BBC SPORT | Euro 2008 blog

Ballack, Boruc and Spanish royalty

Jacqui Oatley
14 Jun 08, 05:05 PM

Vienna

It may only have been a few days since I made my blogging debut en route from Vienna to Klagenfurt, but it feels like about a month, such is the amount of travelling we've done.

We've covered most of Austria going to football matches, interviewing players and managers, filming the stunning scenery, trying in vain to get my radio satellite dish to work and pleading with editing genius Nick to stop telling his shockingly bad jokes.

All to the soundtrack of "Mercy" by Duffy. It appears that every radio station plays it as soon as we tune in. We're begging them for mercy now - please stop!

Duffy's going down a storm in Austria and Switzerland - just now with JAcqui Oatley

I thought you may be interested to know what's involved in getting interviews after games.

First up was Klagenfurt again, this time for Croatia v Germany. The last time we were here we watched Germany play Poland. It was live on BBC1 and, after reporting on potential crowd trouble into half time of the earlier game, my next job was to do the live post-match interviews. This was a bit of an eye-opener.

I work for Radio 5 Live, so interviewing is a regular part of my job, but live television is very different. In radio, you stay in position in the press box on the gantry until the end of the game then head down to the tunnel and wait for a player or manager to come out of the dressing room before speaking to them.

With live television, you speak to the players straight after they've walked off the pitch, usually still dripping with sweat. It meant leaving my seat in the stands 20 minutes before the end of the game so I could take up my position.

There were about six different interviewing areas in the "flash zone" - it's not what you think, it's the area by the tunnel where they do the live interviews - each with a cameraman and reporter from different countries very keen to hear the views of certain players before their respective live programmes finish.

Our producer/match director Séan texted me from the broadcast van outside the stadium to request Michael Ballack as the ideal choice, with an ETA if possible so Gary Lineker would know how much time he had to fill with the studio pundits. I also requested Artur Boruc of Poland/Celtic.

Artur Boruc has been in great form for Poland during Euro 2008

Luckily, Ballack arrived in time for the end of the live programme. I had been given strict instructions by Uefa official Sebastian that the interview must last no longer than 90 seconds, time enough for three questions. Ballack spoke very well so I was a little cheeky and sneeked in a fourth. Afterwards, I tentatively looked round at Sebastian, who stopped his stopwatch and gave me the thumbs-up. "Perfect, thank you," he said. Phew.

At that point, a Polish team official came over, shrugged his shoulders and told me: "Boruc is in the shower. I asked him to come for an interview but he told me to '**** off'." Ah, and there was me unsure of his grasp of English.

Forty-eight hours later, the fun bus headed to Innsbruck for Spain v Russia. The Alps made a stunning backdrop to a fine football match, in spite of the lightning and heavy rain.

Again I only saw around three quarters of the match - and only two of the five goals - as I had to nip off to meet Sebastian downstairs by the flash zone. I had nine minutes between the end of the game and the end of our show in which to try and get some player reaction.

Fabregas poses for photos with Spanish fans

I'd put in a request for Fernando Torres and/or Cesc Fabregas, who'd come on as a sub and scored. But as the seconds and minutes ticked by there was still no sign of any Spanish players....until news filtered through that the Prince of Spain had gone into the dressing room to talk to the players. Argh! Fabregas did eventually (and it seemed reluctantly) appear after his shower to talk, but it was too late for Lineker and co.

So as you adopt your regular formation on the sofa for the next live game and afterwards think "why haven't I heard from the star player?" then bear in mind that they might be in the company of royalty or they may simply have better things to do than talk to the likes of us!

Jacqui Oatley commentates on football for BBC Sport, working on Match of the Day and Radio 5 Live. Please check our FAQs if you have any questions.

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Comments

1. At 6:24pm on 14 Jun 2008, s-h-a-r-k-y wrote:
another fantastic article jacqui keep up the great work x x x

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2. At 6:59pm on 14 Jun 2008, Stevie357 wrote:
I wonder if Duffy fancies being the newest Arsenal WAG, going out with Aaron Ramsey - they'd make a good couple.

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3. At 7:17pm on 14 Jun 2008, ConsettKebab wrote:
Hey Jacqui. Get some of those radio stations in Austria to buy some Carmel (remember them) records and play them instead.

