‘Sky Sports sacked me for what I said – now the show is just bland’ | Football | Sport
Rodney Marsh was a big hit on the show with fans (Image: Sky Sports)
Former Sky Sports pundit Rodney Marsh has criticised Soccer Saturday for becoming “bland” since his departure. Marsh was let go by Sky executives in 2005. The now 81-year-old was a fan favourite on the show, renowned for his straightforward approach to analysis. However, his tenure at Sky came to an abrupt end after he made an inappropriate comment on a Sky Sports programme.
His remarks pertained to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and subsequent Tsunami, which is believed to have claimed up to 229,000 lives. Despite issuing an on-air apology, Marsh was shown the door. Speaking to The Telegraph, the former Manchester City player expressed his disappointment at how the show has, in his view, become more cautious, with Soccer Saturday undergoing significant changes to its lineup in recent years.
He said: “It was edgy in those days, pushing the envelope a bit. Now it’s all b******s, all conforming to what people want to hear. It’s become very bland in my view.”
Marsh also had a close friendship with the late Manchester United legend George Best. He recounted how, alongside Best, he would try to rile up former Soccer Saturday host Jeff Stelling, revealing a more chaotic version of the much-loved show.
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“George was p****d half the time. Once, he went to the rugby club over the road and came back, obviously having had a couple of pops. As we get on air he said, ‘Marshy, why don’t we do this today? Every time we name a car we get £50 off the other?’
“He said, ‘He goes down the wing like a Ferrari‘, and slapped me on the knee. I said, ‘Yes, but what about Jody Morris?’ We got to about nine before Jeff sussed it.”
Former Sky Sports pundit Rodney Marsh (Image: Getty)
The former QPR player also recalled being summoned to the office of Sky Sports managing director Vic Wakeling just as his contract was due for renewal. It was the meeting where his notorious Tsunami remark was raised.
Marsh said: “He [Wakeling] said, ‘We’d had four Ofcom complaints over the whole of Sky Sports in the last year, and three of them were for you'”.
During a live transmission of You’re On Sky Sports, Marsh had said: ‘David Beckham has turned down a move to Newcastle United because of trouble with the ‘Toon Army in Asia'”.
He subsequently said: “I apologise unreservedly for any offence I caused by my thoughtless and inappropriate comment I made. My intention was to make a light-hearted football joke.”
Jeff Stelling with fellow Sky Soccer Saturday presenters Rodney Marsh Clive Allen Dave Bassett and Frank Mclintock (Image: Sky Sports)
Marsh elaborated on the ill-fated moment, adding: “It was a David Beckham joke really, about not understanding the difference between the tsunami and the Toon Army.”
Asked if he had any hard feelings over being sacked, he said: “No, no, no, no, I’ve always been, ‘The king is dead, long live the king.'”
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Soccer Saturday has experienced significant transformations in recent years, with long-serving presenter Stelling stepping down in 2023. Former regulars Phil Thompson, Charlie Nicholas, Matt Le Tissier and Tony Cottee also departed their roles, as the broadcaster implemented a substantial reshuffle for the established programme.
Marsh subsequently participated in the 2007 series of ITV’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! whilst also appearing on Celebrity Come Dine with Me, Celebrity Coach Trip, Sing If You Can and Cash in the Attic. He currently co-presents Grumpy Pundits on Sirius Radio.
