WORLD CUP COVERAGE: Presenters and Analysts Announced, Includes Mega names John Dykes, Andy Townsend, Ryan Giigs

Supersport's main soccer presenters, Robert Marawa and Neil Andrews MC'd the launch event held in Durban

Supersport earlier today, 20th May, announced their lineup for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and they really did not fail to deliver when it came to acquiring big name talents. The launch of their World Cup coverage was held in Durban at the Beverly Hills hotel in Durban.



The usuals seen usually during Supersport programming will be there: Shaun Bartlett, Andre Arendse, Neil Tovey, Ernst Middendorp, Ruud Krol, Stuart Baxter, Gavin Hunt and Doctor Khumalo.

As usual, the team from Supersport Nigeria will be there: Sammy Kuffour, Jay Jay Okocha and Sunday Olis.

John Barnes, who was Supersport's "big get" for the last World Cup held in South Africa will be there. Though he was supposed to only be used for the world cup, he has stayed on for the full four years, usually flying in for the last few stages of the UEFA Champions League.

Then there are the big names. At first I thought they will cut back on big names considering the World Cup will not be as big in Africa as the last one, considering it was hosted on African soil.
But then I arrived at the logic that because they do not have to have so many field reporters on the ground this time around, they can divert the funds used usually for reporters on big names, and big names they got.
 
Firstly, they have the FAPLTV's main presenter, John Dykes, who will hold the fort in South Africa where he, along with Neil Andrews, will anchor their live coverage of the matches. This was a very surprising considering what a big name he is in Eastern countries like Singapore where he worked at the regional version of ESPN, and I am sure he could have anchored coverage for one of the networks that side, or just taken a break as he had been on air for almost every Barclay's Premier League match build up. He is not totally unfamiliar with Supersport thoug. He does maintain a column on their official website, along with the occassional on air promo he records for Supersport.

He doesn't come alone, however. He is joined by undoubtedly the Premier League's top analyst for their programming, Andy Townsend. He will join the team that will be broadcasting on location from Brazil.

The biggest name in their coverage, without a doubt, is freshly retired Manchester United Player-Coach (and future Assistant Coach), Ryan Giggs, who is slated to join the team broadcasting from Johannesburg, South Africa. The deal to secure his services must have been concluded very recently, as he is not listed in the DStv Magazine for June that is printed a few weeks ahead of time.

Marcel Desailly

Former World Cup winner Marcel Desailly of France, and former Spanish star Gaizka Mendieta are among the big-name football personalities who will be analysing matches for SuperSport as well.

 The Maximo (Portuguese) channel headliners are Oliveira Gonçalves, former head coach of the Angolan national team, Bernardino Pedroto, winner of five national championships, and former international José Luís Vidigal.


The team broadcasting from Brazil will consist of South Africa's First Lady of Football, Carol Tshabalala, PSL and UEFA Champions League coverage presenter Robert Marawa (who has a sports centric radio show on a local station that will senselessly take a hiatus during what is a peak time for sports), PSL sideline reporter and occasional presenter, Phumlani Msibi, Suprsport Nigeria's  Sunday Oliseh and Colin Udoh along with the aforementioned Andy Townsend.