Guardian Piece with an interesting take on the Title Race

[CP 0 3 BHA]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/13/rafael-benitez-newcastle-united-championship-promotion-brighton-premier-league

"there is a distinct, slightly Machiavellian suspicion it may suit Benítez to finish second behind Brighton"

Well written piece - and I can see the logic of that from Benitez's point of view.

I have to say I was amazed to see the chap is being paid £5m a year to manage in the second tier - no wonder he stayed!.

 

[Stato]

I really dislike Louise Taylor's writing, but this may not be completely her fault. The Guardian put her in a strange position. She is the North East football correspondent, so hardly ever writes about anything but Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough. All of her articles concentrate on what is best for those clubs, regardless of who they are playing. She was given the job of covering our Boro game last season and we seemed reduced to bit part players in the drama.

The Guardian don't seem to have a correspondent that concentrates entirely on any other area of the country. There is no South Coast correspondent writing about us, Bournemouth and Southampton, there is no North West correspondent reporting on the Liverpool and Manchester clubs. Only the North East is singled out. This is probably because they don't want to pay for reporters to travel up there whilst she travels south to write about someone else, but the effect of it is to give special treatment to three clubs that the other 89 don't get. As she only knows the North East clubs, whenever she is asked to write about a game that involves someone else, the best their fans get is a mention as supporting artists to the drama of the North East football bubble.

Chris Hughton is almost always referred to in terms of his former job at Newcastle. However, this is not intended as a particularly Brighton slanted complaint. All of her coverage of the Premier League from a Sunderland and Middlesbrough angle, probably annoys me more than the Championship stuff. News about these two is of no more concern to the rest of the country than the inside story from Stoke, Southampton or West Brom, but its pushed again and again as if the North East is some special home of football. I don't know how much it must annoy Hull City fans whose team is not quite North East enough for her to ever bother with.

 

[Steve in Japan]

So promotion is the goal, and the Title is secondary. Not really a massive story. I think Louise is indulging in a bit of fantasy to emerge with the headline that Rafa might be happy to finish 2nd.

 

[Steve in Japan]

So promotion is the goal, and the Title is secondary. Not really a massive story. I think Louise is indulging in a bit of fantasy to emerge with the headline that Rafa might be happy to finish 2nd.

Sorry, it wasn't the headline but you get my drift

 

[Zamoracomehome]

I've not been that irritated by our lack of UK-wide press coverage - I'm involved in the media and realise the national interest is more regularly on Newcastle (until people jump on our own back story when promotion is done)..

But this Guardian piece really annoyed me.

Why is today's focus on Newcastle? Brighton get the final three paragraphs in this story - even though it's Albion who could all-but be promoted today. I don't really understand why this has been missed.

I think Newcastle have been given a fairly easy ride by the press this season when you take finances into account.

 

[trueblue]

And now, ladies and gentlemen, a huge round of applause for Louise as she emerges from Rafa's arse. What a load of guff. "There've been times this season when Benitez has really had to earn his £5m salary". Yes, of course. No beef with Newcastle having spent a lot as they made a huge profit but that doesn't change the fact that they boast resources way beyond the means of every other club.

To finish anywhere other than top - which they may well do - is an embarrassment. I don't dislike Rafa or Newcastle but this whole article is just making excuses for what's actually been a pretty piss-poor effort at times.

It really reaches a ludicrous low at the suggestion Benitez WANTS to finish 2nd. Yeh, right.

 

[ForestRowSeagull]

The thing that irks me about the 'we made a profit' argument is that you still needed to have those £30m rated players in the first place. If I had a Ferrari and sold it for a BMW, which still performed far better than any other car my mates had, does that make it all ok? I've still got resources way beyond everyone else. Anything else but a 1st place finish would be laughable given their squad, regardless of who they sold last summer.

 

[wellquickwoody]

And now, ladies and gentlemen, a huge round of applause for Louise as she emerges from Rafa's arse. What a load of guff. "There've been times this season when Benitez has really had to earn his £5m salary". Yes, of course. No beef with Newcastle having spent a lot as they made a huge profit but that doesn't change the fact that they boast resources way beyond the means of every other club.

To finish anywhere other than top - which they may well do - is an embarrassment. I don't dislike Rafa or Newcastle but this whole article is just making excuses for what's actually been a pretty piss-poor effort at times.

It really reaches a ludicrous low at the suggestion Benitez WANTS to finish 2nd. Yeh, right.

Brighton and Sheet Wed were ready? Blimey, Chelsea must be shitting themselves.

 

[studio150]

Putting a positive slant on finishing second when Newcastle should be out of sight in 1st.

I had overlooked the summer transfer profit but they still spent a huge amount which is beyond the dreams of nearly all championship teams.

 

[BBassic]

It's not really about the title race though, is it? Brief mention of us and Huddersfield and the rest is about Rafa and Newcastle.

