JERMAINE Jenas' debut on Match of the Day 2 shows there is hope for professional footballers as television pundits.

In an age where current and ex players are wheeled out in front of the cameras for every match, they have to work to stand out from the crowd.

They have to do more to capture the imagination instead of rolling out tired cliches or making sweeping statements in return for a handsome fee. Something to make me watch rather than fast forward to the action.

With that in mind, Jenas was a genuine surprise and the 31-year-old England midfielder, without a club since leaving QPR in the summer, might just have found a new career for himself.

He came across as intelligent, articulate and, unlike co-pundit Mark Lawrenson, was not looking to make a cheap gag. He certainly didn't look out of place and, importantly, was easy to listen to.

Crucially for a pundit, Jenas was also insightful and spoke with an element of authority, which is not always the case with former or current players.

Having played the game at the highest level does not automatically make you qualified to talk about it on television.

Other exceptions are Gary Neville and Phil Neville who, although not to everyone's taste for their delivery or former club allegiances, are interesting to listen to because they are students of the game.

Based on Sunday's appearance, Jenas could quickly find himself in demand and I look forward to his next stint on MOTD2.