ITV

THERE will be at least 20 million people watching on ITV on Wednesday night for the biggest broadcast of my career.I was lucky to do the World Cup semi-final against Croatia three years ago but I wasn’t in Moscow.
Roy Keane is every bit as fierce a pundit as he was a player, says ITV host Mark PougatchCredit: ITV
Mark Pougatch (second from right) with Keane, Patrick Vieira and Ian WrightCredit: Twitter @markpougatch
I’ll be at Wembley though, and there’s a nice correlation for me because 25 years ago I was in the crowd there for England v Germany in the semi-finals of Euro 96.
Back then I was working at Wimbledon for radio, did the early shift and went with my soon-to-be wife.
I’ve been to matches across the world and that was the best atmosphere I have ever experienced — it was off-the-scale electric.
There might not be as many fans tonight but I’m sure it will match it.
On Monday I started working on the script with the editor.
For football on a normal Sunday afternoon, or for highlights on a Saturday night, we might have around 3½ million people watching.
So there will be a lot of people tonight who don’t watch football every week.
We’ll talk football analysis and minutiae when we need to but we also have to respect the wider church.
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Wednesday night is about the huge occasion, emotion, nerves, Sweet Caroline. Alongside me I’ll have Gary Neville, Ian Wright and Roy Keane, with Emma Hayes on the touchline.
There is no getting Roy into line or indulging him.
It’s the same with any of them, if I ask a stupid question then I’ll get a look.
And at Wembley I will call Ian the country’s barometer. Our reading of him will be our reading of the nation’s mood — and I think he’ll be in a state of near self-combustion with excitement.
We’ve already had several conversations about how we go off air if England win and how we go off if they lose.

I don’t really have any superstitions, I just like getting there in plenty of time to ensure there is no stress.
Our studio is outdoors and we’ll stand throughout, which I love because it gives you more energy and movement.
Otherwise we’re like everyone else when the game’s on, clapping, oohing and aahing.
We will be talking to the people in the analysis truck so if there’s a goal or a red card, Ian in particular will ask to look at it and then we’ll decide on what to zone in on at half-time.
Ian Wright will be in place at ‘the country’s barometer’ at WembleyCredit: ITV
ITV will broadcast Wednesday’s massive 8pm kick-offCredit: Getty

We’ve already had several conversations about how we go off air if England win and how we go off if they lose.
Afterwards we will go back to a Winnebago and have a cup of tea, or maybe something a little stronger.
This will be one of, if not the biggest, audiences I have presented to. I can’t wait.
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ITV HUB viewers were left furious after the streaming platform collapsed during France’s clash with Switzerland.Many fans tuned in online to watch the Euro 2020 last-16 clash on Monday night.
Many viewers became stuck on this image on ITV Hub
Yet their picture froze only three minutes into the match, as Switzerland’s Ricardo Rodriguez prepared to take a corner.
Unhappy viewers poured onto social media to vent their anger at the issue.
Twitter user Gio posted online: “This game is so exciting. ITV hub letting me watch this corner for 10 minutes in a row.”
Alex wrote: “I’ve heard of time wasting but Ricardo Rodriguez taking 10 minutes to take a corner in the 3rd minute is taking the p***. Cheers ITV hub.”
Amy joked: “Rumour has it, Switzerland are still taking the corner over on the itv hub.”
Matthew tweeted: “ITV hub is absolutely dire. Watched Ricardo Rodriguez take this b****** corner 4 times now, shambles.”
Many ITV Hub viewers missed Haris Seferovic’s opening goalCredit: Reuters
And another viewer joined in: “Trying to watch France Vs Switzerland on ITV Hub. The tension is killing me. I wonder how this corner will go. No matter how many times I refresh it get’s stuck here. Sort it out ITV.”
Rodriguez’s corner was something of an anticlimax and world champions France for quickly up the pitch for a chance of their own.
But the timing of the problem meant many viewers missed France conceding an opener to Haris Seferovic after 15 minutes.
ITV responded to complaints and tweeted: “We are currently experiencing technical difficulties and working on getting services back as soon as possible.”

