Mark Lawrenson praises the impact of MOTD regular Alan Hansen.
After Alan Hansen announced his retirement from the world of football punditry, his former defensive partner and MOTD sidekick has hailed the Scot’s style of analysis.
Mark Lawrenson who played with Hansen during his seven year stint at Anfield, as well as working with him on numerous occasions as a pundit, praised the impact the 58-year-old has had on the game.
Lawrenson mentions how years of success as player have contributed to Hansen’s success as a pundit and that his focus on analysis defenders was one of the things that made him so admired.
Speaking to BBC sport predictions expert Lawro said: “The reason he made such an impact on the art of football analysis was not just because he was a new face on the TV, or was a player who had won absolutely everything in the game.
“Alan is so good because he gives tactical insight, he is articulate and he is not afraid to tell it exactly how it is.
“He quickly became well known for the depth of his defensive analysis – which, again, nobody else was really doing at the time. What he says about good defending being so important is still relevant now. It is the cornerstone of most teams’ successes.”
The former Oxford United and Peterborough manager also backed Hansen’s famous ‘you can’t win anything with kids’ line.
“What he was saying was right, it was just that nobody realised at the time how special those kids were. In a strange way what happened next, with United going on to win the Double, raised his profile.”
Hansen will retire after the 2014 World Cup.
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