Commentators

Tomw86

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

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

Tomw86

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

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

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

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

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

Anyone but Martin Tyler.

osarusan

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

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

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

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

dfx-

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

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

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

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

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

GavRedKing

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

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

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

Ronnie Whelan makes so many grammatical errors it is horrible

Fitz*

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Harry Palmr

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

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.

Dr. Bre

Martin Tyler shouts before the game - and it’s live... cheers Martin

AidoEirE

Dr. Bre wrote: »

Martin Tyler shouts before the game - and it’s live... cheers Martin

Had to laugh at that, he's fairly horrible to be fair

Harry Palmr

Peak Pearce

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjIj_GlvLD4

Mr.Nice Guy

Barry Davies for me is the GOAT. It was a pleasure listening to him again on the MOTD anniversary show. Also a big fan of former Eurosport commentator Tim Caple who I think is from the Davies school of commentating, rarely screams or bellows. Allows the gravitas of his voice to tell the story.

When it comes to the emotional bellowing, Martin Tyler is the king. Can never understand the paranoia he generates in the Liverpool fanbase as my memories of him are losing his mind over Gerrard and Owen goals. And even though the Aguero goal was crushing for me at the time as a United fan, it's undoubtedly an iconic moment. Also love the one he did for Ji of Sunderland scoring against City in the final seconds. "Martin O'Neill is telling his players to go forward...and it's COME TO JI...HE'S ROUND THE GOALKEEPER, HE'S DONE IIIIITTTTTT!" He will go down as one of the greats.

The absolute worst imo, and I think it's by a country mile, is Jonathan Pearce. As a Ligue 1 fan I've often had to endure his inane ramblings on BT Sport. I swear there was one game where he went off on this bizarre tangent where he started talking about his son's school exams. He also has to shoehorn the Premier League into everything. If he's on the French game tonight with Clive Allen I guarantee the two of them will start talking about the English teams mid-week. Pearce is so bad that he's actually driven me off matches. If there's a Ligue 1 and Bundesliga game taking place at the same time, and I'm 70% leaning towards watching one, and I then discover it's the one Pearce is on, I'll just watch the other. He's that bad.

Another insufferable one, but not too well known, is a Northern Irish guy who does Serie A games called Richard Whittle. Usually does ones involving Roma. This guy is from the screaming school of commentary but will do it to such a ridiculous, orgasmic degree that it almost becomes like a parody. And while some Northern accents are nice, his one is like nails on a chalkboard. I've noticed he's not doing the highlights on their Youtube channel lately so maybe they've had enough of him.

v3ttel

I find the following commentators to be awful:

• Whelan (complains about everything, does he actually enjoy the sport?)
• Houghton (the player should always have done better and provides zero insight)
• McManaman (stream of inane consciousness)
• Savage (everything doesn't require amateur dramatics)
• Dixon (who attempts to be a comedian, but just ends up sounding like a clown)
• Quinn (how can someone be so clueless and boring, I felt embarrassed when he was on Sky)
• Hargreaves (always sounds like he is having a moan, no matter what is happening).

Yes, I listen to a lot of games on mute. Really wish that there was a an option to listen to the crowd noise without the commentators. There are so many terrible ones. I don't mind nearly everyone else.

I actually really like Brian Kerr, I mean sure, he sounds like someone they dragged in from the local, but he is actually quite knowledgeable and just sounds authentic.

Comic Book Guy

Used to love listening to Peter Brackley on Channel 4 Italian football coverage back in the day. RAVANELLI............

kksaints

Hamilton has certainly declined in the last few years. His commentating on the France vs Belgium World Cup Semi Final was horrible, getting Pogba and Umtiti mixed up constantly. He did something similar with Mane and Keita in a CL match this year. Still not as bad as Ronnie Whelan, who must be one of the most miserable and negative co-commentators there is. His rants about the tennis ball protest in the Georgia match was embarrassing and nonsensical. At least Lawro has that bizarre dry sense of humour to mask his negativity.

I don't mind Pierce. Have fond memories of him as the commentator in the PS1 game UEFA Striker which I played a lot of when I was younger. He's decent on the Women's matches on the BBC also and in general is enthusiastic about the role.

blueser

A good few of the BT crew are, at best, mediocre. I've nver been able to warm to Ian Darke as a football commentator. He was a very good boxing commentator back in the Radio 5 live days, but he sounds very "Ron Manager"-ish. And don't get me started on Steve "yes Fletch" McManaman. Dreadful. As for Hoddle; he could talk a glass eye to sleep.

blueser

blueser wrote: »

A good few of the BT crew are, at best, mediocre. I've nver been able to warm to Ian Darke as a football commentator. He was a very good boxing commentator back in the Radio 5 live days, but he sounds very "Ron Manager"-ish. And don't get me started on Steve "yes Fletch" McManaman. Dreadful. As for Hoddle; he could talk a glass eye to sleep.

I like the fella who does the lead in the commentary on BT, but not the co commentator, Steve McManaman who is just awful, biased and that accent...Jenas is bad as well and like Alex Scott, while sounds good on the shows and looks astheticly pleasing they both state the obvious, say nothing of substance, and regurgitate what others say...Spackman is awful when he does commentary on Chelsea Europa league games.

Sky I find Alan Smith boring, Carragher while good on the build up/MNF, should not be allowed to commentate on a game with that accent....Redknapp is a moron, Alex Scott is vastly overrated and average (and only looks good as most of SKy's range is poor at best)

I cannot stand Brian Kerr's whingy accent on RTE and just have to mute him and Ronnie Wheelan is getting up there on the whingy stakes...And Trevor Welsh isn't fit to call commentary on his own fifa games

Always Be Closing

Peter Brackley and Ray Wilkins on Gazetta Football Italia on Channel 4, Sunday afternoons in the mid 90's

GOAT