Hunter's World Of Football

During England’s rather uninspiring performance on Tuesday night ITV’s coverage highlighted the fact that football commentary in this country is at an all time low. Everyone has witnessed some of the embarrassing punditry on offer during recent international tournaments but it is the art of commentating which appears to have been lost.

Part of the problem is that during the summer we have had the cricket, the Olympics and Wimbledon where the majority of the commentators were the best in the world once upon a time in their particular field. Some of their expert analysis and observations really bring the games to life and make you think more about what you are watching. Listening to Chris Boardman during the cycling at the Olympics was quite inspiring and when he criticised various competitors he did it constructively and with considerable knowledge. Far too many of today’s football commentators are openly critical when players don’t perform miraculous skills but offer no solution as to why they could not complete the action.

One of the most crucial aspects of commentating is the ability to paint a picture and describe the scene in front of you as it unfolds. Indeed, when radio commentary was first introduced the pitch was split into sections so the audience knew where play was taking place. However, now it appears to have become more about the individual behind the microphone rather than about what is transpiring on the field of play. There are too many in the modern era that have too much interest in the outcome of certain games for them to be impartial, which at the end of the day is what you want.

During the 2008 European Championships I actually e-mailed the BBC about their level of coverage during the tournament. I was replied to very politely but was told that the coverage needed to appeal to the demographic as a whole and that although they were sorry I had not enjoyed it no steps would be taken to change their format. Whilst there is a level of understanding about why this is the case surely an institution such as the BBC would want to ensure their broadcasts were as intellectually challenging and correct as possible – clearly not.

Last season Sky Sports introduced Gary Neville to their team and he had a dramatic impact. Not only was it his hour long preview to the Premier League game on Monday night, it was his expert commentary which gave an insight into the players’ thinking process. It is such an integral part of being immersed in a game when you are talked through a players actions and Neville’s reputation grew exponentially over a short period of time. What made him so good was that not only could he express himself well he had also only recently retired from top level football. Many people complain today that ex-players walk straight into jobs in the media but they have been in positions many journalists simply have not come close too which enables them to comment more accurately.

The European Championships in the summer highlighted the fact that English football is way behind at a technical level and it is not only on the pitch that things need to improve. The younger generations are being exposed to a certain way of thinking about football by listening to the views of these commentators who on the whole have no idea what they are wittering on about. There is little point in all these various schemes introduced at youth levels when kids are then exposed to the likes of Jonathan Pearce and Andy Townsend and their appalling efforts in commentary.

Insightful comment, criticism and praise is what is needed again in the coverage of English football. It is becoming clearer that the media portrayal of the game in this country is not at the levels it should be and part of the overhaul of the national game should include this. Today’s game is more well known and covered than at any point in history and some of the ineptitude on display is seeping through into the subconscious of the viewers. Tactical and Technical appraisal should be a guarantee when watching the endless matches available at the moment and most of the media outlets are severely failing to deliver this whilst meanwhile the costs continue to increase.