I’ve been lucky enough in the past to have had the privilege of being invited to press conferences at Celtic Park, albeit conferences conducted online.
On both occasions, I thought long and hard about the questions I wanted to ask, and also about which was most important, since I may only be allowed to ask one.
So Many Questions, so Few about Celtic
So, naturally, I get a bit frustrated when I watch recent press conferences with Celtic’s manager and players, and I see that privilege being misused. Some might even say taken for granted.
In the last few weeks, our manager has, politely and courteously given pretty much the same answer to about a dozen different questions. Each spoken in its own way, and with respect for the person asking, but even Brendan Rodgers must be getting a bit sick of it.
He’s been asked about stadium pyrotechnics, Fan behavior, ticket sales, managerial sackings and corporate takeovers.
Not Brendan’s Problem
None of the above are Rodgers' concern. Nor should they be. Brendan Rodgers is Celtic’s first team manager, and I for one am sick of seeing people wasting the opportunity to ask genuine, thought-provoking questions about our manager, his tactics, his team selections and his approach to each game.
Instead, in the clamor for some kind of story, they hope they can trick Rodgers into saying something outside his remit.
In pursuit of that catchy, clickbait headline they try baiting him into slating fan groups, mocking the opposition, or commenting on issues like the club’s approach to refereeing incompetence and ticket allocations. "The club are dealing with it" is a quote Brendan should probably keep with him on a personal dictaphone at this point.
Our Manager is Too Smart to Fall For This
Rodgers is seasoned enough to see these attempts almost before they happen. It’s actually quite insulting that the tabloid hacks still think that he’ll take the bait.
Our manager is not stupid, and our media should stop treating him like he is.
Celtic Football Club made statements about pyro, about ticketing issues, about fan conduct.
Over at Ibrox, they seem to produce more statements than players these days. So, there’s no shortage of material if gutter press tactics are all you want to deploy in your reporting.
It’s all there and documented. Even if Brendan Rodgers was daft even to get drawn into saying something controversial, its ultimately irrelevant. These are issues over which he has no control, and no influence.
Once Again, Fan Media Fills the Void
It’s very telling that, without fail, every time I watch a press conference, be it the manager or one of our players, the most interesting and indeed relevant questions, are those asked by representatives of fan media.
Being a fan doesn’t mean you have to be a sycophant. It doesn’t mean you have to peddle the exact narrative the club want to put forward on every issue. Indeed, I’ve copped quite a bit of flack online over the last few days for criticizing the club in areas where I feel they can do better.
That isn’t going to change, because I believe telling the full story, even the bits that may not reflect well on Celtic, is crucial to accurate reporting.
However, it does mean that you treat our players and our manager with the proper respect, that you do your research and know which issues the manager is qualified to talk about, and which he isn’t able to discuss or won’t discuss.
Basic Standards Not Being Met
In every other sphere of journalism these are normal, basic standards of practice. Celtic should insist on the same professionalism from our media.
I am a great believer in freedom of the press, however there is no such thing as absolute freedom. We must always act with courtesy and respect for those people kind enough to give us their time to talk. That includes not wasting our subject's time with irrelevant questions.
Other journalists understand these rules, and work within them. What makes Scottish football journalists think they are the exception?
As readers, as customers, we can and should demand better.