I think whoever writes for Duffy has.

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4. At 7:40pm on 14 Jun 2008, AbuDhabiCounty wrote:
Séan will no doubt be delighted you remembered to put the accent over the 'e'.

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5. At 7:49pm on 14 Jun 2008, actionparsnip wrote:
Jacqui,

The blog is good but Duffy's voice or yours ? Come on girl !

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6. At 8:23pm on 14 Jun 2008, 64Otter wrote:
Cesc Fabregas IS Sylar from Heroes in this photo! Do you think he uses his powers to control the football?

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7. At 9:44pm on 14 Jun 2008, Stevie357 wrote:
Cesc got better after Henry and Ljungberg suddenly disappeared. Next season, he'll suddenly have Flamini's powers, and possibly Hleb's or Adebayor's.

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8. At 05:00am on 15 Jun 2008, quickquip wrote:
Yeah well, taking a shower is probably something better to do than answering silly media questions like 'how did it feel to lose tonight' or some such pablum. So you can probably excuse Boruc for taking a pass on it even if you can't exactly excuse his language. But living in Scotland much of the year, it's perhaps not surprising he's learned how to communicate in the local vernacular there. Anyhow, maybe you should try and get an interview with the Prince of Spain sometime. That might be more interesting. At least he shouldn't be dripping with sweat. Ask him what he thinks of "Mercy" by Duffy. Only take care never to mention those dreaded letters ETA to him, no matter what Gary Lineker wants.

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9. At 10:13am on 15 Jun 2008, starsanty wrote:
Very nice article. As long as we get to the see the players reaction later on bbc web, its fine, doesn't has to be live after the match.

Just a suggestion - Would like more to read about players like - how much are the players passionate when they play for the country. And about the fans as well.
Can't believe the fans would be so mad to support their country in Euro as compared to the club football.

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10. At 11:24am on 15 Jun 2008, aconlon - Feed The Yak... wrote:
anyone else think fabregas looks like sylar from heroes. he looks dead creepy

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11. At 12:44pm on 15 Jun 2008, liverpool_ andy(justice for the 96) wrote:
To ConsettKebab, Duffy writes her own songs.

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12. At 1:02pm on 15 Jun 2008, MillwallMark wrote:
great piece jacqui. i seriously envy your job. love the background information of what you do and the interviewing etc. interesting stuff. keep it coming

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13. At 1:15pm on 15 Jun 2008, Wombat wrote:
Yawn. Yet again the BBC feel the need to send about 4 million employees to cover a sporting event, with many writing these pointless witless blogs. It's the equivalent of getting paid to send a postdard

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14. At 2:10pm on 15 Jun 2008, Fabulously_Futile wrote:
Yawn? Obviously not a footy fan then witless Wombat. Nice blog Jacqui, its good to know what goes on behind the scenes especially whats involved in the interviewing process.

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15. At 4:25pm on 15 Jun 2008, Wombat wrote:
Big footy fan as it happens, just that I find these blogs incredibly boring. If staring into Jacquis eyes and reading about 'whats involved in getting interviews' (wow!!) floats your boat then fair play to you FF...

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16. At 6:12pm on 15 Jun 2008, cybersupes wrote:
Mr/Mrs Wombat,

I would suggest that if these blogs are that boring, you avoid them at all costs. Myself, and the majority of other people who comment on them obviously enjoy them and don't find them boring but rather interesting.

The BBC is in a no-win situation, if they had any less coverage of the tournament, people would be up in arms complaining about what they are spending the license fee on. As it is they have invested money in getting reporters and staff out to Austria and Switzerland to provide what i believe to be unrivalled coverage and people are still not happy about how the money is spent.

Keep up the good work Jacqui, and the BBC...

Rant over

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17. At 7:43pm on 15 Jun 2008, Wombat wrote:
Sir Wombat, but you can call me wombat if you like

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18. At 8:04pm on 16 Jun 2008, floridaRoberto62 wrote:
Jacqui:

Your work is great. Boruc does not know what he missed in refusing to be interviewed. You are one of the few journalists in the sports realm who is an expert. Best Wishes from Miami Florida.

Roberto

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