Cliches R Us – Some Observations on Football Interviews

Where football interviews are concerned, it is often better to travel hopefully than to arrive – but why?

To begin with, much depends on the circumstances and the personnel involved. Take the post-match interviews for instance. However eagerly these are anticipated the result is invariably disappointing and there are very good reasons for this. Football is a passionate game and a time when emotions are still raw is hardly conducive to calm reflection, yet despite this managers are obliged to give interviews and players are often asked to do so – perhaps within minutes of the final whistle. In such circumstances, it is unlikely that managers will be sufficiently unprofessional to speak on camera as they have just done in the privacy of the dressing room, so it’s perfectly understandable that they confine themselves to the usual platitudes and generalisations.

Then there’s the question of the personnel involved. Much depends upon the skill of the interviewer – which is unfortunate, because there really aren’t many good ones and the worst of them are very poor indeed. What is a manager whose team has just lost 4-0 and who is asked “How disappointed are you with your team’s performance today?” expected to do – apart from resisting the temptation either to thump the interviewer or to tell him not to ask such bloody stupid questions.

It’s tough on the managers, most of them anyway, but there are odd occasions when we can sympathise with the interviewer. Having to confront Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson, for instance, can be quite intimidating – especially when things haven’t gone his way. However, in fairness to Sir Alex he takes steps to ensure that the interview is conducted to his satisfaction and on the rare occasions when this does not occur, rumour has it that he takes even firmer steps to ensure that the unfortunate interviewer does not appear before him again. Consequently, interviews with Sir Alex have become a little bland – with a few tame, predictable questions delivered with a degree of respect that borders upon the obsequious and followed, if all’s well, by a thin smile and a “Well done” from the great man. After which the interviewer stops shaking, hands back to the studio and waits for his blood pressure to return to normal.

As a general rule, the further from the actual match the interview is, the more interesting and informative it might be, and while no manager is going to give away any secrets, some of them are much more entertaining than others. Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho can be relied upon to be outspoken and confident, particularly about himself, and to use the interview as an opportunity to undermine the opposition in some way. Sven Goran Eriksson will say virtually nothing however long the interview lasts. By contrast, Sir Bobby Robson was always a dream to interview, since it invariably required only one question to get him to talk enthusiastically for ages. And most journalists find Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger’s intelligent, original and articulately expressed views particularly good value.

As for the players, the majority are frankly a great disappointment and interviews with them can only be enlivened by counting the clichés, or how many times they use the word “obviously” (the general guide is that the less intelligent the player, the more they use it!).The few exceptions are destined to end up on television.