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The Eamonn Watson Q&A Interview
Exclusive to talkSPORT1089.co.uk

Eamonn Watson, Football First reporter on talkSPORT, has an outstanding record of
media sucess in sports publishing and communication as part of his role in media
management and development consultancy.

He has built and managed the editorial team of 50 for the world's largest provider of
official sports websites, Sports Internet Group. He developed this Internet start-up to a
Ł300m sale to BSkyB within three years, where he became Director of Content for the Sky.

He has excellence across multi-platform media as an experienced broadcaster and reporter
and commentator. Fully trained in TV news and print journalism. Also formerly Managing Editor
ClubCall, Freelance for Sky Sports News, talkSPORT, RTE, Today FM and ITV Digital.

What did you do before you began working in the media and how did you first get
onto the airwaves at talkSPORT on the station's Football First programme?
I've been in the media my entire career in one fashion or another. Prior to that, I went to
the United States of America coaching football after leaving University. I got onto talkSPORT through Dominic McGuinness. He contacted me to ask if I knew anyone better than he was.

You have been at talkSPORT for a few years but what media and broadcasting experience did you have before joining the station. Who did you work for and what were your roles?
I ran ClubCall for many years, providing football information for 72 clubs on premium rate telephone lines and we provided commentaries on that service for all our clients. I then set up an internet operation providing 23 official football club websites for Premiership and Championship teams and we provided daily audio bulletins and match commentaries for each of them. Additionally I worked for Sky Sports, RTE and Today FM as a freelance football reporter and worked for talkSPORT as their reporter on matches in the north-west.

Are you friends with any of the other sports reporters involved with the station, or any other well known sports journalists? Do you know any professional sportsmen or women?
Young Dominic McGuinness and I have shared many a drunken evening when we worked together at the Sports Internet Group. As for the sports stars, by the nature of the job as many as you want to name, but the issue these days is one of access, trust and money. So it's harder now than it ever has been to have genuine friendships away from the microphone.

Being part of a sports station must give you the chance to talk to some big name sportsmen. Who's the biggest name you've interviewed, who was your favourite to interview and why?
The biggest name I've ever interviewed was Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink which as21 letters!. Ha. Ha. Seriously, though Pele, Eusebio and Johann Cruyff. One of the funniest moments was when former Leeds and England full back Mel Sterland decided to use the windsock from the end of my microphone as a willie warmer! Obviously, I didn't mention it to the next interviewee as it sat an inch or two from his mouth!

Of all the matches you have reported on for talkSPORT's Football First programme, which has been the best match you have covered for the station?
Tough one, but Everton v Arsenal 2002/2003. Five days before his 17th birthday Wayne Rooney announced his presence with a 30 yard dipping wonder goal, that saw him become the youngest Premiership scorer and ended Arsenal's unbeaten run. The fans had been waiting for his first league goal since the start of the season, but to come in the context of that game and in the manner it did was something those who saw it will never forget. It was the moment that confirmed the greatest English talent of a generation was the real deal.

You were once the Managing Editor of the nationwide sports information phone service ClubCall. How did you get into such a prestigious position? Did you have to rise up the ranks in order to attain the post? If so, which sports, teams and regions did you cover?
Like anything in this world, you start at the bottom, prove you're prepared to work harder and smarter than anyone else and your rewards will come in time. I started in Leeds in 1989, initially covering the smaller clubs in the region. The first commentary game I covered was York City v Cambridge, when John Taylor scored a brilliant overhead kick for Cambridge. Largely though my work there centred on Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday, who were both very successful through that era of the early 1990's.

How many years did you spend with the ClubCall organisation in total? How much did the operation change during your reign there?
I was there until 1996 when it was time to move on, as I felt I had gone as far as I could and wanted to stretch myself a little more. It was time for a change and ClubCall couldn't offer that.

You eventually left ClubCall in order to set up an internet football company, which later became the Sports Internet Group. Was this your only motivation behind leaving ClubCall, and were you sad to leave there?
No, I was looking for something new and was asked to be part of a team of three to set up the new business, which was a great opportunity. I wasn't sad to leave, it was a bit of a gamble and I continued to cover Leeds as a freelance, as it was ClubCall's most profitable line and they and Leeds were anxious to maintain its success. I kept this on for a year, but then was just too busy setting up the business and had to wave bye-bye.

What did you find to be the most difficult job, organising ClubCall or managing your own company?
The latter was a much bigger job. From scratch, we built up the company from a blank sheet of paper to an organisation with a Ł120m turnover within three years. ClubCall's turnover at the time was around Ł5m.

You eventually sold the Sports Internet Group onto BSkyB in 2000, which enabled you to become the Director of Content at SkySports.com. What was it like to manage one of the UK's biggest and most popular sports websites?
It was a little frustrating in truth. The plan was to integrate all group content, but in a big organisation everything takes an age and, having come from a small organisation where you could move so dynamically, I didn't enjoy the interminable paper chase that goes with the territory.

You can now occasionally be seen on TV as a football correspondent for Sky Sports News. Did your position with the Sky Sports website help you to make the transition to TV reporting, and do you prefer TV reporting to radio reporting?
No. I had already been working for Sky during my time with ClubCall. TV is about letting the pictures paint the pictures with a backing track, whilst in radio you can be little more expressive.

