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Time for Francome to go?
I didnt hear his "analysis" of Mannings ride on Saturday, but yet again it sounds as if it was the usual industry insider’s, rank closing, punter sneering drivel
And we knew exactly what his opinion would be…
Not only that, we seem to be subjected more and more to childish rants about "townies" stabbing each other all day long. Stuff that might appeal to his studio clique but is to put it mildly, pretty tiresome
Maybe i just catch this stuff on the increasingly rare occasions that i watch C4, (RUK is a godsend) but is there any place for a presenter who so clearly despises 95% of his audience?
I like Francome as a person I think he’s great but I’ve never known anyone talk such barmy nonsense as he often does. From a seven times champion jockey you’d expect a lot more sense, some of the things he comes out with are so obviously innacurate that its actually cringeworthy.
I’m never quite sure if Francome talks a load of bull because he believes it or is he just trying to be controversial. Usually Jim McGrath and Alastair Down will close ranks but on Saturday Jim actually disagreed with him over Manning’s ride.
I don’t think Channel 4’s coverage will suffer if they reduced Francome’s appearances in the same way as Big Mac’s.
Haven’t watched the Morning Line for a few years now but it always struck me that "The World’s Greatest Jockey" was arrogant and lazy.
Assuming that he knew all that was to know about racing and that he didn’t need to do any homework as his ‘charm’ would get him through.
Colin
I like Francombe and while I do disagree with him on sometimes and he couldn’t tip rubbish he is entitled to his opinion. He made a fair point about Lush Lashes not showing much of a turn of foot when first asked but on the other hand as Lester said you need to be on the outside if coming from behind at Goodwood and if she had been she would have won that race.
He can talk some rubbish at times when he ventures outwith racing but I listen carefully to what he has to say – when he is negative (which admittedly isn’t all that often) about a horse he is almost invariably correct.
"I don’t think Channel 4’s coverage will suffer if they reduced Francome’s appearances in the same way as Big Mac’s."
I like Francome as an person. He is entertaining, independent and no great respector of authority- I remember him referring to stewards at one of the west country gaff tracks while riding as "cabbage patch kids".
He has/had his side lines like his building projects, fish and chip shop and books.He would make a good dinner guest.
Some of this comes across as a pundit in his relaxed Swindon burr style.He does give an impression that he can’t really be bothered to study form in detail but this may not be fair.I agree that he gives few negatives but that is invariably correct when he does.
Thought his analysis of the ride that Hughes gave River Proud on Saturday was insightful and not immediately apparent to people like me who have never race ridden.
He gave qualified defence to Manning but that has been well debated on other threads.
There are lots of less talented presenters on C4 who deserve removing ahead of himFrancome is the Dylan Moran of racing punditry and I love him….he makes me laugh as much as John McEnroe does when commentating on the tennis…and I still remember when he touched my arm when saying ‘excuse me’ by the pre parade ring at Cheltenham [swoon]. Perhaps as an ex jockey he is quick to come to the defence of his ex colleagues, because it annoys him when people who know nothing about horses and how difficult it is to ride them critiscize them….his tipping seems pretty useless, but I’d rather listen to his analysis of a race than most other people’s. He also sees the horses side of a race, because as a jockey he always looked after his mounts at the same time being totally unsentimental about them.
Really?
Punters arent entitled to an opinion?
In which other sport are TV presenters so contemptuous (and would include Plunkett here too) of their audience?
Does a cricket pundit dismiss any criticism of a bad shot on the basis that the viewer "doesnt play the game"? Does Alan Hanson routinely defend all defenders mistakes beacuse the MOTD audience "are too busy stabbing each other to paly football" (or words to that effect)?
Personally, I think if they got rid of Big Mac and Francome they would almost instantly become a team devoid of character..
McGrath – Um, nice bloke?
Holt – Um, do you really need to put the favourite up as your course pick nearly every frickin time?! Good commentator but hardly sets the world alight with his analysis..
Graham – Don’t get me started
Down – His rye wit can be funny at times but his new wo is me, I don;t drink anymore routine is becoming tiresome.Luck, Tanya and Plunkett I can get on with and are good at their jobs.
Maybe they should get rid of Big Mac and Francome and bring in Bartlett and Loughran from the BBC?!!! That would really spice it up!!!
At least Francome remains down to earth. To be honest I would think he’s been exactly the same since way before he ever commentated but i’m not old enough to have seen him in his days as a jockey. IMO it would be a huge mistake getting rid of him.
I’ve always had a lot of time for Francome. I used to laugh everytime I heard him have a go at Big Mac saying he was a fruit and nut case.
The truth is there has never been a crazier jockey graced the turf than Francome himself.
Apparantly he was a complete headcase when he was ridng getting up to all sorts of fun and frolics in the weighing room.
He spent half his time working out ways of winding up or having a go at the stewards on every occasion he could.
His reference to cabbage patch dolls comes from the fact he thought they were a bunch of stuck up twats who absolutely dick all about race riding and he let them known it.
He sometimes gives the impression he regards himself above others but that’s just his way. He doesn’t suffer fools gladly and if he thinks someone is talking dribble he thinks nothing of telling them.
Nothing wrong with that IMO and wouldn’t he do well on this forum?
In which other sport are TV presenters so contemptuous (and would include Plunkett here too) of their audience?
Does a cricket pundit dismiss any criticism of a bad shot on the basis that the viewer "doesnt play the game"? Does Alan Hanson routinely defend all defenders mistakes beacuse the MOTD audience "are too busy stabbing each other to paly football" (or words to that effect)?
Completely agree, Clivex. Listening to Alec Stewart, Jonathan Agnew and Vic Marks replying to listener’s phone calls and emails during the Third Test was a great example. They gave their opinion, disagreed where they felt appropriate but treated the callers with respect. None of them felt the need to point out that they had played Test cricket nor to suggest that anyone who hadn’t didn’t know what they were talking about.
In which other sport are TV presenters so contemptuous (and would include Plunkett here too) of their audience?
Does a cricket pundit dismiss any criticism of a bad shot on the basis that the viewer "doesnt play the game"? Does Alan Hanson routinely defend all defenders mistakes beacuse the MOTD audience "are too busy stabbing each other to paly football" (or words to that effect)?
Completely agree, Clivex. Listening to Alec Stewart, Jonathan Agnew and Vic Marks replying to listener’s phone calls and emails during the Third Test was a great example. They gave their opinion, disagreed where they felt appropriate but treated the callers with respect. None of them felt the need to point out that they had played Test cricket nor to suggest that anyone who hadn’t didn’t know what they were talking about.
Spot on.
Spot on indeed. I felt like throwing the TV out the window the day McCoy had a go at Lydia Hislop for daring to question him simply because she had not ridden the winners he had!
Completely agree, Clivex. Listening to Alec Stewart, Jonathan Agnew and Vic Marks replying to listener’s phone calls and emails during the Third Test was a great example. They gave their opinion, disagreed where they felt appropriate but treated the callers with respect. None of them felt the need to point out that they had played Test cricket nor to suggest that anyone who hadn’t didn’t know what they were talking about.
Seconded.
gc
Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.
Unfortunately racing is like that.
If you have never ridden or had anything to do with a horse you are not supposed to make comments about jockeys as it may affect their livelyhoods.
However if I make a howler at work that cost hundreds or thousands of pounds I would be on a warning or possibly lose my job.
Nobody would defend me and make excuses.
More pundits should say what they think as oppose to pander to jockeys.
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