David Moyes was “rude and unhelpful,” Mark Hughes seldom talks to the local press, while Billy Davies regularly “snarled his way through press conferences.”
Those are some of the revelations contained in a recent article exploring newspapers’ relationships with football managers at their local clubs.
Former Northern Echo editor Peter Sands spoke to three senior regional press journalists for the feature which appeared in the latest edition of InPublishing magazine.
It followed a series of rows between regional newspapers and their local football clubs which have led to some titles being banned from the press box.
Newcastle United recently lifted a 14-month ban on the Newcastle Chronicle and its sister titles while earlier this month the Swindon Advertiser was barred from reporting from Swindon Town press conferences.
Among the editors interviewed by Peter was the Liverpool Echo’s Alastair Machray, who contrasted former Everton boss Moyes with his successor Roberto Martinez.
According to Alastair, David Moyes had “little or no time for the press, was rude and unhelpful, and made no distinction between national and local.”
However he reported better relations with current Toffees boss Martinez, who he described as “sophisticated, media-friendly, charming and appreciates the position and value of a local media.”
Likewise Nottingham Post editor Mike Sassi reported a poor relationship with former Nottingham Forest manager Billy Davies, with access to a single press conference every week “which Davies and his assistant manager snarled their way through begrudgingly.”
However, under Stuart Pearce, Forest are now more “open and accommodating” with players regularly made available for interview.
The Sentinel, Stoke’s sports editor Keith Wales reported “excellent links” with former Stoke City manager Tony Pulis, whose mobile phone number he had.
New boss Mark Hughes, on the other hand, only talks to the press at pre and post-match briefings.
Peter summed up: “The issue isn’t going to go away. Football clubs will continue to review the value of their relationship with newspapers.
“And with newspapers never likely to pay for access (apart from any matter of principle, they simply can’t afford it) there is a danger they will increasingly rely on crumbs from the clubs’ tables. But football clubs need to keep one eye on the future.
“There is no guarantee broadcasters will always pour money into football. The Premier League might out-price itself, fans may grow disillusioned with an institution headed up by a discredited organisation such as FIFA, and who will be there for the clubs if their bubbles fade and die?
“In the meantime, without league intervention, journalists will simply have to hope that all clubs learn to appreciate the value of newspapers, respect the fact they represent the supporters and give them the help they need to do their jobs properly.
“Sadly, at the moment, that looks as likely as Newcastle lifting the Champions League trophy.”
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Although a news reporter, I stood in for a while at press conferences for football and I was embarrassed by the banality of a lot of the questions. Busy managers must find it very frustrating have to face this trial by trivia, which doesn’t help them win matches. It’s pretty obvious that many national sports reporters give some managers an easier time than others, possibly because they help them fill their pages better than others!
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Great stuff!
See how it paid off handsomely for Billy Davies after getting kicked out at Forest ….he can now spend everyday snarling at the mirror and Moyes has gone off to sunny spain to lick his multiple wounds…
Clearly something lacking in their dual Weegie mentalities
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Reporters have to remember one thing: it’s all about building relationships. If the Echo’s man had a rough time with Moyes then does that say more about his ability to gain his trust?
I note that the fanzine United We Stand’s Andy Mitten had no problems at all. Indeed, Moyes sent Mitten a text saying thanks to United fans and asked him to pass the message on.
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Most local football reporters are poodles who are thrown the odd bone by managers if they are sufficiently sycophantic.
They cosy up to clubs and steer clear of any snippets of controversy in case it upsets the club.
‘I’ve got this great story… but he told me off the record…’ blah blah
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It was a different world back in the 1960’s and 1970’s. I dealt with many managers including Bill Shankly, Billy Bingham, Jimmy Hill, Joe Mercer, Noel Cantwell and Gordon Milne. All polite and available almost every day. I just wonder how much difference all the television money has made to soccer!
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I know one manager who was so up himself with his own importance he offered to fight the local hack covering his particular footie club. The hack is still covering the club; the manager has been on a downward spiral ever since, managing less and less fashionable outfits, and non-league now beckons!
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Anyone in soccer who can’t appreciate the free exposure provided by local newspapers – and behave with the required level of respect – has got to be seriously thick.
Fans love to read what their local paper is saying about the club, players, manager – this, in turn, converts to bums on seats in the stands.
Recently, I’ve noticed the yawning gaps in the crowds at televised matches. You would think managers/chairmen etc would be busting a gut to stimulate more interest through the press to get the punters through the turnstiles. But many are just plain dumb.
The problem, I think, is that too many chairmen see themselves as tinpot tyrants, and too many managers have IQs well under the 95 mark.
This combination of ego and pig ignorance leads to dismissive attitudes towards the press. They simply don’t have the intelligence or awareness to make good use of the free communication channels on offer.
By contrast, a cultured, sophisticated figure like Martinez knows the importance of good press relations and acts accordingly. Top man!
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Offstone early. In nearly 40 years I have seen reporters with an IQ well below 95 and arrogance beyond belief. They champion themselves as spokesman for the fans. Actually they are filling space between ads, like everyone else. Its difficult to be a fan from the (relative) comfort of a press box. If managers don’t want to waste time answering dumb questions, so be it.
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