Come on Cable, give us a game for two halves

Hong Kong's love affair with English football has blossomed in recent years and will be very much in evidence tonight when the season reaches its traditional climax.

All around the city, fans will be glued to their television sets to see whether hot favourites Manchester United can avoid defeat at the hands of underdogs Millwall.

But the big occasion will not be accompanied by the banter and analysis to which viewers of Premier League matches on ESPN have become accustomed. The FA Cup is shown on a different channel, so the services of presenter John Dykes and his team are not available.

This is something that fans of the pundits might have to get used to. For the next three seasons, Hong Kong Cable Television has exclusive rights to show the Premier League games. And the station is considering ditching Dykes and Co. and unleashing its own, homegrown, form of match-day entertainment instead. The likelihood that Dykes will be dumped has already sparked debate among Hong Kong's football fans and it will become just as passionate as the emotions on show at the Millennium Stadium tonight.

On one side are those who regard football as a serious business, requiring informed debate, insight and analysis. For them, the ESPN crew provides an essential service, with former players giving fans the benefit of their experience.

Lined up against them are the supporters who just want to have a bit of fun. They don't wish to see some football has-been trotting out cliches and making the usual inane comments. To these viewers, such an approach fails to capture the excitement of the game.