By Simon Wright – Follow
me on Twitter @Siwri88
The
development of football on TV has evolved tremendously over the past 40 years. Competition for live TV rights continues to
increase and the personalities that host, report and commentate on live matches
become familiar household figures.
The Media Eye
will profile some of the most recognised and famous faces in football in
regards to its growth. It won’t just be
TV figures profiled, with radio also getting a look in.
This latest
edition looks more into the television and radio career of BBC pundit Mark
Lawrenson who like his long-time TV colleague Alan Hansen, had great success on
the field in the 1980s with Liverpool.
Lawrenson (pictured) won
39 caps for the Republic of Ireland during his playing days and was an integral
part of the strong Liverpool defence that swept all before them during their
dominance of the English game in the late 1970s and throughout the 80s. Lawro
won five First Division titles, the FA Cup in 1986 and was part of the Reds
fourth European Cup success in Rome on penalties in 1984.
He went into
management but failed to make the grade at both Oxford United and Peterborough
United, giving up on this venture when he left Posh in November 1990. Since
then, he has become a familiar face on the TV screens for the BBC.
His media
training began on regional programmes though for ITV, providing match analysis
on the local teams in the HTV region. After a year with the BBC, he did leave
briefly when Kevin Keegan offered him a coaching role in the exciting Newcastle
United team of the mid-1990s.
Lawrenson
took the position which saw him specialising with the Magpies defence although
it didn’t seem to stop the often high-scoring games the club featured in over
many seasons.
When Kenny
Dalglish succeeded Keegan in January 1997, Lawrenson stayed on for another five
months before leaving his post that summer to return to media work with the
BBC, mainly as the chief analyst to Gary Lineker when the former Spurs goal
poacher was hosting the lunchtime magazine show Football Focus.
Lawrenson
first appeared as a pundit on Match of the Day during the 1998-99 season and
has become a seasoned regular ever since. That role has extended to a
co-commentator position on BBC Radio Five Live of some of the most prestigious
games in the Premier League and Champions League. He is often the
co-commentator on FIFA World Cup or England matches alongside first John
Motson, then Guy Mowbray when Motson retired from live duties after Euro 2008.
Lawro has
also challenged many famous faces on a weekly basis with Premier League
predictions including the likes of Piers Morgan, Sir Alan Sugar and Mo Farah
and has worked alongside Jon Champion in editions of Konami’s popular football
title Pro Evolution Soccer from 2008 to 2010.
In 2002,
Lawrenson made a bet on Football Focus that he would shave off his famous
moustache if Bolton Wanderers survived in their first season back in the
Premier League. Sam Allardyce’s men produced a solid end of season run to stay
in the elite in 16th spot and Lawrenson kept his word and shaved off
the moustache which has rarely been seen since.
Some might
find his punditry as dull and stereotypical but Mark Lawrenson still is a
strong and viable pundit for the BBC and has been for the past two decades.
When you win as much as he did as a player, he has every right to give his
opinions on today’s game.
Comments
Post a Comment