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Football fans were not the only viewers missing out on their tele escape on Monday.
Love Island was scheduled to return at 9pm on ITV2 and the Hub’s problems put their plans in serious jeopardy.
One viewer wrote: “ITV Hub is down… DO YOU GUYS NOT KNOW IT’S LOVE ISLAND DAY??”
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ROY KEANE tore into Portuguese star Joao Felix and called him an ‘imposter’ after their defeat to Belgium.The defending champions were dumped out of Euro 2020 after Thorgan Hazard’s thunderbolt secured a 1-0 victory.
Roy Keane tore into Joao Felix after Portugal were beaten by BelgiumCredit: ITV
The Portuguese forward was labelled an ‘imposter’ by the Man Utd legendCredit: EPA
That set-up a clash between the Red Devils and Italy in the last-eight in Munich on Friday.
Portugal attempted to launch a comeback late in an effort to force extra-time but were denied several times by Thibaut Courtois.
One of those included an effort by Cristiano Ronaldo – who Keane had hailed pre-match as the ‘most intelligent’ player he had ever seen.
Real Madrid’s ex-Chelsea goalkeeper Courtois also stopped a powerful header from Ruben Dias as Portugal finished with 23 shots in the game but without a breakthrough.
That was the most shots by any team so far at the Euros without scoring.
After watching their failed attempt for an equaliser, Keane was massively critical of Portugal’s abilities in front of goal.
And he particularly ripped into 21-year-old Felix who he says Ronaldo should be ‘going after’ in the dressing-room.
Keane told ITV: “He’s an imposter. He comes on, hit the target. what is he, £100million?
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How the top pundits of the two channels stack up against each other

“If I was Ronaldo I’d be going after him in the dressing-room. Shocking.”
Atltico Madrid’s Felix came off the bench in the second period to help his side try and find a leveller.
He had a chance with the final kick of the game but dragged his shot wide before the final whistle blew.
It was Raphael Guerreiro who came closest when he rattled the post.
But Belgium managed to hold on to set-up the crunch clash with the Azzurri.
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IAN WRIGHT laid into Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portugal star continued his abysmal free-kick record against Belgium.Roberto Martinez’s side went through to the quarter-finals after a 1-0 win, with superstar Ronaldo on the periphery of the game.
Ian Wright blasted Cristiano Ronaldo’s shocking free-kick record
Ronaldo’s failure in front of goal contributed to Portugal’s defeat against Belgium
Ronaldo’s best chance of the match came in the first-half when he fired a free-kick at Thibaut Courtois.
He hit the target but his effort was met with a strong hand from Thibaut Courtois, which means Ronaldo has still scored only one free-kick out of 50+ in major tournaments.
Wright is all too aware of that fact, and pointed out the dire record in his half-time analysis for ITV.
He said: “How many of those free-kicks does Ronaldo actually score? 1 in 50. It’s a myth that… ooh Ronaldo is on it, watch out everyone. Nothing happens.”
Patrick Vieira shared a similar sentiment, adding: “You expect Courtois to make that kind of save. If he concedes a goal in this way, he’d be disappointed with himself. But it was a good save.”
Wright then concluded: “[Courtois] has enough time to see it. Plus it’s Ronaldo, he doesn’t score many free-kicks.”
A second-half free-kick from Ronaldo was even worse, as he fired straight into the wall at a point where Portugal were growing desperate for a goal.
Set-piece specialist Bruno Fernandes was on the pitch by then as well, meaning Ronaldo’s lack of quality was bordering on selfish.
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And though Ronaldo may be the tournament’s leading scorer, none of his five goals have come from further than 12 yards.
The Juventus forward has scored three penalties, an open goal against Germany and his strike against Hungary came from inside the six-yard box.
Belgium restricted Ronaldo’s chances in the box and that was key to victory, although Raphael Guerriero almost found a way through when his shot hit the post.
Ruben Dias then had a powerful header well saved before Joao Felix struck wide with the final kick of the game.
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ROY KEANE expects Gareth Southgate to recall Kieran Trippier, Phil Foden and Mason Mount for Tuesday’s showdown with Germany.Joachim Low’s side travel to Wembley for the 5pm kick-off and Keane believes England will trust their regular starters.
How Roy Keane predicts England will line up versus Germany
Kieran Trippier has been tipped to start for England versus GermanyCredit: Getty
All three started in the win over Croatia that opened the Three Lions’ tournament.
Trippier was a surprise addition at left-back before being replaced by Luke Shaw.
Mount missed the win over Czech Republic because he was self-isolating after Billy Gilmour’s coronavirus test, while Foden was rested due to a yellow card.
And former Republic of Ireland star Keane thinks Southgate will consider going back to the Croatia team, with the addition of the now-fit Harry Maguire.
He told ITV ahead of Belgium’s win over Portugal: “Maybe with Maguire that’ll be the only change, and go back to the first game against Croatia.
“We’re on about these young players doing very well in the last one or two games.
“But Gareth, as the manager, you still go back to the lads who got you over the line over the last year or two.
“So it wouldn’t surprise me if Gareth went back to the team, obviously with Maguire available, for the first game against Croatia.

