NEWSTALK HAVE TODAY parted company with the team behind the award-winning Off The Ball programme.
Presenter Eoin McDevitt, Ken Early, Ciaran Murphy, Simon Hick and Mark Horgan have resigned according to the station.
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A statement issued to TheScore.ie reads: ”Ger Gilroy, Newstalk Sports Editor, who devised Off the Ball in 2002, will be joined by mainstays of the Newstalk sports team – Cian Murtagh, David McIntyre and Joe Molloy – in taking over the running of the show, starting tonight.
“Newstalk would like to thank Eoin, Simon, Ken, Ciaran and Mark for their contributions to the station and wish them luck in their future endeavours.”
Station insiders claim the team disagreed with bosses about the future direction of the show, suggesting the OTB team were keen to move to an earlier slot.
When Marconi House bosses decided a switch in the scheduling wasn’t feasible and other slots and ‘financial incentives’ were offered, the situation came to a head, they say.
The team will make a statement soon.
George Hook, speaking on air this evening, said he was sorry to see his colleagues go but insisted they were off to look for ‘fame and fortune elsewhere’. One RTÉ spokesperson told TheScore.ie that they do not speculate on programming.
The incredibly-popular nightly sports show has been running for over a decade.
Off The Ball team leaves Newstalk
Updated 5.15pm
NEWSTALK HAVE TODAY parted company with the team behind the award-winning Off The Ball programme.
Presenter Eoin McDevitt, Ken Early, Ciaran Murphy, Simon Hick and Mark Horgan have resigned according to the station.
A statement issued to TheScore.ie reads: ”Ger Gilroy, Newstalk Sports Editor, who devised Off the Ball in 2002, will be joined by mainstays of the Newstalk sports team – Cian Murtagh, David McIntyre and Joe Molloy – in taking over the running of the show, starting tonight.
“Newstalk would like to thank Eoin, Simon, Ken, Ciaran and Mark for their contributions to the station and wish them luck in their future endeavours.”
Station insiders claim the team disagreed with bosses about the future direction of the show, suggesting the OTB team were keen to move to an earlier slot.
When Marconi House bosses decided a switch in the scheduling wasn’t feasible and other slots and ‘financial incentives’ were offered, the situation came to a head, they say.
The team will make a statement soon.
George Hook, speaking on air this evening, said he was sorry to see his colleagues go but insisted they were off to look for ‘fame and fortune elsewhere’. One RTÉ spokesperson told TheScore.ie that they do not speculate on programming.
The incredibly-popular nightly sports show has been running for over a decade.
- additional reporting Niall Kelly
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