There are some things you read that stand out so clearly as demanding a response. Not because they deserve one, but because they require one. Plenty of nonsense out there doesn’t get the attention it craves, and rightly so.
But there are things that need a response, and one from Celtic—whether that’s from the manager or someone else at the club.
I’m talking, of course, about the Daily Record column today on Alistair Johnston, quoting former referees Steve Conroy and Des Roache.
For once, I’ll give the Record a pass here. They’re simply reporting. But it’s Conroy and Roache who the club must respond to. These shameless publicity seekers, driven by their own agenda and the desire to promote their show, have gone too far this time.
I don’t mind people talking rubbish. Hell, people have accused me of it often enough. Some of my colleagues get the same treatment, and I regularly accuse mainstream media figures of it myself.
But talking rubbish is basically harmless.
Talking rubbish isn’t the issue. It’s when the rubbish crosses the line into the sort of stuff that actively insults the intelligence of the reader or, worse, something that spins into personal attacks. That’s where this case lands.
Conroy and Roache are entitled to their ludicrous opinion that Johnston should have been sent off at the weekend. If that’s their stance, fine. But if they’re going to play fair, they need to apply the same logic consistently. By their own argument, the Ross County player should also have been sent off. And since they’ve previously harped on about the so-called “double jeopardy” rule, they’d better revisit plenty of incidents they’ve dismissed under that same banner.
Talking rubbish is one thing. Doing so with malice is another. This isn’t just stupidity; this is a targeted attack on one of our players. That requires that we respond.
Let’s look at Des Roache’s actual words here:
“Alistair Johnston is starting to make a name for himself with the dark arts that he is getting away with. I think now that people like us are talking about it will be highlighted a bit more, not that you go out to target a player but I think it’s become more obvious that this is part of the game that he plays.”
If you can’t see that this is a blatant effort to put Alistair Johnston under the microscope and invite officials to scrutinise him more closely, then I don’t know what to say to you. It’s as transparent as it gets.
First, Johnston isn’t “making a name for himself.”
Roache and Conroy are trying to make a name for him, and it’s one they’ve invented. The term “dark arts” is laughable. What does that even mean in this context? A clumsy challenge in the penalty area isn’t some covert act of skulduggery. Maybe Roache should stick to terms he actually understands.
Second, let’s be clear about what he’s implying: he’s accusing Johnston of cheating. Yet, where is the evidence? How does barging someone in full view of the officials and the cameras constitute cheating?
And then Roache says he doesn’t want to target a player but believes this kind of talk will draw more attention to Johnston’s behaviour. That is the textbook definition of targeting a player. Neither Johnston nor Celtic should stand for it.
What exactly does Roache mean by “this is part of the game that he plays”? A clumsy challenge in the box isn’t some sneaky elbow or sly kick off the ball. It’s not a hidden act designed to escape detection. It happened in full view of everyone.
Let’s pull a random name out of the hat: Nico Raskin.
Raskin has been fortunate not to see red on several occasions this season. Leaving the boot in? That’s part of Raskin’s game. Maybe Roache and Conroy should “highlight” him instead. But of course, they won’t.
This kind of commentary from them is all about generating headlines and publicity for their show. It’s not about fairness or balance. These people think a bit of media attention gives them carte blanche to say whatever they want, even if it paints a target on someone’s back.
And that’s where Celtic must act. The club has a responsibility to protect its players from this kind of nonsense. The manager should publicly call them out. Club officials should make it clear that this won’t fly. Even Johnston himself has every right to respond and set the record straight.
What Roache said is a personalised attack on one of our footballers, plain and simple. Whatever he tells himself his motives were, it’s obvious what he was trying to do: get his name in the papers and stir up some controversy.
But not at the expense of one of our players. That should never be allowed, and I trust Celtic won’t let it go unchallenged.
Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images
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James, the Daily Rectum doesn’t get a pass here.
They ran the story in full knowledge of its content and its potential consequences.
They printed the story knowing what the dual purpose was: easy hits and plugging their radio show
while the story was itself baseless and a direct slur on the professionalism of Johnstone and Celtic by association.
The whole article was concocted by those two clowns and whatever Churnalist ran the story. It was nothing other than an ‘Opinion’ piece from two biased nonentities designed to increase their exposure at the expense of our Player and Club.
Nicholson should get up aff his erse and ban them and the daily asswipe permanently from Celtic Park. Valid criticism is expected, however made up nonsense of this nature is beyond the pale and potentially dangerous for the player.
That rag and its “reporters” should be banned
permanently from Parkhead
Yes it’s the Record who printed the story.
Celtic should demand an apology or ban the newspaper reporters.
FFS Alistair Johnston admitted it was a foul and the ref didn’t consider it a sending off offense so how the hell is our player being labelled a cheat.This Des Roach I take it he was a rubbish official as I’ve never heard of him
Roach is a Cock = A Fuckin Scummy COCK ROACH !!!
Will that Scummy Cock (Penis) Roach flag up that Simon Murray should not have been on the field of play to set up the first equaliser for Dundee due to a previous assault on a Celtic FC player with his arm…
Nah – Will he fuck the ex cheat with a whistle !