There are two different kinds of bias when it comes to how Celtic players are treated by the media. The first is the obvious sort; whatever makes them uncomfortable playing for us. Whether that’s bumming them up so they hanker for a move or running them down so they can’t function in the team, this is a well trodden path that the hacks like to walk.
The second sort of bias has been shown up this close-season already, in the way the media has sought to highlight the Danish national team refusing to select Matt O’Riley. Now part of this stems from the first bias, in that it’s partly done to unsettle him, but there’s another reason for it and it’s the bias of those in our media who seek to run down the game here.
During the independence referendum, when the same shoddy tactics were being used against Scotland, as a country, by people who actually live here – “too wee, too poor, too stupid” – we amongst the Yessers took to calling it The Cringe; a deep-rooted shame or embarrassment or sense of inferiority about your home nation.
Now, I know that one or both of these things is responsible for Tom English’s latest ludicrous statement on the national team and how perhaps Callum McGregor doesn’t fit into our strongest midfield for the game tonight, but I don’t know which of the two is most prominent. Is this just more anti-Celtic guff from this guy, or is this The Cringe?
As ever, I am indebted to Charlie Thaview, my friend at Born Celtic, who boldly goes where I fear to tread and he did an excellent piece on this yesterday, where he highlighted English’s comments on the BBC Scottish Football podcast … and they were ridiculous.
First, he suggested that although Ralston has proven himself that Clarke might not play him but instead go with Jack Hendry at right back. For God’s sake, this is nonsensical. I’ve watched Hendry play at right back, briefly, for Celtic and he’s nowhere near it, not in the same league as Ralston is when he’s on his game. This assertion is suspect on its own.
But it’s when he turned to Callum McGregor that my jaw dropped.
“I think the big one is probably the central midfield,” he said. “McTominay, Gilmour, McGinn and Christie started against the Netherlands because Callum McGregor was injured. They played exceptionally well for 70 minutes. Really, really clear chances, looked very fluent. Is he gonna go McTominay if he is fit? We haven’t seen him in these two friendlies. I know it’s almost sacrilegious to even suggest that Callum McGregor might not be in the starting lineup, but he might not be in the starting lineup … If he wants to go with McTominay, Gilmour, McGinn and Christie, the same four he had in Amsterdam, then McGregor misses out just as he did three years ago for the opening game in the last Euros.”
As Charlie points out, the game he’s bumming up, against the Netherlands, is one we lost 4-0, and this blog commented at the time that the absence of McGregor in the middle of the park was glaring, and a crystal-clear element in what went wrong.
English is like a lot of others at BBC Scotland … he writes and talks about the national team, and Scottish football as a whole, with only baseline knowledge and no real passion for it.
The thing of it is – and this is a great sentence to write – English isn’t Scottish he’s Irish, and football isn’t his first sport, that would be rugby, and I’ve always thought he sees the Scottish football scene as beneath him; he would very much prefer to be across the water as the senior writer for his favourite sport.
So, it could be The Cringe. He could actually just be looking at the best midfielder in the Scotland set-up and judging him inferior to those who play south of the border, just because he hasn’t followed them to the land of milk, honey and overpaid footballers.
The idea that either Ryan Christie or Billy Gilmour – who he thinks do belong in the strongest midfield – are better players than McGregor is honestly laughable; Gilmour is on his third club in five years down south since he left Ibrox, and I’m still trying to work out what all the fuss is about. So too, evidently, were the coaches at Chelsea and Norwich.
He’s at Brighton, hardly a football superpower. Christie is at Bournemouth, who spent more than £100 million last year to finish 12th in that overhyped league.
John McGinn is a phenomenon. No question. And I’m a big fan of Scott McTominay.
But those two – along with McGregor – are your classic midfield trio, and they all complement each other well. You can choose from between Gilmour and Christie if you need to have a midfield four, but the idea that both of them should start over McGregor … that’s for the birds.
I guess we should all just marvel that he hasn’t managed to find some reason why Kenny McLean might be a better bet. Even he isn’t stupid enough to argue for Ryan Jack, who is in the squad for reasons passing understand, as he can’t possibly be anywhere near match fit and is simply taking up a space which could have gone to someone who deserved it.
That only one of English’s five options, our captain, plays in the SPFL, is a good enough reason, it seems to me, for some people to look for an alternative, any alternative, who plays in England rather than accept that perhaps our league has the superior footballer out of all of them.
Then, of course, are just those who enjoy picking away at Celtic, using any avenue open to them, and English is a past master at that stuff.
His penchant for criticising us for everything he can shoehorn in a justification for is well known and infuriating, and his suggestion about moving Jack Hendry to right back is suggestive of someone who’d rather not have Celtic players acknowledged as worthy at all. I mean, this is especially true in the absence of a single Ibrox player anywhere in the setup, since we can’t count either Jack or Liam Kelly in that as neither of them is actually on the books there.
But you know, regardless of what version of bias we’re getting here, that we are definitely getting the whiff of it here is not in the slightest doubt. McGregor must play, because he’s the best player in that midfield for a start, and because the SPFL champions should be represented in that opening game, as a great showcase for our league and the best side in it.
