Birmingham Mail and Villa coverage

[PeterWithesShin]

How many articles do the Mail do about the shit crowds at small heath? Or about selling Berahino?

Sums up that rag when the bloke behind Often Partisan has done more about the state of things at small heath than the Mail.

[dave.woodhall]

You don't have a problem with one of their writers saying how much he hates us or condoning football violence then?

Or this:

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/comment-aston-villa-striker-christian-9294019#ICID=FB-Birm-avfc ?

I can't see much wrong with that article. I pretty much agree with all of it. When Benteke leaves (be it this summer, the following one or one after that) then I fully expect that he'll be moving to one of the best teams in the world to win trophies, not just because somebody will pay him more than we are willing to, which was the implication in that shitty Sun article that the writer is criticizing.

The Howell piece was still an absolute embarrassment though.

Maybe in a national paper, but a local paper that is supposed to be supportive of local teams?

Are they supposed to be supportive?

I'd much rather a local media that is fair and balanced. They shouldn't be there to act as some sort of mouthpiece for either the club or the supporters. They should praise when appropriate and criticize when appropriate.

There's certainly a strong argument that a lot of the local media is deliberately antagonistic, but none of that is on display in that article.

Of course they're supposed to be supportive. They're a Birmingham newspaper writing about Birmingham teams.

What's wrong with just being balanced?

Why not just report things as they are rather than needing some sort of loyal slant to it?

How about because every other regional media outlet in the country backs their local clubs, because the Mail will back Birmingham over every other city, they regard Ozzy Osborne as some sort of deity even though he hasn't lived here for forty-odd years, because they support everything else than comes from Birmingham but where its biggest football team are involved suddenly they have to be 'balanced'.

[ciggiesnbeer]

I would take balanced. Right now the coverage is far from balanced. The Mail should leave Kendrick to cover Villa and send the rest of the clowns back to the "cat in stuck up tree heartbreak" local interest stories. Thats more their speed.

[PeterWithesShin]

I have no problem with the local media criticising us when it's justified. It's the absolute bollocks they write about us that pisses me off. And they publish shit by a wanker like Howell who openly hates us, yeah that's fucking balanced.

small heath piss taking aside, they should be endlessly on the disgraceful way small heath are getting screwed, yet a bloke on a fan page does more than they ever will.

[Dave]

How many articles do the Mail do about the shit crowds at small heath? Or about selling Berahino?

Well, there's this one on the main West Brom page from a few days ago.

[dave.woodhall]

How many articles do the Mail do about the shit crowds at small heath? Or about selling Berahino?

Well, there's this one on the main West Brom page from a few days ago.

You mean the one that begins GOSSIP?

[PeterWithesShin]

How many articles do the Mail do about the shit crowds at small heath? Or about selling Berahino?

Well, there's this one on the main West Brom page from a few days ago.

Took you a while to search for it Dave. And it's nothing like the article on Benteke is it. Try again.

[Dave]

I have no problem with the local media criticising us when it's justified. It's the absolute bollocks they write about us that pisses me off. And they publish shit by a wanker like Howell who openly hates us, yeah that's fucking balanced.

Calm down, I've not said that it is balanced. I've said that it should be balanced.

I've disagreed with people who have said that they should be supporting us. They shouldn't be, they should be reporting things accurately, not with a negative slant and not with a positive slant.

In response to Dave, I'm not really bothered about what other papers do with the clubs local to them. If they want to act as cheerleaders then that's up them. I'd hope for higher standards from anything to do with us. Probably unrealistically, but I'd hope for it anyway.

[Dave]

How many articles do the Mail do about the shit crowds at small heath? Or about selling Berahino?

Well, there's this one on the main West Brom page from a few days ago.

Took you a while to search for it Dave.

"Took me a while to search for it"? You just have to click on the link "West Brom" and it's right there. Have you been borrowing danlanza's tin foil hat?

You asked about articles about them selling Berahino. It's there, on the front of the West Brom page.

[PeterWithesShin]

Can anyone spot the difference between them?

GOSSIP: Manchester City to bid for West Brom star

Manchester City are thought to be eyeing up a move for West Brom striker Saido Berahino .

The England Under-21 striker has been linked with a number of clubs including Liverpool and today the Mirror reports that City are redy to throw their hat (and weight) into the ring for his signature.

The paper also suggests that the Baggies may listen to a big offer for the player.

Comment: Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke would be right to want to play at a higher level

If Christian Benteke left Aston Villa he wouldn’t just be ‘tekking’ the cash.

There’s an unhealthy fixation at the moment regarding what footballers earn. A prime example is Raheem Sterling.

He’s been one of the stars in an underachieving squad at Liverpool and has arguably been showing a bit too much leg to some of the bigger clubs in Europe - all the while turning down a new reported 100k per week contract.

Putting aside the daft nature of approaching the BBC for an interview then complaining about negative headlines, Sterling hasn’t behaved particularly badly.

He was fantastic last season for the team and great this season until the contract negotiation began to make the news.

Had he been offered a contract last season after finishing second, he would most likely have taken it. Brendan Rodgers called him the best young player in Europe.

