Today Keith Jackson and the Daily Record Sports Department have more egg on their faces than Kirk Broadfoot trying to work a microwave as Brentford confirm that their midfielder Toumani Diagourgaga has signed for Leeds United.
He is the first of two “major targets” Jackson said last week would be unveiled during the course of this one, moves the hack claimed would cement Dave King’s reputation with the Sevco supporters and post notice of his seriousness.
And things may get doubly embarrassing as St Johnstone’s chairman has firmly stated that his club wants to hang on to Michael O’Halloran who Sevco made two offers for a fortnight ago which club insiders immediately labelled “insulting” and “derisory.”
This website revealed that neither of these offers even reached £200,000 … one third of what the club would deem an acceptable starting point for negotiations.
Sevco’s failures on the transfer front have become a source of great amusement for Celtic fans since King took over, with the widely trailed signing of Scott Allan coming to less than nothing as he opted to go to Parkhead, pulling on the Hoops instead of the light blue of the Ibrox club.
Yet these developments feel much more significant, as Mark Warburton’s clear frustration at not already “having his men” grows with the realisation that a club that’s borrowing money from its own supporters groups probably isn’t going to hand him the funds to reach the Champions League quarter finals any time soon.
The press is fond of reminding us of his “City of London credentials”, but they never bother to see that through to it’s natural conclusion; that a guy from such a background probably isn’t going to be fobbed off for long on talk of jam tomorrow.
He can do sums better than any Daily Record sports journalist and knows these ones just don’t add up.
As a manager with a healthy self-regard, and who’s family are still living in England, how long will it be before he starts thinking the grass might be greener on the other side of the border?
How long before he starts to wonder if a club who’s fans engage in sectarian singing, harrasment of journalists and internet stalking and who’s directors and former directors have more criminal charges against them and pending than the bosses of the Five Families might just be more trouble than the line on his CV is worth?
The fans too must surely see this as a major humiliation, after widely praising this “signing” before it was made.
They really did believe King when he said he was bringing transparency to the club, only to see more secrecy surrounding its affairs than ever before.
The de-listing from the Stock Market, with all the attendant consequences that went with it appears to be exactly what King had wanted as there’s no requirement to tell the fans anything at all beyond what Level 5 PR gets into the papers, and King himself thinks they need to know.
Significant funds are clearly not available, otherwise deals like these would have been over the line by now.
Do you remember Rangers?
When they used to get players to come to Ibrox by offering over the odds and sending a private jet to pick them up?
At Sevco they are more likely to offer ginger bottles and a taxi from the airport, after making their incoming “stars” pay for their own meals from an economy class seat.
Yet it is Jackson I thought of first when I heard the player had opted to go elsewhere.
He was so sure that this was a done deal that he trailed it on Twitter and in his ridiculous and widely mocked column on how Scottish football is about to emerge from “a dark winter”.
That article was the subject of widespread derision, including a piece I wrote over on Fields (which you can read at the bottom of this one).
I’d like to know if he’s still convinced by King’s bluster.
Doesn’t this news make him just a teeny weeny bit suspicious that the Bampots might be right about this geezer?
What has he brought to Ibrox except continuing trouble?
Not one penny that’s gone into the football club over the past six or seven months has been identified as coming from his pocket, and he doesn’t even run things day to day, leaving that up to Paul Murray.
This might be a good time for Jackson and others to revise their opinions.
How much more of this embarrassment do they want to take?
(To read Keith Jackson & A Corpse By The Road click here.)
I can’t believe that Warbs, with his “City of London” credentials, didn’t know exactly what he was coming in to.
He doesn’t even have the excuse of being a RRM, who answered the call of “his” beleaguered club.
The question should be, what is his role in a set up that is infested with convicted criminals and failed directors. considering the afore mentioned credentials?
Are you sure he’s nor a rrm have you shook his hand
As ‘Administration Day’ is just around the corner and the planets really are aligning, I think they are in a worse condition than in 2012. At least then they thought that they still owned(?) the stadium. Now, not so much. HH
The headline of the article should probably read “Record hack proves he is stupid”.
The title should read”Record hack proves he is stupid”.
James
I think that Warburton will be well versed in what is going on around him and that includes the so called Scottish media and all that entails, his sidekick Weir will have him well up to date on how things work in Scotland……I would not have the Daily Record in the house and haven’t done so in many a long year. Jackson will already be typing up his excuses for getting it so badly wrong…again. I just cant see Michael O’Halloran playing for Sevco…….no wonder the lads head is all over the place.
HH
Why would anyone with half a brain want that club on your C V, The baggage is horrendous.
Bang on. The lamb Corp have waded through Oldcos blood with their denial agenda. They will have Sevcos blood up to their necks soon.
I see that Neil Lennon has invested more money into Bolton by helping pay his backroom staff than Dave King has invested into the Rangers. King should ring Neil up and ask him to help out.
Scottish football emerged from a long, dark winter three years ago, meanwhile, the storm fronts appear to be gathering force over Govan.
This article isn’t about Warbo.
It’s about Jackson.
The man is a complete tosser and in any other job he would have been given his p45 by now.
His employers must be utterly embarrassed, yet again, by his output.
A laughing stock.
Jackson made look like a tit by that piece of bigoted shite he rights for! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
Record hack will never print or delve for the truth if it has a negative on Sevco. King full of smoke and mirrors hoping Warbs can keep pulling a rabbit out his “magic Ha t”
Well if he is as clever and as astute as his background suggest he’ll be doing a disappearing act soon then Mr Jackson will have a story.
A message from a Dons fan , I just want them dead .
Never mind Jackson looking stupid, look at the way our club has been treated by the SFA.
Cheated by officials in the Scottish Cup semi final.
Denied Champions League entry because of the UEFA licence issued to Rangers in 2011 despite those making the application and those signing off on it at the SFA being in full knowledge of the unpaid tax due on the illegal Discounted Option Scheme.
Why has Celtic not pushed on this…it’s months since they asked the SFA for an explanation?
Are we as complicit as the SFA……….is Lawwell up to his neck in it?
Surely all it takes is an interested party, say a Celtic shareholder, to make a complaint to Police Scotland and the whole affair would unravel after a few hours investigation. The names of those who made the application on behalf of Rangers and those at the SFA who signed off on it will be on the paperwork……….forget hours of investigation, it should take 5 minutes.
To me this is potentially the biggest scandal ever in UK football…….a club and the national football authority colluding to ensure that club’s participation in European football in order to bring in funds to keep the lights on.
Why are we standing back and meekly accepting it while those inept clowns at Hampden continue to ruin our game………further evidenced by the Accies ground shambles and the St J’s ticket fiasco.
Come on Lawwell, are you with us or against us?