 

[Live by the sea]

I wouldn't take much notice of anything written in the Guardian, silly leftie paper.

 

[trueblue]

It's not really about the title race though, is it? Brief mention of us and Huddersfield and the rest is about Rafa and Newcastle.

It's about Louise Taylor knowing which side her bread's buttered and writing a positive 'puff' piece about how great Rafa Benitez is now it looks like they might blow the title.

 

[Stat Brother]

Gotta love a piece in which the underlying thread is:-

'£55,000,000 isn't enough to win the Championship',

as a team that spent half that is in pole position to win the Championship.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

I really dislike Louise Taylor's writing, but this may not be completely her fault. The Guardian put her in a strange position. She is the North East football correspondent, so hardly ever writes about anything but Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough. All of her articles concentrate on what is best for those clubs, regardless of who they are playing. She was given the job of covering our Boro game last season and we seemed reduced to bit part players in the drama.

The Guardian don't seem to have a correspondent that concentrates entirely on any other area of the country. There is no South Coast correspondent writing about us, Bournemouth and Southampton, there is no North West correspondent reporting on the Liverpool and Manchester clubs. Only the North East is singled out. This is probably because they don't want to pay for reporters to travel up there whilst she travels south to write about someone else, but the effect of it is to give special treatment to three clubs that the other 89 don't get. As she only knows the North East clubs, whenever she is asked to write about a game that involves someone else, the best their fans get is a mention as supporting artists to the drama of the North East football bubble.

Chris Hughton is almost always referred to in terms of his former job at Newcastle. However, this is not intended as a particularly Brighton slanted complaint. All of her coverage of the Premier League from a Sunderland and Middlesbrough angle, probably annoys me more than the Championship stuff. News about these two is of no more concern to the rest of the country than the inside story from Stoke, Southampton or West Brom, but its pushed again and again as if the North East is some special home of football. I don't know how much it must annoy Hull City fans whose team is not quite North East enough for her to ever bother with.

Jamie Jackson is based in Manchester and writes mainly about its two clubs and Merseyside.

 

[Stat Brother]

Jamie Jackson is based in Manchester and writes mainly about its two clubs and Merseyside.

I would have taken the 'South Coast correspondent' job for the previous 100 or so years.
I'm not sure I'm qualified for the position, going forward.

 

[Southy]

"Unfortunately for Hughton, his board do not seem quite on message and have taken the fate-tempting step of cautioning fans against invading the pitch should their long-awaited departure from the Championship be confirmed against Wigan."

Well that's scuppered that then...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bombardier]

Guardian, silly leftie paper is the correct answer. Boring article and would far rather read an article written by Paul Hayward!

 

[Zamoracomehome]

Guardian, silly leftie paper is the correct answer. Boring article and would far rather read an article written by Paul Hayward!

Who used to work for the Guardian of course.

I think it's more an article which reflects the general national press coverage of our promotion push - Newcastle has always been the top line, even when it wasn't warranted.

 

[Albion in the north]

#UnderTheRadar
Still

 

[Machiavelli]

I really dislike Louise Taylor's writing, but this may not be completely her fault. The Guardian put her in a strange position. She is the North East football correspondent, so hardly ever writes about anything but Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough. All of her articles concentrate on what is best for those clubs, regardless of who they are playing. She was given the job of covering our Boro game last season and we seemed reduced to bit part players in the drama.

The Guardian don't seem to have a correspondent that concentrates entirely on any other area of the country. There is no South Coast correspondent writing about us, Bournemouth and Southampton, there is no North West correspondent reporting on the Liverpool and Manchester clubs. Only the North East is singled out. This is probably because they don't want to pay for reporters to travel up there whilst she travels south to write about someone else, but the effect of it is to give special treatment to three clubs that the other 89 don't get. As she only knows the North East clubs, whenever she is asked to write about a game that involves someone else, the best their fans get is a mention as supporting artists to the drama of the North East football bubble.

Chris Hughton is almost always referred to in terms of his former job at Newcastle. However, this is not intended as a particularly Brighton slanted complaint. All of her coverage of the Premier League from a Sunderland and Middlesbrough angle, probably annoys me more than the Championship stuff. News about these two is of no more concern to the rest of the country than the inside story from Stoke, Southampton or West Brom, but its pushed again and again as if the North East is some special home of football. I don't know how much it must annoy Hull City fans whose team is not quite North East enough for her to ever bother with.

Daniel Taylor, who is now their lead football writer, used to focus on the north-west and Manchester within that. I'm unsure whether their surname is just a coincidence, but you're right that it is odd that she now seems to be the odd one out focusing on the north-east.
Despite all that, the approach does bring some insights. It's the first I've been aware of the distance between Rafa 'Facts' and Ashley 'Unaware of the Facts going on in his business'. This is in stark contrast to the symbiotic relationship between our manager and chairman, and it gives me an even bigger glow to set off towards Wolverhampton.