It's not the fact they got rid of him. It's the underhand way they went about it!

yes prop I agree that but now we have the start of the drip, drip, drip media articles about Martin.

I am saying I am sick to death of the hypocrites all they want is to put someone on a pedestal then knock them down

The RFU appointing Johnno could be the moment when the monkey at the typewriter manages to produce the works of Shakespeare.

That doesn't alter the fact that it was all handled in about as cack-handed a way as was possible, and it's quite right that the media should point that out.

If, as I sincerely hope he does, he gets us back to the top of world rugby, it will be in spite of, not because of the RFU.

The media are merely doing what people on these boards do. They're offering their opinions. Unlike a lot of the opinions aired on the internet, theirs are based on watching a great deal of rugby and knowing all the characters involved, so they're based on knowledge, rather than on prejudice, which can sometimes be the case here. Would you rather have censorship? I wouldn't.

The Professional Media have a lot to answer for not just in Rugby but all things.

Nobody wants censorship I agree but they have made their pennies on the back of Ashton haven't they?

I and others on this site have said, the way it was handled was dreadful.

However, the hypocritical way they now fawn and moan is ridiculous

Quote:

The RFU appointing Johnno could be the moment when the monkey at the typewriter manages to produce the works of Shakespeare.

Well I did not see much shakespeare in last weeks or the weekend papers just a great deal of plagiarism pinching each other's lines - all saying the same things

Oh dear how sad what a pity and the injustice of it all.

The media want to get a grip and if as has been said

Quote:

theirs are based on watching a great deal of rugby and knowing all the characters involved, so they're based on knowledge,

then that lets all of us out folks we have no say, no opinion of any regard deary, deary me

and how many media bods tell and have told whopping lies then over the years?

So they are the only people who can form an opinion because they are the ones to coin a phrase

"They know you know"


Absolute rubbish!

You're putting words into my mouth - a trick not unknown to the more scurrilous breed of journalist.

I never suggested that nobody but journos had a right to an opinion. What I am saying is that they actually have more in-depth knowledge of the subject than most, so their views are likely to be more informed. To use an analogy, we all know it's hell serving in Afghanistan, but it has rather more weight if somebody who's actually served there comes out and tells it as it is.

There's nothing at all hypocritical about questioning somebody's ability, while still condemning the fact that they were shafted.

I don't think Ashton was the right man to be El Supremo, as his skill was in coaching, not selection or management.

I do think it's appalling that so much clearly went on behind his back, and that his successor was trying to recruit coaches, even before that successor had been appointed, and Ashton had been informed that he was being moved to Death Row. The Beer Hall putsch of 1923 could have learnt from it.

I do not regard the two preceding paragraphs as being in any way contradictory or hypocritical.

Do you think Brian Moore's criticism of certain RFU figures has been over the top? The RFU themselves admitted that they had handled it badly. Baron began Friday's unveiling of Johnno by admitting as much. When such highly respected all-round sports journalists as High McIlvanney, who does not chase cheap headlines, condemn the RFU's behaviour, we should sit up and listen. And was it not a certain Knight of the Realm who warned Johnno about the 'parasites and termites' of the RFU? The media didn't make those words up - they were his own, based on years of experience.

I don't think many people are going to be rallying round to back the RFU for some considerable time.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2008:04:21:11:55:49 by Barney.

Barney - I noted the Smiling Smiley even though it does not show up on main story articles.

However,

Quote:

You're putting words into my mouth - a trick not unknown to the more scurrilous breed of journalist.

As McEnroe once said - You cannot be serious - Me putting words in your mouth - not a chance! You do that all on your own (please note winking smiley before you throw your toys out the pram)

We all found it appalling how it was handled but some media (and for some reason you seem to think I mean you - I don't) have gone out of their way to regurgitate the same thing this weekend - over and over again the same lines until it became frankly boring

Sir Clive has a axe to grind he did not get the job. Brian Moore was the first to critizie - hooray for him at least he had the balls to do it first


It still remains Jonno will be reading all of this or if not reading he will be aware who the enemies are from both within and without.

How about as I said they start reporting rugby or is it too much of an easy story not to move on.

Brian Ashton has, he may not have liked it but he has moved on and with dignity.

Kath - I didn't take it personally. I only put my own position, as I felt that the two statements reflected pretty mjuch what a lot of otrher people have said.

The one thing that has irked me, but only slightly, is that a lot of general sports journos - to whom sport means football, and who normally wouldn't cross the road for a rugby ball - have crawled out of the woodwork, and tossed in their two penn'orth.

On the positive side, the whole saga has raised the profile of the game enormously - and, to the non-rugby majority, the enduring image will be one of Johnno's return. It's not often that rugby dominates the back pages (and some of the front) at the expense of the anything but beautiful game.

Barney - you must be having the same problem as I - the system is slow therefore you have two identical posts. would you like me to delete one of them?

I agree with you re the football journos and others. I think that is what made me so mad everyone jumping on the bandwagon all copying each other.

anyway off to do my paintwork

Kath - yes, it has been very slow, so please feel free to delete the superfluous posting.

Enjoy your paintwork. I shall be heading to the first leg of the A League final tonight.

1648 hrs and finished my paintwork 0K Barney enjoy tonight and I will delete one of the posts now

kath