Broadcasting legend Clyde Tyldesley has publicly criticized former Manchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand, for his commentary during the recent Europa League match between Manchester United and Lyon. The veteran commentator expressed his disapproval of Ferdinand's enthusiastic reaction to the Red Devils' dramatic comeback victory.
Manchester United was on the brink of elimination against Lyon but managed a stunning turnaround with goals from Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo, and Harry Maguire. This unexpected victory led to jubilant scenes at Old Trafford and an equally exuberant response in the commentary booth.
Ferdinand was heard cheering enthusiastically for both Mainoo and Maguire's efforts. TNT Sports even released a 'commentator cam' that showed him celebrating alongside fellow pundit Robbie Savage - a former Manchester United academy graduate - and Darren Fletcher. Fletcher appeared to be trying to temper his colleagues' excitement.
Tyldesley takes aim at TNT Sports coverage
Tyldesley criticized TNT Sports' coverage by accusing them of veering into territory usually occupied by MUTV - Manchester United's own channel. He did, however, commend Darren Fletcher for maintaining professionalism amidst the excitement.
In his blog post detailing the final moments of United's win, Tyldesley wrote: "Over on TNT Sport, lead commentator Darren Fletcher was playing gooseberry to two former United players that were just loving the comeback." He further added: "Rio Ferdinand and Robbie Savage could not only be heard but also seen on 'CommCam'."
ITV commentator, Clyde Tyldesley, said:
"So, just in case we were wondering if Rio’s voice had temporarily lost the frequency of the commentator’s traditional neutrality, we could watch his fist punching the air over and over in delight. I got the impression that he maybe knew the hidden camera was there. Could be wrong.
"Fletch had been savvy enough to take a deep breath in the wake of United’s equaliser – my wonderful mentor Reg Gutteridge used to call it "thinking time" – before delivering the catchy line 'Kobbie Mainoo is the coolest kid in Old Trafford and Manchester United are level'. Either side of him, Rio and Robbie were unashamedly losing their collective cool to welcome us to MUTV."
Rise of commentator fans
Tyldesley questioned whether this new trend of commentators showing overt support for teams they have personal connections with is beneficial or detrimental to sports broadcasting. He asked rhetorically: "The day of the commentator fan – Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher et al – is here but does it work?"
This isn't the first time Ferdinand has drawn Tyldesley's criticism. The 70-year-old commentator previously expressed disapproval of Ferdinand's reaction to James Tarkowski's equalizer for Everton against Liverpool. While sports fans often appreciate a commentator who shares their passion, there is a fine line between enthusiasm and bias. As this debate continues, it will be interesting to see how commentators like Rio Ferdinand adapt their style in response to criticisms from broadcasting veterans like Clyde Tyldesley.
