It must have been with much weeping and gnashing of teeth, when some of Scotland’s finest scribblers belatedly put crayon to paper. However, what the public has been presented with can hardly be described as being analytical, never mind critical of the crisis facing Rangers. Like so much regarding Rangers, we are given very few facts and instead loads of subjective ramblings by journalists with blue and white leanings.
It is obvious to everyone that Darrell King is being fed tidbits from David Murray, with a view to giving as positive a spin as possible to the general public. Darrell King is clearly a Rangers supporter, writing and speaking for Rangers supporters. Quite apart from the unethical aspect of King being so close to David Murray, there is the question of journalistic independence. He is unable (or perhaps unwilling) to write objectively or speak dispassionately when commenting on his club. It follows therefore that when he writes about Celtic, he is also unable to give an honest assessment of the club’s fortunes.
Along with his plebeian sidekick Darryl Broadfoot, King represents the new generation of Rangers apologists in the media. This not so deadly duo make regular contributions to the blue and white cause, and make very little attempt to hide their allegiances. It is a shameful indictment of Scottish sports journalism, that somebody of Broadfoot’s calibre has risen to the position of chief football writer in the Glasgow Herald.
Just a few generations ago, the likes of Hugh McIIvanney and Ian Archer were writing on Scottish football. No we have chimps with word processors doing their job.
The biggest story in Scottish football is the implosion of Rangers football club, and yet nobody has had the guts to spell out the consequences. Rangers will never recover their status because they are irreparably broken. There is no way back for Rangers, they are unsellable and therefore mortally wounded, bound to die a slow death through a thousand cuts. And yet nobody spells out the truth. Instead, fantastical stories are woven involving shady South African émigrés undergoing criminal investigation, shabby barrow boys and dubious London property speculators.
We have now entered the hazy twilight world of the deranged hack, whose sole intention is to feed the Orcs with tales of hope and promise. Joseph Goebbels and Comical Ali could only look on in wonder at the work of their disciples. Another technique is to divert the attention away from their stricken club to the failings of Celtic. They have every right to point out the mammoth failure at Celtic Park, that is their job after all.
There is a great book out there waiting to be written about how Rangers and David Murray in particular ruined Scottish football. The veil is slowly being lifted over the fraudulent years. Rangers bought nine-in-a-row on the back of huge debt which is only now emerging from the murky waters. Tax avoiding inducements have been used to attract Rangers players, effectively undercutting Celtic and other clubs who followed the legal path. Strange transfers took place between Rangers and former employees, which resulted in the Ibrox club being paid way above the odds for quite average talent.
We also have to recognize the emergence of a relatively new phenomenon in the Scottish media called ‘Uncle Tim’. Uncle Tim takes many forms and many shapes, from the embittered ex-employee, to the sycophantic, hun-hugging apologist.
Craig Burley. There I have said it. This piece of poisonous vermin once wore the green and white and I feel revolted at that thought. Did he feel physically ill when he donned the colours? Nevertheless, it didn’t prevent him from taking hard earned money from ordinary Celtic supporters. One can only wonder what deep-seated prejudices this creature holds in his dark soul, but when he comments on Celtic games the poison just keeps oozing out.
There are many poor journalists in Scotland too numerous to mention. With the honourable exceptions of Glenn Gibbons and Graham Spiers, it is a journalistic desert.