Sam Matterface has been criticised since replacing Clive Tyldesley at ITV. (Image: Getty)
Ewen Murray might be renowned for his work in golf but on Sunday he wasn’t afraid to take aim at ITV’s lead football commentator Sam Matterface. The 46-year-old was on duty alongside Lee Dixon for England’s dramatic Euro 2024 win over Slovakia, having become the main football voice for the broadcaster four years ago following the controversial decision to demote Clive Tyldesley.
Despite forming a popular combination with Ally McCoist, Tyldesley was dropped by ITV for good following the Germany v Denmark game on Saturday, bringing down the curtain on a 28-year-stint with the station.
And Murray, whose voice is now synonymous with the Sky Sports Golf channel, has added fuel to the fire after being irked by Matterface's suggesting Gareth Southgate’s tenure as England manager was about to end as the Three Lions trailed late on.
“Not sure Clive would have broadcasted the obituary of Gareth with four mins to go,” wrote Murray on X. “A bit like “us and we” in the last final? Sport is not predictable, commentary is present.”
One follower argued that the use of such terms was commonplace when England were playing. But Murray begged to differ, writing: “Not Clive, however. Just commentary on the flow of the game.”
Ewen Murray has praised Clive Tyldesley after he was dropped by ITV. (Image: Getty)
The 69-year-old also joined the chorus of praise for him and McCoist, adding: “I think Clive and Ally are so good to listen to. They speak the way they see the game, and stats are only used to back up what they see, not to fill the space with the stuff too many commentators do. Stats are for pundit talk.”
The last jibe related to Matterface pointing out that prior to last night that Kane had not scored at the Schalke 04 stadium in Gelsenkirchen. The England captain’s club however, Bayern Munich, play in a different division to their German rivals, with Murray labelling the stat “totally irrelevant.”
It wasn’t just Murray who was critical of the commentary. Fans online also questioned Matterface predicting a “violent” fallout if England were to lose, as well as him regularly accusing Slovakia players of gamesmanship.
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Tyldesley served as ITV’s main football commentator for 22 years, with his coverage of Manchester United’s 1999 Champions League final win going down in folklore. And upon being replaced, he didn’t hide his disappointment on a social media video.
“Let me make it quite clear, I have not stepped down, I have been moved aside,” he said. “I’m just going to miss the England games so much, even more than I’ll miss the Champions League games and that is all.”
