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CAFC Player - poor quality of commentary?

They say it's old women who spend their time on idle gossip and chatter, so I reckon yesterday's commentators must be very very old women with deep voices in dire need of a spell on the bench. There were large gaps of inane witterings that were unacceptable. I pay to listen to a live commentary on a football game, not a long discussion on, for example, which players are wearing gloves and the need to dress up warm ( layers of clothing of course) in cold weather. I remember Emma used to get a lot of flak, all I can say is bring her back, at least she attempted to commentate on the game. Was anyone else annoyed?
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Comments

  • Yep thought they were both useless, but then they often are.

    Also why do they also leave it to the last minute before coming on air

    Also often score comes up on sky before player so there has to be a pretty big delay.

    Rant over.
  • I've lost count of the number of times the ball has ended up in the back of our net from seemingly nowhere. No prior description of the ball being in our half of the pitch never mind anywhere near our goal. Yesterday, same thing again. Only after the goal went in did we get any kind of description as to how it came about. I don't know why commentators think we are interested in small talk, we just want to know whats happening on the pitch because unfortunately we can't be there in person.
  • Serious question, where do they get these "commentators" from? Are they professionals or not? I thought Emma was bad but bloody hell.......
  • I said after last year that the rubbish dealt up on player in our promotion year I wasn't going to renew, but sadly I have and it's just as rubbish, I would rather listen to to bias commentary from the other team than listen to the crap we are served up each week. We pay good money for a very poor service.
  • It's genuinely embarrassing most of the time. Yesterday they were talking about wrapping up warm in the cold for a ridiculous amount of time. When we were in L1 I enjoyed their knowledge of lower-league players but now it's just ridiculous. Sometimes I just stick the commentary on mute, look at the scores around the league which update really quickly and follow the match thread
  • edited October 2012
    I don't subscribe to player but if this was the same commentary as on BBC Radio Kent 774 MW? then I have to agree the periods of rambling were annoying. Also the commentators (Peter - Charlton Live) kept going on about Hulse's lack of confidence???? The guy hasn't exactly had a lot of game time with QPR in the last year! Confidence usually is an issue if you have gone a run of games without scoring yet this was only his second outing for us. How about giving him some credit for being there to miss a chance!
  • edited October 2012
    The problem that most people don't realise is that the money you spend on CAFC Player goes to FLi and the club. The commentators don't get paid and are volunteers.

    It's easier for home games but for away games it costs them a lot of money out of their own pocket to get to the away grounds to provide the service

    I would be lying if I said that CAFC player was a brilliant service as I admit there are many faults , however without it none of you moaning would have been able to get any kind of commentary for the majority of matches

    I'd also like to say how hard commentating is. I've never done it for a Charlton game but I've tried for others and its hard to keep dull patches of the match interesting. Next home match try and talk positive about the game for the whole 90 minutes and see if you never get sidetracked
  • edited October 2012
    After complaining last season I had a brief email exchange with Jamie Reid (Reed?), and basically he said that listeners want the commentators to be characters, and provide colour in their broadcast...the implication being even at the expense of describing what is going on for those of us not there.
    The attitude seems to be 'I am a character/celebrity/personality, and listeners want to know more about my journey/pie/drinking habits than the mere frippery of describing the build up to, or even the goal scored'.
    Yesterday the Wolves people on their player were just as bad, although you occasionally get a really good one covering the oppo.
    Those who have created Charlton Live, which seems to have a synergy with the away commentary won't like reading this, and they will circle the wagons against the slightest hint of criticism, but all we simply want to know is what is happening in the game we can't see but they can, is that really too much to expect? It seems so because this problem sticks around season after season.
  • Have to agree with those moaning about the standard of commentary. I often change to he oposition commentary. I understand how difficult it must be commentating but descibing what is happening on the pitch must be easier than discussing who is wearing gloves (the point at which I shouted abuse at the commentary).
  • Sadamson said:

    The problem that most people don't realise is that the money you spend on CAFC Player goes to FLi and the club. The commentators don't get paid and are volunteers.

    It's easier for home games but for away games it costs them a lot of money out of their own pocket to get to the away grounds to provide the service

    I would be lying if I said that CAFC player was a brilliant service as I admit there are many faults , however without it none of you moaning would have been able to get any kind of commentary for the majority of matches

    I'd also like to say how hard commentating is. I've never done it for a Charlton game but I've tried for others and its hard to keep dull patches of the match interesting. Next home match try and talk positive about the game for the whole 90 minutes and see if you never get sidetracked

    You have made some interesting points here, especially about the people being out of pocket to bring us a service we pay for.

