Just had my first article published by 1500 Magazine.
For those who write blogs etc any feedback would be appreciated (abuse in PM's!)
There are also some good articles on there one about Hyde FC and the usual entertaining prose by Macca @The Paris Angel.
Thanks
Xenophobia, Bad Losers or Boys Club
June 25th, 2012 admin
Over the 2011/12 season we had several on the pitch incidents which brought different amounts of media comment and reflection.
Football sections of our newspapers and Sky and MOTD are full of experts, ex players (there is a distinction!) and media commentators who debate and offer their opinion.
But who decides what is news worthy, what is the main focus on our screens and in our papers? The Players? The Fans?
Macmillan is famously misquoted as saying “events dear boy, events” as a deciding factor in how the future would pan out.
But is not events alone. Are there other factors at work?
Over the weekend of the 21/22nd January we had that Balotelli incident. We don’t really need to go over the details of that one again, do we? That is because it had been screened, commented on and assessed by everyone and anyone with a slight interest of the game.
I had people mention it to me who have no idea, or normally, interest in football.
The media will always be ready for the next big story, it is up to individuals within the game to either behave or accept that comes with the job. That’s what we are told.
I agreed that Balotelli had been lucky to stay on, but his luck ran out when, as Gary Neville pointed out, Harry Redknapp set the scene for a frantic 48 hrs by ranting in his post match interview. Harry was obviously still hurt by the last gasp defeat and he made sure that the story would not be about the Spurs loss but Balotelli. His rant was unusual in the British game. Redknapp accused Balotelli of a deliberate “Stamp to the head”.
A serious accusation in sport and one that gathered momentum, and believers, quickly even though to KNOW it was deliberate was difficult to assess.
We then get to another incident the same weekend. Unless you are a Stoke orWest Bromfan you may have missed it.
Englandinternational Peter Crouch was involved in what can only be described as one of the most unusual assaults on a fellow professional I have witnessed.
After a coming together withWest Bromdefender Jonas Olsson, Crouch was seen to get to his feet, approach Olsson from behind and scrape across Olsson face around his eye. Only Crouch will know his intention but if Harry’s defined Balotelli’s action as being a deliberate act and stamping on Parker, it would not be too unfair if it was described as a deliberate attempt at an eye gouge.
What decided how these incidents were reported was the reaction, or lack of it in the case of Crouch, by the Manager of the opposing side and the media decisions.
Is this because the result went Hodgsons way, they won 2-1, or was it because the opposing manager, gentleman Roy Hodgson, did not mention or was not shown it by the media prior to the post match interview?
The incident was revisited by the Referee post match but he was left to decide that it would have only warranted a yellow card. Would the decision have been different if the incident had been highlighted as much as the Balotelli clash? Would he have felt the media pressure and agreed it was a three match ban? After all I have seen many red cards for less.
There are other cases this season. Alex McLeish accusing Arsenal Forward Robin Van Persie of deliberately elbowing Carlos Cuellar. McLeish did not hold back again calling for the FA to act.
There is a recurring theme here.
Balotelli and Van Persie are foreign players managed by foreign managers.
So why the difference?
The foreign Managers, Coaches and Players will not have the same bond.
They will generally return to their own or another country, continue their careers or retire. They will not be seeking employment within the British game or the media.
Most British managers, coaches and players are on the same bus. They have and do, come into contact with each other regularly over the years and naturally, relationships exist. Many will rely on each other for their next job in football.
The ex players rolled out as pundits or for comment are generally British, they too have the same bonds and relationships. Remember, when some of these ex players are giving their independent opinions on Sky, they will be in the Hospitality boxes the next week getting pats on the back!
Could you see Redknapp making the same noises and calling for the FA to act in similar circumstances if it was Rooney and not Balotelli? Can you see Alan Hansen getting the producers of MOTD to highlight an incident and showing it time and time again if it was aLiverpoolor Everton player?
His relationships withLiverpoolare understandable but cloud his “expert” judgement. Whilst he refuses to criticise his friends and their decisions atLiverpoolhis almost obsessive TV rants on Balotelli shows him to be capable of the most vicious bile.
Why was there so much coverage of one incident deemed “probably” deliberate over anEnglandinternationals seemingly more obvious act?
Is the difference the result? McLeish and Redknapp lost important games they could have won. Is it the lack of a relationship with the opposing Manager and Players which allows them to vent their feelings openly?
Or is there a undercurrent of xenophobia surrounding the British game?
Not sure but I will be watching again this season.
