Eric Wynalda to Replace Steven Cohen on FFF?
Filed under: Fox Soccer Channel
“Eric Wynalda is back in broadcasting.”
“The Hall of Famer and former ESPN commentator will join Fox Football Fone-In, Fox Soccer Channel’s Monday night call-in show, when the show’s sixth season starts Aug. 10 at a new time of 7 p.m. ET.
“I enjoyed covering the games,” Wynalda says. “But being a commentator, following the game around and throwing rocks at your friends isn’t necessarily a dream job. It’s something that I fought with week-in, week-out.
“I’m still a fan of this game. I still love it. When this opportunity came along — this is more of a dream job. It’s once a week, it’s right in my backyard, I don’t have to travel, and I still get to do what I love, and that’s talk about the game.”
Wynalda replaces Steven Cohen, an English-born radio host who recently drew protests from Liverpool fans and the club itself for comments saying unticketed fans were a major factor in the 1989 stadium disaster in which 96 Liverpool fans died. U.S. fans of the club led an effort to convince sponsors to distance themselves from Cohen’s shows. Cohen apologized (audio, including foul language), claiming he had received death threats.
Neither Wynalda nor Dermot McQuarrie, FSC’s senior VP of production and programming and assistant general manager, would comment on Cohen or the Liverpool controversy.”
Not the biggest Cohen fan, but this is kinda messed up because Cohen started that program and is being pushed out
Cohen is a prick……….. Wynalda just wants to argue, as long as Warren Barton (can’t pronounce words properly) doesn’t get it then it’ll be fine!
will he still be on World Soccer Daily? I like the show.
Wynalda is a joke. This is going to ruin the show…
Cohen’s a wank. Glad he’s gone.
very glad cohen’s gone. he’s terrible. even putting aside his anti-liverpool stance, he was always a biased shockjock and nothing more.
Sounds like they should pit Cohen vs Wynalda and it could be a ratings bonanza.
Glad Cohen is gone. He is annoying. Always trying to push people to agree with him. The bald guy isn’t that bad, at least he levels out Cohen, and remains neutral.
Agree the bald dude is ok. Cohen probably never liked footie but just made some shit up on his resume on the plane over here…….a bit like Tommy Smythe.
Cohen to ESPN maybe? pregaming on saturdays for ESPN?
Mixed feelings. I like Cohen and Wynalda because they are both willing to speak their minds. But Wynalda is classic…recall his reprimanding the US players for being afraid to get dirt in their vagin@s or pussies or implying physical violence against Giorgio Canalgia during the World Cup telecast against Italy. Since he left ESPN, I’ve had to listen to the snooze fest that is Harkes and some leprechaun. As for Cohen, I would have been much happier if they fired Jeremy St. Louis, Christopher Sullivan and Max Bretos. Someone make that happen.
Wynalda is just gonna talk about the “back in my day” shit like Harkes does all freakin day.
The original pair were great because they weren’t afraid to say how they felt, controversial or not. It seems they are trying to make the show as PC friendly as possible. Boring.
Wynalda is just a MLS propagandist. Cohen would not toe the line about MLS, so he has been replaced.
Cohen is the creator and president of World Soccer Daily. A top 100 poscast on itunes…btw the Podcast is about soccer and it in the top 100!!!!
Say what you want about his views but what he and Nick Geber have made soccer talk in this country relivent.
He will be missed at FSC and that show will not be the same.
How about Dunny and Wynalda as co-host?
what a big mistake. cohen is the best thing going for FFF. He has opinions and is not afraid to voice them. The efforts of him and Nick should not be under appreciated. Freaking PC run amok. His WSD show is also excellent. I hope that as the US take more interest in the game that they dont ruin/dumb down the coverage (ESPN). Hope this means Cohen is off to bigger and better things.
Nick was good for the show. Eric will bring no insight to the show, he will just argue with everything. Ratings will drop. ESPN should hire Nick.
No longer interested in watching the show. It slipped when Geber left, Webster always seemed to play second fiddle. Wynalda might have an opinion, but if it’s all MLS it’s of no interest. Cohen can be grating on the ears and he has that Liverpool issue going, but for the most part I like hearing his take on all the leagues. I’ll still listen to the WSD podcast.
cohen made that show. he was the only reason to watch. My 16 year old cousin is a select soccer player and even a Liverpool fan. But he doesnt even try to keep up with the EPL. The only players that his teammates know are ronaldo and ronaldinho, and only then because they sell cleats through nike. While the EPL following is increasing, most people who play the game here in the US know very little about leagues outside of Mexico and the US. If you claim otherwise you are a liar. it is so cowardly for FSC to fire somebody based upon a liverpool fan club’s objection, because nobody here is offended. absolutely pathetic. and everyone knows that liverpool were responsible for that tragedy. to deny that is truely naive. and lets not forget that COHEN WAS A US SOLDIER which is a direct contribution to American freedom, and makes him more of a man than most people posting here, including me.
This sucks. Wynalda is an egotistical idiot. I don’t care what he has to say about soccer. The focus should be on the game not only on his opinions.
I liked Steven because he was not afraid to speak his mind. It is a loss for the show.
I’m an English-born Liverpool fan who knows Steven personally. His mouth was always going to get him into trouble, however like everyone else he’s entitled to his FIRST AMENDMENT rights. He’s basically a good guy and as the true creator of the show and its heart and soul others should not benefit while he’s left out in the cold.
Eric Wynalda sucks as a phone in host. I feel like he is always on the brink of saying… ” I am better than anyone else ” and, he sooo has the hots for the lovely email lady…
Oh yeah, one more thing FSC, keep showing WPS on Sunday nights, I am sure that all true futbol fans would rather watch the LA Sol vs Washington Freedom, or whatever their “americanized” name is, instead of seeing Boca vs Lanus,,, FSC, you have no idea what true futbol fans want
Steve Cohen’s departure is such a big loss for the show. His partnership with mellow Webster was fantastic, and he was the true leader of the show. He had real passion for the game and always had strong comments, energetic and sometimes funny. Who can watch the show now, with this sleepy Wynalda ? The heartbeat of the show just dropped to zero. I’m not watching anymore and i believe more people are. FSC will soon realize that and fire that Wynalda too. If you wanna bring an ex-pro, at least bring a decent one who had a kind of career (ie playing at top level in Europe).
Wynalda is terrible, Cohen knew his stuff no matter what you thought of him
Wynalda is fucking awful and just rambles, somehow being an asshole while not saying anything of substance in stumbling over himself to defend the latest incidence of terrible sportsmanship.
Oh yeah and the theme song even sucks more this year.
Wynalda sucks ass. My God, don’t you guys tell me he doesn’t annoy the cr*p out of you. Has no real knowledge about the Premiere League whatsoever.
I dont watch this show much, and I feel bad for Cohen, but I think Wynalda has been good for the show.
He balances Websters Self/EPL/England snobbery, and keeps him in check.
This show has bigger problems than Wynalda…