    However this bit: ' its hard to keep dull patches of the match interesting' could be so easily sorted if the commentators TELL US...like' there is a lengthy injury just now, and you won't be missing any of the action as I tell you about the pie I've just eaten, when things start again I will describe it faithfully.'

    What happens is much more like:

    'Bolton are attacking down the right here with Smith, his shock of blond hair looks a bit like yours (meaning co-commentator), actually I saw Smith outside befor the game and he looked like he had trouble parking his car (meanwhile tantalising crowd noise in background), you (meaning co-commentator) had a bit of a long car journey up here didn't you, and just made it in time, but your pie was cold wasn't it? Never mind, ho ho, you need to lose a bit of weight, and Charlton have a free kick, that Smith was promising as a youngster at Carlisle, but seems to have lost his way in recent seasons, oohhhhhhhhhhhh just past the post there, nearly a shock equaliser'

    And so on.
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  • It's a tough job. I don't subscribe to player and haven't heard the commentaries so I can't comment on that but surely a radio commentary should paint pictures in the mind of the listener by saying what they (the commentator) can see happening. These descriptions should allow the listener to imagine how the game actually 'looks'. In the very old days the listener could even have drawing of the pitch with numbered grids for each area of the pitch hence 'back to square 1'. I am not saying that's the answer but describing where the ball is is a good starting point. As I said it's a tough job.
  • I thought I had better come on and defend myself,
    First and foremost I am a volunteer and take no payment for my summary, I also have to pay my travel expenses.

    I am sorry that you do not enjoy the commentary, in my defence, and I have explained this before, I am guided by the professional commentator I work with, yesterday it was Kevin Hand, and so I can only react to what he says to me, where I can, I will try and describe why we have a break in play.

    I will answer a couple of questions you posed

    Why do we come on at the last minute? this is in the control of the BBC Commentator, and the main reason is they will be supplying previews to BBC London and other BBC stations in the lead up to the game, and therefore have to use the ISDN unit to dial into those stations, only when that is done can they then dial into the CAFC Player network to commence commentary.

    Hulse's lack of Confidence, We did mention this several times, we also looked up when he had last played and used that as an explanation during the course of the game

    If you have any further questions please feel free to Message me and I will answer that way.
  • Peter not really a question, but can't you tell the professional commentator to get back to describing the action, or to simply not respond to off topic chat?
    What I have written is no criticism of you personally because (with the exception of Leeds away, or when I go to games) I always listen to the opposition people via player.
  • Seth if you listen to the opposition player how can you comment on the service we provide?
  • edited October 2012
    I think the question remains valid for those that do listen
  • In answer to me talking to the BBC Commentators I will try, but they are working for the BBC not us
  • edited October 2012
    PeterF, yes you did mention that Hulse had not scored since April 2011? However the impression given on air that he was lacking in confidence, does not equate to what I saw from this guy at Elland Road last Tuesday or what the Manager and many others have said at the game about his overall performance. Sorry but your definition of confidence and mine beg to differ, lack of game time yes, I wholeheartedly agree. Give a dog a bad name and all that; somebody on here has already likened him, albeit in a nice way, as to being Leaburnesque.
  • Deadred said:

    PeterF, yes you did mention that Hulse had not scored since April 2011? However the impression given on air that he was lacking in confidence, does not equate to what I saw from this guy at Elland Road last Tuesday or what the Manager and many others have said at the game about his overall performance. Sorry but your definition of confidence and mine beg to differ, lack of game time yes, I wholeheartedly agree. Give a dog a bad name and all that; somebody on here has already likened him, albeit in a nice way, as to being Leaburnesque.

    Its a game of opinions, I was trying to explain why he possibly missed a few chances yesterday, to me yesterday he looked like a player lacking confidence.
  • Airman will sort it out

    PeteF - how did you get selected for the job (voluntary or not) ?

  • I was heavily involved in Charlton Live and was asked through that.
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  • PeteF said:

    Seth if you listen to the opposition player how can you comment on the service we provide?

    One of the main reasons that I now listen to the oppo is my previous experience of our commentary on player.
  • Really all I want as a listener is to know what is going on, on the pitch as it happens, and maybe some views about what is going on on the pitch to give me more information ,I am not interested in chit chat. its really as simple as that. My normal pattern of listening is start with the away stream as it is the only one broadcasting a few minutes before the game starts,Therefore the only one I feel confident in giving an actual service, then i turn over to the Charlton commentary get infuriated as I'm not being told what is happening on the pitch , unless on the rare occasion it is being broadcast by a different and more efficient team, I then turn back to the opposition commentary which more often then not gives us more ball by ball commentary. Im not trying to be overcritical just giving an honest response to my sometimes frustrating experience as a Charlton player subscriber.
  • Shrew said:

    Really all I want as a listener is to know what is going on, on the pitch as it happens, and maybe some views about what is going on on the pitch to give me more information ,I am not interested in chit chat. its really as simple as that. My normal pattern of listening is start with the away stream as it is the only one broadcasting a few minutes before the game starts,Therefore the only one I feel confident in giving an actual service, then i turn over to the Charlton commentary get infuriated as I'm not being told what is happening on the pitch , unless on the rare occasion it is being broadcast by a different and more efficient team, I then turn back to the opposition commentary which more often then not gives us more ball by ball commentary. Im not trying to be overcritical just giving an honest response to my sometimes frustrating experience as a Charlton player subscriber.

