SAINT and Greavesie, Lineker and Hansen.... Kennedy and Sloane....
The sports punditry world generally, and MOTD team-mate Gary Lineker particularly, are steeling themselves for the loss of former Liverpool defending giant (all 6 feet 2 and 1⁄64 inches of him) Alan Hansen from its ranks.
But even as Lineker wonders who he'll be spending his Saturday nights with now, a new footy-talking TV twosome is blossoming – in an unlikely stronghold for the beautiful game.
Expat Liverpudlians Paul Kennedy and Mathew Sloane are broadcasting their own particular brand of World Cup wit and wisdom from the Caribbean loveliness of the Cayman Islands.
The pair, both well known faces in the city, had many mutual friends back in the 'Pool, but they only actually met recently on the British Overseas Territory. The two kicked off so well that now they are hosting a series of live World Cup specials - despite practically no previous experience of TV presenting.
Sloane and Kennedy
Kennedy, at least, had many years working as a crime reporter in Liverpool to call on - and is a producer for Channel 27. Sloane, an off-on Liverpool Confidential columnist, is a former London Carriage Works sommelier, which is not much help at all, but he does possess one key qualification for sports journalism – he likes a drink.
The Half Time Show goes out live and includes match analysis and World Cup chat plus fun with local guests, each episode opening with the immortal words: “Welcome to the Half Time Show brought to you by Elite Marble and Granite.”
Kennedy explained: “Despite knowing the same people back home, I only met Mathew Sloane 5,000 miles away in Grand Cayman.
“Matty and I became mates. And because we are from Liverpool we are clearly naturally funny and know loads about football.
“At the end of the Premier League season, we were invited on to Let's Talk Sports, a sports chat show produced by Cayman 27 where I work as a producer.
“Matty and I plus another guest went on to discuss the season back in the UK and it went really well.
“Afterwards we tossed a few ideas around about World Cup coverage. WestStar (a TV provider in Cayman) has the rights to show all World Cup games exclusively and we struck a deal with them to sponsor 15 half time shows, live, throughout the World Cup.
“We have a mixture of local and expat guests – it's very informal, very chatty, and just a good laugh.
“There has been a good response from the public, and, we think, are getting better every time. We'll have finally got it right, I'm sure, for the final.”
Catch up on Kennedy and Sloane's past and future performances on The Half Time Show here. And don't forget you can watch them streamed live for a bit of strange. The Half Time Show - brought to you, don't forget - by Elite Marble and Granite.
