Australia 1, England 0

Keeping up with goings-on in Europe is difficult from Australia.
The news programmes adopt a particularly insular approach, mentioning only the most significant of global events; plus the time difference is currently 10 hours ahead of England.

This plays particular havoc with trying to follow the football - Saturday afternoon games would kick off at 5am Sunday morning here, and coverage is only available on pay per view television (an unaffordable luxury to the currently unemployed blogger.)

Furthermore, football - I refuse to call it soccer and you can shoot me if I ever start - is very much a niche sport over here, the A-League pales into comparison in terms of coverage against the AFL and the Rugby. Interestingly, however, things are by no means as bleak as the above facts might combine to suggest.

Earlier this week, following the Champions League action, I watched a 1 hour highlights/analysis show on free-to-air Australian TV at the not unreasonable time of 10pm. And here's the thing:

It was brilliant.

The 'key' matches were shown in extended higlights packages of around 5 minutes or more - those featuring Europe's biggest or most glamorous clubs. Every goal from every game was also shown, albeit in some cases very briefly and without replay. But where the show really delivered was on the analysis.

It has long been a gripe of mine that Match of the Day and in particular ITV are guilty of failing to provide anything near decent, intelligent and informed coverage of football. Describing what has just happened IS NOT ANALYSIS and adds nothing to the event. We can all see that he has taken a touch and then slotted it past the keeper, quite why we need Andy Townsend/Alan Shearer/Jamie Redknapp to tell us what we are looking at is beyond me.

What we don't have however is the reference point that comes from a career at the highest level of football - or the tactical insight of a top class coach or manager.

This is what the Aussie show provided - goals were deconstructed in terms of what the defence had done wrong, the skill behind a clever run that a particular player was making, how in fact the opposition could/should or did counteract...for the first time in a long time watching football, I really felt as though I was learning something. To understand how in fact Javier Zanetti had found himself in so much space for his goal (due to the intelligent and very deliberate run inside from the right winger) and also to be shown quite clearly why Tom Huddlestone was maybe five yards out of position too often, leaving Sneijder free rein - it was compelling viewing and I loved it.

Maybe it is due to the fact that football is so niche in Australia - they know the only people watching are going to be into it; whereas BBC/ITV feel they need to cater to a general audience. Maybe it is due to the apparent American-style love for statistical/analytical breakdown of sport over here. Maybe the pundit was just generally smarter or better informed than his English counterparts.

Whatever the reason, there was only one conclusion - the coverage over here is much, much better. England, you are being short-changed. We knew it all along but travelling thousands of miles has simply confirmed it. Right now there may well be nothing we can do about it, but as soon as I'm back I'll get on the case.

First though, I'm off to the beach. Crikey.

PS The Heart are ticking over nicely, currently mid-table but within a win of third.

PPS So Wayne Rooney is a master negotiator...who knew?!