The football poet and the fans favourite, Peter Drury, has explained the secret behind his magical commentary that leaves fans amazed at the way he effortlessly plays with words when plying his trade.
While speaking to a local media house in an interview, Drury revealed that key among his qualities is originality. Many commentators have been accused of sounding like other people in the quest to matching their prowess. However, it often ends disastrously.
“To be authentic, that is really the important thing. Be yourself. Do not pretend to be someone else, do not mimic someone else. Just be who you are. Have the humility to listen and learn from other people but have the confidence in yourself to execute the job the best way you can. Always remember people do not tune in for the commentator but for the match’’ he said.
The commentator also alludes to the fact that preparation is key before one gets into that commentating booth. He once explained his level of preparedness before any match.
“I have in front of me my notes for the game that I was to bring you between Watford and Leicester on Saturday lunchtime. Sadly for me, they were never used they were not used because it turned to be a lockdown Weekend,” said Drury in a video he posted on his twitter handle.
Drury is notorious for his mind-boggling, enchanting and breath-taking commentaries. His witty and sometimes funny style of commentary leaves fans awed.
In one of his commentaries, Drury made a sarcastic but almost accurate comparison of Messi and Lingard playing football. The lines are still fresh in the minds of football fanatics.
‘“When you see Messi with the ball, you will wonder if this is the same football that bothers Lingard and Perreira,’’
Words like these ‘Spain on the plane, or Spain in the Russian rain. You have heard of Sharapova, you have heard Kournikova, now it is all over. Pique climbed high, Dzyuba climbed higher and Russia as a nation rose highest,’ as used by Drury during the 2018 World Cup match between Spain and Russia still lingers fresh in the minds of football fans globally.
The arguably best commentator of all times says, his choice of words comes almost spontaneously. The words come rolling and overlapping in his mouth. You simply cannot make that up. It is innate. It is insane.
“I love words and I hate hearing myself describing things the same way over and over. Therefore, I have to look for different ways to express things…But there is no rationale, no plan. The words come rolling out of my mouth, sometimes they make sense, other times they do not, “he adds.
The revered commentator also revealed that he would like to visit Kenya, to experience the magical Kenyan football spirit and interact with his fans who love him religiously. In Kenya football is not just a game, it is something close to a religion or a cult.
This comes just a few days after the enigma revealed, in an exclusive interview with Standard Digital and Game Yetu, that he loathes the return of football. His prediction of return of the most loved game in June is about to come true after Arsenal football team returned to training.
“Well, we will see. There is some talk that some sort of culmination to the English Premier League season, just might occur during the month perhaps of June, but nobody's making any promises, so we can just all of us keep our fingers crossed and pray that at some stage the football we love so much will return,” explained Drury.
Drury also says he has had nothing to do professionally since the suspension of football. However, he acknowledges that the move was necessary to contain the coronavirus pandemic.
“I have nothing to do professionally. However, I am not complaining, I am one of the lucky ones…I am surrounded by family and I have nothing to complain about amid this pandemic,’’ he added.
The commentator also urged Kenyans to continue adhering to the ministry of health guidelines in order to combat the deadly virus.
“All over Kenya, keep safe, do all that your government is asking you to do (sanitize your hands, maintain social distance, wear a mask and always cough or sneeze into your elbow) keep safe and look after your loved ones,” said Drury.
RECENT MESSAGE TO KENYAN FANS
In an exclusive interview with Standard Digital and Game Yetu in April, Drury shared a message with Kenyans fans.
Here’s is text of Drury’s message:
“Hello Kenya its Peter here from England, it’s good to hear from you all I hope you’re keeping safe and well in these very strange times. We are all looking forward to the return of football all over the world certainly we are here in England.
I’m asked what I’m doing with myself in the absence of football and the answer is that I don’t have anything to do professionally. But I’m not complaining, I’m one of the lucky ones. I’m surrounded by family, I have my health and I have nothing to complain about at all in the context of this horrible pandemic. So, don’t you worry about me, I’m more worried about you [chuckles].
In terms of where football goes from here well, we will see. There is some talk that some sort of culmination to the English Premier League season just might occur during the month perhaps of June, but nobody’s making any promises so we can just, all of us, keep our fingers crossed and pray that at some stage the football we love so much will return.
But it can of course only return when it is safe and sensible for it to do so. And, when it’s appropriate because, let’s be honest with ourselves there are more important things going on in the world right now than football.
But we look forward to it when it does come back, and I can’t wait to be talking to you all again. So all over Kenya, my very best wishes to you. Keep safe, do everything your government is asking you to do, keep well and look after your loved ones. Take care, bye bye. “
HERE IS A FULL VIDEO OF HIS MESSAGE:
