THE BBC has been forced to ask its viewers to stop using “offensive abuse” after criticism of its World Cup commentators and pundits.

John Motson, its veteran commentator, and Mark Lawrenson, the former Liverpool and Republic of Ireland player turned football expert, have been compared with a couple of “old pub bores” for laughing at their own jokes while covering live games. Motson’s “heh heh” laugh has even been likened to Beavis and Butt-Head, the cartoon characters.

Thousands of people have been turning down the sound on their commentary or using an interactive button to switch to Radio 5 instead while watching matches.

The studio panels, led by Gary Lineker and Alan Hansen, Lawrenson’s former partner in the Liverpool defence, have been lambasted as chit-chats between “a cosy little boys’ club” who spend too much time playing golf together and lack any incisive analysis.

Other viewers have complained that they cannot understand what two pundits — Gordon Strachan, the Celtic manager, and Leonardo, a former Brazil player — are saying.

The BBC has spent at least £3m of licence fee money taking a team of 300 to the World Cup. Some are reduced to writing stories on the web about “Svan”, their motor home, needing a new immobiliser.

The corporation’s viewing figures for last weekend’s England-Paraguay game peaked at 12.8m. Millions more chose to watch instead in pubs and on giant screens. Yet ITV, with a third of the staff in Germany, had a peak of 17m for Thursday’s match between England and Trinidad and Tobago, making it the most watched event so far this year, even though many people were still at work when the game kicked off.

ITV’s commentary team has also been criticised, with viewers complaining about Clive Tyldesley and Gareth Southgate, the former England player, for making inane comments.

However, it is the BBC team that is under the most criticism. A BBC Sport internet site dedicated to its World Cup coverage has posted an appeal to viewers: “While we welcome healthy debate on our coverage, can we ask that you make your points without resorting to offensive abuse.” Earlier this year the BBC had to close an online cricket message board because of racist and religious abuse.

One viewer claimed it was a running joke about how bad Motson, Lawrenson and Ian Wright, the former England and Arsenal player, were: “It’s so bad it’s ruining people’s enjoyment. The pub I was in actually turned the sound off on Saturday due to customer requests not to have to listen to Wright and (Alan) Shearer boring for England.”

Viewers also highlight Motson’s apparent inability to “read a game”. He has an uncanny knack of writing off a team only for it to score minutes later.

Last week’s Motty-isms included: “I was going to say, even Brazil can’t play without the ball, heh heh”; “Do Brazil bother taking corners?” and “If it wasn’t Brazil, you’d have to say they aren’t playing that well.”

Interviews on a rooftop overlooking the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin had to be curtailed after Mick McCarthy, the former Republic of Ireland manager, was drowned out by England fans singing the Match of the Day tune in the street below.

McCarthy was disappointed by the referee in the France-Switzerland game. “Mr Precious in his red shirt,” he called him in his best Homerism.

“Do you know what he does for a living?” Guy Mowbray, his co-commentator, asked.

“Traffic warden,” guessed McCarthy.

“No, he’s a schoolmaster.”

“Well, he’s a wally in his part-time job,” said McCarthy.

Only one presenter is spared the flak: Adrian Chiles, who unlike most of the others is not a former professional player but a TV broadcaster and football fan. Viewers say his genuine enthusiam goes a long way. “He’s probably the only person who speaks like a normal human being about the subject,” said one viewer.

Chiles said last week: “If there’s one thing worse than anyone being smug it’s a television presenter being smug.”

The BBC admitted that it had received complaints about two Scotsmen — Strachan and Hansen — on the same panel and about McCarthy’s “annoying voice”. But Louisa Fyans, BBC Sport’s head of publicity, said: “We have had lots of positive comments from our audience. There are no plans to change anything. We are delighted.”

If the BBC’s pundits leave something to be desired, spare a thought for viewers in Canada. An anchorman asked Craig Forrest, a former Ipswich goalkeeper turned commentator: “Craig, how will the Mexican goalkeeper approach this game, given what’s happened to him this week?” Forrest answered: “Well, his father passed away on Thursday. He’ll be disappointed with that.”

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