Football analysts on TV

[Royal Rother]

Mowbray (looking at sad German female fan): Poor girl

Lawro: You never know, she might be rich.

I actually noticed this during the game and made a mental note that it was the shittiest piece of commentary I've ever heard, narrowly beating:

"the italian manager may have something up his sleeve"

"his shirt?"

from the Italy/England game

you just don't get this garbage on Sky

Yep, both of those had me facepalming. Just appallingly pathetic attempts at humour.

I may be naive here but I reckon even the powers that be at the BBC will have been embarrassed by those and that he will be put out of our misery soon.

[leon]

Mick McCarthy is probably the best co-commentator. As someone remarked, it sounds like he's speaking from his potting shed with a pipe in one hand and a pint of homebrew in t'other.

is he f*ck, his co commentary on the Ireland Italy was shocking. I know he was biased but jesus, what a twat.

[sheshnu]

Does anybody here actually know the reason for the Beeb's continual faith in Lawrenson? It can't be because he's good at his job because the football watching population to a man think he's an absolute bloody idiot - he's not funny and he's not insightful in any way whatsoever.

But then Sky seem to turn a blind eye to Phil Thompson, maybe it's a Liverpool thing?

FTR my favourites are Pleat & Neville but probably for different reasons. Apart from Lawro I despair when it's Waddle's job to talk all the shit. One of my fave players ever, mind.

[leon]

Does anybody here actually know the reason for the Beeb's continual faith in Lawrenson? It can't be because he's good at his job because the football watching population to a man think he's an absolute bloody idiot - he's not funny and he's not insightful in any way whatsoever.

But then Sky seem to turn a blind eye to Phil Thompson, maybe it's a Liverpool thing?

FTR my favourites are Pleat & Neville but probably for different reasons. Apart from Lawro I despair when it's Waddle's job to talk all the shit. One of my fave players ever, mind.

Lawrenson is just an ignorant fool, but clearly the BBC think he's a "character". Vialli was a bit of a surprise at how good he was. Him and Seedorf could do MOTD and the rest could just f*ck off.

[Gandalf Presley]

Given that the premier league is so popular worldwide, it is a sad reflection that the pundits elsewhere are so much better. I know it has been mentioned before, but Giles and Dunphy in Ireland are superb - no 'old boys' network and largely say what they see. The main problem with BBC & ITV is that they simply retain the old guard or just recruit from one another.

Sky are better but the continued employement of Charlie Nicholas and Paul Merson does them no favours.

[Royal With Cheese]

I don't get wound up by the football pundits. I never watch the pre/mid/post game coverage, watching the match itself is enough for me: you get the key incidents replayed during the game anyway. Lawrenson is of course an utter helmet but I tend to tune out of his inane comments during the game. I think sitting behind Compo's Hat at the Madj helps me to do this.

TF Floyd, that must be the only thing in life that doesn't wind you up.

[Royal With Cheese]

Also a bit +1 for Viali.

Lawrenson is like a 50's racist dad.

[PistolPete]

Perry Groves is great when he does stuff on Talk Sport. Agree that BBC pundits are dire...

[Ian Royal]

Also a bit +1 for Viali.

Lawrenson is like a 50's racist dad.

I'm slowly starting to think that Lawrenson might actually be a decent laugh if you know him and quite likeable over a pint. No one can be as hateful and ignorant a human being as he appears to be, surely!

He just has completely the wrong approach to co-commentary and punditry and is more interested in making smart arsed comments (which fall flat every time in the context) and earning his £s with the minimum effort.

Should have been ditched from MoTD 30 seconds after he was hired for it.

[Super_horns]

I prefer 5live...well apart from Alan "Me me me" Green.

[Royal With Cheese]

It's always about the Green.

For self important pricks of the highest order - there's that football writers show on Sky on a sunday during the season.

[paultheroyal]

Said it before and I will say it again, nowt wrong with Lawrenson.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Said it before and I will say it again, nowt wrong with Lawrenson.

...that a dose of cyanide couldn't cure.

He tells shit jokes, knows nothing, and adds nothing, because all he can think of is his next shit joke.


His expert knowledge can be summed up by his end of season summary as to why Reading played well in 2007 - "they have pace". Who did we have in that team who was noted for being quick?


Yes, you could say he's an affable kind of chap, but does that merit being paid a few hundred thousand pounds a year?

[Royal With Cheese]

Said it before and I will say it again, nowt wrong with Lawrenson.

Says the man who is obsessed with vaccuous reality TV.

You'd probably jizz in your pants if Lawrenson went on Celebrity Big Brother.

[Royal With Cheese]

That may have come over a bit harsh.

[Starfish]

That may have come over a bit harsh.

I think it would have been perfectly acceptable if you had been a bit harsher.

[PieEater]

The match analysis makes me laugh. Dixon does it and highlights positional failings and points out what they should have done with the aid of graphics, Hansen does it and basically just commentates on the action with nothing other than "great shot", "he made it look easy" and "dreadful defending". It's cringeworthy.

[Wimb]

They've just slipped past the point where they can relate to the players and the game they're watching. Neither man has been employed by a club for what 20 years? That's what makes Neville so interesting in that you know he's been there and done it against most of the guys he's commenting on.

I'd understand it if Lawro and Hansen were both real scholars of the game, constantly watching foreign football, engaging with viewers/listeners online and popping up with analysis during the week, but at this point what are they other than guys that played at the top level 25 years ago that watch a bit of football?

[soggy biscuit]

The majority of people watching the Euro's are not football fanatics, just casual followers that will believe what they are told as fact by pundits. A very small % will consider themselves brains of the game and will e-seek out insight that interest them. The rest of us find half time the 15 minutes when we get jobs done.

Can't remember the last time I watched any pre match/post match/half analysis

[soggy biscuit]

General gripes at all commentators:

A. Stop Pluralising people's names when you are referring to someone very specific. 'your David Silva's just eat up those chances'

B. Learn how to pronounce foreign players names properly, it really isn't difficult.

C. If you are going to use the word 'deep' to mean 2 different things consider specifying which you mean when you say it