How credible is the BBC’s grudging coverage of the champions?
The fans had barely left their seats at Celtic Park yesterday when the state broadcaster was publishing an article titled ‘How credible is Celtic’s title win’ roping in some quotes from Pat Bonner in a bid to give it legitimacy.
Deviating from the script Bonner stated: “Nobody can take away what Celtic achieved this year as far as the Champions League is concerned and they had to mix the league in among that.
“When you add that pressure into it and the motivation, to keep the players going, week in week out, then I think it’s been a great achievement.”
Having attempted to detract from Celtic’s triumph by bringing up the absence of Rangers the article went on to speculate on the likely departures from Neil Lennon’s title winning squad.
While those sort of knocking pieces are fair game for commercial outlets looking for controversy and notoriety the state broadcaster is a different beast that ought to bring some balance and insight to it’s materials.
Supporters can take or leave newspapers or commercial television and radio stations but there is no choice with the state funded broadcaster.
Not long afterwards the BBC took up a new ‘innovative’ angle in the debate with ‘Did Celtic miss their rivals this season?’ with yet another piece about the absence of the club that went into liquidation owing hundreds of creditors across the country.
Despite the easy access to the information there is no mention of Celtic’s Champions League qualification path or analysis of likely opponents.
With a few honourable exceptions in Mark Daly, Jim Spence, Stuart Cosgrove and Richard Gordon it seems that very few people at the BBC can adjust to the reality that after a dozen years of living outwith their means Rangers are dead and almost buried.
Attempts by the BBC to trigger a debate only delays the realignment of Scottish football, a new environment in which Kilmarnock, Hearts and St Mirren can win silverware and more than half of the SPL can aspire to the lucrative prize money on offer for the team finishing second in the SPL.
While the BBC attempt to make the liquidated Rangers the centre of attention, even in their absence, this is no two way agreement with the cameras and microphones of the BBC banned from recording the words of wisdom from Ally McCoist.
Some original thoughts and ideas from the vast resources of the BBC would be welcomed throughout Scottish football but the output remains as tired and predictable as the third rate Sunday Sportscene running alongside the outstanding output from Match of the Day.