Kate Abdo U-turn, Thierry Henry finds new job - CBS Sports' nightmare scenario
CBS Sports have struck gold with the Champions League panel of Kate Scott, Thierry Henry, Micah Richards and Jamie Carragher thanks to their perfect chemistry together – but what if it all collapsed?
by Abbie Meehan · The MirrorKate Abdo, Thierry Henry, Micah Richards and Jamie Carragher have proved to form a dream team for CBS Sports – and the broadcaster would no doubt hate to see things change going forward.
Many football fans excitedly tune into CBS during the week to watch the US broadcaster's Champions League coverage, and are greeted with perfect chemistry from the current group of panellists. Host Kate Scott does a great job of keeping the panel on track, as well as chiming in with some clever jokes at the top of the programmes.
As well as this, Henry's knowledge and deadpan humour coupled with Richards' infectious laugh and Carragher's hilarious outbursts makes the panel of pundits a really exciting group to watch before, during and after Champions League games, with fans in the UK loving the clips shared on social media.
However, this group of football experts could break up in a matter of months, given the speculation surrounding aspects of contracts, new opportunities and priorities shifting due to big life changes. Here, Mirror Sport have outlined what the nightmare scenario would be for CBS Sports on the possible movements of their Champions League panel.
Kate Abdo - US move to put family first?
Kate Abdo (now, officially, Scott) recently married to Malik Scott – a former professional boxer and current trainer in his home country of America. The pair made their relationship public in December 2023 and wed in September this year, tying the knot in an intimate ceremony in the Malibu Hills surrounded by friends and family.
The 43-year-old has been a major part of CBS since 2020 and is widely recognised as one of the best television hosts and presenters of sport at the moment. She recently signed a new four-year deal with CBS Sports in 2023 to anchor their coverage of the Champions League – alongside Henry, Carragher and Richards.
Her handling of the programme has been praised far and wide by many, including Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola. The City boss appeared after his team lifted the coveted trophy in 2023, claimed he was a big fan of Scott – noting that the CBS coverage is the "funniest in the Champions League this season".
However, her marriage to Malik could put a spanner in the works for her job as a presenter, as she may want to spend more time with her newly-made family. With her contract up in 2027, it is not unheard of for a presenter to leave their position early to focus on other avenues, professional or otherwise.
Thierry Henry - coaching temptation?
Henry is a massive part of the CBS panel, as his quick wit and experience in the Champions League sets him apart as one of the most knowledgeable on the screen. He has also reportedly committed his future to CBS Sports, signing a three-year deal that will take him through to the end of the 2026/27 season.
However, after walking away from his coaching role with the French national team for "personal reasons", it is not out of this world to believe that the ex-Arsenal icon could be tempted back into coaching a big club or national side. With stints at Monaco, Montreal Impact and also in the Belgian national team, the opportunity to take on a high-profile job in any of the European big leagues may be enough to entice the Frenchman from his job on CBS Sports.
Jamie Carragher - one more slip-up and he's off?
Carragher is renowned for his loud mouth and polarising opinions on CBS Sports, making him an integral part of the process on the programme. After all, the show would be boring if all four panellists continuously agreed with each other on everything.
The former Liverpool defender tends not to mince his words – compared to his slightly more reserved demeanour on Sky Sports – when discussing underperforming teams or managers on the ropes, and sometimes his blunt treatments of situations can land him in hot water.
Just recently, Carragher joined the Borussia Dortmund fans at the semi-final game against Paris Saint-Germain, where he appeared to partake in some pre-match beverages and formed part of the famous ‘Yellow Wall’. He appeared back on screen to interview Jadon Sancho later on, and looked a little bit frazzled by his time in with the supporters.
Carragher also landed in some trouble when he made an awkward joke while Scott and Henry were discussing loyalty to football teams. While on air in March this year, Carragher said to Scott: "You are wearing [an Arsenal shirt] next. For the last part, you are going to wear it."
Scott then replied: "I am not. I am loyal." Carragher then asked, "to whom?"
Scott then answered: "Manchester United, thank you very much", and Carragher joked: "Not to Malik."
This awkward exchange had Richards and Henry quiet, as Carragher laughed away some of the silence in the room. Following this, CBS Sports producter Pete Radovich made a statement to The Athletic to quell any rumours of disarray in the panel.
Radovich said: "The first thing to say is everyone was surprised at the reaction that night; myself, Kate and Jamie included, because it was just banter gone wrong amongst friends, between a brother and sister. That night, when it started to snowball, we had discussions. It wasn’t alarms or questioning if we were going to be able to repair this. He misspoke. He felt bad. Kate wasn’t crazy about it, but none of it was like, ‘this could be the end’.
"The biggest reaction was surprise at how much play it got. So, there was never a moment in all of that time where I was like, ‘wow, I don’t know if we can bounce back from this’. Not even for a split second because I knew internally we were all cool. It’s not for me to speak for Kate, but I can only speak to the conversations I had with Kate. She conveyed to me that she wasn’t crazy about the comment, but at the same time, we can get over this."
This incident on the panel could put Carragher's coat on an uneasy peg in the CBS Sports green room, as producers may want to avoid any more slip-ups in the future by replacing him on the programme. However, there is yet to be any confirmed reports on the former Anfield great moving on from CBS.
Micah Richards - pay could be deciding factor?
Back in February, while making one of her famous introductions, Scott made a playful joke that Richards would "never take a pay cut" while working at CBS. The official CBS TikTok account posted the clip with the caption: "Micah Richards is NEVER taking a pay cut", alongside a laughing emoji.
During the clip, Richards said: "You can pay me less CBS, but I want the readies in the front end", referring to the signing on fee that Kylian Mbappe reportedly got for signing for Real Madrid on a free transfer.
Scott then asked if Richards had begun contract talks with CBS, to which Richards responded: "No, no, no, no negotiations just yet. I've got 18 months left [on my contract]."
If this report by Richards is true, then his deal with CBS is due to run out by August 2025 – meaning he should be in line to sign up for another few years like Scott and Henry have done recently.
However, while Scott and Richards joked about his refusal to take a "pay cut" at the broadcaster, the ex-Manchester City defender could be for the off if he doesn't extend his deal soon enough.
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