Martin Tyler speaks to Chris Burton about the title race, money in football, Europe and the World Cup.
Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler speaks to Chris Burton about the title race, money in football, Europe and the World Cup.
Having been part of the Sky Sports furniture since the dawn of the Premier League in 1992, Martin Tyler knows his top-flight football.
He is also well versed on international and European competition, finance in the game and just about any other topic you care to dream up.
Tyler is, therefore, an ideal candidate to offer up opinion and reflection on a 2009/10 campaign which has captured the imagination and promises much more to come.
Skysports.com's Chris Burton recently caught up with the commentating king to do just that and found the Kingstonian coach at his free-speaking best.
Tyler on the Premier League title race...
I do think it is the most exciting. Alright, we had that fantastic finish in 1995 when Sky had games on two channels for the first time, when it went down to the last game of the season. If Manchester United had won at West Ham they would have pipped Blackburn to the title, who lost at Liverpool - when Jamie Redknapp, our colleague, struck the winning goal and seemed to have changed the course of history. That was absolutely thrilling. There is no guarantee this will go down to the final day, but week-in week-out I think it has been brilliant. I think there is a subtle point that people are saying the top teams aren't as good because they are dropping points, but I prefer to take the view that the other teams are getting better and making it more difficult for the top teams. Therefore we are getting a more democratic league. Whichever way it is coming about, be it good coaching or having a billionaire owner, the gaps are closing. For me it's wonderful that you can go to games and there is no sense of formality about it. We are not getting that anymore, every game is value for money.
Tyler on the battle for fourth spot...
Fourth place, there are clearly more contenders than usual. I think the one thing I don't like about how the league has gone in the last few years is that it is self perpetuating - you get into the Champions League, you make more money and you also attract the better players at the top of the tree who only want to go to Champions League clubs. It is almost a double-whammy against the rest. The Big Four have earned it over the years, they have won their games, but there is always a chance if you are not a Big Four club to challenge for those positions. That is now happening.
Tyler on money in football...
The financial side of football, at every level, you can buy success. I work in non-league football, in the Ryman Premier League, as a coach and the league table is usually to do with budgets. All the way from the top level down to non-league football, the bigger the wages the better the players you attract. Unfortunately that is the result of a free market economy. Blackburn had Jack Walker when they won the League in 1995 and Chelsea had Roman Abramovich when they won the League in 2005 and 2006, and they have still got him. There is a factor, though, that you have to take into account, and that's building a team. Just by putting together 17 or 18 well paid players, with big reputations, doesn't guarantee success. Manchester City are going through that now, trying to turn all the individual parts that they have got into a something as big as the sum of all those parts.
Tyler on financial woe...
Football reflects society and society was allowed to get messed up financially and it's been allowed to happen in football. The government have to sort out their financial problems and football has to sort out its problems, and I have every faith in that. There will be some casualties along the way though. It is a society which has encouraged people to incur debts. Football will get better I am sure but only when society gets better.
Tyler on the relegation dogfight...
I think 38 points is usually the mark, sometimes less. We have seen some great escapes in the Premier League over the years. We had Survival Sunday on Sky a few years ago when there were three teams involved and one place left and West Brom managed to pull it off. They were bottom at Christmas and were the first to survive from that position. The plus point for those involved this season is that it is effectively a two go down situation, because the Portsmouth penalty has been so damaging to their hopes, but not their spirit. They have got games to play where they will try to mess up the ambitions of a few other teams before they finally accept that they are dropping out of the Premier League. It is going to be very tough for all those teams still involved.
Tyler on English football...
I think what separates the Premier League from the other leagues is the culture of the supporters. They expect the game to be played at a fierce tempo and every ball to be contested. While the referees get a lot of stick, they play a big part in helping to make the game what it is. We have this feeling that it is a man's game. When some of the foreign players come into it they get a huge culture shock, but most of them become British in their approach to the game and they get caught up in the passion, they love the rivalry. We are a small country with a lot of football clubs, so the rivalries are very near the surface and they don't have that in other countries. I have always said, even before the Premier League was brought in, maybe it was challenged technically by Serie A, La Liga, the Bundesliga and even the French league at one point but it was always value for money. There has always been action all the way. Some things have improved even more since then, like the time added on and the goals it has brought. It is a wonderful spectacle and it is great to commentate on. As a commentator, you take your eye off the game at your peril.
Tyler on the best player in the world...
I think at the moment it's between Rooney and Messi. I think you have to be careful, though, and compare like with like. Game-winning players is what we are talking about and that is what the top teams have. We talk about tactics, and defending is important, but you have to win your games. Defensive tactics keep you in games but you have to have someone to win you games. Messi is in different competition and more difficult to judge, but Rooney is setting new standards for himself and challenging what Ronaldo did before. Drogba is scoring almost every game he plays, Tevez is having a fantastic time, Darren Bent has got 20 Premier League goals. You have to get these guys in.
Tyler on Manchester United in Europe...
I think United will be happy with the draw, but Bayern have got some fantastic players. Arjen Robben was on the verge of signing for Manchester United when Chelsea poached him away, so I'm sure he will be one United will be concentrating on and trying to diffuse. Ribery is also a top player. It is a spectacular setting as well. I have covered World Cup games there but I have never done a club fixture there, so I'm really looking forward to it. United know the ground and they shouldn't be fazed. If you had to choose and compared their draw to Arsenal's, you would have to say they have come up smelling of roses.
Tyler on Arsenal in Europe...
They have got the tools to beat anybody. Obviously those tools need to be razor sharp to do a job against Barcelona. People are talking about Henry coming back, but Henry is coming towards the end of a terrific career. Cesc Fabregas isn't anywhere near the peak of his and he's still fabulous. Apparently his mum works for Barcelona, or did, so he will want to have an impact. He is a real leader, of a group of developing players. Sometimes you wait for this potential to fulfil itself, but you just need to get started. If a group of young players could do something phenomenal, like knocking out Barcelona, that could be the making of this group. The same as if they were to win the Premier League.
Tyler on the World Cup...
To go to Africa will be great. I have been fortunate enough to go all over Europe, Asia, South America, but it is going to be a very different experience. I'm looking forward to it very much.
Tyler on England's chances in South Africa...
They can win it. I have been more confident at past World Cups, when England have had more stable preparation, but that hasn't worked out so maybe the theatrical adage of 'the worse the rehearsal the better the performance' is going to help. Fabio Capello has had some difficulties that he couldn't have envisaged. Injuries, for one, as he has more than he probably had hoped. But that can sometimes work in your favour because players come back and are ready to go. I think we will have a better idea when the final squad is announced as to how many of the players expected to give England a chance are involved. I have said all along that the thing which gives England a fighting chance is that it will be a winter tournament. Our players are much more used to playing in the winter and that doesn't apply to all of the opposition. It was baking in Germany and it won't be like that, which is a good starting point. Not just the playing, but the training and the preparation as well. I have had a wonderful commentating career, but I have never been able to utter the words 'England have won the World Cup'. That would be pretty special. If I ever get to do that I think that would be thank you and goodnight.
Tyler on the Barclays Around the World in 90 Minutes competition...
One of the privileges of commentating is that you know all over the world people are making the effort to get to the screen. You can manage without the words, but we are lucky to be part of it and imparting information that helps people to understand. Somebody was telling me about some guy who travelled some distance by camel to the only television around to watch a game. It makes you feel very humble. It is a brilliant idea to try and get some idea of what is going on around the world. Without the spectators the game is nothing.
