Live And Exclusive

Of course, we've all known for many years that the biggest battles have not been between countries or players but television networks. Admittedly these are usually one-sided battles, the BBC beating ITV by nearly 5:1 for the 2002 World Cup final, but there's hearts and minds to be won and lost in equal measure. Here's how both sides, with a cursory polite nod to Eurosport's coverage helmed by James Richardson - there it is, then - shape up:

BBC

BEST MOMENT OF 2000 COVERAGE : Motson allowing himself to be lost in the moment of Spain's winner over Yugoslavia - "It's Alfonsooooooo! It! It's unbelieveable!"

WORST MOMENT OF 2000 COVERAGE : Barry Davies' petulance at the cheek of Italy to dare defend against Holland - "such a waste of talent, not to mention those who paid money to watch...it's done no service to football what we've seen in this second semi-final"

GAME SPLIT : As has been much noted, the BBC only have England's final group game, but should they progress will have the quarter-final alone and then the usual simulcast domination will kick in. If not, they still get first pick of the standout quarter and semi. Both opening day games, Germany-Holland and Spain-Portugal are other first round highlights.

PRESENTER : Gary Lineker seems to have inherited the mantle of the wry, unflappable charmer, and doesn't get as many jokes about his ears as he used to as a result. Our favourite Linekerism of all time, apart from in the World Cup when the start of Spain-Slovenia overlapped with the end of England-Denmark on ITV and Gary accordingly delivered most of his opening link in Spanish, was during one of the 2000 quarter-finals when the VT team cued up a montage of fan shots backed by XTC's Stupidly Happy, and Lineker declared afterwards "well, at half time it's Portugal who are stupidly happy". Ray Stubbs adds solid support.

STAR PUNDIT : Alan Hansen, whose preference of highlighting defensive errors to lauding attacking play has been much lampooned, not least by Michael 'they've raped the game!' Robinson - if you're so great, Michael, why have we never seen your expertise on British TV, then? - but at least he speaks from a position of awareness about what players at that level should be doing.

FOR THIS TOURNAMENT ONLY... : No Martin O'Neill this year, cynics might suggest because he's waiting for Liverpool's offer to come in. Jamie Redknapp makes one of his "never mind the quality, look at those cheekbones" major tournament appearances, while Steve Bruce is the unknown quantity. No Dion Dublin this time around, luckily.

PUB LEVEL ANALYST : At least Peter Schmeichel has his enthusiasm tethered to an understanding of the game, even if it doesn't always come across. Ian Wright, however, supplements his unique tailoring with facile flag-waving and a tendency to pick arguments with no backing with fellow pundits, not to mention his attempts at street talk.

MAN IN THE CAMP : Garth Crooks' hesitant questioning has always been the BBC weak link, even now everybody from McGowan to Lovejoy rips the piss out of it. Mark Bright's not much better, while a whole phalanx of back-up reporters, from Dominic Cotton to Manish Bhasin via Ivan Gaskell, are more journalist than analyst.


ITV

BEST MOMENT OF 2000 COVERAGE : Clive nodding to the actual talking point as the teams came out for the opening game - "Belgium versus Sweden, Des versus Gary, at long last"

WORST MOMENT OF 2000 COVERAGE : Peter Drury's sanctimonious moment during Holland's thrashing of Yugoslavia - "if you threw a chair in Charleroi, let that prick your conscience!"

GAME SPLIT : Four years ago, at the Euro 2000 ITV press launch head of sport Brian Barwick announced that "while we have England v Germany, the BBC will be showing Slovenia v Norway." In the end they ceded a share of the live broadcast of the former to BBC1, while the latter wasn't shown at all as it was a final group game on at the same time as Spain-Yugoslavia, the game of the tournament. But apart from that, the oneupmanship was fully deserved. This year's angle is England-France, the build-up for which started in about March, and the next game against Switzerland - but watch for that ITV curse! Barwick also neglected to mention this year that they can if they want show all Latvia's group games, although they did get the last two days of the first phase.

PRESENTER : The opposite of what PR types call a soft launch, Des Lynam quietly announced his departure from football presenting after this tournament a few months ago, to the relief of many. Increasingly less arsed throughout the Premiership season even when hyping it up, his entire allure for journalists now seems to be through reflected housewife's choice glories of the mid-90s. Asked many housewives, have you? Gabby's there with a grin and light approach doing most of the back-up backed by Angus Scott. What, no Matt Smith? Well, Speed Sunday won't present itself, will it, and to hell with two seasons of Premiership On Monday-aided increasing prestige. Wonder how many presenters the Beeb'll need throughout next season.

STAR PUNDIT : Terry Venables. Stopped doing the week in week out coalface early in the Premiership's lifespan, but remains a master tactician and natural communicator.

FOR THIS TOURNAMENT ONLY... : As is traditional, ITV are going with the Look At All Our Ex-England Managers approach, Tel joined not by Glenn Hoddle and Kevin Keegan as in previous years but Graham Taylor (!) and Sir Bobby Robson, with Steve McClaren also set to join in until Sven spirited him away. The big problem with this, of course, is that as ex-England managers they never want to slag off the current incumbent or his team too hard as they know all too well, especially with Taylor there, what the consequences are. Robson is the real joker in the pack as he'll be co-commentating on England games now that Big Ron is persona non grata. With his inventive approach to the language, shameless punditry flag-waving and wayward ways with pronunciations or even getting the names right, this could be fun. For which read excruciating.

PUB LEVEL ANALYST : Where do you start with ITV? We've been slagging off Clive Allen all season so we don't see a reason to stop now, but a new possible emerged quietly when the divvying up of highlights show panel members was announced last week. Danny Murphy?!

MAN IN THE CAMP : Gabriel Clarke and his range of smart fade-ins and incidental shots in lieu of proper coverage has been a standard of recent Saturday nights, and with training ground nets to focus in on and kids to be jump-cut away to he'll be in his element. More accomplished than Newbon, at any rate.


VERDICT : BBC, because, well, they don't have adverts, but also because their prestige is immeasurable. Leaving aside the ratings win, whatever England's great moments, you don't hear them in the voices of Mooro or Hugh Johns ("here's Hurst, can he make it four? He has, he has!" And they wonder why Wolstenholme is far better remembered) but through Ken, Coleman, Motty or Baz. You're more likely to hear Jon Champion's BBC commentary on Michael Owen's 1998 goal than Brian's, even though it was dubbed on later. And as cloying as Lawrenson's voice can be, odds are you'll be pining for it once Sir Bobby forgets himself again in the middle of a vital passage of play. Still, we can but wait and see for ourselves at this stage. The Tactics Truck, needless to say, will be impounded at Customs.