Schneiderlin signs for Man U - official

Do you remember when this became this and I complained that it made us look marginally insane. I realise now how apt it is in reflecting our mood

 

Mmm ... No.

 

Are you saying you are not marginally insane at this time of the year?

 

I'm marginally insane at anytime of the year

 

Family life, eh.

 

I also find that a little insanity helps.

 

Bastian Pigsticker says he isn't going to Manure, onus back on Spider?

 

I know some here will expect me to defend Alex, because he's done me a good turn, so I'll oblige.

The headline is misleading and journalists don't write the headlines. However, the article isn't really newsworthy, anyway.

But it'll have been written because the Daily Star request it, the DS pay well.

 

Yeah I know most headlines aren't written by Journo's. Still like you said it is a non story but twisted by the DS to try and make one.

 

Yep, it's a total non-story.

I don't like that headline or the angle, for obvious reasons.

I'd like to point out that Alex is currently on holiday in Cornwall and didn't even write that article.

 

His name is on it nonetheless, so he bears the responsibility. As a reader, I have no ability to discern when he is on vacation nor should I have to try and parse out which articles by Alex Crook are actually by Alex Crook. All I know is that name is untrustworthy.

It's crap journalism, plain and simple. If they are putting his name on things he didn't write, or regularly twisting his articles with bad headlines, he should publicly distance himself from the paper and demand them to stop. If he doesn't, then he gets what he deserves.

 

As I said, he's on holiday in Cornwall - as people can see from his online presence.

Is he supposed to be making public statements in the early hours of a Tuesday morning all because a sub-editor at the Daily Star hasn't been too helpful?

You can't just 'demand' a national newspaper to do something when you're a freelance journalist. I wish I could.

 

I'm just gonna drop in my take on this from SaintsWeb, by the way, because it'll save time and effort and hopefully, clear things up from my side.



---


I'm not going to sit here, biting my tongue and pretend I have nothing to do with Alex - as many of you will know, I do.

I've worked for him as a freelancer, and I've spent time inside M & Y's offices, so I feel as if I can offer up a bit of truth here. He's done me a turn, as someone who is now writing for a few national titles as well as covering matches and doing interviews of a weekend for various outlets alongside my studies - I owe a lot of thanks to him.

In an industry as competitive as journalism, I'm pretty thankful to him for taking a punt on me and putting me in touch with some pretty helpful people that have put me ahead of the competition, at this stage. The same goes for a couple of the guys working at Saints, who've been helpful to me also over the past couple of years, so I like to think I can see it from both sides - and try to be a fair judge. It's only fair and balanced that I put that out there, rather than put out a thinly-veiled attempt at defending anyone with my adjudged vested interests.


So basically, I have five points to make.


1) Freelance journalists do not write the headlines
2) Alex Crook is on holiday in Cornwall and did not write the article
3) Daily Star will have requested that article and written their own headline
4) The copy begins with the focus on Schneiderlin 'waiting' - not 'forced to train with the kids' - typically that's where a journalist indicates the 'angle'
5) It's a pretty empty article, and doesn't feature anything particularly 'newsworthy' for us - but it might be of service some of the Daily Star's readership



While Alex didn't send the copy out, it is Alex who has the contacts at the Daily Star and his name is on the email address used to send copy out for nationals to pick up - which is why he'll have his name on it.

In summary, it's a pretty naff article with a sensationalist headline which doesn't represent the journalists piece with great accuracy - best ignored.

For what it's worth, Jim Lucas has highlighted on Twitter that his gripe is with the paper, not so much the writer...

 

The paper is responsible, yes. But so is the writer, whether he likes it or not.

Alex Crook might be a great guy. And maybe he's doing what he has to do to put food on the table and/or make his bones as a writer. He could easily distance himself from that piece and from that paper. I can understand that might not be the smartest choice for him career-wise depending on his aspirations. So that's his choice, and I don't necessarily condemn him for it.

But when I read an article "by Alex Crook" I'm going to suspect it is crap. And your explanation only gives me more reason to suspect it is crap. If dude is alright with that, cool. But you can't have stuff going out under your name that is crap and then expect people to trust what you write. Whether it's fake Alex Goring Crook or not, all I know is what it says on the byline, and there is no reason for me to trust that name.

So yeah, I will ignore it. Is that really what you want as a journalist-- for me to think what you write is crap and not read it? I dunno, maybe it's a short-term concession you make that somehow pays off in the long run.

But that doesn't answer the charge of it being lousy journalism, just a justification for lousy journalism.

 

You still can't expect people who have no inside scoop in to the lives of journalists to have any knowledge of how the industry is conducted... The man did you a favor getting you that work and all, but that does not make him an extension of yourself! He makes his own decisions which you don't have to justify. His names plastered on the article, and just like the captain of a ship, if it goes tits up - you just gotta take responsibility!

 

It's a storm in a tea cup,
It really doesn't matter
If it pitter pitter patters
All the day.

 

DTLW, you should remember this for the future. It's your name, your reputation.

There is no defending of him. He writes for the DS knowing what they are like. Sorry mate, but his article, his name and the defence of him being on vacation as his online presence shows doesn't wash; I don't use media formats that tell me that.

If he is not to blame and has a moral bone on his body, I'll look forward to someone posting the tweet from him that says his story was twisted. He won't do that because he's only interested in getting the money not the credible writing.

He wrote this words and I am sure that he knew damn well what angle the Star would take.

Sorry, for me he has nothing to hide behind.

Reep what you sow.

 

It is a storm in a tea cup, however I think it is an important learning opportunity for DTLW. He is very popular in here as a Saints fan and an articulate fella who we've shared several years of discussions with. We've watched him show sheer determination and effort to follow his dream of journalism in football. I have been truly impressed by the attitude he has shown in trying to make things happen for him.

This article should show him how close journalists get to the edge and how some go over that line. You can control what your name goes on; its your name and your will. In this example, if Alex Crook didn't want his name on stuff like it, the Star would have known. They're not completely stupid, nor is the journalist. If I'm wrong, I'll look forward to the highly moralistic Alex Crook telling his agency that he doesn't want to have his words published by that paper, suing them for misrepresentation of his views or making a public statement that he didn't write that....

.... Of course none of those will happen, because its a storm in a tea cup. It's just a non-story. It doesn't really hurt anyone. It doesn't matter. Alex Crook may well even be a little bit delighted that his name is on the article and that some people are discussing it.

However, it allows me to form part of an opinion on him, as he has allowed his name to be used and thus it becomes his words. What happens when it is something that does matter? The moral compass suddenly gets used?

I was told many years ago, that there are no degrees of honesty; treat be how you would want to be treated.

DTLW, you come across as a fantastical talented, determined, passionate, hard working man who will succeed in his career because you work so hard to go with your talent. I bet your parents are very proud, watching you pave your way through this career. Daft as it sounds, I'm proud to be associated with you through this forum.

Decide early how you want to be known. Decide, or learn quickly where you draw the line and then stick to it. No-one can make you do anything.

 

Nobody old enough to get the song lyrics then? I understand your view, FLT, but it's all tomorrow's chip wrapper to me.