Uncle Albert Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 Anyone else notice the decline this season? From Match of the Day, to BT Sport, ITV and Sky Sports, it's gone real bad on all fronts, from the TV presenters, the studio guests and the commentary. Monday Night Football is the only programming where you are engaged, and that is purely down to Carragher and Neville, they have taken punditry to a new level, they're more in the know with modern football. Commentating has become shocking, some of the main culprits for the decline.. Sam Matterface, Michael Owen, Niall Quinn, Ian Darke, David Provan and I can only presume I have missed some off the list. Don't get me wrong it's not just Carragher and Neville who are clued up and worth a listen, Glen Hoddle, Owen Hargreaves and Lee Dixon I think are good as well. Jamie Redknapp has become a dope, Shearer, Lawrenson, Hansen, Keane, Strachan, Wilkins and Souness were all great footballers but they're not with current football and the way the game is being played now. The presenters are absolutely shocking, Ben Shepard, Adrian Chiles and Jake Humphries are not good.
Manwell Pablo Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 Anyone else notice the decline this season? From Match of the Day, to BT Sport, ITV and Sky Sports, it's gone real bad on all fronts, from the TV presenters, the studio guests and the commentary. Monday Night Football is the only programming where you are engaged, and that is purely down to Carragher and Neville, they have taken punditry to a new level, they're more in the know with modern football. Commentating has become shocking, some of the main culprits for the decline.. Sam Matterface, Michael Owen, Niall Quinn, Ian Darke, David Provan and I can only presume I have missed some off the list. Don't get me wrong it's not just Carragher and Neville who are clued up and worth a listen, Glen Hoddle, Owen Hargreaves and Lee Dixon I think are good as well. Jamie Redknapp has become a dope, Shearer, Lawrenson, Hansen, Keane, Strachan, Wilkins and Souness were all great footballers but they're not with current football and the way the game is being played now. The presenters are absolutely shocking, Ben Shepard, Adrian Chiles and Jake Humphries are not good. Darke's been around years and all in all aint a bad commentator, was the original commentator on Sky Monday night football, just a bit old now.
Beliall Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 its the co-commentators that do my head in, most just describing the replay as it happens or repeating what their colleauge just said.
Alexikokopops Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 its the co-commentators that do my head in, most just describing the replay as it happens or repeating what their colleauge just said. A while back I was watching a bit of the 1970 World Cup final on ESPN Classic. Bobby Moore was the co-commentator. Having grown up in the Sky TV age I was staggered by how little he said. The commentator did about 95% of the talking and Bobby would just pop up occasionally with something that was actually relevant rather than looking to comment on every innocuous thing that happened on the pitch. I mean, he was the captain of the World Cup holding team at the time but that didn't mean he was entitled to babble on about all and sundry.
Beliall Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 i think jim beglin is good, if im thinking of the right name, does the ITV champions league games. says things that are interesting
Unabomber Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 Tell you who annoys me as a co commentator, bloody Clarke Carlisle. Oh and Andy Townsend, he is a joke too.
One Legged Beaver Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 I'm astonished that there is no mention of Don Goodman or Peter Beagrie thus far!
chrisfox Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 cant beat Martin Tyler and Alan Smith/Gary Neville Love Alan Parry just because of historic commentary when Claridge shinned it in Agree with all of the ITV and BBC commentators being awful... Jonathan Pearce is by far the worst in my opinion
Samilktray Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 A lot of bias towards certain teams from certain people too.
Corky Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 Kevin Kilbane and Roberto Martinez were good when they were on Match of the Day, whilst Andy Hinchcliffe is streets ahead of Goodman as a commentator (so, naturally, Goodman gets most of the work). Sam Matterface is not good on TV but on TalkSport is much better, gives you a clear picture of the game, unlike some radio commentators. Darren Fletcher is BT's best commentator with Martin Tyler remaining Sky's best. Agree about the presenters, Lineker is the most accomplished yet has no live football to present until an international tournament.
howlinmadmurfdoc Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 Jim Beglin gets on my nerves especially when Man U are playing, I wouldn't be surprised if he had his pants round his ankles having a tug half the time!
