Andy fell out with the Albion in a very serious way for not towing the party line a few years back. The reality is the Albion are very corporate and channel all their news through one source and put up brick walls when it suits them.
In order to get access to the club at times you have to be diplomatic. There are loads of Journos writing about the Albion. Over the years Andy has done better than most (including the Archer days) to describe him as a lap dog is ridiculous- you really don't know him.
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Yes as I said he didn't toe the line once, got burned, lost privileged access to info and therefore has no choice but to say very little until it's club sanctioned. For me personally that makes him moribund.
I never claimed to know him just know how I feel when I read his often conceited smug toned articles....especially these days.
Please - it's toe the line.
Genuine thanks, always happy to be picked up on SPAG and learn something in the process.
The club does not leak information the way it used to and very few people know exactly who our targets are. In a rather good forthcoming book, Paul Winstanley says that most of the names linked with us are wide of the mark. Most of the rumours are creativity on the part of journalists or agents hoping to raise a bit of interest in their clients.
I'm looking forward to reading your book Nick and agree that i'd rather we conducted our business the way we do but it's sad that for me a local journo can't speculate for fear of being completely ostracized by the club/lose any access he's regained from being muzzled due to a previous indiscretion. (I don't personally agree with the way the club handled that particular scenario around Garcia's reasons for leaving but that's another issue.)
No of course not but I simply don't believe that if news breaks from a source to a journo who writes a story that it's the act of publishing a story that leads to said gazumping. Anyone close to the player wanting to bid up his player/ the commodity would simply tout to any other interested party.But let's talk about exclusives - let's say Mr Naylor gets wind of a transfer we're about to do and reveals it in the Argus. If another club picks that up on NewsNow and gazumps us, as Norwich did last season, would that make you happier?
And, these days, 'challenging the club' has often meant a ban. Ask the local papers in Bournemouth, Southampton, Swindon, Newcastle and Middlesbrough.
Sure I accept that in this instant gratification/news is currency world that there will be less and less institutional challenge for fear of retribution/bans but as it stands anything he writes is simply a regurgitation of the truth already issued via sanctioned club channels.
Why not go out on a limb, report things his own way, risk the ban and earn kudos/respect from the supporter base who might well respond positively rather than the pretty universal condemnation of his current dour style?
Look, this game is all about opinions and yours in particular as having written many excellent articles for the nationals is one I highly respect so we'll have to agree to disagree on this occasion. Suffice to say I just wish we had a more proactive hard hitting chap covering our club for the local rag.
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