Photo Source: goal.com

By Ken McCue 

RTÉ TV’s World Cup line-up will have all-male panels with only female pundit, former USA goalkeeper Hope Solo, who will be on her own for a couple of games.

No Africans have been named as of press time, so I look forward to the panel trying to get their tongues around the name of Nigerian keeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa!

Why not use the knowledge of former Nigerian Super Eagle James Igwilo, who lives in Dublin? Or the Mayo-based former Cameroon international Joseph N’do?

Surprisingly, two of the best brains in soccer, Brian Kerr and Johnny Giles, are not included in the studio team, so the panel will have to dig deep for analysis and background to teams and players.

This time around, new-comers Panama and veterans Iran start with particular disadvantages, with the Central American country cash-strapped due to a smaller than expected dividend from Panama Canal taxes, while the Persian nation are victims of the Trump embargo that left their players unshod after Nike withdrew their footwear.

My heart will follow these minnows but my head goes for the big fish of Argentina and the multiethnic squad on the French team. The latter, although not in the same bracket as their victorious compatriots of  World Cup 1998, will be the most entertaining team in Russia. Sit back and enjoy.