BBC’s Mark Pougatch reported to be taking his place
Big news in the world of football media this morning as the Daily Mail say that Adrian Chiles is no longer the face of the channel’s football coverage.
The mail say that Mark Pougatch will be named as Chiles’ replacement with immediate effect and he will present the Champions League when it returns next month.
So far there has been no comment from ITV.
As we know, ITV are losing a lot of their coverage to BT so they will have less live football to show. They are expected to make a strong bid for the Premier League highlights rights, which are up for discussion soon, so perhaps that is where they see Pougatch filling in as a host for that.
With Andy Townsend also recently released, and with Roy Keane long gone, fotball on ITV is a very different beast to just a few short years ago.
Update: ITV have now released a statement on Pougatch’s arrival
They quote Pougatch as saying: “I am absolutely delighted to be joining ITV and to be given this great opportunity. I’m looking forward to working with ITV’s talented pool of commentators and pundits on some of the very best football there is.”
