Sky Sports sacks...

[LoveCurryPies]

....Matt Le Tissier, Phil Thompson and Charlie Nicholas.

[Murger]

Box ticking exercise.

[wilks_bfc]

Waiting for the uproar when Alex Scott & Eni Aluko are announced as their replacements

[ClaretTony]

Just Merson left then

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Waiting for the uproar when Alex Scott & Eni Aluko are announced as their replacements

They're both pretty good to be fair.

The 3 blokes who've gone have been there years now, probably not on cheap wages either.

Probably due a freshen up of the team.

[FactualFrank]

Waiting for the uproar when Alex Scott & Eni Aluko are announced as their replacements

I imagine Alex Scott will almost certainly be one of the replacements.

[wilks_bfc]

They're both pretty good to be fair.

The 3 blokes who've gone have been there years now, probably not on cheap wages either.

Probably due a freshen up of the team.

Not seen much of Aluko but think Scott has generally come across well in her analysis.

[Steve1956]

As long as one of the replacements isn't that silly bint that commetated on the West Ham game I'm all for change they had got stale.

[tim_noone]

Charlie Nicholas does a better job than most imo.

[Steve1956]

I think they will bring Rodney Marsh back

[claptrappers_union]

They've been out of the game for so long and younger fans cant relate to them. At least this time, Sky has just removed them without leaking footage like they did with Keys and Gray.

[TheFamilyCat]

I won't miss Thompson, he's insufferable.

[Stproc]

But why leave Merson in place, he’d be first to go for me

[DAVETHEVICAR]

Would imagine Clinton Morrison could get one of the jobs

[Swizzlestick]

No real suprise Le Tissier has been potted. Seemed bored at times recently and his recent social media comments won't have endeared himself to the producers. Also Phil Thompson has been going through the motions, no surprise he's been 'freshened up'. Fairly surprised they've sacked Nicholas, who I though gave decent analysis generally. Merson, whatever you think of him, generates discussion so no surprise he's surprised the cull.

I wouldn't be surprised if they're going for Roy Keane and Micah Richards after their Odd Couple partnerships this year seemed to go down well. Though six hours of Roy Keane yelling at clouds is surely too much for the national constitution. Final choice maybe Alex Scott or the lass with the crazy hair whose name escapes me but I actually think is pretty good.

[Steve1956]

But why leave Merson in place, he’d be first to go for me

They feel sorry for the drunken dickhead

[DAVETHEVICAR]

Gary O’ Neill another young version who has been on a lot in the recent games

[Steve1956]

No real suprise Le Tissier has been potted. Seemed bored at times recently and his recent social media comments won't have endeared himself to the producers. Also Phil Thompson has been going through the motions, no surprise he's been 'freshened up'. Fairly surprised they've sacked Nicholas, who I though gave decent analysis generally. Merson, whatever you think of him, generates discussion so no surprise he's surprised the cull.

I wouldn't be surprised if they're going for Roy Keane and Micah Richards after their Odd Couple partnerships this year seemed to go down well. Though six hours of Roy Keane yelling at clouds is surely too much for the national constitution. Final choice maybe Alex Scott or the lass with the crazy hair whose name escapes me but I actually think is pretty good.

Roy Keane yelling at clouds

[Burnley1989]

They feel sorry for the drunken dickhead

I thought it... you said it

[Local cricketer]

Clinton Morrison the wannabe gangster is a shoe in

[TheFamilyCat]

No real suprise Le Tissier has been potted. Seemed bored at times recently and his recent social media comments won't have endeared himself to the producers. Also Phil Thompson has been going through the motions, no surprise he's been 'freshened up'. Fairly surprised they've sacked Nicholas, who I though gave decent analysis generally. Merson, whatever you think of him, generates discussion so no surprise he's surprised the cull.

I wouldn't be surprised if they're going for Roy Keane and Micah Richards after their Odd Couple partnerships this year seemed to go down well. Though six hours of Roy Keane yelling at clouds is surely too much for the national constitution. Final choice maybe Alex Scott or the lass with the crazy hair whose name escapes me but I actually think is pretty good.

Macy Gray? Not sure of her footy knowledge to be honest.

[Steve1956]

I thought it... you said it

[claptrappers_union]

But why leave Merson in place, he’d be first to go for me

I think viewers like Merson, he has a bit more about him - he's more diverse. He can be a respected pundit as well as a class clown. He can do the Soccer AM types as well stepping in to do flagship shows like Gillette Soccer Saturday & Monday Night Football as well.

[Steve1956]

Iain Dowie is a shoe in.....they need a looker!

[Swizzlestick]

Macy Gray? Not sure of her footy knowledge to be honest.

Well, she does try.

[bfcjg]

Dyche to Sky

[Longsidelenny1882]

Neil mellor is very good he might have a chance utc

[CFS]

Clinton Morrison the wannabe gangster is a shoe in

Why is he a wannabe gangster or is that your version of a gangster?

[Somethingfishy]

I don't think Alex Scott will be one of the pundits. She seems to have found her niche as a main pundit on the live games and very good she is too. They seem to have a different team to the regular panel on Soccer Saturday anyway. I would expect the "B" team to step up. The ones that appear midweek. Morrison, McInally, the scouse woman whose name escapes me. Whoever it is will need to have some personality as Soccer Saturday has a bit of a jokey feel to it.

[welsbyswife]

Le Tissier was the worst for me. Lazy (albeit very talented) player and even lazier as a pundit. No research at all and knows nothing about players other than those at top clubs. Didn't mind charlie boy or Thompson but they have had a good run so can't complain. Objected to the tockenism of Alex Scott and the scouse bird at first but both have won me over. But please not Clinton Morrison.

