England players refuse to talk to media

[El Presidente]

I suspect the players' stance was to show solidarity to David James, who has had dogs abuse over the last few days in the redtops.

Frankly who can blame them, irrespective of how much they are paid no one deserves the degree of stick that the papers give them. The result against Austria was down to a poor refereeing decision and a mistake by James. He was honest enough to admit it but that does not mean he should be crucified, Sven made the right decision tonight as James' confidence has been shot to bits, so played Robinson instead.

If you had people constantly slagging you off at work how would you respond, have a chat with them after hours and pretend that nothing was wrong?

They will be slaughtered in the press tomorrow and the result will hardly get a mention, all because they refused to talk to another bunch of overpaid self indulgent wankers that are the British sporting press.

As for Richard Keys tonight, what a patronising tosser. He has one of the most piss easy jobs in the country, gets paid a fortune to watch football, and acts like a little girl because Sky did not get their exclusive banal comments that we have all heard before a thousand times after a game.

 

[Easy 10]

Fair points El P.
But instead of throwing their toys out of the pram and turning their back on the media, whats to stop the Captain striding into a press conference, holding up some examples of the juvenile, pathetic and embarrassing articles in papers such as The Sun and saying something along the lines of:

"This is a load of crap which frankly insults the intelligence of YOUR readers. By all means write about the performances on the pitch, criticise mistakes where its fair, but cut out the personal stuff and the feeble attempts at humourising it, and start treating your audience like adults. In short, try to behave like professional journalists and stop pretending you write for f***ing Viz".

I would have infinately more respect for the England squad if they came out all guns blazing and REALLY hit back at the newspapers, instead of hiding behind some FA media spokesman giving some glib statement about "wanting to make a point".

Have some bollocks, for christs sake.

 

[El Presidente]

Agree entirely Easy (we are having a bit of a love in today aren't we) but the England players are not very bright, and the dressing room is one of the last bastions of 1970's style trade unionism under Gordon Taylor.

I have a friend who worked with Taylor at the PFA last year, and she left on less than amicable terms due to a story that is so big that it would have NSC closed in a minute by the lawyers!

 

[alan partridge]

do none of you give a shit about what utter cu nts the press are? while we all desperately want england to win stuff they'll print anything and everything about them to sell a few papers.

 

[Easy 10]

I care.
And I am on record on this board as saying that the overreaction by the press to that draw in Austria was absolutely ludicrous and totally blew things out of all proportion. It WAS a decent performance for most of the Austria match, and I can understand why some of the players feel aggrieved at the amount of criticism levelled at them, and at some of the personal abuse of David James (although I'll admit I was hardly complimentry to him on here over the weekend either - not that I retract any of it).

But blanking the media - and in so doing also blanking the fans - is not the way to go about dealing with this. HIT BACK at the tabloids. Just SAY what most intelligent people realise about them - that the likes of Sadler and Howard write a load of SHIT. Name names, embarrass them in the press conference by all means.

But don't just pull up the drawbridge and sulk like 8 year olds. Act like grown men and DEAL with it, for fucks sake.

 

[Lindfield by the sea]

Written press are wankers - they hide behind sources. Completely agree with the players. If the press want to get personal (See The Sun), wtf do they expect?

It'll result in a bit of team solidarity, which wouldn't do any harm anyway.

Bring on the Leek Eaters.

 

[saltash seagull]

think it's a disgrace! they want the money and the glory but not the stick

 

[alan partridge]

But blanking the media - and in so doing also blanking the fans - is not the way to go about dealing with this. HIT BACK at the tabloids. Just SAY what most intelligent people realise about them - that the likes of Sadler and Howard write a load of SHIT. Name names, embarrass them in the press conference by all means.

Easy I would love it if they did that, LOVE IT. But A. it just isn't in English footballer's natures (or English people for that matter) to 'tell tales' B. Can you imagine the reaction of the Murdoch press, and others, if they were to do this? Jesus, it doesn't bear thinking about....we think they can be vindictive now...

I think in this case they want to go on the attack but think its better to keep their mouths shut.

