There’s an old saying in journalism which still rings true: “You are only as good as the questions you ask!”
That came back to me quite strongly as I listened to Alan Brazil apparently interviewing Sam Allardyce this morning.
There were so many questions that could have been asked such as:
O When did you claim that Ravel Morrison was not part of your plans as suggested by David Sullivan on here?
O What went wrong in New Zealand – surely an EPL team should never be beaten by minnows such as Phoenix and FC Sydney?
O The fans seem to be on your back again – can you win them over as the owners wish
O and are we going to see a change in style as demanded by the board?
Instead what we got under the gentlest prodding in the world
O Sam telling us that New Zealand was a trip too far;
O that he would do everything he could to improve our league position,
O that Ravel would play (perhaps) if his discipline was right which has already more or less been on the official site anyway
O that he didn’t worry quite as much about things as he spent longer in the game because he had learned how to overcome problems.
O oh, and that we might sign Carl Jenkinson, in the next 24 hours which was pretty well known anyway.
Sam sounded nice and calm and composed throughout but this was an opportunity lost.
Talk Sport arrived on air with an agenda to ask the tough questions – the ones that mattered.
There was a brilliant opportunity to get to the bottom of a whole load of issues this morning – every one of them was missed.
As a PR exercise Sam’s few minutes on air could be judged a success no doubt – as an opportunity to really tell the fans what was going on and what they could expect it was an opportunity lost!
Come on Hugh as an experienced man you must know all these interviews and questions are pre-arranged, and nothing controversial will be asked, Sams Agent would have made sure about that, and I’m equally sure the answers would have been agreed too.
What football lacks in general is a journalist like Paxman.
Gdubyah is Admin @ http://www.premierleagueforum.co.uk
Yes of course but I refuse to let it pass despite it being par for the course. let then know it hasn’t gone unnoticed as they exchange smug smiles
Exactly my thoughts as I listened to it, it was just an old pals act bit didn’t contain any substance for the listeners. Lazy & predictable stuff from Brazil & Grey
It’s always gong to be that way with Old School pundits like Brazil and Gray – who will alwyas be on Sams side (and why wouldn’t they be?).
Worse for me is that nonsense about Sam being a ‘proper football man’ as if they are worth more than jinny come latelys like Jose Mourinho.
They don’t understand that this is not really about football it’s about management. It’s the management skills of people like Ferguson, Mourinho and Van Gaal that make them successful and these skills are transferrable and would make them a successful if they had ended up in other fields of work.
http://billprosser.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/time-for-allardyce-to-go.html
Alan Brazils show is pretty crap now, it used to be ok but it just seems tired and going through the motions now
I have yet to hear a decent interview with these two presenters. it is all about the ‘old pals act’ where they just chat like long lost mates.