Are Media Relations Key to Old Firm Longevity?

[Super_Ally 0]

Prior to ending his ill fated reign with Celtic this week Tony Mowbray had taken so much on the chin that only Jimmy Hill or Buzz Lightyear could have withstood so many blows to the jaw. From the moment he entered Celtic Park as the new manager Mowbray was struggling to make himself understood and often left listeners and observers questioning his intentions and meaning.

 

It is undeniable that the media hold a large amount of sway over the general public and if you are not able to keep the devious and conniving journalists happy or provide them with good copy then you are facing an uphill battle undertaking such a high profile role in managing one half of the Old Firm. Admittedly the press cannot argue that black is white or up is down. However, if you end up on the wrong side of the tabloid press perhaps they can influence mass opinion and shorten your stay in Glasgow? By manipulating popular opinion a manager may find his time is up sooner (or later) than it should be.

 

Walter Smith�s predecessor Paul Le Guen struggled with the language barrier and a fairly diffident approach to speaking to the press as part of official club duties. As with Tony the Fourth, Le Guen�s results were atrocious and ultimately led to his downfall; however, had Le Guen enjoyed a more genial relationship with Scotland�s hacks perhaps they might have been able to engender greater good will to the Frenchman�s vision for the future of Rangers. Alas, PLG delivered neither the results not cultivated the media relationships to extend his stay into a second season.

 

Now, those two examples; PLG and Mowbray, it could be argued had to leave as results ensured their position had become untenable. That would not explain the departure of Gordon Strachan. After 3 successful seasons in the East End Walter Smith returned to Ibrox to wrest back control over Scottish football to Govan. Three consecutive successful seasons followed by one poor year would normally give the manager enough credit to have a shot at a re-exerting their dominance.

 

Strachan, though, has always been a prickly character when dealing with the press. Whilst his quips and barbed replies provide amusement to fans across the country, the journalists are less amused at his cutting remarks. Strachan was never accepted by the Celtic ââ?¬Å?faithfulââ?¬Â as he wasnââ?¬â?¢t Celtic minded (an Irish RC bigot) but again a national press normally ever willing to talk up their Celtic friends did nothing to assuage fan opinion even in spite of his success.

 

The previous incumbents of the managerial hot-seats; Alex McLeish and Martin O�Neill were afforded plenty of good will by the journalistic brotherhood. McLeish epitomised everything a Rangers manager should in much the same way as Walter Smith does now. Gracious in victory, dignified in defeat. A Scotland legend and a well spoken and amenable man in dealing with the press. O�Neill, by contrast is much the opposite, the typical Celtic man. He led the club through some undignified stunts (using his opposite man�s name in celebratory t-shirt slogans) and is the poster boy for sore losers. He helped fan the flames of bigotry, making a mountain out of a molehill and then some. A softly spoken man who talks intelligently to the assembled media, yet a distinctly dislikeable person.

 

We have seen with Gordon Strachan how Celtic fans will claim not to be able to put aside their footballing philosophy in the pursuit of success. Yet they only turned on Strachan once he failed to deliver the SPL trophy and never complained about the ugly, agricultural brand of football that O�Neill delivered as he tried and ultimately failed to compete with Alex McLeish.

 

Thanks to a fawning media O�Neill�s inability to produce a brand of football that was anything close to resembling the total football they profess is their trademark was completely ignored. He had the support of our press, delivered some success (though not as successful as Strachan) and so his faults were ignored.

 

Walter Smith will most likely choose his own time to depart from Rangers for the second time. An ability to pick his own retirement date will primarily be earned through continued years of domestic dominance. It will also owe a lot to his control of the West Coast Sports Writers. A man of immense respect within the game and unparalleled dignity, the journalists know better than to pick a fight with the Don of Scottish Football. Some have tried before and as Chic Young among them will testify have come off a very poor second best.

[calscot 0]

I feel a strong need to youtube that Chic interview again...