Personally I think Manish is the best of the BBC football presenters - far less smug than Lineker and Stubbs!
As for other transfer opportunities, how about James Richardson who did Football Italia on C4 for ages, and is now doing the same job for Bravo!
I don't see much truth in this story to be honest - Gabby Logan is very good at her job (though bring the pundits back in the studio with her!), while Matt Smith is also excellent - I can't understand why they've replaced him with Jim Rosenthal on ITV2!
Perhaps though they are considering Steve Rider for non-football coverage, such as boxing and F1, both of which he does at the BBC - and also the Rugby World Cup every four years!
I'm not sure the move (if it comes about) is about the football. They seem to have brought back Jim Rosenthal to the football to bolster the 'Champions Tuesday' coverage. For me, Matt Smith just didn't cut it.
As a result, it also seems that Jim has got his role back as the anchor of the Boxing now that ITV have invested in that once again. So, the vacancy seems to be at F1, and Steve Rider is a motorsport fanatic and I think remember his name being mentioned as a possibility when ITV first got the rights.
It does say in the original article that Steve Rider would present F1 if he moved to ITV. It's just that nobody seems to have read the article!
Am glad you said that, I did think I was going slightly mad and reading that top article completely wrong which, as you quite rightly say sir, talks precisely about F1 and Steve Rider.
I heard Steve Rider, from the horse's mouth, say some time ago that it was his major regret: the BBC's loss of Grand Prix coverage.
That said, while its portfolio is not what it once was, the BBC's breadth of sports coverage is still very good and with events which he does and seems suited to such as the Six Nations, Masters, Open, Olympics and Commonwealth Games, he would be giving up a great deal.
I heard Steve Rider, from the horse's mouth, say some time ago that it was his major regret: the BBC's loss of Grand Prix coverage.
That said, while its portfolio is not what it once was, the BBC's breadth of sports coverage is still very good and with events which he does and seems suited to such as the Six Nations, Masters, Open, Olympics and Commonwealth Games, he would be giving up a great deal.
The trouble is that they make him play second fiddle to Lineker and Barker too often - they don't seem to realise how much better he is than Barker in particular.
I heard Steve Rider, from the horse's mouth, say some time ago that it was his major regret: the BBC's loss of Grand Prix coverage.
That said, while its portfolio is not what it once was, the BBC's breadth of sports coverage is still very good and with events which he does and seems suited to such as the Six Nations, Masters, Open, Olympics and Commonwealth Games, he would be giving up a great deal.
The trouble is that they make him play second fiddle to Lineker and Barker too often - they don't seem to realise how much better he is than Barker in particular.
Barker only really does tennis and athletics though, while Lineker does nothing but football and the occassional golf highlights programmes.
Steve Rider is on Grandstand virtually every week - so perhaps it's a case he wants to cut down rather than do more.
I heard Steve Rider, from the horse's mouth, say some time ago that it was his major regret: the BBC's loss of Grand Prix coverage.
That said, while its portfolio is not what it once was, the BBC's breadth of sports coverage is still very good and with events which he does and seems suited to such as the Six Nations, Masters, Open, Olympics and Commonwealth Games, he would be giving up a great deal.
The trouble is that they make him play second fiddle to Lineker and Barker too often - they don't seem to realise how much better he is than Barker in particular.
Barker only really does tennis and athletics though, while Lineker does nothing but football and the occassional golf highlights programmes.
Steve Rider is on Grandstand virtually every week - so perhaps it's a case he wants to cut down rather than do more.
But who does the following events:
FA Cup Final
Football World Cup
European Footbal Championships
World Athletics
Wimbledon
Grand National
Des did them all, but Steve Rider doesn't present a single one any more - all Barker or Lineker.
Maybe he doesn't feel appreciated - I really do think he is their most polished all-rounder.
Lineker has improved a great deal, but lacks gravitas on anything but football, and I'm not sure Barker is that good.
I like John Inverdale, too, but he seems to have been a nearly man for quite a while now, and wasn't there a suggestion that he was a victim of a fall-out between BBC TV Sport and BBC Radio Sport over his services?
Is Jim Rosenthal giving up presenting ITV Formula One coverage at the end of the year then cos I spotted him at today's Interlagos Grand Prix and he'll be back doing the football on Tuesday?