the less experienced U.S. commentators and analysts? It’s definitely worth a consideration.

It gives me great pleasure to announce the launch of a brand-new eBook today entitled What The World Cup Means To Me. The free eBook, published by EPL Talk sister site World Cup Buzz, features stories from some of the top 21 soccer writers and personalities around the world including Soccernomics author Simon Kuper, BBC World Football Phone-In’s Tim Vickery, ESPN’s Rebecca Lowe and Tommy Smyth, GolTV’s Phil Schoen and many others.

The premise of the book is simple. It features stories about what the World Cup means to each of the contributors. The beauty of the question is that the World Cup means something different for everyone. For many soccer fans, it means their first introduction to the sport. For others, it means much more. Rather than steal anyone’s thunder, I encourage you to download the free eBook, read the 35 pages for yourself and then share your feedback regarding the eBook on World Cup Buzz.

I’m also encouraging you to share your own stories of what the World Cup means to you. Just visit www.WorldCupBuzz.com/sharemystory and share your personal story there.

The World Cup holds a special place in the hearts of soccer fans worldwide. What does it mean to you? What does it mean to people like Misha Sher, This Is American Soccer’s Adam Spangler, Setanta’s Paul Dempsey, Football 365′s John Nicholson, Peter Lupson (author of Thank God For Football) and the other personalities featured in the eBook. Download it today to find out.

The release of What the World Cup Means to Me marks the beginning of the EPL Talk Network’s coverage of the 2010 World Cup. More details will be released shortly, but we have a lot in store for you over the coming days and weeks and throughout the tournament. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to visit World Cup Buzz on a daily basis moving forward, follow World Cup Buzz on Twitter and visit the World Cup Buzz fan page on Facebook.

Special thanks to all 21 contributors for taking valuable time out of their day to share their stories. And last, but not least, thank you to Aram Gumusyan for designing the eBook and banner.

On Tuesday’s edition of the EPL Talk Podcast we have an interview I conducted with GolTV’s Phil Schoen. Phil covers the La Liga, the Bundesliga, Brazil, Colombia, as well as other circuits for GolTV, where he was been able of cover Premier League sides through the channel’s broadcasts of Europa League. We talk about he prepares for the wide variety of leagues he covers, but for a large part of the discussion we focus on Phil’s favorite club: Arsenal.

Previously on EPL Talk, we identified some of the top footballers on MySpace and Facebook. Now it’s the turn of Plaxo, the online address book used by more than 40 million people worldwide.

1. Steve Sampson. It’s pretty sad when someone spends practically his entire career in sport and what he’s remembered most for is his role as manager of the 1998 U.S. World Cup side which lost every game in the first round of the tournament. Still, at least you can request to be a contact of his on Plaxo.
2. Thomas Dooley. German-born Dooley played 81 times for the U.S. national team, and was a key player in the U.S.’s successful 1994 World Cup tournament. Dooley went on to play for Columbus Crew and the Metrostars in Major League Soccer.
3. Marcelo Balboa. Known by many as the other half of the comedic duo Balboa and O’Brien (Dave), for their so-bad-it-was-hilarious commentating during the 2006 World Cup, Balboa was a former captain for the U.S. national team as well as a central figure at the Colorado Rapids from 1996-2001.
4. Jeff Agoos. The former DC United defender was just inducted into the Soccer Hall Of Fame. Born in Switzerland, Agoos (nicknamed Goose) won five MLS championships (three with DC United, and two with San Jose).
5. Juergen Sommer. When pundits talk about American goalkeepers having played in Europe, Sommer is often overlooked despite the fact that he played more years in England than he did in the United States. In England, he played for Luton Town and Queens Park Rangers, before playing in the United States for MLS teams Columbus Crew and New England Revolution.
6. Derek Rae. Everyone’s favorite ESPN commentator has elevated the quality of the Champions League in the United States with superb commentating and a unmistakeable voice.
7. Fernando Clavijo. The former Colorado Rapids and Haiti national team manager played 61 times for the United States and was a veteran of the indoor soccer game in the country having played for the San Diego Sockers, among other teams.
8. Janusz Michallik. Michallik is now best known as one of the co-hosts of ESPN’s PressPass show, but the Polish defender made 44 appearances for the United States national team as well as playing in Major League Soccer for the Columbus Crew and New England Revolution.
9. Phil Schoen. The voice of American soccer is Phil Schoen, GolTV’s quality lead commentator who knows the ins and outs of most major (and minor) soccer leagues in the world.
10. Adrian Healey. Last but not least, the commentator is a regular part of ESPN’s soccer coverage whether it’s Euro 2008, Champions League, World Cup or, on NBC, the Summer Olympic Games.

If you’ve ever had a question you were dying to ask Ray Hudson, here’s your chance. Post your question in the comments section below, and I’ll pick out the best ones to ask Ray this Saturday when Kartik Krishnaiyer and I embark on our behind-the-scenes visit to the GolTV studios in Miami.

Kartik and I will be spending the day in the studio with Ray Hudson, Phil Schoen, Lindsey Dean and Pablo Alsina — and the GolTV crew — as we chronicle what a typical Saturday is like behind-the-scenes in the studio. In addition to Ray Hudson, feel free to post your questions in the comments below for Phil Schoen, Lindsey Dean and Pablo Alsina, too, as well as any production questions for the people behind the scenes at GolTV.

