THERE was a moment in yesterday’s Russia-Slovakia game where Guy Mowbray conjured a bit of trivia about referee Damir Skomina.

Apparently, he should be well known to Vladimir Weiss as he often officiates in Qatar, where the former Wanderers loanee now plays.

Admittedly, it wasn’t the most exciting factoid in the world. At that point – before Marik Hamsik had taken charge – it wasn’t the most exciting game.

“You should not know that,” was Mark Lawrenson’s curmudgeonly reply.

It was banter, of course, but Lawrenson’s well-worn rhetoric has long-since lost its charm. Taking killjoy to levels Morrissey would fear to tread, the former Liverpool defender has become a parody and doesn’t add enough in-game analysis for all his back-handed quips.

Lawro’s role has been reduced by the BBC in recent years but because of the sheer number of games at the major tournaments nowadays, he has not been shelved all together.

“Someone has been doodling on his neck,” quipped Lawro of Weiss, seemingly encountering a tattoo for the first time.

His former Match of the Day colleague Alan Hansen knew when to get out – before people resented listening to him talk about football. And judging by the reaction on social media yesterday afternoon that is exactly where Lawrenson finds himself right now.

Talking MoTD, Vincent Kompany incurred Twitter’s scorn when he appeared as a pundit not too long ago, looking a bit like a fish out of water.

The Belgian has a fanatical devotion to speaking only about defensive issues which has not been seen since Mr Hansen in his prime.

But his delivery is simple and polite and having a player who is still so highly regarded in the Premier League able to offer his opinions on the tournament has been a real feather in the Beeb’s cap.