Roy Keane believes the team that beat Croatia will be relied upon at WembleyCredit: ITV
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“There’s question marks about maybe Trippier coming back in. The set-piece delivery has been really poor, maybe they go back to Trippier for that.”
Southgate has admitted his doubt at bringing Mount and Ben Chilwell into the line-up following their period of self-isolation.
Former England star Wayne Rooney has told the coach to add Jordan Henderson to the midfield and hand a start to Marcus Rashford.
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NIGEL DE JONG embodied all Holland fans as he watched in agony during his side’s Euro 2020 exit at the hands of the Czech Republic.A 2-0 defeat in Budapest sent Frank de Boer’s Dutch team sent home at the last-16 stage, following Matthijs de Ligt’s red card.
Nigel de Jong’s emotion was plain to see as Holland crashed out to the Czech Republic
Former Manchester City midfielder De Jong, who won 81 caps for his country, watched the game while working as a pundit for ITV.
After the match, presenter Mark Pougatch directed him towards a montage of the 36-year-old’s reactions to the dramatic second-half.
De Jong admitted ‘I was very hopeful’ and laughed as the clip showed him with his head in his hands, crying out: “Oh my God!”
At De Ligt’s red card, he responded: “Oh my God, it’s a red. No way, what am I seeing?!”
Viewers praised De Jong for his analysis and authenticity having seen his country crash out of the competition.
One Twitter user wrote online: “Feel for Nigel de Jong, looks really upset after Netherlands loss but been one of the best pundits today, should be on more regularly.”
Jaja commented: “Nigel De Jong watching that Netherlands display is a mood…”
Phil added: “Hope ITV keep Nigel de Jong for the rest of the Euros. He was obviously gutted with that result/performance but he was 100 per cent right with his analysis.”
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Glen said: “Nigel De Jong good value in the studio. He’d have two footed someone when they went down to 10.”
And another tweeted: “Nigel De Jong should’ve smashed up the studio.”
Tomas Holes put Czech Republic ahead on 68 minutes after De Ligt was dismissed for handball and Patrik Schick wrapped up the win late on.
The post-mortem has already begun in Holland and De Jong gave his initial take on coach De Boer’s setup.

He said: “We had the players on the pitch to change the system to a 4-2-3 or 4-4-1 but still played with five defenders at the back.
“It looked like De Boer was defending the 0-0 as long as possible. At the end of the day, there was no belief after the red.
“There was a lack of belief, a lack of intensity, a lack of character. We really missed a leader out there.”
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