Hunkering down to some A-League action on a wet and cold night in front of a big screen television, all of a sudden seems a little different.
For whatever reason, the calming and articulate voice of Simon Hill no longer features in Fox Sports’ coverage of the game. It was a sound to which many of us had become accustomed, enjoyed and respected.
Hill always spoke, wrote and commentated in a measured way; sure to offer balance and precision around any topic or issue with which he chose to grapple.
There was never grandstanding, shouting or any effort made to out-decibel other callers. Hill allowed his considerable knowledge of the game and his calm and understated manner to deliver the trends and patterns in both the on and off field action.
Perhaps the now 52-year-old’s greatest asset was his construction and delivery of emotional scene-setting monologues as teams took to the pitch in the lead up to kick-off.
Those words were an attempt to add romance to the pending clash, to tune in to the history between the two clubs and offer some added spice and venom to the ninety minutes that were about to unfold.
True fans of the game enjoyed both Hill’s style and manner.
Simon Hill has been the voice behind some of football’s biggest moments. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images)
Having now popped up on a variety of different platforms; commentating, pondering and podcasting, the Manchester-born City fan has thankfully not been completely lost to the Australian game.
What has been left behind is a significant challenge for Fox Sports’ A-League coverage. For 15 years, Hill had been at the hub of their commitment to football.
The biggest matches on the A-League schedule and the Socceroos’ far-flung adventures around the globe to earn the right of qualification for World Cup play brought Australia’s most popular and respected football commentator to the microphone.
Now, Australia’s favourite multi-tasker Brenton Speed will potentially take on some of the space created by Hill’s departure and Adam Peacock will also have the opportunity to call matches more frequently than the odd FFA Cup game, live streamed on the Fox Sports website.
Anecdotally, it appears there is great dissatisfaction around Speed. Personally, I have never been offended or had my nose put out of joint by his more effervescent version of football commentary.
However, others do regale stories of switching on the A-League and being disappointed upon discovering that Speed has command of the encounter.
Their decisions to turn down the volume and watch the match with little more than a murmur in the background may well be apocryphal, however I can understand the sentiments towards Speed’s rather unique style when it comes to painting images of a football match.
The art of understatement has been at the core of successful football commentary ever since the ability to broadcast it became common, especially in English football and by colonial extension, in Australia.
Hill embodies that fact. With over the top commentary duos such as Brian Taylor/Bruce McAvaney and Phil Gould/Ray Warren seemingly hell bent on using inane banter and banshee-like outbursts to keep viewers awake through even the most boring of contests, I found the contrast pleasant.
Speed appears to be from the same school, more inclined to attempt to bring the pictures to life with volume and excitement rather than allowing them to speak for themselves. Such was the lesson that the great cricket broadcaster Richie Benaud passed on to those who came after him.
Simon Hill has been an advocate of the A-League. (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)
I was impressed with Peacock during the F3 Derby on Friday night and the Wellington vs Adelaide clash on Saturday. He showed a clear awareness of nuance, didn’t feel the need to call the name of every player who touched the ball and when the play did reach fever pitch, his excitement levels and associated commentary appeared natural.
Unless Fox Sports are intending on replacing Hill with a new name for the 2020-21 season, Peacock may well become the chief commentator, something many will be pleased with despite their preference for Hill to have stayed.
With financial pressure mounting in the cable television world and Foxtel looking likely to eventually succumb to a global streaming market that only shows signs of increasing in velocity, Hill has no doubt been a victim of the bottom line.
For Australian football broadcasting, that is a very unfortunate situation despite the best efforts of those left behind. Familiarity is key in broadcasting and using the trusted voice of Hill as the A-League heads into new and uncharted waters, could well have been a wise move for Fox Sports.
However, if their intention is to dump A-League football completely after the 2020-21 season, I guess the decision to part ways with Hill made good financial sense to them.
