“AGUEROOOOOO!”
It’s one of the most-iconic pieces of commentary in football history and kickstarted a decade of dominance for Manchester City.
That day, against QPR, City nicked the title from neighbours Manchester United.
Martin Tyler was on commentary that day and roared that famous line – with Aguero now immortalised with his own statue outside the Etihad.
Now the legendary Sky Sports commentator reveals all about that famous day, now TEN YEARS on…
THERE is rarely a week goes by when I am not asked by football fans but also complete strangers to scream: “AGUEROOOOOO!”
It seems crazy that this incredibly dramatic game is eight years old today.
I feel proud and privileged that when people talk of the most iconic pieces of football commentary my moment at the Etihad in 2012 is up there with Kenneth Wolstenholme’s World Cup 1966 “Some people are on the pitch, they think it’s all over…” and Brian Moore’s 1989 Arsenal victory at Liverpool “It’s up for grabs now…”
When I look back there are so many different elements that allowed the dramatic events.
I am indebted to the Sky Sports production team for selecting me to be commentator at the Etihad.
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I don’t get to choose where I go. I was picked to go to Man City, while Rob Hawthorn went to the Sunderland-Manchester United match.
It’s easy to forget that Man City are not the Man City of now. They hadn’t won a top flight title for nearly half a century. This was almost untapped territory for them. They weren’t used to anything like this sort of pressure and scrutiny.
And with QPR leading 2-1, the Aguero goal would have meant nothing had it not been for Edin Dzeko’s leveller also in injury time.
The fact the game was running later than Manchester United’s game at The Stadium of Light, so their match was over and they were waiting on tenterhooks for the final whistle at the Etihad.
It’s strange when I reflect on the winning goal, I knew Sergio was going to score as soon as he collected the ball from Mario Balotelli and was about to shoot. We all know how clinical he is.
What happened next is what I have always done in 38 years of football commentary… tell everyone a goal has been scored!
But for the 20th season of the Premier League with virtually its last kick to be the title-clinching goal being scored by a team winning their first top flight title in 44 years was something quite extraordinary.
As a commentator you are just in the moment and what you say is instinct. But for my words to be part of Manchester City history is something very humbling.
But I cannot stress enough it’s Sergio’s goal, nothing to do with me. I am just happy I was just one among the 48,000 fans who attended that day to say: I was there.
Mark Hughes was the QPR manager that day. I met him a week later at the LMA awards. He said to me it was the loudest noise he had ever heard in a stadium.
This is a guy who had played for Manchester United, Barcelona and been manager at Manchester City – so he had been part of some very loud stadiums in his career!
Everyone also forgets the brilliant and emotional pictures that Sky Sports produced that day – all thanks to director Tony Mills.
The split screen showing the live game and Alex Ferguson and United players waiting at Sunderland and then back to full screen for the goal. It was breathtaking decision-making.
Then the way in which he captured City keeper Joe Hart’s reaction at the other end of the pitch was sensational and brave to cut away from where Aguero was celebrating. It captured the emotions brilliantly.
I still feel lucky 46 years on from my first ever TV commentary experiencing and talking through matches and moments.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
