THE LOST ART OF COMMENTATING ON FOOTBALL ON TELEVISION.

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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Glad you mentioned Barry Davies. He was the best and way better than the irritating John Motson.

Keown makes me want to throw my remote at the telly

Spot on. Nothing to add.

Hugh Johns was a nice man, but a bloody awful commentator

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Originally Posted by BLUETIT

Hugh Johns was a nice man, but a bloody awful commentator

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"One nothing"

BTW Good OP :thumbup:

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Originally Posted by Pearcey3

Glad you mentioned Barry Davies. He was the best and way better than the irritating John Motson.

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John Motson tried to give the impression of being perceptive but came over as argumentative for its own sake. Moreover his commentary was festooned with Americanisms eg overtime, set plays etc. He grated on me from first til last.

Barry Davies was a Rolls Royce among Ford Populars.

StT.
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Originally Posted by Steve the Tea

John Motson tried to give the impression of being perceptive but came over as argumentative for its own sake. Moreover his commentary was festooned with Americanisms eg overtime, set plays etc. He grated on me from first til last.

Barry Davies was a Rolls Royce among Ford Populars.

StT.
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Motson was very childish indeed - and most commentators are very jingoistic. I sometimes watch games on German TV where the commentary is far more even-minded and mature.

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Originally Posted by Steve the Tea

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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Very true in every sense.
Now bring on a female commentator I say.

:hehe:

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Originally Posted by Steve the Tea

John Motson tried to give the impression of being perceptive but came over as argumentative for its own sake. Moreover his commentary was festooned with Americanisms eg overtime, set plays etc. He grated on me from first til last.

Barry Davies was a Rolls Royce among Ford Populars.

StT.
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I watched an interview with motson and Brian clough the other day and clough absolutely smashed him

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Originally Posted by Cleve van Leef

Very true in every sense.
Now bring on a female commentator I say.

:hehe:

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Now was that last comment, "Tongue in cheek?"

My point in all this is why do they have to tell us something has happened when we've already seen it on the tv? Commentating on tv is different than on radio. Very few grasp that simple fact.

StT.
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Kilbane doesn't shut up.
Danny Murphy I don't mind though.

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Originally Posted by The Bob Banker Spanker

Kilbane doesn't shut up.
Danny Murphy I don't mind though.

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The Brotherton/Kilbane duo tonight are just having a discussion against the backdrop of a game. If it were on the radio I'd even turn that off because there's very little substance in what they are saying.

StT.
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Originally Posted by Steve the Tea

Now was that last comment, "Tongue in cheek?"

My point in all this is why do they have to tell us something has happened when we've already seen it on the tv? Commentating on tv is different than on radio. Very few grasp that simple fact.

StT.
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It was, it would be great if you could press the red button and just have the noise of the crowd, sky did this a few years ago.

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Originally Posted by Cleve van Leef

It was, it would be great if you could press the red button and just have the noise of the crowd, sky did this a few years ago.

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Cleve, that would be the answer to my prayers.

StT.
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I thought someone said on here you can listen to the 5 live commentary on the red button

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Originally Posted by Steve the Tea

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

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Bloody useless advice for radio commentators, though.

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Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee

Bloody useless advice for radio commentators, though.

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Eric, far be it for me to correct such an esteemed contributor as your good self, the, "silence is golden," comment was regarding tv and not radio commentary.

StT.
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Originally Posted by Steve the Tea

Eric, far be it for me to correct such an esteemed contributor as your good self, the, "silence is golden," comment was regarding tv and not radio commentary.

StT.
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:hehe: I know! Perhaps I should have put a :hehe: or :wink: or :tongue: after it! :thumbup:

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Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee

:hehe: I know! Perhaps I should have put a :hehe: or :wink: or :tongue: after it! :thumbup:

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https://youtu.be/VOuM7RdxhMU

StT.
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I’m in Germany at the moment and watching their coverage is so much better.Just one commentater during the matches and no incessant waffle.Just one ex pro in the studio (Oliver Khan) who doesn’t go overboard on analysing every move made,they even cut to the news and weather at half time instead of the painful ramblings of people analysing an exciting 0-0 draw.

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Originally Posted by jamieccfc

I thought someone said on here you can listen to the 5 live commentary on the red button

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You can, although it means (on Freesat at least) you don't get the picture in HD.

The sky La Liga commentators and pundits are superb.

I think Sky are good across the board to be fair and that's why we notice how woeful the BBC and itv commentary team are

Not sure I understand the love for Barry Davies.

All I want from a commentator is player identification, and with the more regular coverage sometimes even that is unnecessary.

Different support by for me Richie Benaud understood what the viewer wanted in way of commentary.

I've listened to test cricket commentary on radio now and then and how these guys manage to keep it interesting never ceases to amaze me. Incredible.

