OXFORD United psychotherapist Gary Bloom has revealed the highs and lows of commentating at a World Cup.

Bloom worked in the media at various tournaments, and was in the commentary box for a series of iconic World Cup moments, including Luis Suarez’s bite on Giorgio Chiellini and the ‘Battle of Nuremberg’.

The latter was a fiery last 16 encounter between Portugal and the Netherlands at the 2006 World Cup, with the game seeing four players sent off and a further eight booked.

Looking back on the match, Bloom said: “It’s a long time ago now – when I was commentating on it, I had no idea there was going to be so many yellow and red cards.

“As a commentator, my worry was that I would not recognise a second yellow card because sometimes it’s not obvious when a referee shows a yellow card.

“That was my real fear that I’d say it’s a second yellow card when they only had one.”

One line of commentary which became etched in football folklore was when the camera panned to players on both sides who had been sent off, watching the game together on the sidelines.

Bloom referred to the players as being sat in the ‘bad boys’ corner’.

He said: “The director said in my earphones ‘look at this’ and the players who had already been sent off were all congregated together watching the game.

“I remember saying on the commentary ‘there’s the bad boys’ corner’.”

READ MORE: Matty Taylor not distracted by contract situation at Oxford United

Bloom added: “For me, it’s in the past, I enjoyed them while I did them.

“Being inside a football club is very different because you actually know stuff which is going on way before anybody, although being part of a television production is really exciting as well because you’re the voice of the world feed and your commentary is going to millions of people.

“I’ve worked with the best TV directors in the world who guided me through.

“They have slow motion replays and can spin it back within three seconds, and tell you exactly what’s happened.

“The one instance that sticks out is the 2014 World Cup when Luis Suarez was sent off, when he bit Chiellini.

“I saw Suarez and Chiellini go together, and my director said immediately ‘Gary, Suarez has bitten him’.

“Having a director and that technical information at their fingertips, and being able to feed it into me made me feel incredible because I was able to break stories quicker than anybody else.”

On day-to-day life at United, Bloom said: “My experiences working in football have helped me shape some of the relationships I’ve got here.

“To be part of a football club where you’re shaping the future of the football club, alongside some really excellent administrators and coaching staff, is very exciting.

“Some of those people come to me and ask for my advice on certain situations, and that was the bit I didn’t really have when I was commentating.”