Andy MacNab
@bluemac63
For those who write blogs etc any feedback would be appreciated (abuse in PM's!)
There are also some good articles on there one about Hyde FC and the usual entertaining prose by Macca @The Paris Angel.
Thanks
Xenophobia, Bad Losers or Boys Club
June 25th, 2012 admin
Over the 2011/12 season we had several on the pitch incidents which brought different amounts of media comment and reflection.
Football sections of our newspapers and Sky and MOTD are full of experts, ex players (there is a distinction!) and media commentators who debate and offer their opinion.
But who decides what is news worthy, what is the main focus on our screens and in our papers? The Players? The Fans?
Macmillan is famously misquoted as saying “events dear boy, events” as a deciding factor in how the future would pan out.
But is not events alone. Are there other factors at work?
Over the weekend of the 21/22nd January we had that Balotelli incident. We don’t really need to go over the details of that one again, do we? That is because it had been screened, commented on and assessed by everyone and anyone with a slight interest of the game.
I had people mention it to me who have no idea, or normally, interest in football.
The media will always be ready for the next big story, it is up to individuals within the game to either behave or accept that comes with the job. That’s what we are told.
I agreed that Balotelli had been lucky to stay on, but his luck ran out when, as Gary Neville pointed out, Harry Redknapp set the scene for a frantic 48 hrs by ranting in his post match interview. Harry was obviously still hurt by the last gasp defeat and he made sure that the story would not be about the Spurs loss but Balotelli. His rant was unusual in the British game. Redknapp accused Balotelli of a deliberate “Stamp to the head”.
A serious accusation in sport and one that gathered momentum, and believers, quickly even though to KNOW it was deliberate was difficult to assess.
We then get to another incident the same weekend. Unless you are a Stoke orWest Bromfan you may have missed it.
Englandinternational Peter Crouch was involved in what can only be described as one of the most unusual assaults on a fellow professional I have witnessed.
After a coming together withWest Bromdefender Jonas Olsson, Crouch was seen to get to his feet, approach Olsson from behind and scrape across Olsson face around his eye. Only Crouch will know his intention but if Harry’s defined Balotelli’s action as being a deliberate act and stamping on Parker, it would not be too unfair if it was described as a deliberate attempt at an eye gouge.
What decided how these incidents were reported was the reaction, or lack of it in the case of Crouch, by the Manager of the opposing side and the media decisions.
Is this because the result went Hodgsons way, they won 2-1, or was it because the opposing manager, gentleman Roy Hodgson, did not mention or was not shown it by the media prior to the post match interview?
The incident was revisited by the Referee post match but he was left to decide that it would have only warranted a yellow card. Would the decision have been different if the incident had been highlighted as much as the Balotelli clash? Would he have felt the media pressure and agreed it was a three match ban? After all I have seen many red cards for less.
There are other cases this season. Alex McLeish accusing Arsenal Forward Robin Van Persie of deliberately elbowing Carlos Cuellar. McLeish did not hold back again calling for the FA to act.
There is a recurring theme here.
Balotelli and Van Persie are foreign players managed by foreign managers.
So why the difference?
The foreign Managers, Coaches and Players will not have the same bond.
They will generally return to their own or another country, continue their careers or retire. They will not be seeking employment within the British game or the media.
Most British managers, coaches and players are on the same bus. They have and do, come into contact with each other regularly over the years and naturally, relationships exist. Many will rely on each other for their next job in football.
The ex players rolled out as pundits or for comment are generally British, they too have the same bonds and relationships. Remember, when some of these ex players are giving their independent opinions on Sky, they will be in the Hospitality boxes the next week getting pats on the back!
Could you see Redknapp making the same noises and calling for the FA to act in similar circumstances if it was Rooney and not Balotelli? Can you see Alan Hansen getting the producers of MOTD to highlight an incident and showing it time and time again if it was aLiverpoolor Everton player?
His relationships withLiverpoolare understandable but cloud his “expert” judgement. Whilst he refuses to criticise his friends and their decisions atLiverpoolhis almost obsessive TV rants on Balotelli shows him to be capable of the most vicious bile.
Why was there so much coverage of one incident deemed “probably” deliberate over anEnglandinternationals seemingly more obvious act?
Is the difference the result? McLeish and Redknapp lost important games they could have won. Is it the lack of a relationship with the opposing Manager and Players which allows them to vent their feelings openly?
Or is there a undercurrent of xenophobia surrounding the British game?
Not sure but I will be watching again this season.
Andy MacNab
@bluemac63