RANGERS TAKEOVER: THE S*N GOES INTO FULL PR MODE AS NEW OWNERS STRUGGLE TO SELL PLAYERS
- BY LIAM CARRIGAN
- Jul 18
- 3 min read
One of the first, and most important rules, I was ever taught when I began my journalism studies was this: “it’s your job to report the news, not to try and create it”.
And yet, it seems, once again, The S*n newspaper didn’t get the memo on this one. Or perhaps they did and their “writers” simply couldn’t read it?
The S*n plays Sales Agent for Rangers Takeover Leaders
Now, maybe I’m being a wee bit naïve here, but usually, the job of drumming up interest in a player who is looking for a transfer to a bigger club is the job of both his agent and the selling club.
Still, I guess for as long as The S*n newspaper remains willing to whore itself out to Rangers, to use as a fountain of PR positivity as and when required, we can’t really blame Scotland’s youngest club for taking full advantage. Since the Rangers Takeover was confirmed, this behavior has only gotten even more sycophantic.
The latest example of this came this morning, with a story supposedly linking Nico Raskin with a move to Spanish side Real Betis. The source is the Spanish football gossip site MuchoDeporte.
And there’s me thinking “mucho deporte” was just a Spanish translation of one of Donald Trump’s latest campaign slogans!
The original Spanish story doesn’t mention any official approach from Betis, nor does it mention any fee. In fact, the entire story is just 2 paragraphs out a far longer round up of ongoing Spanish football transfer gossip.
But hey, since when has The S*n let trivial little things like validating sources or basic fact-checking get in the way of an opportunity to help “The Rangers”?
The S*n’s own article makes numerous references to Raskin’s “soaring value”, his potential to make a “huge profit” for the Denizens of Ibrox and numerous other vacuous platitudes completely lacking in both journalistic impartiality and factual basis.
At no point however does the article mention any concrete interest from any specific clubs or any bids for the player. They don't even bother to give a valuation to the player.
I don't know what this slop is supposed to be but it certainly isn't journalism.
As usual though, like the world’s worst player of the game of “Twister”, The S*n story flails around, trying desperately to cover every possible angle, so they can turn round next week and say “we told you so” regardless of how utterly disconnected from reality their hopelessly optimistic assertions turn out to be.
They throw in a final paragraph saying that new Rangers director of football Kevin Thelwell remains determined to tie Raskin down to a longer-term deal.
Erm, which is it guys, because it can’t be both?
Either Rangers want to sell the player and reap in this “huge profit” that you insist is but a phone call away, or they want to keep the player around for next season and beyond.
What we have here is yet another classic case of journalism being supplanted in the name of wish fulfilment. The S*n and its enablers literally think that if they keep telling the same lies often enough, one or two of them will come true.
However, Celtic fans know the reality. Raskin is decent enough player. However, like every other player at Ibrox, he’s a player who won nothing last season.
Real Betis don’t sign losers. I know that, you know that, and despite their ramblings to the contrary, The S*n knows that.
Don’t buy The S*n.
