The Sunday papers during the close season represent a particular pleasure. Journalists use their experience, well established connections and diligent research to write various transfer rumours and gossip. My hunch; that these stories are actually based on half truths from agents, pissed up hack pub lunches and following @ITKAgent007 remain just that, a hunch.
So, dear reader, in the name of research and truth, I am going to document and dissect the transfer stories from the Sunday ‘Big 4′ – The Sun, The Sunday Mirror, The People and The Daily Star on Sunday every week. At the end of August, I will have a look back over the whole summer and see if I am doing the journalistic skills of these four papers a disservice. I think I know the answer to that already…
Sunday 2nd June
The Sun
Kicking things off in style, The Sun report that Lukas Podolski has been targeted by Borussia Dortmund. Supporting evidence such as quotes are notable in their absence and the final line of the piece declares that “(Wenger) is looking to build on his squad rather than sell” – conclusive stuff then.
Remarkably, this is the one big “scoop” that the paper runs, preferring to focus on England’s post-season friendly in Brazil. Hidden several pages inside are stories linking the likes of Barry Bannan, Kasper Schmiechel, Yossi Benayoun and Youssouf Mulumbu with summer moves that frankly are too boring to repeat. A disappointing performance and must do better.
The Sunday People
Need a proper dose of transfer fever? Look no further. Boasting (may not be the correct word, I agree) the talents of Alan Nixon and Steve Bates amongst others, The People can always be relied upon for well written, factual based football stories and today is no exception. In a matter of fact tone, they inform us that Nani is off to Monaco for £20m, said with the authority and confidence of the true transfer experts that they are. Never one to miss out on a scoop, Alan Nixon informs us that Jesus Nesus and Alvaro Negredo could be on their way to Manchester City. But it is in the glorious ‘Hotline’ column that The People is truly worth its weight in gold. Players linked here, there and everywhere with reckless abandon. Take £15m rated Bafetimbi Gomis on the move to Cardiff, James Tomkins to Newcastle, Charlie Austin, Allan McGregor and Kasper Schmeichel to Hull, the list goes on. The hallmark of a great transfer story is the one highlighting Simon Mignolet to Liverpool. Not only do The People link Mignolet, but also Begovic and Diego Lopez – a classic case of if in doubt, throw loads of mud and hope that some will stick. All in all a stellar display from The People – although are they setting the bar too high for themselves for the rest of the summer?
We’ll see the Belgian in Liverpool’s colours soon…right? Courtesy of Ronnie Macdonald.
The Sunday Mirror
A tame effort from The Mirror, lacking the volume of The People. The overall tone of the paper is that all the main journos are off on the piss in Brazil, leaving the work experience kid to fill the copy. The news that Manuel Pellegrini plans to have a meeting with his staff is the main story the paper leads with. Wait, the new manager wishing to meet staff and discuss plans for the future? A shock story indeed that we must all take time to digest. That NEVER happens in say…Football Manager.
Erick Pieters is rumoured to be Mark Hughes’ first signing at Stoke, a story which is mildly interesting, but is not going to win a circulation war amongst gossip hungry fans. Interestingly the stories about Heitinga to Fenerbahce and Mulumbu to Fiorentina are duplicated from The Sun. I would never for one minute suggest that this is the work of a desperate sub-editor trying to fill space by lifting stories from elsewhere. No siree. The Mirror needs to up its game big time to get back in transfer contention, lets hope the piss up in Brazil has inspired some creative juices.
The Daily Star on Sunday
The wild-card of the 4. Capable of linking Robin van Persie with a free transfer to St.Mirren one week, whilst nailing a hot scoop the next, no-one can be entirely sure of the accuracy of their content – even the writers themselves at times, but its always damn entertaining reading nonetheless. When The Star is good, it’s very good and today is that day. The back page itself comes with three scorchers – Luiz and Ivanovic off to Barcelona for £40m as revealed by the gloriously titled Harry Pratt (who for years I thought was some journo insider dig at Harry Harris). Then City spending £100m on Cavani, Isco, Fernandinho, Marquinhos and the aforementioned Navas and, finally, the fact that Arsenal are struggling to put together a contract to satisfy Wayne Rooney. Turn the page and the pace continues. Yohan Cabaye interests PSG, Spurs and Arsenal. Hulk could be off to Spurs and Clement Grenier and Julio Cesar are said to be off to Arsenal. Intriguingly, Harry Redknapp is linked with a move to Everton, a story that would have absolutely everything to do with ******CENSORED*******.
Allegedly.
The incessant transfer pace continues in the paper:- Steven Nzonzi to leave Stoke, Max Clayton to join Man United or Liverpool, Maarten Stekelenburg to Fulham and Arturo Vidal to Man City, strangely not mentioned in the back page story, but who’s looking for journalistic consistency in transfer stories?.
Blistering stuff from The Star who have set the pace for the others to match during the summer. Will they rise to the challenge next week? Time will tell……