Media Thread 2017/18

[jrb]

Daily Fail watch.

Article still on the main sports page.


Manchester United stars return to training as focus shifts to Premier League clash with Everton

 

[manchester blue]

I think if they want someone who knows what they are talking about, and has some character, look no further that The Goat.

Paul Lake is very articulate and would, IMO, be a good pundit.

Have you heard Shaun on BBC Manchester? He's one of my City heroes but as a pundit; never.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

It was an interesting watch last night for American Blues. The two games Fox chose to televise were of course Liverpool and Spurs, but they did offer the City game on Fox Sports Facebook Live. Stu Holden was one of the commentators, and of course he kept going on and on about money.

They were making it very interactive with the fans because anyone watching was capable of leaving comments on the feed and the commentators and female host were both interacting with the comments.

At halftime, they were discussing our possibilities of going deep in the competition, to which Holden said the semis were a minimum, but laughed off the idea of us getting to a final. Not sure how those two thoughts can really go together. Which is another thing I find so funny with the hatred by the media and fans of other clubs, they are so quick to talk about the money we spend and saying we're buying success, but then hate on us for potentially succeeding with the players we spend big on. You can't have it both ways. The money talk is obviously just a safety net for them to justify our success, saying we should be doing well for what we spent.

Also, he went on to talk about Sterling's deadline day news and even said "he was ready to go to Arsenal before a deal broke down." Myself and others were quick to tell him he didn't know what he was talking about and it was quite funny to see him get worked up and defensive trying to justify what he was saying. That was one of the better spots of them being able to see what we were all saying, a predominantly City-supporting set of viewers.

Stu Holden understands how the game is played on the pitch, but has the knowledge of a grapefruit when it comes to what happens off it, especially about City. I reckon a large number of posters here know far more about the club then the guy who gets paid to talk about us.

Every club has a narrative laid upon it by the press. Companies have them too (I work with business reporters); so do celebrities -- fair or unfair, earned or unearned. The press by and large has chosen to lay upon us the mantle of the nouveau riche, a mantle that will never leave us until we are poor again some day.

I tried to fight this for so long, but mentioned earlier in this thread that it's pointless -- the narrative is now etched in stone, whatever our accomplishments. I don't see it so much as a press agenda against us as I do a continuation of the narrative that helps differentiate us from others and contextualize where we sit in the football world. And since the rags, Liverpool and others are permanent darlings, they have to have a counterpoint, or an enemy, for the story to continue, which is what the job of the press man is -- to add chapters to the story.

I for a long time have felt we should break out the "We'll buy your club and burn it down" chant every match as a "fuck you" to the entire football universe. We should wear the story we've been saddled with like a badge of honor, just as we have the "lovable loser" tag, the "typical City" tag, and the "noisy neighbors" tag.

Because our on-pitch success won't ever be enough for them to change their narrative. Ever.

 

[Newman Noggs]

I tried to fight this for so long, but mentioned earlier in this thread that it's pointless -- the narrative is now etched in stone, whatever our accomplishments. I don't see it so much as a press agenda against us as I do a continuation of the narrative that helps differentiate us from others and contextualize where we sit in the football world. And since the rags, Liverpool and others are permanent darlings, they have to have a counterpoint, or an enemy, for the story to continue, which is what the job of the press man is -- to add chapters to the story.

Because our on-pitch success won't ever be enough for them to change their narrative. Ever.

I think that it is more than the narrative requirement for an anti-hero with which to contrast the teams you mention. I think it is far more sinister.

I believe that there is a concerted effort to damage us commercially. People scoff at the idea that a major sponsor would be influenced by what the media have to say but to suggest that is to ignore the purpose of advertising. Who, on earth, would want to associate themselves with a product which is overwhelmingly mentioned with negative connotations ? Sure we're getting some blue chip deals but nothing like the size of those clubs whose "advertising" is overwhelmingly positive and whose employees are placed front stage to promote the brand.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

I think that it is more than the narrative requirement for an anti-hero with which to contrast the teams you mention. I think it is far more sinister.

I believe that there is a concerted effort to damage us commercially. People scoff at the idea that a major sponsor would be influenced by what the media have to say but to suggest that is to ignore the purpose of advertising. Who, on earth, would want to associate themselves with a product which is overwhelmingly mentioned with negative connotations ? Sure we're getting some blue chip deals but nothing like the size of those clubs whose "advertising" is overwhelmingly positive and whose employees are placed front stage to promote the brand.

What you describe as sinister maybe I'd describe as cynical. And lazy. But given the number of rag-loving and teary-eyed Liverpool fans in the media, your perspective is not to be discounted.

Semantics aside, it leads the same place.

 

[nmc]

Paul Lake is very articulate and would, IMO, be a good pundit.

Have you heard Shaun on BBC Manchester? He's one of my City heroes but as a pundit; never.

Agree with that re Goater but surely he'll fit in perfectly with Owen, Wio and the Ginger Pig.

 

[Grassland Blue]

Ok, let's talk about 'moneybags' Manchester City.
The media certainly have an axe to grind regarding this topic. However, there is no balance.
Say we spend £150 million on six players, why do they not say, "but the rags spent the same on TWO players!"
Without some balance their condemnations are laughable .

 

[mrbelfry]

The media narrative is driven by a handful of influential people I think and then copied by everyone else too lazy to think for themselves. When I used to listen to football podcasts like football weekly it was surprising how few games they seemed to watch. I think the narrative changes when we win the champions league playing exciting beautiful football AND when we start seeing the likes of Foden and other kids playing competitive gsmes. A few people catch on and then everyone else will follow suit.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

Been reading and listening to Dutch media these last few days. Hardly a surprise that it's been mentioned over and over again how much our squad costs and how the Sheik changed the club (not the fans, but that's not worth mentioning) and the big difference money wise.
Again hardly surprising that none of this has been mentioned when Feyeniord played the rags last year. Or when a Dutch team plays Real or Barcelona.

The Dutch media will take the lead from their UK counterparts, so this is hardly a surprise that they latch on to all the negatives. It's the exact opposite with the Rag's.

 

[SilverFox2]

Ok, let's talk about 'moneybags' Manchester City.
The media certainly have an axe to grind regarding this topic. However, there is no balance.
Say we spend £150 million on six players, why do they not say, "but the rags spent the same on TWO players!"
Without some balance their condemnations are laughable .

Of course there is no balance, the perception given by our FFP fine is that we continue to be subsidised by oil revenue which they know is totally incorrect.
However the reason we were not wanted still applies and the fear that caused the FFP is now starting to be apparent so their main subscriber base is not City no matter how well we do therefore they perpetuate lies to sell their biased product while we get on with proving that they were right to fear our owners business acumen.

Incidentally, I am sure ADUG will have a dossier of these lies. The media want to be careful that they do not continue to print or televise on many occasions their version of oil money etc. otherwise they will give ammunition of a more useful sort for legal purposes should ADUG take that route.