[DCWat]

Morrison is terrible and I’m no lover of Sue Smith (assuming that’s the one being referred to). Alex Scott is easily the best of the women.

A big part of Soccer Saturday is the banter between Geoff and the analysts (using the term loosely). Hopefully they’ll get some good characters in - Micah Richards would be very good.

[Steve1956]

Morrison is terrible and I’m no lover of Sue Smith (assuming that’s the one being referred to). Alex Scott is easily the best of the women.

A big part of Soccer Saturday is the banter between Geoff and the analysts (using the term loosely). Hopefully they’ll get some good characters in - Micah Richards would be very good.

Richards just does big guffaw's and dresses weirdly a no from me!

[Bosscat]

Clinton Morrison on Sky Soccer Saturday as a pundit NOOOOOOOOOOO

[ClaretTony]

What next from Sky Sports?

Sunday Supplement gone - that's my Sunday morning in need of a change
Three sacked from Soccer Saturday

[DCWat]

What is Sunday Supplement being replaced with?

[joey13]

Ron Atkinson anyone

[BurnleyFC]

Whoever is in charge of Sky Sports is clueless. Just like when they got rid of Botham and Gower from the cricket.

[cricketfieldclarets]

Waiting for the uproar when Alex Scott & Eni Aluko are announced as their replacements

I’m not being funny. But if that’s the case then they’ve ruined their product. Nothing against either. But the show is so good because of the characters and banter between stelling and players that have played at that level.

No uproar. And it may not even be true. But I do think there’s more and more pressure to make decisions like that.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Both of those women have played at the very top of their game though, it's because they're women, that's your issue.

[Cubanclaret]

Needed a shake-up to be fair. All those guys found wanting, kept going by Jeff Stelling who my 10 year-old calls : "the man who knows everything".

Cricket wise Beefy had all but gone also, often felt he offered precious little insight for such a magnificent ex-player (too much red wine?) - all the Aussie cricketers, the likes of Ponting and Warne are so much better.

David Gower was a sad decision - he was a great anchor, Ward is OK, but I preferred Gower.

They don't always help themselves though it's true. I know Bumble felt let down not to be involved with the cricket world cup last year. You'd really think he'd be the first name on the sheet.

[agreenwood]

Not surprised. The show is pretty stale.

It’s never been about punditry. You don’t tune into Soccer Saturday for detailed insight. It’s more about colourful characters and Stelling playing off that. That’ll be why Merson has dodged this cull and why Kamala has outlasted most.

[jdrobbo]

I think the current setup at Sky for cricket is absolutely outstanding. I think Ward is terrific.

[Rileybobs]

It’s always a shame when you lose the familiarity with programs like this but I think that familiarity is why people don’t like change. Usually a shake up is for the good. See Sky Sports coverage now compared to Keys and Gray for example.

[KateR]

The pendulum is swinging for sure but I'm not sure about you but there are no pundits I can say I like 100% of the time or even the majority of the time, I don't think it changes anything in terms of whom will get criticized. Yet like on many occasions we just might miss those we thought rubbish when the next batch arrives, I expect to see more of this across platforms.

Maybe I'm just being cynical, maybe

[cricketfieldclarets]

Both of those women have played at the very top of their game

Correct

[Rileybobs]

The pendulum is swinging for sure but I'm not sure about you but there are no pundits I can say I like 100% of the time or even the majority of the time, I don't think it changes anything in terms of whom will get criticized. Yet like on many occasions we just might miss those we thought rubbish when the next batch arrives, I expect to see more of this across platforms.

Maybe I'm just being cynical, maybe

Times change. Can’t have the same people in the same jobs forever. I think the panel on shows like Soccer Saturday should be a little more diverse - and I don’t necessarily mean in terms of race and gender. A bunch of middle aged blokes isn’t really representative of the current game or its audience.

[whiffa]

I think Alex Scott is fantastic, very articulate - Micah Richards always seems to be a bit slow to think of something to say for me, can almost hear the cogs grinding. I think the one thing that will be missed, will be the chemistry - hopefully that's something they can build with a new team. We'll have to wait and see.

[THEWELLERNUT70]

I'd like to see Sue Smith take a chair if they are to go down that route, she's a pretty decent pundit imo

[CaptainKirk]

Some strange comments on here.
They are not going because their analysis is good, bad or indifferent. They are not going because the younger generation doesn't know who they are. They are not going because the programme needs a shake up.
They are going because they are white and male so let's not pretend otherwise.

Having said that, I won't miss any of them.
As for replacements, Morrison struggles to complete a sentence, Richards cannot speak without that strange over the top laugh everytime he says anything.
Mellor is ok, but will not get the job for reasons given above.
Alex Scott talks a lot of sense and ticks every box Sky have so the job will be hers if she wants it.

[Rileybobs]

Some strange comments on here.
They are not going because their analysis is good, bad or indifferent. They are not going because the younger generation doesn't know who they are. They are not going because the programme needs a shake up.
They are going because they are white and male so let's not pretend otherwise.

Having said that, I won't miss any of them.
As for replacements, Morrison struggles to complete a sentence, Richards cannot speak without that strange over the top laugh everytime he says anything.
Mellor is ok, but will not get the job for reasons given above.
Alex Scott talks a lot of sense and ticks every box Sky have so the job will be hers if she wants it.

I’m sorry, but how do you know why they are being replaced? I think Sky’s first and foremost priority will be subscribers. So it stands to reason that they are making changes to the show in an attempt to boost its popularity.