And anyway, millions of england 'fans' are tabloid reading monkeys whose football experience involves going down the pub for sky matches. They'll spout off any rubbish they print in the office to sound knowledgeable....'bloody overpaid primmadonnas etc etc'

 

[The Wookiee]

As for Richard Keys tonight, what a patronising tosser. He has one of the most piss easy jobs in the country, gets paid a fortune to watch football, and acts like a little girl because Sky did not get their exclusive banal comments that we have all heard before a thousand times after a game.

Totally agree, he made himself look a right c*nt!!

One minute he was slagging off the England team next minute when Teddy Sherringham spoke out in defence of them and Andy Gray sort of agreed, all of a sudden he shut up!!

What f*cking right has he got to judge our players??

Perhaps the News of The World should dig up some dirt on him and print some sordid story all over their paper for the next couple of weeks lets see how he and his family likle that!!!

 

[Titanic]

Totally agree, he made himself look a right c*nt!!

That shocking suit and tie combo last night didn't help his credibility either!

 

[Northstander]

Andy Gray was really scared!! hahahaha, he was really squirming in Sky Sports as if talking about someone behind their back and realising they are there!!

 

[Willow]

We had a great win last night and still people find something to whinge about!

If the players don't want to talk to the press then that's their perogative. I couldn't care less if the hacks don't have any quotes for their papers. Make it up, that's what they normally do anyway.

They are footballers paid to play football, and last night they got the job done. End of.

 

[D'Angelo Saxon]

I support the England teams decision not to talk to the press. Too often I think that the media are partly to blame for lack of confidence in the team.

I know I'm probably in a minority here, but f*** the press, and f*** the negative attitude of the majority of football fans.

Come on Sven and come on England!

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

England players are premadonna's .... the sporting press are complete scum ...... what a joke.

I (and can't believe I'm saying this) support the players on this one .... I am obviously not well and apologise for the offence that this has obviously caused to our younger viewers ....

 

[Northstander]

I think as quoted on SKy I add, that Beckham as Captain should have at least come out to give a statement on this decision.

 

[fatbadger]

Prima donnas. The lot of 'em. You'll never catch me defending the media, but I do think the players were totally out of order last night. Does anyone really think that this attitude is in any way unconnected to their performances? They don't care about us - the fans. They don't care about the shirt. f***ing tossers. They want the glory, but they don't want to work for it and, God forbid, they don't want to have to think about the wider responsibilities they have as a result of the position they are in. If it's all too hot for them, they can f*** off out of the kitchen.

 

[El Presidente]

Prima donnas. The lot of 'em. You'll never catch me defending the media, but I do think the players were totally out of order last night. Does anyone really think that this attitude is in any way unconnected to their performances? They don't care about us - the fans. They don't care about the shirt. f***ing tossers. They want the glory, but they don't want to work for it and, God forbid, they don't want to have to think about the wider responsibilities they have as a result of the position they are in. If it's all too hot for them, they can f*** off out of the kitchen.

Should this not be on the Scotland 0 Slovenia 0 thread?

 

[CHAPPERS]

Prima donnas. The lot of 'em. You'll never catch me defending the media, but I do think the players were totally out of order last night. Does anyone really think that this attitude is in any way unconnected to their performances? They don't care about us - the fans. They don't care about the shirt. f***ing tossers. They want the glory, but they don't want to work for it and, God forbid, they don't want to have to think about the wider responsibilities they have as a result of the position they are in. If it's all too hot for them, they can f*** off out of the kitchen.

Tad over the top if you ask me. There was a poll in a newspaper recently asking readers whether they would prefer to have David James in goal or a donkey FFS. The media want it both ways and it's refreshing to see people trying to stand up to them and saying 'you don't own us'.

 

[El Presidente]

As for the idea that 'the players talk to the fans through the media' it's a load of shite.

We don't particularly care for post match interviews anyway (unless it's Keegan 'loving it' or Gordon Strachan at any time) as the banal questions are only matches by the dull answers. Much rather see the goals from the other games or some large breasts personally.

 

[D'Angelo Saxon]

I forsee a new dark ages, where the England football team refuse to talk to the media again, and the media follow suit by refusing to cover any England football performances, leaving everyone in the dark....