Yep. I think part of the reason cricket commentators do is that they are well educated and well travelled people who also bring this into their commentary. John Arlott's, " There's a pigeon on the pitch," also brought humour to the mundane. The classic, " The bowlers Holding; the batsmans Willie," during the England v West Indies Test Match brought many chuckles. Who can forget the many hours rambling on about the cakes delivered to the commentary box from well wishers?

In comparison the football equivalents only have football to talk about and they make a pig's foot out of that.

StT.
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I preferred Brian Moore to Barry Davies; his verbal quirks and flourishes reflected his personality. He sometimes uttered classic Colemanballs and I was delighted and amused as a teenager to hear these as they happened during his commentaries.

https://www.just-one-liners.com/ppl/brian-moore/

He and Barry Davies attended the same school, Cranbrook school in Kent.

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Originally Posted by BLUETIT

Hugh Johns was a nice man, but a bloody awful commentator

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I knew Hugh Johns very well, he was a really great bloke. I never thought he was a bad commentator as, at the time, I thought there was much worse about such as Motson and Brian Moore

I’m watching the Mexico v S.Korea game on Fox rather than Canadian TV (which uses a British commentary feed). They have a Mexican (English speaking) commentator. It’s actually very entertaining - he’s so excited. Got the full Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooal experience when they scored

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Originally Posted by StraightOuttaCanton

I’m watching the Mexico v S.Korea game on Fox rather than Canadian TV (which uses a British commentary feed). They have a Mexican (English speaking) commentator. It’s actually very entertaining - he’s so excited. Got the full Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooal experience when they scored

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Listening to south American commentators is brilliant

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Originally Posted by jamieccfc

Listening to south American commentators is brilliant

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We all go and sit in the stands every other week and watch the game. No commentary is provided apart from that fat guy behind you who thinks he knows it all! You don't need someone to tell you what's going on when you can see it with your own eyes. If you do need that, please go and purchase a red city shirt from the shop on your way out. Thanks for coming!!

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Originally Posted by paphos is blue

We all go and sit in the stands every other week and watch the game. No commentary is provided apart from that fat guy behind you who thinks he knows it all! You don't need someone to tell you what's going on when you can see it with your own eyes. If you do need that, please go and purchase a red city shirt from the shop on your way out. Thanks for coming!!

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Eh?

Mcoist & Champion the best duo at the WC

“Kazan has come a long way since it fell to Ivan the Terrible in 1552”

I wonder how much of this is true or is it just a case of there being so much to choose from people can pick and choose their favourites. That there is far more media outlets to conplain about. If the beatles were out today they wouldn't get revered like they did in their day.

People had very little to compare it with then or previously . Don't get me wrong a lot of the commentators do my head in as well but then you get Motson who seem's to be cast as a commentary God who would certainly be on that list.
Ultimately everyone thinks their funny and their opinion i's the right one. It's probably a more difficult job than we all realise.

Glad Motson isn't there.
He could raise the dead and kill them again with his shite.

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Originally Posted by mazadona10

I wonder how much of this is true or is it just a case of there being so much to choose from people can pick and choose their favourites. That there is far more media outlets to conplain about. If the beatles were out today they wouldn't get revered like they did in their day.

People had very little to compare it with then or previously . Don't get me wrong a lot of the commentators do my head in as well but then you get Motson who seem's to be cast as a commentary God who would certainly be on that list.
Ultimately everyone thinks their funny and their opinion i's the right one. It's probably a more difficult job than we all realise.

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Your points are well written and it certainly is a difficult job. However, that adds weight to my view that just because you are an ex-pro it doesn't mean you are qualified to do it. Wall to wall words doesn't equate to good commentary. More words isnt synonymous with better commentary. For me silence is golden ... it is the glue that hold the perceptive comments together.

The ex-pro as the second commentator (ie the summariser) stategy doesn't automatically add to the experience. For me, only the two Neville brothers and Murphy offer anything approaching perceptive insights into the game. If it is done well it is good. Done badly it is grating.

My point in all this is that after listening to commentary for approaching 60 years is that one commentator should be enough. To add a second, who doesn't know the role or have the necassary skills so disadvantages the whole experience. Yes, it's a very difficult job that requires high standards of ability and understanding of the role.

StT.
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Originally Posted by Steve the Tea

My point in all this is that after listening to commentary for approaching 60 years is that one commentator should be enough. To add a second, who doesn't know the role or have the necessary skills so disadvantages the whole experience.

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You don't have the pleasure of watching Premier League and European Championship football on BT Sport then! :hehe:

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Originally Posted by Steve the Tea

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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I have to agree with all of this.

Less is more and Barry Davies was one of the very best. Over excitable buffoons like Jonathan Pearce can ruin a game.

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Originally Posted by Cyclops

You don't have the pleasure of watching Premier League and European Championship football on BT Sport then! :hehe:

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Correct. I have no subscription to BT Sports.

StT.
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Originally Posted by Steve the Tea

Correct. I have no subscription to BT Sports.

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They often have a commentator and two :yikes: pundits....