SKY Sports have announced that former Leeds United and Republic of Ireland legend John Giles, is set to join the Monday Night Football team for the upcoming season. The 75-year-old will join Gary Neville, who recently returned to the show.
The shock news comes after Giles was released from his contract by RTE, having worked as a pundit with Ireland’s national broadcaster since 1896.
He joins presenter Ed Chamberlin and senior panelist Jamie Carragher on the flagship show and told Sky Sports News that he’s excited to get started. “I’m delighted to have joined the MNF team,” Giles told Sky Sports News. “I’ve admired the work of Jamie and Ed since I was a boy, so it’ll be an honour to work alongside them.”
The former Ireland manager says he’s honoured to have been chosen by a channel that he feels has left a “lasting legacy” on the beautiful game. “For me, Sky invented football,” he said frankly. “Before that all we were doing was kicking a ball around aimlessly but Sky really brought that glitz and glamour that I had always craved.”
Reaction to the news has been largely popular aside from The Sunday Times’ Rod Liddle, who hit out at Sky’s appointment, claiming Giles is “too old” to still be a pundit at the highest level. Eamon Dunphy hit back, questioning what Liddle knew about the situation before calling him “a fucking paedo”.
While MNF films in London, Giles has no plans to relocate and says he will probably just stay with good friend, Dwight Yorke, instead. “Ah, as long as I throw Yorkie a 6-pack, he’ll be sound with me crashing on the couch,” he said.
When asked if he was at all bitter about his exit from RTE, Giles replied, “I couldn’t give a shite to be honest. RTE can shove Kenny Cunningham up their holes for all I care.”
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