When you go to see a soccer match (talking about the TV), apart from the great skills being displayed by the array of stars on the pitch, what other thing do you look forward to not missing? The controversies? The facial expressions of the two managers? Or the amazing commentaries you hear at the maniac moments of the game?
Commentary in football over the years has grown massively, so too has the way we consume the sport – soccer. The role and the art of commentaries and commentators can never be overemphasized because when some crazy things happen in the game, one thing that brings extra spice to the frenzy is the commentary.
The commentator quietly guides the viewers through the occasion and while making the game better enjoyed with some electrifying commentaries, he then drops a punchline the viewer will never forget.
Recall the astonishing Sergio Aguero goal against Queens Park Rangers in the final moments of the English Premier League in 2012, the moment is still remembered today not just because it took Manchester City some seconds to clinch the title at the expense of United, but the quintessential words of Martin Tyler that conjured one of the most iconic commentaries in soccer up till today.
Just like we have in Nigeria, some evergreen commentaries by veterans like Larry Izamoje (his legendary commentary in the final of the 1980 AFCON in Lagos) and the brilliance of another commentary icon in Nigeria, Ernest Okonkwo whose voice lighted up every soccer game in those days (not the type of commentary we listen to these days, “Super Eagles 2 Nigeria 1”) – talk of punchlines we will never forget.
Apparently, football commentary is one colossal balancing act of soccer.
Outside Nigeria and Africa, there are amazing sports commentators who have delivered to the lovers of the game wholeheartedly and deserves some celebration. When you hear the word “commentators” which names comes to your mind? Jon Champion? John Mots, Derek Rae or Peter Drury?
Martin Tyler is a name most lovers of soccer do not know much about when talking about running commentaries and it will not be out of place if we take time out to do some appraisal for the commentary legend.
A great commentary is needed to capture great football moments and that was exactly what we got when Martin Tyler dished out one of the greatest moments in the English Premier League in 2012. Watch the commentary below
Martin Tyler is a British sports commentator that has a handful of experience in broadcasting, and running of commentaries whether at FIFA tournaments, Premier League Matches, UEFA Champions League Matches or anything else that has to do with the round leather ball. Martin is basically the voice of soccer.
He has worked as a commentator for Sky Sports since 1990, covering the Premier League and UEFA Champions League, as well as other domestic and international competitions. Tyler had previously commentated on ITV in the 1970s and 80s. He has provided his voice to the football video game series FIFA since 2006. In 2003, he was voted the FA Premier League Commentator of the Decade.
When he is not working for Sky, Tyler can be heard commentating for Premier League Productions, the Premier League’s production arm which is responsible for producing, packaging and broadcasting the matches for the Premier League’s international broadcast partners. Generally, Tyler covers the Monday night matches for the international audience.
Tyler writes articles on the Sky Sports websites where readers can ask questions about Football usually based on statistics and form of teams. At the end of each article is a ‘Tyler’s Teaser’ in which Martin asks the readers a question of his own. More recently, Martin has recorded his asking of these questions live from the stadium where he commentated the weekend before. ‘Tyler’s Teaser’ originally was for the readers to try to catch Martin out, in asking footballing questions of their own.
Although mostly associated with football, Tyler has commentated on other sports. He contributed to Granada TV’s coverage of Roses Cricket throughout his time there and even described live netball for ITV’s World Of Sport. In the mid-1980s, Tyler also anchored Channel 4’s coverage of baseball’s World Series.
