Once upon a time you could settle down to watch a football match on tv safe in knowledge that you'd scarcely notice the commentator. They would add to the occasion with perceptive insights and not irritate you. The best of these, by a country mile, was Barry Davies whose performance was peerless.

Today more is far worse. Now two, a commentator and a summariser, gobble up virtually all the time with wall to wall noise, so much so that very little of it rises above the obvious, thereby adding nothing to the broadcast. In fact it detracts from the game.

Today's duo at the Serbia v Switzerland match (Simon Brotherton and Kevin Kilbane) are testing my patience to the full.

If Sky, BT, BBC and ITV felt for we viewers they'd also save an awful lot of money by getting rid of half of the two on duty during the 90 minutes of each game.

The greatest rule of commentating, that Barry Davies knew, is that silence is golden.

StT.
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