Newstalk's Off The Ball team resign

Brophs

The One and Only
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NEWSTALK HAVE TODAY parted company with the team behind the award-winning Off The Ball programme.

Presenter Eoin McDevitt, Ken Early, Ciaran Murphy, Simon Hick and Mark Horgan have resigned according to the station.

A statement issued to TheScore.ie reads: ”Ger Gilroy, Newstalk Sports Editor, who devised Off the Ball in 2002, will be joined by mainstays of the Newstalk sports team – Cian Murtagh, David McIntyre and Joe Molloy – in taking over the running of the show, starting tonight.

“Newstalk would like to thank Eoin, Simon, Ken, Ciaran and Mark for their contributions to the station and wish them luck in their future endeavours.”
The incredibly-popular nightly sports show has been running for almost a decade.

More to follow
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http://thescore.thejournal.ie/off-the-ball-818471-Mar2013/?utm_source=shortlink

Time for RTE to step up if they're actually serious about developing talent. Instead they'll probably continue to use sports as a halfway house for glossy presenters like Grainne Seoige who they don't know how to use but don't want to lose.
 

The Physio

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I don't care whether they're with Newstalk or not but just that they get back and get back podcasting in the exact same format as quickly as is possible.
 

sullydnl

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Bit strange for them all to resign isn't it? I wonder why?
 

Lynk

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:(

Loved their coverage with John Giles
 

Zebs

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I'd imagine they'll be picked up by another station very, very soon.
 

Count Orduck

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Big loss for Newstalk. Shame, they were the station I listened to in the kitchen!
 

Eyepopper

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Kid Cunto said:
Great show, would be brilliant for RTE to snap them up.
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It really wouldn't. They get a lot more freedom at Newstalk than they would at RTE, plus half their time would probably be taken up appearing on the Late Late or whatever RTE talkshow they were desperate for 'guests' for that week.
 

Irwinwastheking

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Best sports show on the radio. I've pretty much missed it every day for the past year but I always listen when I can.

Surely when they all left like that they must have had no contracts and have been tapped up by a rival station. Could England be on the cards for them??
 

Brophs

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Hopefully they don't do a Ray Foley and go somewhere with less reach but better money.
 

Brophs

The One and Only
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Albeit they're talented and Ray Foley is an unfunny feckwit.
 

Brophs

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The decision came after the crew requested to take an hour off the George Hook show and go on the air at 6.00pm but that was turned down by the station.

It’s thought station chiefs felt this did not make sense commercially and would also affect audience figures.

Insiders said the Off the Ball team also turned down the opportunity of an extra Saturday morning slot.

It’s thought the sports crew wanted to work out an eight week notice period but Newstalk decided it was better to terminate the relationship immediately.
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From the Independent.
 

Irwinwastheking

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I always thought that a 6pm start would be great for that show, but you can understand why Newstalk would be wary with their prime time slot. George Hook may not be everyone's cup of tea but he's guaranteed numbers and a drive time sports show isn't. Also, fecking about with Hook's schedule would have pissed him off and he might have went elsewhere leaving a small station in the shit.

Newstalk is easily the best station in Ireland but this has lessened it significantly.
 

charleysurf

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Loved the show. Not a fan of Ger Gilroy. I hope to hell the lads appear elsewhere, but it will never be the same.

I do not like the start to this week at all :(
 

Zebs

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Ha apparently Hook just signed off his show with "Coming up next is Off The Boil"
 

Livewire1974

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sullydnl said:
Bit strange for them all to resign isn't it? I wonder why?
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They wanted to start the show at 6pm instead of 7. Maybe they wanted to get home an hour earlier? Anyway, management told them to get stuffed and they all resigned. They were due to serve 2 months notice, but management decided to let the go. No doubt they are not allowed work anywhere else for the next 2 months or even comment on what happened. Lets hope we hear them back on the air soon.
 

Mr Anderson

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Randall Flagg said:
Take that back. I miss him badly. KC is a terrible replacement
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KCs style is better for late night shows. Loved his show from 10pm when he first went to today fm.

Gutted about the lads on newstalk. Great show to listen to on the way home, their phone ins were always funny aswell. Hope they'll be back soon enough.
 

The Black Pearl

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Eyepopper said:
It really wouldn't. They get a lot more freedom at Newstalk than they would at RTE, plus half their time would probably be taken up appearing on the Late Late or whatever RTE talkshow they were desperate for 'guests' for that week.
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You're right as a team RTE wouldn't suit them at all. Today FM should snap them up asap. Matt Cooper only covers sport for the last hour or so of his show in the evenings anyways. Letting him home a half an hour early (6:30pm) and giving the lads their own show would be a brilliant move.

I used to love listening to them in the evenings, their GAA coverage was great. They were very good at covering and making sports like cycling and american football that I wouldn't follow at all really interesting to. They'll be missed.
 

el eric

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The Black Pearl said:
You're right as a team RTE wouldn't suit them at all. Today FM should snap them up asap. Matt Cooper only covers sport for the last hour or so of his show in the evenings anyways. Letting him home a half an hour early (6:30pm) and giving the lads their own show would be a brilliant move.

I used to love listening to them in the evenings, their GAA coverage was great. They were very good at covering and making sports like cycling and american football that I wouldn't follow at all really interesting to. They'll be missed.
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Today FM and Newstalk are one and the same really. Same owners so that wont happen. I can only imagine the guys got an offer for elsewhere and asked newstalk to match it and walked when it didnt happen. That extra hour story is crap I'm sure. Can see them doing something similar on 2FM, talk of talksport too but I think thats less likley

Wonder what newtalk will do now. Cant see Gilroy doing that long term. He's good on the weekend show but thats a different thing and dont think he has the personality to pull off 3 hours every night. Maybe Sadlier will take over?? Either way I hope the show is back on air soon. it was great radio
 

charleysurf

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el eric said:
Today FM and Newstalk are one and the same really. Same owners so that wont happen. I can only imagine the guys got an offer for elsewhere and asked newstalk to match it and walked when it didnt happen. That extra hour story is crap I'm sure. Can see them doing something similar on 2FM, talk of talksport too but I think thats less likley

Wonder what newtalk will do now. Cant see Gilroy doing that long term. He's good on the weekend show but thats a different thing and dont think he has the personality to pull off 3 hours every night. Maybe Sadlier will take over?? Either way I hope the show is back on air soon. it was great radio
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Sadlier is great. His anecdotes about his constipated dog Frank was fantastic: https://soundcloud.com/off-the-ball/the-story-of-old-frank-sadlier

Turf out Dunphy and the rest and give him the CL show on RTE.
 
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