Bill O'Herlihy The Players Eamon Dunphy, John Giles, Liam Brady (right), Graeme Souness, Kenny Cunningham, Ray Houghton, Trevor Steven.

RTE obviously think that this is not a good panel, it's a great panel and given its longevity and popularity their decision to stick with it over the course of the last 20 odd years is vindication of that.

From pens being flung across the table to those tired and emotional rants, Dunphy has undoubtedly held the limelight, but Giles has grown into his role of educating us all about the game that it is now second nature for him. Brady takes the cerebral line while Souness is more of the smouldering sulphur. . . now who does that remind you of?

With O'Herlihy expertly throwing in the odd incendiary device, this television show is invariably something that the original 1970 equivalent would have been proud of.

Rating 9/ 10

BBC
The Gaffer
Gary Lineker

The Players Alan Hansen, Mark Lawrenson, Alan Shearer (right), Martin O'Neill, Ian Wright, Gavin Peacock, Gary Pallister, Lee Dixon Yes, they all look the best and, yes, they do they have the biggest budget . . . kitting a studio out with the Brandenburg Gate as a backdrop last summer showed that well. But behind all the cosmetics and the eloquence of Lineker is there much more?

The honesty of O'Neill, when he was in Germany, certainly made the masses warm to the whole thing and Hansen applies his Scottish wit well. Outside of that the quality is thin on the ground and when Messrs Shearer and Wright are brought into the equation it's banal.

The fact that the Geordie collects a cool �1m a year on a four-year-contract is just an indication of just how big the budget is. As for Wrightie, there's patriotic and then there's just plain stupid. Footnote: Adrian Chiles has brought a new dimension with his Sunday night Match of the Day 2 full of humour and surprises, but still can't see him getting the plum role ahead of Lineker.

Rating 6/10

TV3
The Gaffer
Stephen Cullinane

The Players Ronnie Whelan (right), Matt Holland, Kevin Moran, John Toshack, Mark Lawrenson Still in its infancy and given the stop-start nature of its coverage, it's hard to compare them to the RTE boys. They are in a different division and it hasn't helped that everytime they are on the air covering Ireland friendly or away games, Steve Staunton's team seem to get stuffed.

In the aftermath of Ireland's mauling by Cyprus, Matt Holland's attempted defence was pretty woeful although in fairness what could he really say? At least the gloves came off after Staunton's pathetic interview shortly after the San Marino debacle.

The old pros of Toshack and Lawrenson add good insight for the few European games the channel has now.

Rating 5/10

Sky
The Gaffer
Richard Keys

The Players Jamie Redknapp, Andy Gray, Glenn Hoddle, Ruud Gullit, Ray Wilkins, Graeme Souness, etc, etc, etc Oh Dear. Firstly they put two representatives from each club playing in the featured game so that any chance of a neutral objective view evaporates the minute they are introduced.

Secondly if the people that are boring the masses to tears, ie Mr Redknapp, begin broadcasting one hour before the main event and continue one hour after, the experience is not going to be improved.

It can be dressed up with action areas and crime counts, but for crimes against football punditry it has a lot to answer for.

Rating 3/10

ITV
The Gaffer
Steve Rider

The Players Robbie Earle, Andy Townsend (right), Terry Venables.

Given the fact that ITV has lost everything of worth except the Champions League and major championships, overexposure is certainly not a problem. But as much as they try they seem to contrive to always make the trivial sound serious and the serious trivial. They've lost their funny Scotsman, Ally McCoist, to Rangers duty but even when they had him alongside their serious Irishman (Townsend) and their laughing Englishman (Venables) they never seemed to get the right chemistry on board.

Steve Rider uses his vast experience as anchor for many years with the Beeb to gloss over many of the cracks, but he can only ask the questions.

Rating 4/10

Setanta Sports
The Gaffer
Paul Dempsey

The Players Pat Dolan, Steve McManaman, Emmanuel Petit, Craig Burley.

Again in their infancy, but it looks like punters will be seeing a lot more of these guys this season.

And with so much football on a Saturday afternoon there isn't much time for analysis at halftime, which might be a good thing.

Big Pat has shown himself to have a flair for the game on the box, but the acquisition of Steve McManaman and Emmanuel Petit for the forthcoming season, when they will broadcast from the grounds, alarmingly looks like a new Sky animal being thrown into the arena. The jury is out.

Rating 6/10 at the moment