BBC's John Motson bids fine farewell

chris

So farewell to the football laureate. John Motson has waxed lyrical about the game's royalty for the last time in an international match. Bar Jens Lehmann, no player in the Euro 2008 final was born when he began commentating on Match of the Day in 1971, since when he has covered nine European Championships, nine World Cups and 34 FA Cup finals.

The BBC gave him a regal send off, with Gary Lineker announcing this would be Motson's last live match, after 11 German finals, "none involving England". As the camera panned to Motson he complained Lineker made him "sound like Methuselah", but he was clearly touched.

Players have retired with less fanfare. Kevin Keegan only learned that he had played his last match from the news. Motson, by contrast, has enjoyed more tributes than Nelson Mandela. Indeed, he has much in common with the great statesman: much loved, occasionally a little Delphic, and always likely to go on… and on.

Oh, and a slightly iffy taste in clothes. Motson might have worn his sheepskin kit for his big match but instead sported a lilac shirt. He took his introduction as a cue to launch into a ramble about European finals past: "If you don't mind me sharing a few random thoughts on European finals…" Frankly we did, but it was his party.

All it lacked was Michael Aspel announcing "Motty, this is your life". Motson was off, telling us about how the daughter of somebody or other was ill when he played in some match or other. Soon we were cowering under a blizzard of statistics; this was more remorseless than a Gordon Brown budget speech.

It is not often we feel grateful for the singing of Enrique Iglesias. But at least the pre-match "entertainment" - if that is not over-stating it -hushed Motty. Perhaps he was stunned into silence by the dreadfulness of Iglesias; or perhaps he was in a reverie about how when he started, pre-match entertainment was a spot of keepy-uppy in the centre circle. Soon we were treated to the trademark Motson laugh at his unfunny jokes, this time about the referee: "He's started so he'll finish - hah!" It all seemed a bit much for him: "Is it a corner? Did Casillas get a card, too?" We don't know John, that was your job. Still, if we had to wait 33 minutes for a goal, we waited a lot longer for a Mottyism. "The senors," he declared "have become the seniors of European football."

Now Motson is a senior: the football laureate - and the people's pundit.


Source: telegraph