Commentators

Tomw86 · 10-05-2019 11:10AM #1

Who is your favourite one?

I have to say, he talks some sh1te but Brian Kerr is absolutely brilliant as a Dub and certainly gives you a few laughs.

Neville is excellent for his knowledge, bluntness and passion for the game.

John Motson is obviously the Kingpin.

citytillidie · 10-05-2019 11:14AM

No need for them if watching on the TV should be an option just to hear the crowd.

Tomw86 · 10-05-2019 11:16AM

That wouldn't be for me, but each to their own.

Was watching the Chelsea match on BT last night and Brian Kerr gave me a good few laughs.

Iang87 · 10-05-2019 11:20AM

Tomw86 wrote: »

Who is your favourite one?

I have to say, he talks some sh1te but Brian Kerr is absolutely brilliant as a Dub and certainly gives you a few laughs.

Neville is excellent for his knowledge, bluntness and passion for the game.

John Motson is obviously the Kingpin.

Probably Drury for me is my favourite. All BT lads are stone useless but Mcmanaman gets a special mention for being exceptionally ****e.

Motson I could never stand, particularly when he does highlights. So blatantly obvious he knows whats about to happen......"2 minutes to go to half time, this would be a great time to score ... oh its a goal".

Ronny Whelan is the absolute pits. You could see an irish lad shoot an opposition player and he'd tell you the ref is wrong. Hamilton makes me wonder how someone can watch football for over 30 years and still make it sound like he hasnt a clue whats going on. Thats impressive I suppose

Tomw86 · 10-05-2019 11:27AM

Iang87 wrote: »

Probably Drury for me is my favourite. All BT lads are stone useless but Mcmanaman gets a special mention for being exceptionally ****e.

Motson I could never stand, particularly when he does highlights. So blatantly obvious he knows whats about to happen......"2 minutes to go to half time, this would be a great time to score ... oh its a goal".

Ronny Whelan is the absolute pits. You could see an irish lad shoot an opposition player and he'd tell you the ref is wrong. Hamilton makes me wonder how someone can watch football for over 30 years and still make it sound like he hasnt a clue whats going on. Thats impressive I suppose

Whelan and Hamilton are so bad it's actually incredible. RTE have never had a good commentator and I hate watching games with them, it takes away from the whole experience.

Adamcp898 · 10-05-2019 11:31AM

Ian Darke for me. Has been the best for a while imo.

What I really want though is wider camera angles. Get more of the pitch in view at once. I don't care about having an extra co-commentator or a referee pundit to chime in and agree with the on-field decision every single time. The World Cup in 2014 had it somewhat whether it was just to do with the camera positions in the new stadiums or a planned thing I don't know but it's much better for actually watching what both teams are doing.

razorblunt · 10-05-2019 11:32AM

I'd much rather listen with the sound of the crowd to be honest.
Tyler is horrific these days, I think he peaked at Agueeerrrooooooo.

When I do catch them, Drury is a good commentator.
Provan and Don Hutchinson are the pick of the co-comms for me.

CSF · 10-05-2019 11:42AM

Anyone but Martin Tyler.

osarusan · 10-05-2019 12:16PM

Steven Alkin is not too bad on RTE, but we only ever hear him at World Cups or Euros. He actually understands the game quite well, in comparison to Hamilton anyway.

Corholio · 10-05-2019 12:23PM

Tim Caple is probably the best commentator I've listened to and was always hugely knowledgeable without coming across as know it all like a lot these days.

Peter Brackley is definitely sadly missed, amazing voice for commentary and did it with ease.

Gary Bloom was very easy to listen to as well.

Ian Darke hasn't been good for many years imo, definitely since he left Sky. He sucks up enormously to whoever he's co-commentating with, especially if he's an ex-footballer.

kwestfan08 · 10-05-2019 12:29PM

Clive Tyldesley would be up there for me. Always felt like a big European night on ITV when he was commentating. Is he still going?

Dr. Bre · 10-05-2019 12:31PM

Keith Andrews is so passionate in commentary! Always saying top top player lol

dfx- · 10-05-2019 12:37PM

Historically, Peter Jones and Barry Davies.

