English Media naive?

[tototoner]

good article this, agree with most of it personally as IMO the English media tend not to see further than the end of their huge red bulbous alcohol fuelled noses.

http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=584387

QUOTE
13/02/2008 15:00

Anglo/Italian Debate: “Ronaldo Best In World” - Is The English Media Naïve?

The English press have made up their mind – Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player in the world. Carlo Garganese asks if this proves just how naive the English media really is…

As a person who was born and educated in England, but has Italian parents and was largely brought up the ‘Italian way’, I am perhaps well placed to understand the difference between the English and Italian/continental way of thinking, not only in football, but in culture as a whole.

Now I don’t want to sit here and preach that Italian is better as every country and culture is different. I just want to demonstrate, in reference to the Cristiano Ronaldo issue, the general lack of understanding of European football in the English media (and by this I don’t mean Goal.com which is an international website!).

I was first bugged by this issue in about 1996/97. I was not even a teenager at the time but I was already stubborn enough to form my own opinions about football, and have scant regard for what much of the media said.

Alan Shearer was proclaimed in the press as the undisputed best forward in the world. This really irritated me. “Shearer couldn’t possibly be better that Ronaldo, Roberto Baggio, George Weah, Davor Suker, Gabriel Batistuta e.t.c,” I thought to myself.

Slowly but surely I formed an opinion that the English media really had a very poor, somewhat non-existent, understanding of the European or world game. If they did not then they would have known that the pragmatic Shearer didn’t deserve to be named in the same breath as these attackers.

As the years passed my view was slowly reinforced. England took an early 2-0 lead in their first group game at Euro 2000 over Portugal, and the commentators on television were already proclaiming them as champions of Europe. Portugal came back to win 3-2 and England were eliminated in the group stages after conceding another three goals to Romania.

Then of course you had the so-called ‘golden generation’ of English talent that went to Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006. The English media boasted repeatedly that they had the best team in the world in their possession and that they would bring home the trophy.

After all they had the best left-back in the world Ashley Cole, the best centre-backs John Terry and Rio Ferdinand, the best centre midfielders in Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, and the best support striker in Wayne Rooney.

Following a simply disastrous tournament when England displayed all of their innate technical deficiencies, manager Sven-Goran Eriksson was slated for throwing away this golden generation of talent. It was all his fault.

Of course this was absolutely ridiculous. Steve McClaren’s subsequent stint as manager, coupled with Eriksson’s work at Manchester City, has proven that the Swede actually did an excellent job, and in reaching three quarter-finals he actually punched above England’s weight. In truth this has probably been accepted now by most people, although many of the lessons, as we will soon see, have still not been learned.

My point though is that the English media makes ridiculous statements, such as “Alan Shearer is the best striker in the world”, and that “England are going to win the World Cup”, and unfortunately the majority of the nation, as is the power of the press and broadcast, are brainwashed into believing it. You are what you are taught after all.

The most recent of these preposterous declarations is that Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player in the world.

Once again, referring back to first Shearer and then the World Cup, this belief is only present due to a complete lack of understanding of the European game.

Ronaldo may have smashed in 27 goals this season, however as Gil Gillespie correctly pointed out in his Who Is Better – Kaka Or Ronaldo article, how can a player who has almost always flopped whenever he has come up against a top team/defence/defender, or in a big match, possibly be regarded as the best player in the world.

It is ignorance such as this that is so frustrating.

Only on Sunday I was watching a programme called ‘Sunday Supplement’ on Sky Sports. For those of you who don’t know, this is a weekly show that includes the chief football writers from all of the top newspapers in England; The Guardian, The Times, The Daily Mail e.t.c.

These are the so-called experts of English footballing journalism, the people that the country ‘should’ look up to for their knowledge and understanding of the game.

One of the chief writers, whose name I will not disclose, incredibly claimed that Ashley Cole was the best left back in the world (ironically he used Cole's fine defensive record against Cristiano Ronaldo as a basis for his argument). The rest of the panel did not disagree.

