Alison Bender is an experienced broadcast journalist, who currently fronts shows daily for PLTV ( Premier League Television ) which has a huge global audience. She hosts a football call-in show, daily news bulletins, and reports pitchside at Premier League matches conducting post-match interviews with players and managers, and breaking live pre-match team news.
She has worked at Real Madrid TV and Chelsea TV for many years, working closely with some of the world’s best footballers and managers. Alison was ESPN’s Champions league reporter between 2007 and 2010 traveling across Europe interviewing players and managers and reporting at matches. She costlesslances for several global channels including Astro SuperSport in Malaysia, and Fox Soccer in the USA, where she delivers live match reports and Premier League news updates.
1. Which of the London clubs has the best chance of challenging Man Utd this year?
Well of course Chelsea – if they can secure another striker they have an extremely well balanced team, and with Jose Mourinho at the helm- that adds a double dose of confidence. Getting in Mark Schwarzer was a stroke of genius. I interviewed him on at least two occasions last season after man-of the match performances and penalty saves, he’s hugely experienced and will provide back-up, and perhaps a bit of competition for Petr Cech too which is always a good thing.
2. If Spurs sign a striker and keep Bale, can they realistically challenge?
It’s tricky, can they realistically challenge? I’d probably say no, though they will be up there. I think it’ll be a case of challenging for 4th again. Hanging onto Bale will certainly improve their chances, and yes, the lack of a clinical and consistent striker really let them down last year. A good striker will be a start, but when you look at City 2 years ago, and United last year, they both had at least 4 excellent strikers to call upon, so perhaps one more striker won’t be enough.
3. How did you get involved with TV stations? What do you recommend for football journalists to make the extra step?
Television presenting was a big leap, and I had to work extremely hard to get there. I’d been a producer for 6 years so convincing my bosses I wanted to be on the other side of the camera was hard. I had to do it step by step, so I continued my producing work as a costlesslancer while trying to get experience as a reporter/ presenter. It means working long hours, often for costless, and at one point I took the bold leap of giving up the producing altogether- once I felt I had enough experience.
4. Can the Premier League sides challenge in Europe next season?
Yes last season was disappointing for PL teams in Europe – it was all about the Bundasliga, but I think it was a good thing for the competition, now we take all sides extremely seriously, and it’s likely to be more competitive than ever this year. I see no reason why the Premier League sides won’t be challenging again this season. Pellegrini and Mourinho have proven their pedigree in Europe, but Manchester United minus Sir. Alex Ferguson are a bit of an unknown quantity, it’ll be an interesting season.
5. How is it working in football when you are a woman?
The whole “women in football” thing seems to be something people like debating these days. To be honest though, I have been doing it for over a decade and I’m just used to it. I barely notice I’m the only girl at times, I love my job and that’s what counts for me. There are testing elements that I try not to focus on because it can be counterintuitive.
6. Do you believe that it is right for the Qatar World Cup in 2022 to be held in Winter?
I think it would be a disaster. Can you imagine how exhausted the players would be if they had to return and complete the season after a major tournament? I don’t just see it affecting one season either- the negative effects would be long-lasting. A tournament should not change the natural football calendar. It’s what defines our league. I am a bit of a traditionalist and a little reluctant for change. On the other hand would I want to be playing/ looking football in the searing heat? Probably not, but this should have been a major consideration when selecting Qatar. Yes I’m bitter England wasn’t chosen for 2018!
7. Is the Premier League losing its great status with players choosing to go elsewhere recently?
No I don’t think it is, far from it…I think the Premier League is becoming more popular every year. Yes, players are leaving to play in China Russia, Germany etc. but there will always be some really big names here, and the teams here have such great history. I have no worries about the state of the Premier League.
8. Do you see the Premier League requiring development in the near future to maintain its fan base, given the fan structures present in other leagues in Europe?
No I think the Premier League will always have a huge fan base –and as new investment comes in we will see the so-called “smaller teams” develop a new following, particularly abroad. Pre and post season trips are helping too, we can see the global appeal of the Premier league is stronger than ever. The PL is in great shape, parents pass on their love of a club to their children, plus innovative marketing will see the fan base grow.
9. How do you think David Moyes will adapt his management style to suit Manchester United?
Well firstly I think all managers adapt over time with age and experience and I think David Moyes is no different. I have been lucky enough to be able to look Moyes closely on the touchline, and he’s extremely vocal. Often managers mellow with age and I can see that happening, though not necessarily immediately.
10. Do you believe José Mourinho is preparing to begin a reign bigger and better than his previous one in West London? Will Mourinho achieve things in the same way he did before with Chelsea?
First of all it would be impossible for Mourinho to emulate what he did with Chelsea first time around, I think secretly we all know that. Secondly, now that Chelsea have won the Champions league, it’s not the holy grail anymore, so what do we expect from Mourinho? A league title for a start, but would that be as big an achievement as the first time round, I think not. So yes I’m sure he’ll bring success to Chelsea, but will it be as big an achievement as first time around….of course not.
11. England's Women recently crashed out of Euros in group stages - what needs to be done? Is grassroots the answer?
This summer I have looked our under 20s under 21s and Womens’s teams all crash out of tournaments early, so yes, clearly something needs to be done. Firstly we need to adjust our expectations. Even as far as our senior team is concerned- we always expect a quarter final place based on very little evidence. Of course it goes far deeper than that and I have listened to many a TV and radio debate this summer about what needs to be done. In short, grassroots is the answer, but also the attitude and motivations of our young footballers needs to change. I could go off on one, but for now I will not…
12. Do you feel fulfilled as a reporter? What do you want to achieve in the next 5 years?
Absolutely. I love my job so much. I love the thrill of matchday, the adrenaline of presenting a live show, and the access I am privileged to have. I’m very lucky I’ve been able to keep doing what I’ve been doing for so many years in this highly competitive industry. Each year new challenges and shows come along and more people start to recognise what I have been working so hard at. As a costlesslancer I get to work with so many different companies and talented/ passionate producers, so more of the same please.