Ford Super Sunday Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 I have to say personally I think the likes of Proven and Darke are good commentators; the only downside with Darke is that he sometimes lacks the all-round reading of the game. Might be to do with the fact he's not a football specialist and is an outstanding boxing commentator too. ITV are carrying an array of dead wood. The likes of Matterface set to be the number two at the WC over the excellent Jon Champion is criminal, frankly. Despite Peter Drury's horrible scripted line at the start of the '10 WC with 'Goal for all of Africa (puke), I do rate him and am glad he's found himself on BT doing European games. You'll find some of the best pundits on TV. Why? Because they don't insist on using ex-players like Redknapp who are bloody awful. The likes of Horncastle, Marcotti, Smith etc are knowledgeable and know their football. You don't have to have been an ex-player to be an expert these days, you really don't. BT Sport also have the best anchor on British football coverage in James Richardson, and arguably have the best football show after Monday Night Football with the aptly named Sunday Night Football show. Simply superb. I am a firm believer that all pundits have their day. Rarely some last a long time, Gray as an example, but the decline in Hansen and Lawrenson over the last few years was there for all to see. Their ignorance of Germany before our second round game in 2010 should have emphasised that. There’s bad apples and bad eggs on every channel. The BBC need to refresh and I’m sure they will do when Hansen rides out his tenure at the end of the World Cup. Jonathan Pearce is a commentator I like, but I preferred him when he was excitable and engaging. He was sanitised by the BBC very early on after joining as a TV commentator in 2004 and hasn’t been the same since. Sky have commentators coming up for retirement soon in Tyler and Parry, and while some may not like him I’m looking forward to Bill Leslie, their main FL commentator making the step up, I really like his commentaries. Pundit wise Sky lack in that area in the FL. Beagrie and Birtles are a waste of time for the most part, only Andy Hinchliffe is worth listening to on their broadcasts. Claridge and Rosenior suffer on the FLS because they’re asked to talk about action in which they’ve seen mere snippets, not the whole game. I think commentators will always vary in their quality because of the sheer amount needed for TV now. Some commentators are awful and there have been several instances in the FA Cup this season where ITV have actually dubbed over the commentator they sent to the game in a studio because they were so poor. I also think they standard set by Neville (and latterly Carragher) over the last two years has shown a lot of pundits up, and hopefully it’ll force people to up their game. Do remember though that MNF have all of Monday to plan their talking points and coverage. Live broadcasts tend to get minutes and highlights are merely hours. I don’t think punditry is necessarily awful or in severe decline, but maybe the standard and bar has just risen up a notch or two in the last couple of years, and some broadcasters aren’t able to or simply won’t meet it.
Stadt Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 Vialli is very good, I think he's covering the World Cup. Matterface/Carlisle are possibly the worst partnership I've heard.
GingerrrFox Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 Andy Gray may be sexist but boy is he a good colour commentator.
Beliall Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 i was watching one of those 10 min sky programs, this one was about crystal palace in the play offs, kris kamara was the co commentator, bring him back, was brilliant
Mack Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 I enjoyed Monday Night Football until Carragher joined in. Not only do I have to really concentrate to understand a word he's saying I don't think he adds anything more to the show that Neville did'nt already. ITV Sport has been embarrassing for years so I don't expect anything more from them either, however they have lost the Champions League to BT sport so there wont be much Football left on there soon anyway. BT Sport had the chance to do something fresh, but with the likes of Owen commentating it's as poor as the rest in all truth. Hairy Keys and his jock sidekick were a pair of neanderthals, but at least they did a decent job of the coverage for me.
Leicesterpool Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 Andy Townsend = Worst commentator EVER They've got him doing England games yet he never played for England!
Uncle Albert Posted 3 February 2014 Author Posted 3 February 2014 If you struggle to understand Carragher then I would get your mental state checked out, you must be borderline mentally disabled.
Heart-Shaped Fox Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 Itv is shit. For coverage Sky is best unless Peter Beagrie is about ha
Fox92 Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 I went off Andy Townsend the day he pushed in front of us in a queue in Portugal.
Kitchandro Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 Darke's been around years and all in all aint a bad commentator, was the original commentator on Sky Monday night football, just a bit old now. Yeh I like Darke. He hasn't been on the footy much over the last few years though. I do agree the standard is very poor in general. There certainly isn't a Barry Davies or Motty in his heyday. On the commentary front I like Tyler, Jon Champion and Steve Wilson. But the rest are pretty average or poor. I used to like Alan Party but I'm gobsmacked he's still in a job. At least Motty had the decency to retire from live sport when he became senile. As for co-commentators, well it just seems they'll put on anyone with an accent, Scottish preferably. Davie Provan (what makes this guy qualified to commentate on the Premiership?), Craig Burley, Andy Gray, Pat Nevin, Jim Beglin, Niall Quinn, etc. Neville is a good exception. Alan Smith is pointless, he offers nothing interesting. The worst thing though is the legends that used to commentate on England matches, and who do we have now? Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend. What have the public done to deserve them? They sum up the whole of ITV - dreadful. Don't even get me started on the Football League, Both Sky and the BBCs coverage of it is absolutely diabolical. Don Goodman and Leroy Rosenior especially but everyone on all the shows have close to zero knowledge about the clubs in the FL.
Kent Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 I noticed Niall Quinn was included on that list, but I actually think he's one of the more clued-up pundits. Experienced at the highest level both playing for and running a club, which not many in the punditry game have.
RowlattsFox Posted 3 February 2014 Posted 3 February 2014 I think some people are a little over the top with their criticism of pundits and commentators. I don't think any are as bad as being made out but some are better than others. Some of sky sports 'reporters' are hilariously bad though, Merson the obvious example.
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