There are so many headlines up today on the news aggregators about Newcastle being in for Matt O’Riley that I had to re-read the guy’s actual comments a dozen times just to convince myself of what it was that he actually said.
It’s no wonder that clubs like Napoli are calling our press liars when they write stuff that is manifestly untrue, or at least when they manipulate a man’s words to turn what he actually said into something he didn’t say.
Matt O’Riley gave yet another interview where it seems that all they wanted to talk about was alleged interest from England.
This guy was playing down there a mere nine months ago, and every club missed out on him.
Now apparently they are flocking around him after seeing the performances he’s putting in up here in Scotland.
I think this whole thing is 99% nonsense, and the man himself confirmed that in the interview.
He has heard about interest from Leicester and Newcastle as he’s heard about interest from elsewhere. But he also knows that it’s all alleged. None of it resulted in a club making an actual bid. He knows that it’s all just chatter in the tabloids.
The press just keeps on asking him this stuff, and they keep on twisting his words.
The headline to all those pieces should have been that he’s happy at Parkhead; that’s the headline you’d get if someone asked a player at Ibrox these questions and got these answers.
“Matt O’Riley makes Celtic transfer admission as Leicester and Newcastle interest confirmed” screams the latest headline, from Football Scotland.
And it’s garbage because he didn’t do anything of the sort as his words make pretty clear.
“I know that Leicester showed a lot of interest in me. And I think Newcastle were there too. But it didn’t matter. If there is no offer, then it is not very concrete in my head. I didn’t really think about it because nobody from Celtic told me that, for example, Newcastle had made an offer. It wasn’t like that, so there wasn’t much to think about, and a lot is also written in the media. It’s great to get some recognition, because it means that I’m doing well at Celtic.”
I don’t think I’m spinning his comments to point out that he’s acknowledged that there was no move made and that the club didn’t receive an offer. So what “transfer admission” was there here?
He didn’t admit to anything except being able to spot paper talk.
Matt O’Riley is one of those guys who we know – for sure, we know – is going to go and move to England and net us £20 million.
But the guy is never going to get a minute’s peace from all this garbage in the meantime.
Every time he appears in front of the media he is asked about this.
The transfer window has been shut for nearly two weeks. The next one doesn’t open for nearly three months, so why in God’s name is he constantly bugged with this crap?
Ange should tell the players NOT to comment on ANY speculative transfer questions and spell it out that the players will WALK OUT of interviews if these type of questions continue.
It’s all media shite and the media playing games to unsettle the squad.
The media will stop knowing that if they continue asking speculative transfer questions the ‘interview’ is over for EVERYONE.
There’s no reason for the squad to take this BS so set rules, that lot across town set a price for interviews, with soft ball questions so, why shouldn’t Celtic start to lay down some rules of their own? If the reporters persist in that line of questioning well; the interview stops immediately, for EVERYONE.
I don’t think Celtic would be out of order doing that, they’re simply protecting their investments.
Thoughts?
Players are always under a job interview whether on the park or off it. I’m sure most players won’t mind speculation about them and will have to be a bit diplomatic talking about it. He might fancy Leicester in a couple of years, it would do him no harm not to just dismiss talking about it. (Not that I’m saying that’s the case)
Yes, but there’s no substance to the majority of the media’s BS, that’s all they’re doing, is trying to unsettle the squad.
I’d 100% introduce such a rule and if the ‘supposedly proposed interested party’ took offence tough, if Matt and others keep playing well, there’ll be way better offers than Leicester or Newcastle come looking for them for certain.
Celtic should be protecting themselves and their players much more proactively, too long they’ve sat on their hands re. sfa, referees media etc etc…
It’s more of a mental / psychological welfare here, because that’s very important too, a factor that gets overlooked time and again.
Meant to mention moreorless as a prime example of what media BS can do.
Their interviews and their comments don’t make one blind bit of difference to anything. Even if their intentions are to unsettle our players, and I disagree with that opinion, then who cares. It’s irrelevant and it isn’t doing any damage whatsoever other than giving Celtic’s top players free publicity by showcasing their talents. I think we make far too much of this transfer merry go round speculation madness, ignore it and let the players deal with in in their own way, they are all big bhoys after all. I wouldn’t imagine any of them would give the media any creedence by saying please don’t ask me about that, I don’t want you to unsettle me. 😉
If I mind right Phil’s site said there were good offers for 3 players and I expect one of them was O’Riley. Obviously they were knocked back. The players will always get asked transfer talk, mainly because there’s a bit of politics involved, and also because that’s what generally sells papers/clicks. Window closes and it’s days/weeks of what was close etc. or the free agents that could be signed, then maybe a wee break before it’s fanning the flames for the next window.
It’s important for all different reasons that we win the league again this year (which I expect we will and put on a bet to go undefeated) and get straight back in to the groups. It attracts money, investment, players and also retains players. It would be different if say a Liverpool came in for him, but at his age I think I’d trade in another CL campaign than say an extra £10/20k a week at a Brighton
He should basically not entertain it either! Just shut it down basically, easy done! God will we ever get out of brigadoon to be the true global club we are! Only one in this place also. Its so annoying and heart breaking seeing diddy wee English clubs circle our club hate it! As I told a villa fan few years back ” if we ever play your club dont even bother showing up we fill your ground for you”! No club in uk comes close to ours! Fan wise anyway, none and maybe anywhere on the planet! Just not had the real leadership in that board lawell created this normalisation of our players be readied for that league, makes me sick
Celtic have got the boy on a contract.. so we in the driving seat here. Our scouts have to be giving recognition here for getting the boy on a small fee, be here for 9 months, and be worth what he is worth today. There is no doubt he will head back down south at some point, but in the meantime, we have bigger fish to fry. We have big game tomorrow night, which I’m confident in. If Celtic play like they did against Madrid, then 3 points will be coming home . The fact that I’m disappointed with not taking anything from the Madrid game, is a testament to how well we have started the season HH
You know Celtic are doing something right, and that the other mob are sweating it, when their press pals go into overdrive like they have been this last wee while!
Its free publicity, and the players and club know the games they play all to well.
I’d slap a £50m minimum release clause on all our high profile players for the time being just to separate the nonsense from the serious and to let clubs know we’re not playing games
Its the usual incessant journalistic shite from the pro ibrox media halfwits, tryin tae find any kind of angle and unsettle our manager, players, or support. Ffs even today, desperately still tryin tae resuscitate the Ange-Brighton interest rumour and draggin Souness intae it with his opinion. Who actually gives a fuck what he thinks ?! They pay more focus and attention tae utter nonsense and speculation regardin our club, than actual facts concernin whats goin on at ibrox.
I wouldn’t let them in my house. A thief you can keep an eye on but a liar … untold damage. If Celtic do keep letting hun scum in, then what’s wrong with our PR getting the questions first and filtering out the shite. If they then go on to ask a differing answer, then it’s a case of ‘Get out of my house and don’t come back’ … rules is rules.
Agree wi that. Give them one chance and that’s only because diplomacy expects and if they twist somebody’s words kick their arses out. Either tow the line or yer out, definitely. Celtic PR should toughen up wi these eejits.
It’s quite simple, they hope to unsettle the man and hopefully his performance levels dip, and give the geriatric sevco defence a chance to get near him. Hail Hail.