Richard Maynard

Old newspaper hack, now based in North Devon. Fan of Spurs and Cheltenham Town, motorcyclist and Remoaner. Views my own

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

This is the year when the game of two halves became the game of four quarters. And the greatest sport and event was damaged for fistfuls of dollars. Hydration breaks ruin the game’s flow and frustrates fans and viewers. If hydration breaks were solely about player welfare then they would be linked to the temperature in the stadia. It’s a nonsense having a three-minute break in an air-conditioned arena.

Fifa should long ago have established a working party of coaches, sports scientists, national team doctors and Fifpro to agree a set temperature at kickoff, say 25C, which triggers the breaks. That would prove the breaks were for player welfare. At the moment, and to nobody’s surprise, it is widely accepted that these breaks are for US TV to accommodate commercials. Big bucks for the small screen.

Fifa should have thought more about the effect on games and to fan (and viewer) experience when negotiating. Coaches’ desire for a mid-half tactical time-out masquerading as a drinks stop should be resisted anyway. Games have been played for 150 years without needing such intervention. Coaches can shout instructions. And who says that 22 mins and 67 mins is when a coach needs to intervene anyway. It’s nonsense. It’s about money.

Respected and sane footballing voices from Virgil van Dijk to Mauricio Pochettino have spoken out against the breaks. Fifa should listen to them not appear only to listen to the rustle of dollar bills. It’s important that there is resistance to this from all over. Because if we tolerate this, our TV games could be next. BBC can’t do ads, ITV says it won’t follow its US counterparts. But it has been discussed by TV people. It’ll come one day. #FIFAWorldCup.

[Richard Maynard @richmayn]

@wmarybeard @British_Airways My irritation begins when they refer to us as ‘customers’’ rather than passengers.

[Richard Maynard @richmayn]

@mrdanwalker So well deserved!

[Richard Maynard @richmayn]

@Peston Is his favourite song of all time the Horst Wessell Lied?

[Richard Maynard @richmayn]

@Parody_PM The Mouldy Psycho Diaries

[Richard Maynard @richmayn]

@BackBrexitBen I would love to make my way to the nearest airport but thanks to Brexit I would face a four-hour wait in Passport Control at the other end and a limit of 90 days before I had to come home. Thanks for that.

[Richard Maynard @richmayn]

@mrdanwalker @BobbyManzi Personally I’m glad less licence payers’ money is being put into the US economy. Given the huge geographical spread of the host venues, the location of the studio is irrelevant. Look at the distances between NYC and Mexico City, and NYC-Salford.

[Richard Maynard @richmayn]

@SamiraAhmedUK When they were filming 'AHDN' their train pulled up in South Molton station (now gone) and the girls flooded down there to see them, apart from my mother who had to stay and mind the shop - she was gutted!

[Richard Maynard @richmayn]

@FrankRGardner Excellent news! Looking forward to seeing you again at Appledore!

[Richard Maynard @richmayn]

@IsabelOakeshott You don’t even have the decency to get the spelling of his name right. Journalism college week 1.

[Richard Maynard @richmayn]

@Nigel_Farage @RobKenyonReform Were you watching a different channel? Because the performance the rest of us saw was frankly laughable. He’d be out of his depth in a saucer.

[Richard Maynard @richmayn]

@TiceRichard In store's what?

[Richard Maynard @richmayn]

@London_W4 There’s also a special place in Hell for people who leave their backpacks on in a crowded carriage rather than putting them down by their feet.

[Richard Maynard @richmayn]

@_WokeNonsenseFC You are a spiteful vindictive bully.

[Richard Maynard @richmayn]

@mrdanwalker I met Gary many years ago when I was a young reporter- he truly is a fantastic person.

[Richard Maynard @richmayn]

@brianmoore666 Charged extra for the privilege of them not having to collect the cash and maintain the machine. It always irritates me too. They should be giving the discount for paying online.

[Richard Maynard @richmayn]

@henrywinter I’ve met Gary, and he is, indeed, a wonderful bloke.

[Richard Maynard @richmayn]

@RichardHRBenyon @British_Airways Try complaining to @Ryanair ! They send you on a never-ending loop of doom. My tip, track down one of their execs on LinkedIn and bypass the system.

[Richard Maynard @richmayn]

@SimonCalder @YouShouldHaveBT Belleville, a short walk from Place de La Republique, steeped in the history of Edith Piaf with a bit if student edginess thrown in. Vieux Belleville restaurant has live music in the bal musette style.

[Richard Maynard @richmayn]

@BBCBreakfast In what parallel universe does ‘Cavell’ rhyme with ‘travel’? Nonsense.