Sky Sports commentator calls out Sam Matterface after Clive Tyldesley sent home from Euros

Sky Sports commentator Ewen Murray has launched a brutal takedown of ITV ’s Sam Matterface in the aftermath of Clive Tyldesley’s exit from the channel.

The latter brought the curtain down on a hugely successful career with the broadcaster. He had overseen a whole host of England games over the past 28 years, as well as fronting their Champions League coverage.

Tyldesley’s final game saw him speak fans through Germany’s 2-0 win over Denmark in the last-16. Amid his departure, Sam Matterface has claimed the role of ITV’s lead football commentator.

But that is a decision that has not gone down particularly well with Sky Sports’ Murray. He was extremely critical of Matterface’s work during England’s comeback 2-1 win against Slovakia.

Taking to Twitter, Murray wrote: “Not sure Clive would have broadcasted the obituary of Gareth with four mins to go. A bit like 'us and we' in the last final? Sport is not predictable, commentary is present.”

He added: “Not Clive, however. Just commentary on the flow of the game.” Murray then went on to criticise Matterface’s usage of ‘irrelevant’ statistics.

A fan wrote: “Matterface said that Kane had not scored at the ground where today’s game was played for Bayern this season. Stuttgart who play there were not in the same league this season. Poor commentary,” to which Murray replied: “A stat that is totally irrelevant.”

Ewen Murray

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Murray remained full of praise for Matterface’s ITV colleague Tyldesley amid his departure. He added: “I think Clive and Ally [McCoist] 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.”

During Tyldesley’s final commentary, he predictably did not allow himself any self-indulgence. His final words on air were about Germany’s win against Denmark.

Sam Matterface

He said: "Any discussion of this year's European champions has got to involve Germany. They are a part of this and they will head to a quarter-final against maybe Spain, or who knows, Georgia. On the back of this, final score in Dortmund, Germany two, Denmark nil."

Despite the 69-year-old not marking the occasion, his ITV colleague Mark Pougatch made sure to do just that with his own classy message. He said: "Clive, thank you very much indeed. What a way to go out. We will see you very soon and thank you from all of us."

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