A week ago, after the Airdrie game, I said The Daily Record had branched out into fiction when it published the ludicrous claims that Celtic fans had attacked away fan buses. This week it has branched out even further, into comedy, with an article that compares Alfredo Morelos with two of the finest footballers in Europe; Mbappe of PSG and Barcelona’s Messi.
Published under the by-line “Record Sport Online” – which means this story is so embarrassing that nobody wants to put his name on it – the headline alone is enough to get you rolling in the aisles; “The Alfredo Morelos stat at Rangers that’s been bettered only by Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.”
And what does the article amount to?
Morelos had a combined goals and assists record which beats every player in Europe except for those two. It’s ridiculous. He has, apparently, been “involved in” 31 goals. That puts him “in front of” Harry Kane and Mo Salah … indeed every player except the two in the headline.
If you were not yet laughing at the ridiculousness of that comparison you will be in a moment because the next paragraph read thus;
“However, if you include players out-with top-flight leagues, Queen of the South’s evergreen frontman Stephen Dobbie trumps Morelos. The 36-year-old has registered a remarkable 39 goals and assists in all competitions.”
Yes indeed. Morelos is amongst the global elite but only if you don’t count lower league footballers, like the 36 year old Dobbie.
Good God, is this really something that should be published? It’s a honking piece, pure clickbait, and no wonder nobody wants their name on it.
“We’re not putting Morelos in the same bracket as the cream of world football,” says the article.
Which is funny, as that’s exactly what the headline suggested.
Is it another contemptible piece of pro-Ibrox PR from a “newspaper” which could double as their in-house magazine at times.
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