Barry Hearn has delivered a scathing verdict on Scottish football in front of the SFA at the first ever Scottish Football convention.
The former Leyton Orient owner has a great track record in sport having brought snooker to millions during the eighties and revolutionised darts and boxing.
Hearn’s aggressive marketing is in contrast to the low key approach of Scottish football where the league is without a sponsor and broadcasting deals are dwarfed by those enjoyed by countries such as Norway, Austria and Sweden.
While Scottish football in general was given some home truths Hearn’s most scathing criticism was reserved for Neil Doncaster and his failure to find a sponsor for the SPFL.
“There is so much good in Scottish football, so many positive things to say but you don’t sell yourself,” Hearn stated. “I am saying you have to get yourself out there. You don’t do enough for yourself.
“I am seeing too much self-pity. That’s what the world thinks of Scottish football and that should be the most worrying aspect.
“Be proud of yourself. Don’t be a secret. If you don’t believe in yourself how can other people believe in you?
“The fact that the Premiership has not got a sponsor is not good. If you worked for me you would be sacked!”
The notion that a top flight Glasgow derby will cure all the ills of the game was given no encouragement by Hearn who believes that the sport itself is much more important than any individual club.
“Someone needs to be big enough to say we are making decisions on what is good for the sport,” he added. “You don’t get popular but you need to have that type of attitude, that benevolent despot, that says to the giants of Scottish football: ‘There is a bigger picture here, let’s make this cake bigger.
“In the long run you will do far better out of it because of your size but at the same time we are building an infrastructure within the game that will take us to the next level.”
