If you're asking, whoever's got the best credentials for the job. Losing Keys and Gray was a blessing in disguise for Sky - it directly led to Gary Neville getting a chance who is an outstanding pundit and far more in tune with the modern game, as well as opportunities for Jamie Redknapp, Jamie Carragher and David Jones.

I couldn't care less what race or gender those people are, or what the so-called PC brigade think of the visuals of the line up, or any of that. No-one here has any clue on Sky's reasoning for this. Even if they do want a more diverse line up, 35% of the PL is black, which wasn't the case when any of the 3 who have been sacked last had anything to do with the game.

For reference:

Charlie Nicholas (1995)
Matt Le Tissier (2002)
Phil Thompson (2010)

A black panel member doesn't mean the PC brigade are being satisfied, it's probably more likely that person has a better idea of what is going on in the Premier League in 2020.

The likes of Gareth Barry, David James, Kevin Phillips, Eddie Howe, Chris Hughton are far more relevant.

26th January 2010 - Enter Administration
2nd May 2010 - D-Day 1 - Survival at Hillsborough
1st June 2010 - D-Day 2 - Survival at Lloyds
7th June 2010 - CPFC2010 exchange contracts.

This isn't a question of whether anyone thinks that the above are great pundits or the colour of the panel but the real reasons for their replacement. There is a clear and undeniable directive on SSN to promote all things Black and female. This move is predictable in that sense. The other side of this is entertainment. Regardless of their abilities, the usual panel was amusing because of the humorous nature of their interplay. That has been slightly eroded by SKYs policy of having to include a token Black or Lesbian pundit, although Clinton is obviously a Palace hero and a funny guy, and it did point the way to this obvious eventuality.
In the end, only 4% of the population is Black. Pushing a Black/Leftist agenda, as SKY has relentlessly done over the last couple of years seems like pure politics to me and nothing to do with the current demographic of this country.

That is obviously not the relevant stat for this conversation. I'd imagine at least 1/3rd, if not more premier league footballers are black.

Whatever the reasoning for getting rid of them, they were all dreadful and in my view unwatchable. Hopefully they get some younger talent on there who have played the game more recently and realise that being a good football pundit doesn't just involve trying to be a lad.

The nature of Soccer Saturday isn't to be a show for the greatest pundits. It's a fast-moving soundbite type of show that dodges around from one game to the next and requires quick reporting on what's just happened.

The fact that the panel get on with each other in a relaxed way makes it more watchable than, say, a midweek League Cup version or Championship version that have panels made up of uncertain, hesitant and non-interacting individuals.

The more inexperienced recent panellists have made it a harder watch, Clinton included.

Living down here does have some advantages. At least you can see them cry.

I’d wager the viewing demographic on Saturday afternoon is the age demographic of the sacked panel. Many reasons why. Home owners, paying mortgages so don’t just go out spending disposable income they probably don’t have, retired, tired after a week at work as happens more with age.

Younger people are out and about whereas older blokes are at home. We’ll see what happens but advertising revenue will come into consideration if a bad decision is made.

What hasn’t been mentioned yet is young people apparently don’t watch tv these days. But now they do and suddenly their wishes and desperation to make everything diverse when merit suffices, they want tv changed and personalities like Matt Le Tissier effectively cancelled because he dared to use his freedom of speech to say something about Covid and a marxist or black power political group.

This is not a good way to be going. Merit should be rewarded.

COYP

They should run two separate programmes, advertisers get 2 shows for the price of 1. See what the viewing figures say. It’ll be what the majority of the audience identifies with. I am of course joking due to the uproar and vandalism when one gets taken off air.

COYP