Hugh Keevins has relived his bans from Celtic as he discussed the decision from Ibrox to prevent Andy Walker from covering last week’s Glasgow Derby.
Sky Sports have remained silent on the issue with a big test coming on Saturday for the final SPFL match of the season. The broadcaster can quietly leave the former Celtic striker out of their coverage and hope the issue blows over or confront it with Walker going to Ibrox and coverage of the trophy presentation at stake.
The relationship between the media and football is a complex one with a reliance between the two although the advent of Social Media and club’s being able to use their own digital platforms has slackened their dependence.
What clubs do and what their managers want are often two different issues with Neil Lennon’s ban on Sky Sports in January completely ignored by the Celtic hierarchy.
Back in 2000 Keevins was prevented from attending a Celtic media conference by a security man at the Celtic Social Club on London Road, a decision that Kenny Dalglish approved of. Truth be told the Sunday Mail reporter revelled in it.
Other than Lennon’s explosive media conference post-Dubai in January it is a rarity for anything exciting to emerge during the Q and A, even more so with the advent of Zoom conferencing.
Reflecting on his times in and out of favour Keevins told the Daily Record:
I am no stranger to the naughty step myself and like to think I sit there with an aristocratic air having been banned by Sir Alex and Sir Kenny in my time.
Celtic used to ban me so often I assumed they gave up when I became eligible for the State Pension as a nod in the direction of Care in the Community. I may, at 71-years-old, also be living proof that bans are of no lasting value. Old lags keep coming back for more.
I said on radio after the derby game last Sunday that Celtic are a shell of a club while bereft of a manager and a director of recruitment at a time when a huge swathe of players are on their way over the summer.
It would be depressing to think there would be a price to pay for free expression, and, in fairness, there has been none.
Celtic have largely ignored fan-based media but there has been signs that they are realising that there are benefits in communicating directly with supporters rather than using third parties.
You don’t tell the truth all the time Hugh and you know that yourself. You say things to get a rise out supporters to call in. Correct?
— RTRNRF (@blezzin717) July 15, 2017