My first reaction was shock, my second reaction was to switch off the television, then my third reaction was “actually I want to hear some more gems such as these.”

I immediately had flashbacks to 1997 and Alan Shearer. I mean Ashley Cole is so clearly better than the likes of Gianluca Zambrotta, Philipp Lahm, Maxwell, Eric Abidal and so on. For me personally, Ashley Cole is not even the best left-back at his own club, let alone the world.

Until the English media begins to grasp a better understanding of the European and World game I fear that the same age-old football problems that have plagued this country in recent years will always be present.

The top journalists may have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the domestic game, but their grasp of continental football (unlike the journalists in Italy and other European countries) is frankly embarrassing.

What are your views on this topic? Is the English Media naïve? Do they lack an understanding of the European game? Are the English people in general being brainwashed by statements such as “Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player in the world”? Goal.com wants to know what YOU think?

Carlo Garganese

 

[TheChosenOne]

piffle paffle

 

[Legend10]

I agree with the article completely.

The English football media are a joke and "The Sunday Supplement" is probably the worst TV programme of all time. It's a cringe worthy shit fest of idiot journos rubbing each other up on how much they know (or should I say don't know about football), it's horrible viewing but sometimes I have to watch just to see how stupid they are going to be today.

There is an argument to say that Ronaldo is the best player in the world, of course there is. But it should only be an argument and not an outright claim as that is insulting to the likes of Kaka, Messi and even Pirlo amongst others.

The constant claim that the Premiership is the best league and we have the best players and England this and England that is all baloney. Personally I still think that La Liga is the best league and where you see the best football but must English journos couldn't tell you the difference between La Liga & La Bamba! Match reports are ridiculous and rarely ever give a realistic view of the events that have taken place and its all just so incestuous it really is horrible.

 

[Bill_Oddie]

Cracking article. Thought-provoking. Simple. Honest. And true.

Shame this guy couldn't appear on Sunday Supplement once in a while (not that I can watch it, but if its as bad as it was 3 years ago, I can attest to its dreadfulness).

 

[idlepete]

But Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player in the world. You'll all see at the Euros.

 

[tobi]

Fantastic article.

:clap:

 

[C0YS]

I agree with the article, but I have to say it is kinda a bit hypercritical, for I know the Italian media and I can say it has a very similar presence as the English one (I'm half Italian I know this). In fact the Italian media is run by people who just constantly argue with each other!, it is kinda ridicules, when the writer says "The rest of the panel did not disagree" s/he says it because in Italy when their is a small disagreement they all start arguing in a free for all. In England this would not be accepted.

I also tend to disagree with the statement that everyone agrees with what the media says, they fall in this trap, because I believe that most of us here, tend not to believe a word the media says. And to be honest it is incredibly similar in Italy. They have been told Kaka is the bast player in the world, and they believe it. They have been told that serie A is the best league in the world, and people believe it. and also they believe Inter, Milan and Juve are the best clubs in the world. And they believe that they have the best players in the world in their league. They believe that their game is quick, when its not. They believe that they have the best fans in the world, yet they never fill a ground. Of course not everyone in Italy believes this but this is what the media says.

It is all to do with the fact that when you are looking into a country witch is not your own. You see things more clearly. This is all to do with the Media controlling England. And I have a big hate of the media (has a whole) and don't have time to go into it!

 

[SpurSince57]

The notion of Cashley as the best LB in the world is ludicrous. He's not even the best LB in the EPL these days. In fact, it's arguable that he's even the best LB at Chelsea.

 

[llamafarmer]

I agree with his overall point, but at the same time I think he exaggerates a lot in order to make it.

"Then of course you had the so-called ‘golden generation’ of English talent that went to Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006. The English media boasted repeatedly that they had the best team in the world in their possession and that they would bring home the trophy."

Now I may be wrong, but I don't remember anyone claiming that. Many said it was the best squad since '66 and many said it was a side capable of winning, but I don't think anyone claimed it was the best in the world.

