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Les Murray, Australian football broadcasting legend and SBS presenter, dies aged 71

TIM Cahill has joined the tributes to broadcaster Les Murray, who has died aged 71, calling the man known as ‘Mr Football’ ‘a pioneer and legend of our game’.

3 min read
July 31, 2017 - 5:19PM
Much loved Australian sports broadcaster Les Murray has died, aged 71.
Much loved Australian sports broadcaster Les Murray has died, aged 71.

THE broadcaster most synonymous with Australian football, Les Murray, has died at the age of 71 after a long illness.

Known universally as “Mr Football”, Murray spent decades championing the sport in tandem with his close friend Johnny Warren — from the screens of SBS to the corridors of FIFA.

The country’s most prominent presence on TV screens covering the sport, he was a passionate advocate for the game and a much loved figure both in the sport and the media.

Writing on his Instagram page, Australia’s leading goalscorer Tim Cahill said he was “devastated to lose someone that’s so special to our game”.

“He is the voice of football and someone that has always supported the game and myself as a footballer. His legacy will live on forever and I just want to say thank you Les for helping our game to grow.”

As a measure of Murray’s contribution to the public sporting life, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also released a video message in which he praised Murray for “making the world game the Australian game, too”.

Born in Hungary, Murray’s family emigrated to Australia in 1957, subsequently anglicising his name from László Ürge but remaining fiercely proud of his upbringing, fighting always to combat the image of football as an ethnic sport.

He began working in journalism in 1971, spending a time with Network Ten before joining SBS at its foundation in 1980. It was there that he made his name - his face and voice now forever tied with football in this country, his knowledge and humour a feature of football fans’ experience of the sport.

“Les Murray was ‘Mr Soccer’ and devoted his life to the game and did so much for the game,” said former Socceroo and friend of Murray, Robbie Slater.

“Les was someone we all looked up to; he did so much for the game.

“Les is not only a great loss to his family and friends, but a great loss to the game.”

Murray was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2006 and was also a member of Football Federation Australia’s Hall of Fame.

He was also presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Contribution to Sports Journalism at the 2009 Australian Sports Commission Media Awards.

“This is the biggest honour the Australian sporting family has ever given me. I am thrilled by it and am very proud of my country,” he said at the time.

“That I, who came here as a penniless child refugee over 50 years ago, should receive such an award says a lot about this country and about what a welcoming, open and receptive society we are.

“But I accept this award not just on behalf of myself but of many others with whom and with whose help I did my work and played out my dreams and continue to do, including those who are no longer with us, such as the late Johnny Warren who’d be sharing my immense pride.

“I accept it on behalf of SBS whom I must thank for giving me the licence and the platform, to do what it was that earned me this honour, and for paying me to do it.”

Having stepped back from a full time role following the 2014 World Cup finals, he continued to play an active role with SBS on a part-time basis, as recently as earlier this month penning a column on the broadcaster’s website to weigh in on the current impasse between the FFA and A-League clubs.

Murray was close to former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, and served as a member of the world governing body’s ethics committee. He and Warren became the faces of the game for many fans, with Murray hosting coverage of every World Cup since 1986.

“No one better embodied what SBS represents than Les Murray. From humble refugee origins, he became one Australia’s most recognised and loved sporting identities,” SBS Managing Director, Michael Ebeid said.

“Not just a football icon, but a great Australian story and an inspiration to many, to say that his contribution to SBS and to football was enormous, doesn’t do it justice. This is a devastating loss for all of us at SBS. Our thoughts are with his family and all that loved him.”

Through his television work and public advocacy of the game, Murray is widely recognised as a pioneering champion of football during its rise in popularity in Australia in the 1980s and 90s, alongside his close friend Warren.

The pair will be forever entwined with the sport in this country, a sport they relentlessly and lovingly promoted.

Originally published as Les Murray, Australian football broadcasting legend and SBS presenter, dies aged 71

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/les-murray-australian-football-broadcasting-legend-and-sbs-presenter-dies-aged-71/news-story/f0c9aed7353ae6740bb05f2651d79652