Ric Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 My personal opinion is that when he first started writing about Scottish football he was fairly even handed. Coming from the egg chasing tradition of fair play he seemed not to be tainted too much, even though an Irish background can, wrongly of course, label any commentator before a word is written. For me the soft shoe shuffle of Budge regarding the reconstruction while desperately clutching at straws to hammer the SPFL (a fairly open target long before this debacle) has seen a noticeable decline. Now to be fair, considering the other pundits in the sphere of Scottish football it's not exactly a high bar being set in the first place. I think he's still a good journo, btw, not throwing the baby out with the bathwater here, but imo he needs to step back and take a breather. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludo*1 Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 Voted for, 'He's good - but recently declined'. That's a bloody understatement. He's went in my eyes from being one of the top journalists in Scottish sport to the absolute worst over one news item. I'd have given him the benefit of the doubt if he admitted he'd got it wrong but the fact he's continually doubled and trebled down on one side of this issue that is clear for pretty much everyone to see is wrong is an absolute disgrace. To be the lead writer for BBC's Scottish sport output and only reflect one half of a story is quite frankly horrendous. To be publicly decrying that if people had an open mind they'd agree with him and that it's only Celtic fans that disagree is absolute lunacy. In reality, his handling of this disaster has been a disaster and would see any self-respecting journalist finished. That's not the world we live in. When Chic Young & Neil Doncaster are owning you, it's time to pack it in. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Public menace Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 I like himThough he has backed the wrong horse on this occasion and lost badly.He will no doubt refer to any criticism he receives as ill feeling from Celtic fans for backing rangers cause. Fairly cowardly I would add.When in fact it’s valid ( in my view ) criticism from a host of clubs / fans from around the country.Sad days when chic young is running rings around you on national radio 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahemps Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 His article yesterday about Barry Hearn talking about the Scottish Football mentality is a very good read. Sadly though it reminds me that we are so far away from having a progressive ambitious hierarchy in Scottish football and we are destined to be stuck with the current awful state of the game for a long time. But I think his opinions on this are good. He may not get everything right but he is entitled to an opinion and I think he tries to be subjective. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52646285 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 Havered between "good/decline" and "never liked him/worse". Settled for the latter because, although he used to be a decent journalist, there was always a really smug "listen to what I'm saying you morons, I'm an intellectual" about him, even when he wasn't talking to Chic. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 4 minutes ago, ahemps said: I think he tries to be subjective. He succeeds. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dons_1988 Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 11 minutes ago, welshbairn said: Havered between "good/decline" and "never liked him/worse". Settled for the latter because, although he used to be a decent journalist, there was always a really smug "listen to what I'm saying you morons, I'm an intellectual" about him, even when he wasn't talking to Chic. Most 'good' journalists have a bit of that about them to be fair, certainly the ones that end up appearing as pundits on shows. However, he probably fuels his own arrogance by engaging with people on Twitter and considering that to represent 'fan opinion'. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bohemian Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 (edited) Old firm obsessed twat. If it wasnt for the cheeks hed have zero interest in Scottish football. Hes gone down the road of click bait and twitter trolling, no turning back for me.. Edited May 14, 2020 by Bohemian 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthBank Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 Really, really gone down in my opinion. Up until this debacle I rated him as the best journo and the most impartial in a country where allegiances always come to the fore on national radio in particular. However not seeing Ann Budge's only interest is in saving Hearts and trying to make out she is doing it for the good of Scottish football. And supporting Sevco's dossier when there was no evidence produced whatsoever and ignoring a rebuke by Brechin on comments purported to be made by them. And backing ICT to the hilt when all other Championship clubs have effectively called them out have demonstrated one of the most one-sided pieces of journalism in this country and that is saying something. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paranoid android Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 He's good most of the time, but sometimes he's not as good - there isnae an option for that, so I cannae vote. Re his alleged recent decline - he's a journalist, and he got a whiff of a story, so he went digging. Also, journalists mostly tend to be wanks rather than good guys - I'd say English is mostly a good guy. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottishZizou Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 I don't think he has particularly good opinions re football and this latest showing has been an embarrassment. When I first heard him speak he seemed quite intelligent, could articulate himself which was refreshing given the morons normally speaking and was pretty neutral which despite me not agreeing with him he had a bit of a nuance. The longer he has been on the radio/in public attention the more extreme/forceful with his view points he has become and I am not sure why as this has caused his nuance to disapper which was his redeeming quality. I sometimes think he takes things to the absolute extremes when making his point as he HAS to be the most intelligent person in the conversation and everyone else is an idiot with an opposing viewpoint. There was one time he was discussing John Mcginn and Stuart Armstrong (not a lot in it between these players for me, Mcginn more tenacious, Armstrong more intelligent) but he was speaking as if Armstrong wasn't fit to lace Mcginns boots, I think its conceivable that someone could think Mcginn is better and thats a very valid point to have but he turned his viewpoint into Mcginn= phenomenal and Armstrong is a diddy purely because he wanted to get across his point so much and demosntrate how smart he was that the view he was taking started to become fanciful. I could probably pluck more examples from the memory bank but this stood out as I remember thinking he was coming across as obsessed. This current case is such an example, he has to be the smartest person in the conversation and can't back track so has dug himself such a huge hole. Dying on a hill with the rangers, not where you want to be. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludo*1 Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 'Are you saying Ann Budge, a successful businesswoman would make a mistake?!' Tom said, incredulously. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invergowrie arab Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 He's cancelled 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theoriginalhedge Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 Anyone who tries to ruin reputations of clubs and individuals on the basis of speculative rumour and mistruth can't and shouldn't really be trusted to hold the position of chief sports writer for the BBC . By all means be objective but at least try and get the basic facts right first to avoid having to make shit up to try and get you out of that deep fuckin hole . 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAD Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 I think he's been crap for ages. He's smug to the point he can't accept any view that isn't his own, or any criticism. He manages to get trolled daily on social media, not just by fans, but often by clubs or other journalists because he can't let anything go and is extremely thin skinned. The current situation is just the latest and most high profile example of this Also I don't know why people keep saying he's good when writing about rugby or whatever. He isn't. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kildog Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 He's a joke now.Who cares what he's done in the past.Idiot. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludo*1 Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 I'd normally give a journalist a free pass on some bad articles or ridiculous opinions. We all have bad days at work and we've all been on the opposite side of the general consensus of something at some point. It's his refusal to back down, him saying you must be an idiot if you disagree and his constant refusal to even acknowledge any other opinion that's did it for me. That's alright if you're posting in a heated debate on the likes of P&B, but not when you're supposed to be the most senior sports journalist (For the BBC) in the country. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomGuy. Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 Tom English is fine when he doesnt need to give an opinion. His piece on Tommy Wright was cracking but it was just him writing about someone, rather than giving his opinion, if that makes sense. As soon as he has to actually convey thought hes rotten. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DA Baracus Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 He's fucked it 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wastecoatwilly Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 15 minutes ago, theoriginalhedge said: Anyone who tries to ruin reputations of clubs and individuals on the basis of speculative rumour and mistruth can't and shouldn't really be trusted to hold the position of chief sports writer for the BBC . By all means be objective but at least try and get the basic facts right first to avoid having to make shit up to try and get you out of that deep fuckin hole . You maybe right the BBC don't like people picking sides he is possibly working his ticket or retiring. I've got no problem with the egg chaser picking a side I prefer people to speak their mind but when it gets personal I question the motivation. Has he crossed the line everyone's tolerance level's are different. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.