NUFCMVFC
Roar Guru
Yeah that's about the time I pin this on, The thing is the RBB and NT were bringing energy to the stands, WSW did very well out of it and the FFA either failed to grasp of were such sycophants they ignored the fact these hit-pieces were designed to undermine the A-League and they played into their hands with bs policies Sure there's some edge and people get overexcited with throwing bottles but it's manageable as an issue and the key metric they had to look at was crowd numbers which were remaining strong and even going up so word-of-mouth more than outmatches bad media The other side is poaching Ange from Victory, if we had Ange at Victory and Graham Arnold at Sydney in the middle of the decade there could have lifted the rivalry right up a notch but instead they used them as cheap Aussie options for Socceroos coach instead of getting a L/T overseas coach Socceroos have their own issues, the whole Dutch obsesssion has not been all that great in the attacking third and we are struggling to score goals at World Cups now Hard to see how 3 Melbourne and Sydney teams are viable with the loss of TV Broadcast revenue. Might have to go Semi-Pro at this rate but on the plus side we have less to fall than AFL and NRL and football generally can promise a good career path through the O/S option, eg Asia plays high wages so players don't need to be EPL level superstars now
NUFCMVFC
Roar Guru
Good read The writing was on the Wall the moment Fox Sports lost the EPL They seemed to consider HAL and EPL as a form of bundle The nail was put in the coffin the moment Bein Sports lost UCL and Europe League to Optus Sports, so there is less demand to get Fox Sports package for HAL This is why they looked to re-negotiate after the lockdown, seems Fox Sports are looking to divest themselves and the signs are there they are looking to make HAL coverage a more budget operation, eg no studio discussion on matches atm As for Hill, I'm kinda hoping Optus Sport get HAL and at the very least the ACL Hill is of the calibre who would do well at Optus Sport in conjunction with Aussie EPL players like Schwarzer etc who act as pundits Could be a case of Optus get ACL to go with J League and K-League. I've always felt that rather than have FFA Cup on Cable it would have been good on FTA or even FFA website as a form of promo comp to get people into HAL more broadly
Salvatore Borraccino
Roar Rookie
Of all the commentators and reporters that FOX let go,Simon Hill and Daniel Garb should have stayed and of the ones that FOX DID decide to stay,then perhaps Tara and Slater(and Archie for that matter) should have gone.Nothing disrespectful about my previous comment.FOXTEL and Murdoch are running a business,and they saw fit to let Simon,Garby,Adno etc go and not others.I am purely thinking as to which people at FOX offers the most value over a number of sports and those who are the opposite,and IMHO,Simon and Garby (and Adno who is well versed in football,rugby,and cricket) offered greater value than both Tara and Slater.BUT,I am not the head honcho at FOX,so I am not the one making those decisions.AIMHO.
AndyAdelaide
Roar Rookie
everyone knows it was to save money, Simon hill would've easily been on anywhere between $300,000-$500,000 a year. but now is the time for someone to take the mantle, arise Sir Harper of Brisbane; its your time to shine my fellow Andy :)
Griffo
Roar Guru
That is correct! :laughing:
Harry Selassie
Roar Rookie
I was absolutely shocked by Bozza's comments towards Brenton Speed. Peacock stepped in to try and calm the waters but it did not sound like any attempt at humour to me. It was Bozza trying to show up his colleague and that is never good on air. Unlike some others here, I don't have any issues with Speedy. I like versatile commentators. Yes, he is not Simon Hill but frankly few in the English speaking world are as good as Hill in doing a football match. Bozza's actions were uncalled for and were trying to make his colleague look bad.
alexp
Roar Rookie
given these sentiments stuart, im guessing you will no longer provide match day commentary on any sport other than soccer from here on in?
Rosario FC
Guest
Hi Stuart. Is there some way you can get a Fox Sports head of sports come out & defend their football coverage? Unashamedly I am bashing them from pillar to post. Let's know their perspective. I am really curious to hear what their intentions are, for next season? I might be getting ahead of myself as this current season is still not over, but I am sure I am not the only one. I would be keen to get their side of the story- in the interest of FIFA Fair Play, pardon the pun.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
no Griffo, velocity - measure of rate of movement of an inanimate object in a given direction. Velocity has speed and direction, velocity is a vector (if you like) :happy:
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Educational read :laughing:
Midfielder
Roar Guru
Thats true ... often when forced to comment on other sports...
Griffo
Roar Guru
Daniel Garb and Hill’s Monday podcast was brilliant, as was Peacock’s Wednesday edition. Simon has a new one out with Craig Moore and Zeljko Kalac - a must listen already and showcases Hill’s journalistic and presenter credentials. As well as his ability to call various levels of football for answers. Hill would be brilliant as the new FFA community and comms manager - a well respected media and community personality to get the stories of football out there into the public domain, and to the community. Who knows if he’s going for it but a key role post-COVID normality. I’m glad Hill is not lost to us and to football journalism in Australia, which has been decimated these past few months. — On the Bozza vs Speedy stoush: My recollection last night was that Speed was not giving up the debate, but Bozza had moved on. After four to five minutes it sounded like Bozza had had enough. Not great in the end, and Bozza was a bit cheesed off for a bit, but Speed should have moved on earlier after his third attempt at winning the debate. Maybe FoxSports have cost-cutted production crew so much there wasn’t a producer in their ears to ‘move on! You’re live on air, gents!’...
1974Matty
Roar Rookie
I used to really enjoy listening in to his late sunday night radio show, i even rang in a few times, he was always really welcoming.
Griffo
Roar Guru
LH - technically I thought a vector had a value and direction. Velocity and speed are synonyms. Just a value. Like acceleration, but different. :-P
Smitsola
Roar Rookie
Couldn't disagree with more. Tara is very knowledgeable and the most professional of all the presenters. The least able is Archie.
pete4
Guest
I understand Hill said his contract was coming up for renewal at Fox Sports he decided not to extend not due to Foxtel cost cutting
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Why do you keep watching? When did Zelic get another gig at Fox, I thought he was off sending tweets about COVID conspiracy theories?
Stuart Thomas
Expert
What is the background to that Lionheart?
Stuart Thomas
Expert
No doubt that is his intention, yet his turn of phrase that lurches into AFL and league space really irritates football traditionalists who are not fans of other codes.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
I think this is definitely a case of taking two to tango. Fox hardly game the game a chance with questionable decisions throughout and the powers at be did no favours to the game.