Here are the games that Kartik and I will be watching from the studio, and watching the commentators call:

• Hamburg vs Borussia Dortmund, 11:30am; commentator: Phil Schoen
• Real Madrid vs Malaga, 2pm; commentators: Phil Schoen and Ray Hudson
• Barcelona vs Vallodolid, 4pm; commentators: Pablo Alsina and Lindsey Dean

As well as videotaping what it’s like to see Ray and Phil commentating on games from the studio, Kartik and I will be interviewing each of the commentators and publishing the interviews later via the Major League Soccer Talk Podcast and EPL Talk Podcast. During Saturday, I’ll be twittering what’s happening behind the scenes, so feel free to follow me on Twitter.

Ray Hudson played with Newcastle United in the 1970s before moving to the United States where he played in the NASL for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Hudson later became the head coach for the Miami Fusion and DC United, and is now a successful commentator for GolTV, a 24/7 soccer network in the United States.

What would you do if you were in charge of Fox Soccer Channel’s TV coverage? The dilemma is that you’re trying to establish your own brand and to build an audience with your own personnel, but soccer fans — as you’ll probably agree — are difficult people to please. We always want perfection.

A perfect example is this past Saturday’s England against Kazakhstan World Cup Qualifier that was shown live on Fox Soccer Channel. Hosts Nick Webster and Warren Barton did a fine job in the beginning of the show with expert analysis and discussion. But when the game started, soccer fans were startled to hear that Webster and Barton continued their discussion into the game and didn’t hand over the commentary, as is customary, to the international feed — which would have been Clive Tyldesley and Gary Stevens.

While Webster is a decent analyst, he is no soccer commentator. So instead of commentating the game, it feeled like Webster and Barton were simply talking over the game and providing their analysis. Webster’s style improved later when he began commentating on the game itself, but I always had the feeling that I was missing out on something — that one of the commentators from the international feed would have been able to impart some wisdom that Webster would have missed.

The dilemma for Fox is that GolTV does the same thing but with better results. Few people seem to complain when Ray Hudson and Phil Schoen commentate on the World Cup qualifiers that GolTV broadcast. It’s quite rare that GolTV will broadcast the commentators from the international feed.

So what would you do if you were Fox and you wanted to feature your commentators? Would you have someone like Max Bretos or Christian Miles do the main commentary instead, and have Webster and Barton provide the studio analysis only? Or would you suggest something different? Let us know by clicking the comments link below and sharing your thoughts.

It’s pretty sad when two soccer columnists who represent what is supposedly one of the nation’s top newspapers are so incompetent and out-of-touch with reality.
Last November, I called New York Times soccer columnist Jack Bell a wanker for writing an idiotic article criticizing Fox Soccer Channel for broadcasting the Premier League, the world’s most popular sports league. Now Bell is criticizing ESPN for its Euro 2008 coverage.

Bell this time aims his criticism at ESPN’s decision to feature Euro 2008 commentators with British and Irish accents instead of those that are American. Jack Bell backs up his claims by including quotes from sometimes New York Times columnist Greg Lalas, better known as the brother of another doofus, Alexi Lalas.

Here are their inane comments:

1. “ESPN’s decision to import the Scotsman Andy Gray as an analyst has added a whiff of authority and some good insight. But would that insight be absent, for example, if Americans like Shep Messing or John Harkes were at the microphones instead?” – Jack, the answer is a definite yes. I loved John Harkes as a player, but he’s one of the most boring football commentators I’ve ever had the displeasure of hearing. Shep Messing is okay, but Andy Gray is better than Messing by a country mile. Gray’s ability to provide listeners insight into tactics and formations is fantastic as well as his ability to be direct with his criticism, which is so refreshing to hear.
2. “There’s nothing offensive about Derek Rae, the Scottish play-by-play guy. But is he any better than J.P. Dellacamera, the voice of M.L.S. and the U.S. national team on ESPN?” — Again Jack, the answer is yes. How incompetent can Bell be not to realize the world-class commentary that Rae provides and to suggest that Dellacamera could do better? I’m a big fan of JP, but Dellacamera has only recently returned to the game after being out for quite some time commentating hockey matches. Dellacamera, alongside Seamus Malin and Phil Schoen, are three of the best U.S. soccer commentators the country has to offer, but all of them pale in comparison compared to Derek Rae and Andy Gray. In a recent interview I conducted with Dellacamera, he himself admitted that he wasn’t on top of the latest European news since being out of the game for so long.
3. “ESPN has made it clear to its roster of mostly competent American soccer dudes that they need not apply for any job outside broadcasting Major League Soccer games” — That’s a ridiculous and childish statement to make. Rather than to go home and cry to mommy, Bell should realize that American commentators need to improve their work so they can compete against people such as Adrian Healey, Tommy Smyth, Rae and Gray. Would Bell and Lalas be more satisfied if we brought back Marcelo Balboa and Dave O’Brien? Both of them were an abomination in World Cup 2006. And do they realize how many American viewers ESPN and ABC lost because they switched to the Spanish language network Univision for better commentary?

Obviously ESPN knows what they’re doing. ESPN’s Euro 2008, with a few exceptions, has been spectacular and the ratings have been higher than ever. Instead of being so negative in a national soccer column, Lalas and Bell should be embracing the game not ridiculing it.