    I 'm sure that's how most of us feel about the commentary. Its exactly how I listen to the broadcast.

  • I feel I should add that overall I think Player is an excellent service. The matchday service with the stats, other scores, line-ups etc is extremely quick, much faster than the Sky Sports/TeamTalk live centre and I like all the videos and interviews in the week. It's just the commentary. I would like the commentary to be about the football please. If the back four are just passing it between themselves for 15 minutes, good, that's what I'm paying to be told. Choice of headwear, temperature, size and shape of players' legs, and selection of pies, all these are things I do not need to hear about.
  • Just logged on and seen this.....I do the match thread as many of you know and I've had discussions with Pete F about commentary on Player on a few occasions ...I can confirm he is having to follow the lead of the BBC commentator and is only there to summarise when asked by the 'pro' commentator.....when Pete F and Charlton Live guys did friendly matches this summer without the 'pro' guy being there we got what we wanted - a commentary on events on the pitch - I'm not part of Charlton Live and I do what I do voluntarily and rely on their commentary but lets cut 'our' guys some slack.....ideally we could have our own people (Pete F et al) doing our own commentary and not relying on other broadcasters but that would take money we don't have.... I know Pete does try and keep the 'pro's on track...but yesterday the pro guy was all over the place and missed build up to both goals....now that is not acceptable for anyone to do!!
  • Red, what do you think would happen if the BBC commentator was there on his/her own? If the BBC commentator doesn't have somebody else to talk to, maybe they would then talk to us, the listener, and describe the action in the absence of any distracting conversation.
    If one of 'our guys', like the estimable Peter Finch (who I believe was behind a lovely anniversary march from Woolwich to Charlton that I once went on) is only there to summarise when asked by the 'pro' commentator the deal could be: 'OK, as long as we stick to getting all of the action and events across to the listener, and never talk about other stuff while play is going on'. It would be possible to set up an arrangement like that surely?
    If the BBC person asks Peter or anybody else to help, perhaps they could also pay them their expenses.
  • Hi Seth, The walk was not down to me.
  • seth plum said:

    After complaining last season I had a brief email exchange with Jamie Reid (Reed?), and basically he said that listeners want the commentators to be characters, and provide colour in their broadcast...the implication being even at the expense of describing what is going on for those of us not there.
    The attitude seems to be 'I am a character/celebrity/personality, and listeners want to know more about my journey/pie/drinking habits than the mere frippery of describing the build up to, or even the goal scored'.
    Yesterday the Wolves people on their player were just as bad, although you occasionally get a really good one covering the oppo.
    Those who have created Charlton Live, which seems to have a synergy with the away commentary won't like reading this, and they will circle the wagons against the slightest hint of criticism, but all we simply want to know is what is happening in the game we can't see but they can, is that really too much to expect? It seems so because this problem sticks around season after season.

    Maybe he's confusing himself with a music radio presenter. Obviously in between songs listeners want someone with character, but football commentators?! No one cares.

  • Sorry to say but it drives me mad, had to switch over to the Wolves commentary yesterday after our goal, which was barely got a mention in between some inane Smashy & Nicey type banter. The Wolves commentaters described the action, gave you a sense of the ebb and flow of the match and kept the wittering to a minimum. I understand its not PeteF's fault - but surely just a refusal to get drawn into it would help. Jamie Reed i think it is, is the worst - as soon as i hear his voice the oppo commentary goes on.

    You could say we're lucky to have any commentary at all, but the fact they're taking a decent wedge of cash from me and the other subscribers - and not even paying Pete - entitles me to at least a half decent service, which often it is not!!
  • PeteF said:

    Hi Seth, The walk was not down to me.

    Fair enough.
    Peter I, and I suspect others, recognise you can be in a difficult position etiquette wise in the commentary box. I hope you know that our complaints are not supposed to be about any attack on you or your efforts, the complaints are born from sheer frustration about not being able to be there to see the game, and therfore wanting the game described to us.
    If you read the match thread fron yesterday you will have an idea about, and indeed quite a lot of feedback about, the listeners experience.
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