Celtic keep the door closed on BBC Scotland with unexpected media tactic

Celtic’s unexpected media tactics continued today with a Wednesday conference to preview a match four days away. Once again BBC Scotland weren’t on the invite list.

Clubs are obliged by the SPFL to provide a media conference ahead of matches, almost all clubs do so on a Friday although there is a tendency to bring it forward to a Thursday to ensure that Friday is left clear of distractions to prepare for the Saturday match.

This weekend Celtic play on Sunday but invited the media, minus BBC Scotland, into Lennoxtown today to previews a match some distance away.

Between today’s media conference and kick-off at Pittodrie there are three full days for players to get injured in training, bought or sold.

Up until this season Celtic have had a very relaxed attitude to the media, inviting even the most hostile outlets into the club for exclusive content effectively on the eve of matchday.

There has been nothing on the record from the club to explain the exclusion of BBC Scotland with today’s very early preview another unusual move.

With radio, television and online coverage BBC Scotland is by some distance the biggest media outlet in Scotland but their Celtic content since Rodgers arrived has been extremely limited.

Many fans have come to the conclusion that the sneering and derogatory language used by Tom English is behind the stand-off but that hasn’t been confirmed.

The Chief Sports Writer at the state broadcaster used the sort of language that you’d expect in the BBC canteen to question the motives for the decision of the former Liverpool and Leicester boss. Later in a commercial podcast in Ireland English claimed that Rodgers would be livid at not being offered the Spurs job.

That sort of comment and attitude is fair game but it is pushing it to then expect special access to speak with someone whose character you have called into question.

On Saturday Celtic complied with all of their media obligations on the SPFL contract which provides Radio Scotland with commentary facilities as well as pre and post match exclusive interviews with both managers.

English, affectionately known as House Paddy by his colleagues at Pacific Quay wasn’t involved in any of Saturday’s football coverage from the state broadcaster.

The media conference that the BBC missed out on lasted more than 16 minutes today, touching on transfer speculation without any concrete news, injuries, the match at Aberdeen and even the prospect of matches being extended by 10 minutes or so to make up for various stoppages.

Tonight and next Tuesday BBC Scotland will be providing extensive coverage of Micky Beale’s European debut as a manager while their licence payers are made to go elsewhere for news about the Scottish champions.

MEANWHILE

Oh Hyeon-gyu is expected to be out of action for the next 4-6 weeks due to a calf injury.

That time span covers all of the matches up to the September international break and highlights the lack of striking options open to Brendan Rodgers.

Daizen Maeda impressed playing through the centre during Celtic’s pre-season matches in Japan but that would leave the hoops short on the left wing.

Fortunately there are no midweek matches during Oh’s injury absence but it does highlight the dependency on Kyogo Furuhashi.

During pre-season Rodgers mentioned managing Kyogo’s shoulder injury, that issue becomes vital as the club’s medical team manage Oh back to full fitness.

CLICK HERE for the story of Oh’s injury in full.

Tom English stating Brendan Rodgers is livid because Ange Postecoglou got the Spurs job and Rodgers didn’t.@TEnglishSport https://t.co/EpzvQVExaw pic.twitter.com/k4iWMvK3bo

— Lint (@Zeshankenzo) June 24, 2023