I don't mind Conor McNamara and Will Downing. Radio commentary is far superior generally. There were some good La Liga commentaries on Sky.

Anything but Jonathan Pearce, he could turn you off football when commentating on it. He's going to be insufferable presumably poisoning the Women's World Cup coverage again.

Dcully · 10-05-2019 12:39PM

Anyone but Tyler, I will never be subbed to sky sports while hes there.
Quite like the guys on BT Sports Darren Fletcher and Ian Darke aswell as John Motson and Clive Tyldesley.
As for analysts etc i quite like Neville and Ferdinand [even as a Liverpool fan]

Jurgen The German · 10-05-2019 12:42PM

Motty is the best there was imo. Most likely because before the advent of Sky he was the voice of league football for me via MOTD. Commentators nowadays are too bland and safe in the main. I do find it bizarre the fixation/hatred that alot of LFC fans seem to have over Martin Tyler. Its a faceless person commentating on a game, weird how many people get rankled by him.

razorblunt · 10-05-2019 12:46PM

dfx- wrote: »

Historically, Peter Jones and Barry Davies.

I don't mind Conor McNamara and Will Downing. Radio commentary is far superior generally. There were some good La Liga commentaries on Sky.

Anything but Jonathan Pearce, he could turn you off football when commentating on it. He's going to be insufferable presumably poisoning the Women's World Cup coverage again.

My issue with McNamara is the same as the female commentator on BBC now too. Their voices are incredibly irritating, it's almost as if they're doing an impression of a commentator and its not at all natural.

osarusan wrote: »

Steven Alkin is not too bad on RTE, but we only ever hear him at World Cups or Euros. He actually understands the game quite well, in comparison to Hamilton anyway.

Agreed, he tends to be stuck on his own most of the time too but does a very good job.

HalloweenJack · 10-05-2019 01:03PM

I know he's not the most popular choice but I was a big fan of Alan Greene on BBC radio.

GavRedKing · 10-05-2019 01:12PM

Ray Hudson, if anyones heard him on BeIN is as painful as nails on a chalk board.

His constant fawning over anything to appease to the Yank audience is vomit inducing.

Iang87 · 10-05-2019 01:22PM

Jurgen The German wrote: »

Motty is the best there was imo. Most likely because before the advent of Sky he was the voice of league football for me via MOTD. Commentators nowadays are too bland and safe in the main. I do find it bizarre the fixation/hatred that alot of LFC fans seem to have over Martin Tyler. Its a faceless person commentating on a game, weird how many people get rankled by him.

Its an odd one alright. I'm a Liverpool fan and I cannot stand him. I think its cos he adores United myself but i'm basing that on his shouts of RooneEEEYYYYYY every time he was on screen.

his commentary for the Martial goal the day he made his debut annoyed a lot of Liverpool fans. He stopped just short of running on the pitch with his shirt off.

Lastly there's a clip of him doing the Liverpool game the other night for Bein sports or someone and he sounds like he's reading a food menu. Zero excitement or anything in his voice when we were scoring.

Arne_Saknussem · 10-05-2019 01:25PM

Can't stand Peter Drury, he's awful. Always bellowing nonsense in a conscious bid to attach his commentary to iconic moments, rather than just being natural.

Barry Davis yet to be topped.

nice_guy80 · 10-05-2019 01:25PM

Ronnie Whelan makes so many grammatical errors it is horrible

Fitz* · 10-05-2019 01:32PM

Ronnie Whelan by far is the one I dislike the most.

When Liverpool qualified for the CL final last season in Rome, he made me feel like my grandmother had just died at the very same time as Liverpool conceding 2 last minute goals to not qualify, after an hour of saying how bad they were. It really did not feel like a CL final was coming on. So dull and depressing.

Really like Peter Drury, think he gives some great lines. Obviously he gets the attention for the big moments as he has some way with words, and his voice is very listenable! You get the sense he is actually enjoying the moment.

