Asia » Australia

Aussies Analysis: Martin Tyler's Departure From Australian Television The End Of An Era

It is the end of 16 years of Martin Tyler covering the World Cup for Australian audiences and Goal.com's Chris Paraskevas pays tribute.

Nov 19, 2009 4:09:04 AM

Photo Gallery

Zoom

Martin Tyler (Getty Images)

Related Links

A few days ago my Goal colleague Daniel Phan brought to my attention the fact that Martin Tyler would likely no longer be calling the World Cup for Australian television.

The iconic English commentator, it was announced, had taken up the challenge of bringing the game to millions of Americans instead of a few million Australians.

Most will argue that it’s largely irrelevant given that this is one of the most exciting times in the history of Australian football, with the Socceroos having qualified for successive World Cups for the first time in their history and the presence of Trans-Tasman neighbours New Zealand set to add interest to the tournament.

But for yours truly and a generation of young and old football fans, Tyler will be irreplaceable.

Whether it be his moments of understated philosophy or his ability to, in a split-second, judge whether a moment of football brilliance will go down in history and call it as such, Tyler has become as much a part of World Cup folk-lore this country as has the predictable heartbreak and eventual euphoria that ended the nation’s 32 year wait.

Upon reflection, one wonders just how he evaded the nets of the world’s media giants and managed to remain in Australia for five consecutive World Cup finals.

A great deal of younger football fans – myself included – will likely never have the pleasure of hearing a young Tyler commentate on Italia 90’ but it is appropriate that our last memory of him on Australian television will likely be his description of Esteban Cambiasso’s goal against Serbia in 2006.

Indeed, it was unfortunate that he was unable during his time to commentate on an Australia game at the World Cup; there would undoubtedly have been a sense of emotion – and dare we say it, a tinge of pride – for a man familiar with the heartbreak endured by the Socceroos in the past.

Tyler might just be a commentator and ultimately will be lost within the Australia’s increasingly rich history on the world stage but his departure – at least, in a broadcasting sense – from these shores represents the end of an era.

It was an era in which Australia fans had to make do with making heroes out of adopted nations and countries of their ancestry, in which moments of nostalgia were not draped in green and gold jerseys.

That of course, is all beginning to change and it is a shame that Tyler will not be around to commentate at least one last time as Australia finds its feet on the biggest stage of all.

The professionalism and dedication that he reportedly brought off the pitch was reflected in the quality of his work, which made watching Socceroo-less World Cups that much more easy to take.

The importance of having a good commentator to the neutral and seasoned viewer’s enjoyment cannot be understated and the task now is to find a team of commentators able to fill Tyler’s shoes.

Will it be sourced directly from overseas or will a young generation of Australian commentators begin to stamp their authority in an area that Tyler ensured had large British influence?

Will the same aura of grandeur be present when watching a World Cup final, the sort of atmosphere that Tyler seemed to generate so consistently for what were essentially neutral viewers?

The likely answer is no.

Only then will fans realise just how important he was to maintaining the professionalism and profile of a game that was largely met with scepticism during his 16-year tenure.

Chris Paraskevas, Goal.com

Get all the Australian football coverage you need on the Goal.com Australia homepage!

Thank you for your comment!

Please enter your name

Please enter your location

Please share your comment!