Sky Sports made the wise decision to send Kris Boyd to their London studio last night with John Hartson called up to provide analysis and comment from Tannadice on Celtic’s title clincher.
The Welshman wears his heart on his sleeve and is respected for it- he is a Celtic man, sees the game as a Celtic supporter and is able to give his views from that perspective. Verbal gymnastics wouldn’t suit him.
Last season’s collapse from the hoops was doubly painful for Hartson, with no glee he had to cover and comment on the multiple failings of Neil Lennon, it appears to have cost him a friendship.
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The other side of media work is that years of toil earning hero worship as a player can quickly be wiped out if you are overly critical of your former team. To gain credibility and neutrality status many former players become overly critical of their old side.
Hartson has avoided that trap, his analysis is better than the admittedly low water mark set by pundits in Scottish football but he can walk talk in the company of Celtic fans as he enjoys the triumphs of his successors on the park.
