BBC commentator John Murray on World Cup 2022, Gareth Southgate's strongest XI and FIFA controversy
Radio Times caught up with BBC commentator John Murray ahead of his work at the Qatar World Cup 2022.
The World Cup has arrived and TV crews are touching down in Qatar ahead of the biggest sports tournament on the planet.
The global media's lenses are fixating on the Gulf State nation, more so than ever before, with the BBC among the broadcasters set to roll out extensive live coverage in the weeks to come.
Stalwart commentator John Murray is a key part of BBC 5 Live, set to paint pictures of the beautiful game into British households via radio airwaves.
We caught up with Murray prior to the tournament for his thoughts on England, what Gareth Southgate told him about his strongest team and the very notion of hosting the tournament in Qatar.
For more World Cup features check out: World Cup 2022 kits ranked | World Cup 2022 TV schedule | World Cup 2022 fixtures | Best players in the world 2022
How do you prepare?
JM: Normally we’d have more time. I’ll be watching teams, like Iran, that I don’t watch week-in, week-out. Covering England, I try to remind myself of the recent history but also the long history. I’ve been re-reading Bobby Charlton’s biography that goes back to the '50s!
Who will win the World Cup?
JM: At the moment I’m leaning towards Brazil or Argentina, maybe France.
Will England and Wales make it through?
JM: I’d like to think that they’d both but it’s a funny group I think with Iran and the United States. There are an awful lot of unknowns in that group. Anything can happen.
Does Southgate know his best team?
JM: I speak to him on a regular basis and I’ll frequently ask him this sort of question and he’ll always say, “If the match being played tomorrow I’ll know exactly the team I’d pick”.
Which player will emerge as a superstar?
JM: I think England’s chances will be massively enhanced if they get the most out of Phil Foden.
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What do you make of the FIFA statement about focusing on the football?
JM: I was thinking back to the time when the envelope was originally opened and I felt at the time, I don’t feel this is right for a whole variety of reasons. And at that stage we didn’t know a fraction of what we do now about all the political aspects of it, the human rights issue.
Once the football begins… there will be the usual drama we get with football tournaments but that doesn’t mean to say we should lose sight of the issues that are involved and surrounding this.
Across our programming on 5 Live, also within the sports programming and football commentaries, we want to make it clear that we are aware what we are in and we know what we’re getting into and we are keeping our eyes wide open.
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