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GALLERY: A pictorial guide to seven of football's worst clichés

"Especially with football clichés, we're talking about a group of people who, among the br...
Newstalk
Newstalk

14.22 11 Mar 2015


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GALLERY: A pictorial guide to...

GALLERY: A pictorial guide to seven of football's worst clichés

Newstalk
Newstalk

14.22 11 Mar 2015


Share this article


"Especially with football clichés, we're talking about a group of people who, among the broadcasters, don't have a good command of the English language and they're using the best ways they can to describe what's going on in front of them. So football clichés come in handy, they're a useful thing and they're not necessarily a negative thing at all."  

That quote is from author Adam Hurrey during our chat with him about the art of the football commentary clichés on this week's Team 33.

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We asked a few people on Twitter what their least favourite clichés were and because the art seems to be based around a poor command of the English language, I'm displaying them in picture format.

 

This one was a bugbear for one of our respondents online with good reason. It's one of those meaningless, empty phrases. Tell John Terry that on a cold, wet night in Moscow.

 

The 4th official indicates that there will be two minutes of injury time added to the half ©INPHO/Donall Farmer

Yes, yes it is. That was written in the rule book many moons ago.

 

Republic of Ireland vs Gibraltar. The final score ©INPHO/Donall Farmer

There are if you're up against San Marino or Andorra and you're called Brazil. Also works if you replace San Marino with Gibraltar and Brazil with Ireland.

 

Roberto Baggio shows his disappointment aftering missing a penalty against Brazil in the final ©INPHO/Getty

Not a huge difference between hitting it almost too well and hitting it atrociously.

 

Ireland goalkeepers Dean Kiely, Shay Given and Nick Colgan in 2003 ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Not sure who the shop steward is, but it's highly unlikely that all goalkeepers love each other equally.  

 

 

Peter Crouch of Liverpool gets away from Claude Makelele of Chelsea in 2005 ©INPHO/Getty Images

The fact that this phrase is so common suggests that tall players generally are good with their feet. It's why Peter Crouch is known as a footballer rather than a foreheadballer.

 

A view of a tattoo on the arm of Shamrock Rovers' Gary McCabe's ©INPHO/Donall Farmer 

One of our listeners is not fond of Mark Lawrenson's punditry. The line above about tattoos is one I've heard him utter many-a-time.

Lionel Messi got a leg tattoo after his blip in form and seems to be back in tremendous form, so it must be true.


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