On the point of late payment of wages, Acun was not complaining that the question was asked, but the fact it was asked just before the team was due to play an important game. So, agree I thought Mike White's approach was rather confrontational rather than investigative.
So you're buying the censorship argument. Good to know we're not walking into an autocratic age without our eyes open isn't it. Was a legit question at a legit time to ask it. It's not like the presser was scheduled cos of MW now was it ? The fact MW Would have been sacked for asking it in Turkiye says what you need to know about freedom of the press in Turkiye. Acun flexing that way made me baulk personally. Was on the fence before now. That interview has at least made my mind up.
Not sure I understand what you're saying here John? Are you saying Acun was angry that it was leaked right before Portsmouth? Surely it was reported at that point because that's when the late payment happened? If Acun is so incensed about a distraction before Portsmouth perhaps he should have ensured wages weren't late? Investigative journalists need to be direct John, otherwise the interviewees will dodge questions.
The bloke was basically veiling threats for putting him under scrutiny. It may well be a cultural difference but he needs to remember he's bought into British culture the second he set foot nere.
I thought MW spent way too much time trying to justify and explain himself. Felt insecure. Should just ask questions and move on (as someone else said earlier). It's not about him. There was no late payment, it was a non story. And focussing on a negative non story before a key game was weird.
Wasn't the late payment revealed by The Athletic? Not local journos. Baz did sit on that piece and only confirmed it and clarified it after the national press.
Thought Acun’s explanations for things were reasonable to be honest. I disagree on canning Selles but i’m it’s not earth shattering. Binning Rosey was more surprising.
I thought Mike White did an excellent job for a local sports journo and was persistent and probing. Acun came across ok in parts, but awful in others. Banging on about how he’s the third most recognised person in Turkey etc, while it may be true, just makes him sound like an egotistical arsehole. If he had any sense he’d distance himself from his racist manager candidate, and fess up to a mistake, rather than pathetically trying to exonerate him, and insisting he’s still a candidate just made him look petulant. As for cultural differences between Turkey and the UK, that’s tough titty - you invest in a British football club, you need to accept British values. The claim there is no racism in Turkey sounded pathetic - as pathetic as the decision to sack Rosenior and Selles.
What Acun was saying was in RH pre-match presser Mike asked the question about the wages. He was pointing out that Acun was not saying Mike should not have mentioned it, but it should not have been, in his opinion, in the pre-match presser before an important game. As far as payment of the wages, it does sometimes happen that banks transferring from oversees, depending on where their correspondent bank is, maybe in that country was a holiday there can be a delay, but as he pointed out still within the contracted date..
The point was... he said they weren't late and were paid within the contract time. a bit like being due wages on the 31st of each month and they get paid on the 28th or a Friday because of a weekend. Sorry JEX posted same time.
Well I for one will be listening to someone as well-connected and important as Jim, rather than all you no-mark ordinary fans. The most important thing is for us to learn the lessons of, checks notes, London Broncos and Wimbledon as they are the best parallels for our current, definitely non-racist, Turkish overlord.
Not sure it was a secret at that point so whether he asked or not it was out there. If Acun seriously thinks a journo asking about a relevant event in a press conference is wrong then he's an idiot.
The point being The Athletic reported that wages were late. Any journo worth his salt will follow up on that.
What Acun meant was ‘if this was in Turkey, I’d get my mate the President to chuck you in prison and torture you’. Mike White got off easy.
It was a non story at the time. Time and answers have proven that it was a non-story. A question was rightly needed to be asked at the time. It was answered. Mike White continued to turn it into a drama, including after answers had been given, and immediately ahead of the biggest game in our recent history. And is still harping on about it, as some others are on here. Once answered that should have been it. Simple as. Move on. Nothing to see. Instead it continued (continues) to be a drama - I wonder why? (rhetorical question btw). It's like Mike White is trying too hard, and consequently being unnecessarily confrontational and needing to justify himself (i.e. a dick) rather than a decent local journalist covering our club.
I agreed at the time it was a non-story, that doesn't mean asking about it is inappropriate. The gaslighting of journalists and deflections by Acun are inappropriate.
What people sometimes forget is we are wanting people of a different culture to think like us. He was saying, and don't forget Acun is speaking in a foreign language, which he does very well, but without the nuances needed to some time express exactly what he wants to say. To say he is an idiot is a bit disingenuous, he was saying in his culture they would not do that before a game, but we need to understand sometimes cultures are very different.
