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WATCH: " Let's have a go at the opposition" - Jeff Stelling's opinion of Soccer Saturday's rivals

While many eyes were glued to the intense battle that unfolded between Dublin and Mayo at Croke P...
Newstalk
Newstalk

18.08 18 Sep 2017


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WATCH: " Let's...

WATCH: " Let's have a go at the opposition" - Jeff Stelling's opinion of Soccer Saturday's rivals

Newstalk
Newstalk

18.08 18 Sep 2017


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While many eyes were glued to the intense battle that unfolded between Dublin and Mayo at Croke Park on Sunday afternoon, a couple more pupils were added to the chorus of watchers.

Namely, Sky Sports Soccer Saturday duo Jeff Stelling and Chris Kamara, who have been immersing themselves in the world of GAA during the summer as part of a mini-series with AIB.

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WATCH: " Let's have a go at the opposition" - Jeff Stelling's opinion of Soccer Saturday's rivals

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Fresh from the crescendo of a season that had been building up to Sunday's All Ireland final apogee, the duo joined Joe in studio to talk about their first impressions of Gaelic football as well as life working on one of the most popular football shows around and how they view their rivals and the current Premier League season. 

"People were outside with pieces of cardboard asking for tickets really early in the day and that's when you first got the feeling that this was something a bit special and the thing that struck me straight away was from watching football back in England where crowds are completely segregated, here no segregation whatsoever," said Stelling of his impressions of All Ireland final day in the vicinity of Croke Park.

"People drinking together beforehand in the Croke Park hotel, sitting together, laughing together and crying together and drinking together afterwards and not a whiff and not a hint of any animosity."

While Stelling was impressed by the off the field behaviour, he and Kamara also chatted about what they made of Gaelic football within the confines of the pitch.

"You didn't know where to look because there was so much going on. It was incredible," said Stelling.

"And I know there's feeling between Dublin and Mayo anyway but it still surprised me."

On the summer of GAA that they experienced, Kamara added: "Forgive us for saying so but initially me and Jeff didn't know anything about GAA. I'd seen it on Sky Sports News after occasional games but I couldn't work it out because obviously they're using their hands and all that. So we started off as complete novices to begin with so when we landed at Kerry airport and then we went to Dingle and we met Micheal O Muircheartaigh. We started off as complete novices but that was a good thing."

The two also talked about working on Soccer Saturday all these years as well as what they think of their rivals.

"I'm not one to have a go at the opposition but I will. Let's have a go at the opposition just for a moment," Stelling began.

"Look, BT Score, I don't really see it very much but I know full well that they put Robbie Savage in there and Chris Sutton in there so they can have an argument.

"Now, they tried to put Joey Barton between them the two of them and Joey wasn't having it because he knew what he was being put there for - light the blue touch paper and have a furious argument between all three. That doesn't work.

"There's got to be some sort of connection between them. There's got to be some chemistry between them. You can't just sit people in because they're opinionated and say, 'Off you go, be controversial' because people are brighter than that."  

With the Premier League season still in its early stages, Jeff and Kammy also talked about how they expect the title race to take shape. 


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