 

[yanno]

Good and bad points in the article.

It is of course true that the English media loves to create "heroes" so it can later knock them down as "villains". This applies to everyone from footballers to celebrities to politicians. The rule of thumb is that x was never as wonderful nor as dire as the media proclaims. That said, Alastair Campbell really is a world class ****. mg:

In a recent Barca game, Messi's close control was so amazing that it made Henry look like a lumbering carthorse. And yet, in the EPL, Henry looked "worldclass". So, are EPL players overrated by our media?

I think it can be argued both ways, and I know I could build a case for the EPL being both over- and under-rated. Why are Forlan and Kanoute top scorers in La Liga, and "average" in the EPL? Why is Patrick Viera "finished" in the EPL and world class in Serie A? Sometimes it's down to the differences in the leagues, sometimes it's down to the way teams play. (Eg Forlan hugely benefitted from having Riquelme creating chances for him at Villarreal.)

That said, I think Cristiano Ronaldo is world class, and my opinion will be only be changed if he flops at the Euro Championships and the World Cup.

 

[Stoof]

To be honest, I'm pretty guilty of that - not of saying that England are the best (!) nor Ronaldo the best player but my European football knowledge is appauling. I really don't have much of a clue - the Transfer Windows are a good excuse to learn about some more players because outside of that, I really don't have a prolonged interest in watching non-English (sometimes even non-PL) games.

:-(

I don't know anyone who said England were going to win. Anyone.

 

[michaelden]

I fully agree with the article. CRonaldo is awesome but not the best in the world... yet. Give the kid a few more years.

 

[speccy_spur]

The english tabloids are not about truth, improving knowledge and educating readers. The aim is to sell papers. In England. Thats it. Gotta appeal to your market. Feeding the idea that the premiership is the greatest thing, and its players are the greatest, and the fans are the greatest, etc. This guy is making an issue out of something that is just marketing.

 

[michaelden]

Speccy, don't you find that insulting that the press feels the need to dramatise rather than report? Are our egos so small that we need a red top to prop us up?

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

Believe me it is not a problem solely associated with the English media. The Italian media will tell you that Ibrahimovic is the best player in the world. Which is actually ludicrous. You can try and argue that with me, and while I think he is a superb talent he really isn't that great.

It is a pretty strong argument that Ronaldo is the best player in the world right now. 30 goals halfway through the season, with still a lot of big matches to come. He could end up with 50 goals as a winger for one of the best teams in the world. Whether he is the best footballer I don't know, but it is hard to say he isn't currently outperforming everyone.

 

[wildheart]

I wish I had the time to watch the other leagues regulary, I might then have a more considered opinion on who is the best.

I tend only to have the Champions League as the shop window for Euro talent.

But anyone who has ever watched a football game can tell that Cashley is not the best LB in the world!

 

[hashmander]

the tabloids may suck, but someone has to cheerlead for the english league because the rest of the world make it a point not to vote for players who play their trade in england. the next time a player from the english league wins a world player of the year award will be the first (well at least in about 40 years).

 

[N10toN17]

The English tabloid media is shit, I can't comment on other countries media, but ours is rank.

 

[C0YS]

Believe me it is not a problem solely associated with the English media. The Italian media will tell you that Ibrahimovic is the best player in the world. Which is actually ludicrous. You can try and argue that with me, and while I think he is a superb talent he really isn't that great.

It is a pretty strong argument that Ronaldo is the best player in the world right now. 30 goals halfway through the season, with still a lot of big matches to come. He could end up with 50 goals as a winger for one of the best teams in the world. Whether he is the best footballer I don't know, but it is hard to say he isn't currently outperforming everyone.

That is exactly the point I was making!!:up:

 

[cockjol]

Italians are just as guilty about talking cr*p as our media and this guy comes across just as smug as the english press he's criticising...papers are all about hype and provocation so people keep buying them...that's their job. people take them far too seriously anyway