Lawro’s retirement

When Mark Lawrenson retired, there was an interesting article in The Guardian by Jonathan Liew.

I was watching the World Cup in 2016 from my hotel room in Germany and found it strange that there was no co-commentator in the German tv coverage. Just the lead commentator, all by himself. When they cut back to the studio at half time, there was a presenter and one guest, no panels. This at a World Cup. It seemed the German concept of football on tv is just to let the action speak for itself.

As this article suggests Mark Lawrenson just tried to add some quips during the game or on the sofa and in a rather charming manner. And I enjoyed it. As someone who won so many titles at Liverpool, I'm sure he could have provided greater tactical analysis. I can only assume, he just enjoyed the way he did it and no one told him otherwise. But times move on. And the role of the pundit has evolved. And generally, for the better.

If there is a co-commentator today who manages to keep it light, yet provide the insight demanded, I think Ally McCoist is the person who comes closest to striking the perfect balance. An enjoyable listen, doesn't take himself too seriously. He reads the game really well and can get that across in a concise and knowledgeable way.