The legendary voice of football on television has died at the age of 74. This was informed by his family
M6 were recently informed of the death of Roland by his family according to AFP. The director of M6, Yann de Kersauson, expressed his immense sorrow at the loss of Roland. The date and cause of the death are yet unknown but according to reports, Roland might have had a stroke on either Friday or Saturday.
Before his death, Thierry Roland was set to comment for Euro 2012. The legendary duo that he formed with Jean-Michel Larque was set to comment on all of France’s games. The two had not commented in a major tournament since Euro 2004. However, the two friends did comment in a match between France and Romania.
On June 13, 2012, Roland announced that he will not be travelling to Ukraine with the France squad as he had not fully recovered from his operation.
“The operation went well. But it’s still too recent, I’m still convalescing. I have small spasms. It would be unreasonable to go to Ukraine where there is not specific medicine in case something happened to me,” Roland said.
In a career that spanned nearly 60 years, Roland was popular for his controversial verbal outbursts and his Frenchman-like projections on live TV. Roland commented in 13 World Cups and 9 European Championships.
The boss on the microphone owed much of his reputation due to his usage of short sentences that often caused controversy and fuelled debate.
During a match between France and Sofia back in October 1976 in a World Cup qualifier in Sofia, when Scottish referee Ian Foote gave Bulgaria a penalty, Roland sparked a lot of controversy when he called Foote a bastard.
Furious at his antics, Antenne were keen on punishing him. However, the channel could not do a thing about it after hundreds of French football fans and even some players sent letters of support to the commentator.
In a game between South Korea and France in 2002, Roland once again came into the spotlight following his comments.
“There is nothing that differentiates one Korean from another, especially dressed as football players. They are all 1.70 m tall, they are all brown except the goalkeeper.”
In the 1998 World Cup, one of his statements became stuff of legends. Roland was over the moon following France’s final win over Brazil at the Stade de France.
“I beleive that after seeing that, I can die in peace. Finally, as late as possible. Ah! It’s superb! Oh ****”
Saying these things live on TV can be any commentators’ downfall but Roland escaped all of it.
His death is certainly a great loss to football and France who have lost one of the most straightforward and entertaining commentators the game has ever seen.
M6 were recently informed of the death of Roland by his family according to AFP. The director of M6, Yann de Kersauson, expressed his immense sorrow at the loss of Roland. The date and cause of the death are yet unknown but according to reports, Roland might have had a stroke on either Friday or Saturday.
Before his death, Thierry Roland was set to comment for Euro 2012. The legendary duo that he formed with Jean-Michel Larque was set to comment on all of France’s games. The two had not commented in a major tournament since Euro 2004. However, the two friends did comment in a match between France and Romania.
“The operation went well. But it’s still too recent, I’m still convalescing. I have small spasms. It would be unreasonable to go to Ukraine where there is not specific medicine in case something happened to me,” Roland said.
In a career that spanned nearly 60 years, Roland was popular for his controversial verbal outbursts and his Frenchman-like projections on live TV. Roland commented in 13 World Cups and 9 European Championships.
The boss on the microphone owed much of his reputation due to his usage of short sentences that often caused controversy and fuelled debate.
Furious at his antics, Antenne were keen on punishing him. However, the channel could not do a thing about it after hundreds of French football fans and even some players sent letters of support to the commentator.
In a game between South Korea and France in 2002, Roland once again came into the spotlight following his comments.
In the 1998 World Cup, one of his statements became stuff of legends. Roland was over the moon following France’s final win over Brazil at the Stade de France.
“I beleive that after seeing that, I can die in peace. Finally, as late as possible. Ah! It’s superb! Oh ****”
Saying these things live on TV can be any commentators’ downfall but Roland escaped all of it.