Now that player won’t be getting Champions League football and there’s no Suarez or Gerrard so he wants to move on. In come the blinkered Liverpool legends to criticise him but Liverpool have won one trophy in nine years.

If Sterling wants to move to a club where he will take some medals home, that’s pure ambition.

If he was driven by money, he’d have taken the contract extension and pushed for a move anyway. On a reported 35k per week, he’s currently losing 65k per week by not accepting the extension.

And let’s not forget that he left QPR for Liverpool to join a bigger club with bigger ambitions, not the cash.

Then we have even better examples in the likes of Mikel Arteta and James Milner. Arteta took a pay cut to join Arsenal from Everton while chasing Champions League football.

Meanwhile, if Milner leaves Manchester City he could be taking a pay cut in the hopes of securing first team football. Sure he left Villa during a strong period for Manchester City, but that has yielded two league titles he wouldn’t otherwise have.

Top tier footballers take home huge sums of money no matter what they do so perhaps there is more driving them than money.

Some want to play domestically (De Gea) some want to win trophies (Sterling, Suarez) and others want more first team football (Milner). It seems like those driven entirely by money are the exception rather than the rule.

So that brings us to Christian Benteke. The Sun decided on Tuesday to splurge ‘Christian’s set to teke Kop cash’ on their back page.

The striker is rumoured to double his money from 50k per week to 100k per week. The first thing people ask about when they hear he might want to leave is what he will be earning.

The implication from The Sun is that money is his primary motivator. It’s a harsh representation of the player.

Tim Sherwood is clearly a passionate bloke and his “where is he going to go that is bigger than Aston Villa” quote is great for fans.

The answer unfortunately is many clubs. Aston Villa have a rich history but sadly can’t compete with the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United.

Under Sherwood, Villa could feasibly aim for a Europa League finish and a domestic cup, but realistically that’s as good as things are going to get.

So the impression that Benteke leaving would mean he is taking the money would be grossly unfair on the striker.

He has been highly successful at the club since he arrived and quickly become one of very best talents outside of the top six. He’d go straight into some of those top six starting elevens.

He’d have the chance to compete for the league title as well as competing in the Champions League.

If he left for Liverpool and performed there, bigger clubs yet would no doubt come calling and he might move on again.

On the same note, if Villa decide to replace Benteke with a talent from lower down the pecking order, that wouldn’t make that player a money-grabber for making the move.

The vast majority of footballers are ambitious and want to play in the biggest competitions for the biggest teams.

Benteke is likely no different - just a human being who wants to excel at what he does for a living. If he does leave, and it’s by no means certain, hopefully some will be able to refrain from giving him the label of greedy and appreciate his years of contribution to the Aston Villa cause.

[ciggiesnbeer]

I have no problem with the local media criticising us when it's justified. It's the absolute bollocks they write about us that pisses me off. And they publish shit by a wanker like Howell who openly hates us, yeah that's fucking balanced.

Calm down, I've not said that it is balanced. I've said that it should be balanced.

I've disagreed with people who have said that they should be supporting us. They shouldn't be, they should be reporting things accurately, not with a negative slant and not with a positive slant.

In response to Dave, I'm not really bothered about what other papers do with the clubs local to them. If they want to act as cheerleaders then that's up them. I'd hope for higher standards from anything to do with us. Probably unrealistically, but I'd hope for it anyway.

Why is that a higher standard though? I am genuinely curious. The Mail & WM are local media. I would hope and expect that local media want the best for the area and local teams, certainly thats the way most local papers operate. Here in the USA there is universal support for local teams. I mean what would the the "balance" in sports be for? People stopping off in Birmingham motorway services looking for general football coverage and not wanting to see Birmingham area teams covered supportively?

I am not being antagonistic I am genuinely curious why you wouldn't want the Mail to be supportive of all the local teams? Balanced should be for national media surely?

[dave.woodhall]

I have no problem with the local media criticising us when it's justified. It's the absolute bollocks they write about us that pisses me off. And they publish shit by a wanker like Howell who openly hates us, yeah that's fucking balanced.

Calm down, I've not said that it is balanced. I've said that it should be balanced.

I've disagreed with people who have said that they should be supporting us. They shouldn't be, they should be reporting things accurately, not with a negative slant and not with a positive slant.

In response to Dave, I'm not really bothered about what other papers do with the clubs local to them. If they want to act as cheerleaders then that's up them. I'd hope for higher standards from anything to do with us. Probably unrealistically, but I'd hope for it anyway.

It's nothing to do with higher standards and everything to do with Villa getting walked all over. If you think the Mail's coverage of us is balanced then your dictionary must have a different definition of the word to mine.   

[Dave]

Can anyone spot the difference between them?

Yup, one of them is an opinion piece backing the integrity of a Villa player and refuting the suggestion that he would only want to leave Villa because of money.

The other is just reporting that West Brom might sell one of their better players.

[saunders_heroes]

What a rotten piece from the Mail, and right before our FA Cup final as well. No wonder so many Brummies have stopped buying the rag.

[Dave]

If you think the Mail's coverage of us is balanced then your dictionary must have a different definition of the word to mine.   

For what seems to be the hundredth time, I don't think I've said that I think that at any point.

Look.

I've not said that it is balanced. I've said that it should be balanced.