You also describe yourself as a "lapsed Man Utd fan." What do you make of Sir Alex Ferguson's signings, and do you think the Red Devils have a team strong enough to win the Premiership this season?
Alan Smith is a brilliant signing, the new Mark Hughes. As for Liam Miller, I don't think we'll see the best of him for a year or two. I honestly haven't seen enough of Heinze to give an opinion, but United have been trying to sort out their full back positions for about four years and still haven't achieved it. I feel this a big year for O'Shea to make his mark…but there are other issues. Keane and Giggs are past there best and how does Fergie accommodate Saha, Smith and Ruud? I think they'll come 2nd to Arsenal, if they can sort out the back four and Scholes stays fit. Mind you, I am writing this before Vieira sorts out whether he's off to Madrid or not.

As talkSPORT's North Western Football Correspondent, how do you think the five other Premiership sides you cover, Manchester City, Blackburn, Bolton, Liverpool and Everton , will do next season?
City will struggle again, massive financial debt and too many old men with no resale value. Wright-Phillips and Barton are their best players, but the only ones worth a good fee if Keegan needs to strengthen. I can only see Everton struggling and the politics in the background will rumble on. Rooney will go to Old Trafford I feel, but probably not until January or more likely next summer.

I can see brighter times ahead for Blackburn, who should be a lot harder to beat this season, particularly at home. Who would you rather have in the trenches with you: Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole, or Paul Dickov and Dominic Matteo? Jon Stead will find things tougher second time around, and the major concern would be will young Gallacher and Stead be able to carry the goal-scoring burden?

As for Bolton, it's a tough one to call. Sam Allardyce got them to over-perform last year, but don't forget that Everton did the same the season before, and then fell like a stone.The loss of Dorkaeff is enormous, as he was actually far more influential than Okocha last season. Hierro could be anything at the back - past his sell by date or invaluable, but with N'Gotty and Laville, Bolton have terrific pair already, who are perhaps the most underrated centre backs in the country. The other concern was that sides may learn how to play against Bolton, who look for an early ball to Davies, and play off and around him. My old mate Gary Speed is a valuable addition, and no doubt Sam has more surprises up his sleeve.

For Liverpool, it's time to stand up and be counted, with no Houllier to blame. Gerrard can't be expected to carry the fight alone this time. There's a bag full of goals in Cisse, Owen and Baros, but who else will feed the supply line to greater effect than last year? Harry Kewell will continue to struggle to carry the biggest chip on his shoulder in football, and fall over his bottom lip in the penalty area. Outrageous talent but his attitude stinks. Hyppia and Henchoz aren't good enough together anymore to bring Liverpool the title through a succession of clean sheets.

You followed Leeds United during their League Championship winning season of 1991/92. As a Manchester United supporter with Leeds connections, how sad were you to see them go down last season? Do you think they can bounce straight back up to the Premiership, and is Kevin Blackwell the right man to try to take them there?
Very, very sad. I had seen the rise from the old Second Division title under Howard Wilkinson, and covered Leeds until the David O'Leary era, week in, week out. The financial calamity that awaited Leeds was well known ahead of time to those in the know, and O'Leary is being disingenuous to blame it all on Peter Ridsdale. Why did he think George Graham only got Ł11m to spend on 10 players when he was his assistant at Elland Road? As for coming back, I think there's not a snowball's chance in hell. The more important thing is that the club stabilises and somehow manages to avoid going out of business. They can't sell any more players, and still have debts of circa Ł100m.

What did you think of England's performance at Euro 2004 in Portugal, and what did you make of the tournament as a whole?
England were overrated and so negative. Beckham, Gerrard and Lampard were very poor. If Greece can run all day and harry the opposition all over the park - why do England sit in the penalty area waiting to inevitably get picked off, inviting trouble on through their inability to keep possession of the ball. Alan Smith would have been perfect to hold the ball up when you are under the cosh, yet Eriksson didn't even take him. Sam Allardyce for England boss! On the upside, Ashley Cole, Gary Neville and Sol Campbell all exceeded expectations. I was disappointed with tournament as whole, with the exception of the Czechs, who I really enjoyed watching.

What's the best sporting moment you have been at and why?
Ireland World Cup 1990 - no pressure, great crack and they exceeded the dreams of a nation.

Who is your favourite sports person of all time and who were your idols as a child?
Muhammad Ali is my favourite sports person of all time but in my youth I sort of idolised Paul McGrath, Gordon Hill, Alex Higgins and John Hume who was Leader of the SDLP in 1970's Northern Ireland.

What was the last CD you brought, and which CD's are in your car?
I'm trying to get with it and bought a hip-hop compilation I saw on TV but it's truely terrible. Generally, I love 1950's swing, Sinatra and Irish traditional.

What was the last film you saw at the cinema, and what did you think of it? Have you seen any other films you would like to recommend?
A while back I went to see Gangs of New York - slow start but I enjoyed it. Generally, I'll just watch something on Sky Box Office.

Finally, what do you make of the many "newer" Manchester United fans, the supposed "glory hunters" who have come along since the club have started winning things?
It's a different world now from the 70's when I grew up watching United. They are a global commodity now, so how can I criticize someone from Milton Keynes for supporting United, if there are United supporters all over the world? That said, I still wouldn't mind a few years of purgatory and not winning anything to get rid of the domestic flotsam and jetsam that's arrived post 1993. But in a league that in reality is made up of four teams, that's just not going to happen.

Thanks to Eamonn Watson for the chance to interview him. You can hear Eamonn on Football First with Adrian Durham on Saturday from 2:00pm and weekdays from 7:00pm on talkSPORT.

The Eamonn Watson Q&A Interview
Football First
August 2004