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END OF AN ERA ITV SPORT TAKING THE MIC
never nice to see someone told they’ll no longer be doing a job they love, even if he’ll still be commentating.
Sports media in general is a cut-throat industry and we’re very lucky to essentially get to go and watch the fitba’ every week to make a living (global pandemics notwithstanding).
So it was hard not to feel sympathy for Clive when he took to Twitter to explain how upset he was. OK, filming what was basically an address to the nation was a bit much.
As was insisting it wasn’t “a grave matter of State” while doing the commentator’s version of the Queen’s speech.
But I still felt for the guy.
I actually met him once. It was in the tunnel at Tynecastle before Hearts were absolutely rag-dolled by Spurs in the Europa League play-off round.
He had spent the build-up emailing me and a colleague, double-checking bits of information for his research.
Credit to him, I unfairly assumed he’d be like a number of the English press that came up to cover the game, namely not take much interest and then talk loudly among themselves while the rest of us tried to conduct a presser with Paulo Sergio.
But standing waiting in the dead time between the warm-up and kick-off he was thanking us for our help, proudly telling us about his daughter’s GCSE results received that day and asking if my colleague would phone him a taxi for full-time.
Thankfully one has now arrived for his England commentaries – but not his livelihood.
CLIVE TYDLESLY replaced Brian Moore as the lead commentator for ITV at a time when the channel had the rights to Champions League football.
Here are some of his best and worst moments.
WORST “That’s often the best place to beat a goalkeeper, isn’t it, between the legs?”
“He is the man that’s been brought on to replace Pavel Nedved. The irreplaceable Pavel Nedved.”
“Didier Drogba’s just a big, lovable lump. Graham Norton seemed to get inside him last night.”
“Young Michael Brown is somewhat of a wild child, with the ill behaviour, with the ill behaviour!”
“Sir Alex will try to plan two or three games ahead with his selection. Tonight he’s planning four days ahead with this one... everyday I’m shufflin.”
“If you cut Jamie Carragher open, he’ll bleed red.”
BEST “Oh a brilliant goal! Brilliant goal! Remember the name – Wayne Rooney! It is Premiership history – the big league’s youngest ever goalscorer signals his arrival. Wayne Rooney, five days short of his 17th birthday, has just grown up!”
Rooney’s first Premier League goal against Arsenal, October 2002.
“Hello, hello, here we go. Steven Gerrard puts a grain of doubt into the back of Milan minds.”
2005 Champions League Final.
“Is this their moment? Beckham... into Sheringham. And Solskjaer has won it! Manchester United have reached the promised land. The two subs have scored the two goals in stoppage time and nobody will ever win a European Cup Final more dramatically than this.”
Man United’s win in 1999 Champions League Final