Ferris_Bueller · 10-05-2019 03:08PM

I think it's a nostalgia thing, but I loved listening to George Hamilton. I associate his voice with so many of my best memories of football.

gimli2112 · 10-05-2019 03:15PM

it's like referees it's the ones you don't notice that are doing it right. some of the RTE lads are atrocious they'd distract you from the game as you try to come to terms with their continuous mistakes
the real biased ones are funny provided you are biased in a similar way

ERG89 · 10-05-2019 03:32PM

Ferris_Bueller wrote:

I think it's a nostalgia thing, but I loved listening to George Hamilton. I associate his voice with so many of my best memories of football.

First memory of watching football is either "...and it's in again, Savicevic" or "and its there, Ray Houghton!" from 1994.
I like Dave Farrar and Archie Rhind-Tutt as both stand out as people who aren't winging it. I really love Brian Kerr for the same reason; with Kerr I feel during a world cup he combs articles & magazines researching every team rather than the big ones. Even if his accent is a dose for some.
Tyler stopped caring years ago & his yells remind me of Jim Ross spouting catchphrases to mask his loss of passion for the gig.
McManaman, Whelan & Houghton are negative, nit pickers. Davie Provan is so negative he makes them sound like Niall Quinn; he is f**king unbearable.
Neville & Carragher as co-commentators are about as nice to experience as having your ears flushed. That they pass as good pundits says a lot.

CSF · 10-05-2019 03:45PM

Iang87 wrote: »

Its an odd one alright. I'm a Liverpool fan and I cannot stand him. I think its cos he adores United myself but i'm basing that on his shouts of RooneEEEYYYYYY every time he was on screen.

his commentary for the Martial goal the day he made his debut annoyed a lot of Liverpool fans. He stopped just short of running on the pitch with his shirt off.

Lastly there's a clip of him doing the Liverpool game the other night for Bein sports or someone and he sounds like he's reading a food menu. Zero excitement or anything in his voice when we were scoring.

Not a Liverpool fan, but he is very irritating. Most commentators/pundits should do their research, have prepared and have information about the players they’re about to watch. This is normal.

But Martin Tyler seems to take it to another level and actively prepare soundbites in advance that might sound spontaneous if something happens!!! No ordinary human being thinks to shout ‘OHHHHHHH CAPTAIN MARVEL!!!’ when Vincent Kompany hits that on Monday.

BillyHasMates · 10-05-2019 03:56PM

I don't think I have a favourite commentator but I know who i don't like. I don't watch games on Bein Sport or get to see any on BT unless its in the pub so don't have an opinion on them. I'm a Liverpool fan but I really can't stand Ronnie Whelan. He is so unbelievably negative no matter who is playing and sounds like someone commenting on something they hate. Nothing is ever good enough for him. Hyper critical.

George Hamilton I don't mind because it feels like he has been commentating forever. He does make so many mistakes though and seems to lose track on what's going on in games. Also has a habit on calling players names incorrectly. Likewise Jim Beglin. Not the worst but has a constant habit of calling things wrong even as the replay pops up proving him wrong. He won't change his mind.

My least favourite is Brian Kerr. He obviously has lots of knowledge about the game but I really can't stand the way he talks. He has this droning way of talking that really irritates me and once he starts speaking he drones on and on for ages with his co-commentator unable to get a word in. Everything is a story with him. If he is commentating on TV or the radio or even on a panel I will turn over immediately.

Capajoma · 10-05-2019 04:00PM

I have to say, not a fan of him as an in studio pundit, but Andy Gray was a fantastic co-commentator. Had the gravitas in his voice to really give a game that big match feel.

RollieFingers · 10-05-2019 04:06PM

Hands down it's Martin Tyler for me, he is absolutely woeful. Followed closely by Steve McManaman and Keith Andrews.

Harry Palmr · 10-05-2019 04:08PM

On TV Arlo White for me, paired with Lee Dixon or Graham Le Saux. They tend to plough a middle of the road furrow but both pairings are coherent without forced hyperbolic nonsense.

RTE certainly needs to change the old guard, it could be that they can't bear to tell Hamilton he's past it but more likely RTE Sport think he's doing 'just grand'.

Arghus · 10-05-2019 04:52PM

Don't really understand the hate Hamilton always seems to get. I've no problem listening to him to be honest

Unfortunately he's usually paired with Ronnie Whelan who is a miserable whiner.

Don't particularly like Johnathan Pierce - pompus and piercing.

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