13. What's your top 4 predictions for the Premier League next season and bottom 3?
Last season I got it so wrong so I’m really nervous about doing predictions so early on, especially when teams haven’t completed their transfer dealings….
So I’ll be vague…I’d say Chelsea or United for the title, although Pellegrini and City can’t be ruled out. We need to see how their new signings settle into the PL. I would have said Arsenal had more of a chance, but it looks like they will miss out on their transfer targets…the same old story. Down at the bottom, well it could be even tighter this year…come back to me in January, is that vague enough for you, cop out? To me it just shows how competitive and unpredictable the PL has become, more drama for us to enjoy.
14. Who's your favourite young English player at the minute?
I’m a huge fan of Jack Wilshere, I’m not an Arsenal fan but I love looking him play. Remember me talking about players who play with the right attitude? That’s why I like Wilshere, he plays with aggression, passion and instinct. He does things that show such raw talent.
15. What do you think is the key to break into the top four?
Having a good balance in the team, having strength in depth as it’s such a long season, and teams challenging for a top 4 place will more than likely be involved in several competitions. Consistency is key, we saw Arsenal experience a lack of consistency which almost saw them fall short, and luck. Tottenham had some bad luck with injuries, but then you could say if they’d had a deeper squad that luck wouldn’t have come into it.
The team at VAVEL Espana had to pitch in!
1. In Spain we have a very positive concept about English football, How is the Spanish football considered in UK?
I think Spanish football is held in extremely highly regard in the UK. For many years it has been most people’s 2nd league. The attraction of Real Madrid and Barcelona obviously play a huge part in that, with the most obvious criticism being that it is not as competitive as the Premier League. Although people consider it less physical, it is certainly considered highly tactical and technical and a league players want to test themselves in. Last season was pretty exciting too with the relegation and Champions league places decided on the final day.
2. Spanish papers are discredited by Spanish people, what do the English people think about the English media?
The English media is a double-edged sword, on one hand we as fans, journalists and players need the media, to promote and follow our teams but we don’t like to read what we don’t want to hear. Yes it’s intrusive, yes it’s full of speculation at times, but we have a great choice, and some extremely talented sports journalists with great links to various clubs. Just a quick word on the Spanish press because I’m a huge fan of AS. When I lived in Spain I read it every morning with my coffee and croissant. As a Real Madrid fan you’d expect me to say Marca, but as an English girl reading a Spanish paper I found the AS format easier to translate.
3. How do people in UK see all the news about match-fixing in Spain?
Sadly, there is an ugly side to football, like racism, violence and match-fixing. You like to put your fingers in your ears and pretend it’s not happening, but sadly incidents keep coming up that force us to face the problem. It’s not just a Spanish problem, of course, and we know match-fixing has been going on for years in many different countries. Football’s governing bodies are dealing with it, with the harshest of sentences and we can only hope it’s not something that will gain momentum and ruin our enjoyment of the game we all love.
4. What do you think about the role of Fernando Torres in new season?
It’s so tough, I like Fernando and I’ve followed him for many years and admired him as a young kid playing in Spain, but a centre forward at any top club needs to be banging in 20 plus goals a season, you can’t rely on past glories. Yes, he scored 22 goals for Chelsea and was top scorer at the Confederations Cup (goals against Tahiti helped) but just 8 in the Premier League is not enough to pin your title hopes on, and I’m sure he knows that. Torres is playing for a World Cup place so he has a point to prove. I don’t believe Mourinho will allow him to be “the main man” for Chelsea this season, but if there is anyone who can get the best out of a player it’s Mourinho, so let’s hope he can work his magic.
5. What are your thoughts on the new "Spanish" Swansea?
I have loved looking Swansea, and I was lucky enough to be a reporter at the League Cup Final, so I got to see them at their best, and interview the players and manager afterwards. I think Michael Laudrup has done an incredible job, but we can’t forget what his predecessors put in place, Brendan Rogers and Roberto Martinez built the foundations. I think the possession game is gathering more momentum all over Europe and people are mimicking Barcelona with more success. One thing that has impressed me the most about Swansea, is that they have kept faith with some of the players that have been with them through 4 divisions, like Leon Britton. These players fight for the team and that was evident in that Cup final.
6. Do you think that Spanish press treated Jose Mourinho wrong? I imagine that English football fans have followed the work of Mou for Real Madrid, and the failure season with them. Is there greater confidence in Mou after the years at Real Madrid, or are there doubts among Chelsea fans on 'The Happy One'?
It’s a good question. Having spoken to members of the Spanish media that I know, it has become clear that Mourinho made it difficult for them to warm to him. Mourinho is a very intelligent man and he knows exactly what he is doing, he is not naïve, and his Spanish is excellent so you can’t blame it on that. Perhaps he got off on the wrong footing, and just wasn’t able to come back from it. Perhaps he made his point too strongly and the Spanish press weren’t ready to hear it. I think it’s wrong to think he was “bullied” or mistreated by the Spanish press, because many who loved him at Chelsea, did not like him at Real Madrid, so it must have been the way he was projecting himself. I think it can only be a good thing, because I think Mourinho has learned from his experiences there, and we will see a very different Jose at Chelsea this time round.