I can understand why the promotion of these things might not be something English is interested in.
I’m just glad he’s not the guy picking the team tonight.
I’d go with Mcgregor, Gilmour, Mctominay, and Mcginn, I think that has a decent balance about it. I like Christie, he had a good season in the EPL, so he also would warrant a start, but he could definetly make an impact from the bench. I feel it’s a tall order tonight, especially with Germany at home, I just hope they do themselves justice and that’s all you can ask for really.
I will never understand people (anybody) suggesting that we play, for instance, Jack Hendry out of position. Is English stupid that he would suggest playing a centre half there, rather than an actual right back who knows what he is doing? I don’t think any team should play a player out of position if we hope to get the best out of them. Either play them in their correct position or don’t play them at all.
english by name……english by nature…he is a scumbag.
It’s not bias mate, it’s either ignorance or stupidity take yer pick.
I love Calmac. Absolutely adore the guy. If Scotland want to go with McTominay, Gilmour, McGinn and Christie then that’s good for Celtic is it not? Calmac is at Celtic until he’s retired or gets a coaching role a la Broony. So we don’t need him in the shop window to bump up his value.
However, Calmac should play and will want to play. I think it’s unfair to compare him to Ryan Christie who I have always liked even before he became a first team regular at Celtic. They both played in the same team together so it’s apples and oranges as far as I am concerned.
I agree about McGinn and McTominay. Both excellent players who should go straight in the first 11 based on club form and Scotland performances.
So that leaves Gilmour. I am a fan, I am sorry to say. Brighton is a team I like to watch playing football and Billy Gilmour has definitely found his footballing home there. Would I pick him over Calmac? Probably not but I am biased.
I obviously want Calmac to start. But if he doesn’t I won’t get too upset. He’ll be an excellent asset to have on the bench (as will Gilmour be).
As for Jack Hendry at right back, you called that one correctly!!!! I think Tony Ralston will be solid if he starts. That’s about as much as we can hope for with what we have available in that position.
Whenever a ‘No’ supporter claimed that Independence advocates ‘Hated the English (people)’, I always responded
that we don’t hate English people we just detest the Westminster Governments and the Democratic deficit we experience by being part of that setup.. Our votes for whichever ‘English Party’ are meaningless in that they do not affect the outcome of either a General Election or the passing of individual bills into Law.
The only time the phrase ‘anti English’ can be justified is when it applies to that bittern wee, egg-chasing Northern Irish nyaff that pollutes, even more than usual, the typical, BBC Scottish Branch anti Independence, anti SNP, anti Celtic and anti Catholic discourse.
The Union is finished and people like English, the person, are desperate to hold onto the reins and the only way they can do it is by poisoning the well. Their natural audience sups avariciously from that well to sustain themselves while we find it bitter, extremely bitter,
Every single one of the BBC Scotland pundits (those that actually played the game) has McGregor in their starting lineup. English is being obtuse – whether consciously, subconsciously or unconsciously I don’t know but makes no difference as his analysis of the game generally is not worth noting.
It’s going to be a hard watch tonight,on ITV we’ve got swally MC coist absolutely talking pish,and sourness past it.on BBC Scotland so far it’s been Steve Thompson, Neil MC cann and any other ex Huns they can drag out.
Watching Scotland in the euros tonight ,is like watching Celtic in Europe,, absolutely out of their depth,,whether calmac played or not,,,,,
I’ve got to agree with you there John,we were dire , Germany have much better players but we didn’t push them hard enough,it was men against boys,not one Scottish player got pass marks they were all terrible and that goalkeeper,what was he about,packie bonnar would have done a better job even now.it was indeed like watching Celtic take hammerings in Europe,I think it’s just the level of Scottish football,and it’s not about size of a nation as sourness said, countries with equal or smaller populations do better than us at club and international level,I think we should just come home now and save further embarrassment, Clarke is going to turn this around,like our club sides Scotland is just there to make up the numbers sadly.
It’s not about English,
but about a thoroughly discredited, conflicted organisation – the BBC.
The sooner the BBC dies, the better.
Like The Daily Record, the BBC wouldn’t be misssed.
The BBC news coverage – generally – is farcical.
The occasional, decent BBC period drama doesn’t cut it.
The BBC should be binned ASAP.
The only thing I’d miss Bob (original) would be Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch…
And the excellent political programme The View on BBC Ireland where the excellent Mark Carruthers is a journalist and a half for sure.
He ripped that little loyalist twerp and troublemaker Jim Allister to pieces recently and in fairness would do it to ma side (Sinn Fein) if they deserved it but they’re thankfully usually too astute for that…
Note of course that of these two programmes mentioned above one is produced in England and the other is produced in Ireland…
Absolutely NOTHING GOOD comes out of BBC Scotland !
If I was Calmac I would retire from international football he is a cut and a half above anyone else in that squad imo yet all he gets is media gutter snipes and pundits trying to knock him down.if we had Cal in our team(ireland)with what he gives and what he brings he would be treated like the god that he is ??