Yesterday turned out to be a busier day than I’d thought it would be and so I actually missed a story I had intended to write. But when I thought about it this morning I realised that I still wanted to do it, because I’ll be honest, it pisses me off somewhat.
I spotted it when I was doing my information gathering for a piece yesterday; Tom English’s throwaway remark, highlighted on the BBC Sports Scotland website, when Pat Bonner suggested that Lagerbielke’s goal had given him a fresh start and that it could only help him become a contender for a place in Brendan Rodgers’ team.
There was no need to give other than an affirmative response to that. After all, it’s literally true. Even if you’re only talking in terms of morale it is a given that this will help tremendously.
English wasn’t for having that. “I don’t think it will help him,” he said. “He’s not in the team to score goals.”
And I read that and thought “Really? That’s your answer in regards to a young footballer who is enjoying the best moment of his career so far? Yeah?”
I’m sure I’ll hear how I’ve taken that out of context. I’m sure that’s what I’ll be told.
But how can that be taken out of context? That’s his reflexive response, the first words out of his mouth. That the player won’t benefit from scoring because that’s not what he’s paid to do.
Guess what? James Tavernier isn’t technically paid to score goals either but these people lose their minds with excitement every time he gets one, even if its from the penalty spot, even if the decision to award it is highly dubious as some of them are.
So no credit given to the big lad. Apparently there’s no career upside to a Champions League Group Stage match-winner, just a snarky bitchy remark from a hack. And totally ridiculous because even as a debating point that has no merit whatsoever.
Impatient fans will give this guy new consideration.
His calm under pressure will inspire confidence in him as a player. He will take an enormous boost from it, of course, and Rodgers will feel better about putting him in the team because he’s on a high.
And it wasn’t even the only thing he did in the game.
He made a couple of crucial interceptions and if English is saying they won’t help him or that they’re not what he’s paid to do then I’d suggest he’s spent too long with his head up The Village Idiot’s backside.
There was just no need for that comment, no need except perhaps for English to vent some of his frustration at having to tear up the script he’d intended to launch into if the game had ended 1-1, as it looked likely to do at that moment.
In short, I found it pathetic.
Last month Lagerbielke was voted the best defender in the Swedish league for last season.
That was his first match for Celtic since his award,after missing our last 13 matches.
Hopefully his new confidence will make a difference.
When are the Celtic support going to learn?
The media and press absolutely detest Celtic.
Just read Keevins in the Sunday Mail.
If Celtic didnt exist he would be made redundant as that’s all he seems to write about.
When Celtic win games it’s on merit as no favours are ever given. As far as penalties go I thought Rangers right back was called James Pen.
Never a comment about how many dubious decisions go their way the press and media go dumb
Guys a prize knob end James. Not worth a drop of ink from your pen! We wait to see what his script will be when his team gets gubbed by the DONS on Sunday.
You didn’t take that out of context James. I listened to it and the egg loving parasite was bitter as hell about us winning. I actually loathe the guy. He is the archetypal BBC “neutral” who all seem to have one thing in common….hating Celtic.
He’s a brothy boy.
Snarky, bitchy remarks are the stock-in-trade for hacks like English. If he writes a phrase that praises, you know he’s about to try to burst somebody’s bubble. It’s all he does. A typically hairy arsed rugby club bar-room hack pretending to know anything about sports.
Tom English blocked me on twitter cos I once asked him to explain one of his absolutely crazy statements, just like this latest guff.
The man is a Buffoon and a coward who refuses to debate or accept any criticisms of his amateurish, don’t rock the company boat output. He should stick to Rugby Union and not comment on a sport he clearly knows little about. Actually, come to think of it, he’s pretty pish at the rugby too. A tadger’s Tadger, in mho.
The guys a dick
English, Spiers are just as bad as Jackson, Keevins, Leckie, etc.
Some have better writing skills than others, and are able to construct sentences.
But they are all subservient, cowardly, ‘churnalists’: the lot of them.
Not one proper sports journalist in our SMSM, IMO.
[Well, Jim Spence – ex-BBC – does get an honourable mention though.]
The way the collapse of the MSM is accelerating,
these guys will be gone soon enough.
They add nothing.
…and they certainly won’t be missed !
he is trying to wind u guys up and managing to do so very well! why o why do u guys respond to that garbage? Best to ignore? come on
It’s the job I get paid to do. Simple answer.
I’m one to sit back and read what’s going on but after watching Boyd on sky TV the other night we need to do something to run ourselves of such a strong bias from a pundit , this guy actually is going out to antagonise celtic supporters and sky allow it ? There needs to be some sort of sky boycott yo get rid cos this guy goes way yo far in his bitterness …thay got a good result which is fair enough , that doesn’t bother me but this guy makes me want to turn my telly off
Totally agree. It’s digusting that he gets away with such unprofessional conduct.
Rumours he’s for the off in in January so tbf English was probably correct for a change
As I have said before why doesn’t he just stick to rugby.chief sports writer my arse .
The word ‘snide’ was invented for this turd.