World Cup: What’s the point of the co-commentator?

ITV co-commentator Jim Beglin was struck down with an inner-ear infection last night, which left Clive Tyldesley all alone in the commentary box for last night’s semi-final between Holland and Uruguay.

It seems ITV were unable to rustle up a replacement in time, although there are some (made-up) rumours that Andy Townsend bottled it. We wish Beglin well – but the absence of an ‘analyst’ type commentator was rather refreshing, and made me wonder – what is the point of them anyway?

As my fellow blogger Neil Forsyth pointed out the other day – do we really need to be subjected to the rapier wit of Mark Lawrenson? And I’ve already felt the need to speak out about Mark ‘what he was trying to do’ Bright.

Co-commentators have a habit of stating the obvious and making a noise when there simply isn’t any need. To make my point, here are some insightful thoughts and opinions that have been uttered from the commentary box:

Chris Kamara: “They only count when they go in the goal”

John Greig: “Celtic manager Davie Hay still has a fresh pair of legs up his sleeve.”

Mike Ingham: “Martin O’Neill, standing, hands on hips, stroking his chin.”

Martin Tyler: “The ageless Dennis Wise, now in his thirties.”

Ron Atkinson: “On another night, they’d have won 2-2.”

Ron Atkinson (again): “I would not say he is the best left winger in the Premiership, but there are none better.”

David Coleman: “If that had gone in, it would have been a goal.”

Peter Jones: “Ian Rush is deadly 10 times out of 10, but that wasn’t one of them.”

Barry Davies: “Lukic saved with his foot, which is all part of the goalkeeper’s arm.”

John Helm: “The USA are a goal down, and if they don’t get a goal they’ll lose.”

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• Alex Kro.

  Actually some comments do add to the game but the main problem is that they feel they need to speak so most of the time they are saying next to nothing. ITV’s co-commentators are all useless so they might as well take Mick McCarthy as well for his vapid and sometimes all out wrong “analyses” which even make the commentators cringe, good thing there’s no live webcam there!

  I think the co-commentator job should belong to a quick-witted comedian whether they know about football or not; I vote for Jimmy Carr and Frankie Boyle for the final!

• clydewasbest

  Has anyone ever heard the comedians Roy & HG commentate on the annual Australian Rugby Union ‘State Of Origin’ match? Anyone ever caught their hilarious gymnastics commentary for the Olympics down the years? Their beach-volleyball monologues?? (they also fronted the late-night round-up TV programs in the UK for the Sydney & Athens Olympics)…

  …Absolutely priceless and possibly the funniest thing you’ll ever hear or see on the radio & TV. I spent 7 years in Oz and the greatest pleasure was listening and watching these two… the whole point being that they kind of invent their own terminology for the sport they’re commentating on. The BBC should get them back for the World Cup in Brasil and have them work from Copacabana beach… Instant TV gold!

• bthomasb

  What the point of the first (“play by play”) commentator?

  To point out to us what we can see happening in front of us?

  This is a holdover from the days of radio–or the early days of television when we really might not have been able to tell what was happening in some circumstances–and we don’t need them anymore.

  Truly, we do not need either co-commentators. But if we have to have one, only the “expert analyst” or “color commentator” is of any value (negligible). I suppose for “ambience.” Or to tell us what the crowd is doing.

  The US-based GolTV’s co-commentators for European matches are both in a studio in LA. So, they really can’t see anything we can’t see for ourselves anyway.

  Maybe they’re supposed to help us know what to think about what’s happening?

  Not a very edifying reflection.