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From the Gantry
Antony Sutton
info@sleague.com
Like many football fans, over the years I’ve grown to have a love-hate relationship with the guys who do the commentary on TV.
Love them because I’m jealous. Who wouldn’t want to get paid for talking about football? Hate them? Because we often wonder what the hell they are talking about! Have you heard Brian Marwood?
For the recent S.League clash between Young Lions and Gombak United I was offered the opportunity of joining seasoned commentators Dez Corkhill and PJ Roberts in their commentary position and I gleefully grasped the opportunity.
There I was looking forward to an air conditioned executive box with comfortable sofas, mini bar and waitress service. You know, the kind of thing they have in England!
Imagine the look on my face when I arrived at Jalan Besar Stadium and was pointed in the direction of the wooden, open-sided TV gantry held together with scaffolding and duct tape.
On top of the gantry was a camera crew while below them, waving enthusiastically at me, were Dez and PJ.
Nervously I clambered up the seats, then somehow lifted myself into position. Nervously because I’m scared of heights.
Relieved I sat down at the back of the gantry, one hand holding tightly to the scaffolding for support, while taking in my surroundings.
Dez and PJ were doing the preview, while down below, the players were preparing to kick off. A TV person handed up three bottles of warm water and that was all the contact we had with the outside world till the game ended.
The team in the gantry, rather like the team on the pitch, have clearly defined roles. Dez is the main commentator while it’s PJ’s job, as an ex-pro, to provide analysis and explanation.
As a team they seemed to work well together. Dez is known as a bright, bubbly character exuding enthusiasm and passion for the game unlike some of the rather more staid characters who do the English game.
PJ on the other hand is a lot more serious than when we usually see him on TV. His comments were kept short, detailed and informative.
Using handwritten notes showing team formations they guided the viewers through what turned out to be a captivating and controversial game using the small amount of time available to them.
With both guys concentrating on doing a professional job, for me as an observer the best parts without a doubt were their facial expressions which often told a different story to what they were telling the viewers.
"I’m very aware that I never played the game at the highest level," explained Dez, "and it would be wrong for me to be too critical. We’re here to promote the S.League and we try to do that as much as possible."
After the game I was able to spend more time with Dez and I wondered what happened if he missed something on the pitch.
"That’s why having two sets of eyes helps, but if we both miss something then there isn’t a lot we can do about it. Then we have the action replays."
Of course there may be times when commentators are happy to miss things, and the pushing and shoving that followed this emotional game is a case in point. While tempers frayed on the pitch Dez and PJ were giving their post-match analysis in the moments available to them.
Commentators, like match officials, call the game as they see it. Being human, like the rest of us, they are prone to making mistakes. But they also get it right, and an example of this was when Gombak attacked and PJ spied some pulling in the penalty box.
From a corner seconds later the referee pointed to the spot. The player in the first tugging incident had been at it again and this time the ref pulled him up on it.
After the game and with Gombak fans celebrating their three points I pondered the obvious question. Would I fancy doing the commentary for a game? Could I?
My concern would be that I would run out of things to say. I asked Dez about this.
"I have the other problem," he replied, "I have too much to say!"
As fans sometimes we cry out for commentators to say it as it is. Instead of someone who makes our ears bleed, we expect someone who is knowledgeable, interesting, sometimes witty and decent.
It makes a pleasing difference to the game we are watching if the commentary is enjoyable and to this, top marks to Dez and PJ! |
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