retired_steevo93

http://www.football365.com/mailbox/s...870578,00.html

That's an F365 mailbox full of Newcastle fans protesting that the pressure on Sam Allardyce is entirely media-led, and having a go at journalists for the way they whip up stories.

The press' influence on football, and on fans, is a pet hate of mine. Normally it goes hand in hand with the suggestibility of the majority of fans but thankfully not this time, if that mailbox is anything to go by.

I include a lot of childish manager and team hatred in this, in a way. James07? will tell me I simply don't understand inter-club banter but he'll surely admit that a lot of fans take it more seriously than that, swallowing pantomime-style media reactions to calculated statements from managers hook line and sinker.

I haven't made myself very clear there, but I have to get a beer so POST NOW

retired_jean2

you're like a more intelligent BG.

retired_steevo93

You're like a less intelligent Michael Foster.

retired_laticia3

Yeah, us intelligent Newcastle fans know the score.
Allardyce is under no pressure for his position whatsoever. We've been in far, far, far, FAR worse situations than this.

retired_sisa___

fwiw I hadn't heard anything about Newcastle fans or the club wanting Allardyce out

retired_kris10nicole

The problem with that assertion is that it assumes that all media stories that can't be backed up by public statements must be made up. The reality of course is that while that is sometimes true, it is also sometimes true that a journalist has used real sources within the club, and the story has element in truth, or even is being pushed by the club behind the scenes to suit their agenda.

The difficulty as readers of this stuff, of course, is sorting the fact from the fiction.

retired_steevo93

It's also true that, whether the story is based on fiction, a smattering of fact, or absolute fact, the degree to which they pursue and sensationalise it is pretty much the same, if they think it's a good story.

retired_jean2

don't take offense. i said that because you discuss the same type of things.

retired_marleysghost

I've been getting annoyed with this on the Guardian podcast lately. It's my favourite football podcast but sometimes they'll openly admit they haven't watched a match, then pass comment on it anyway - even if it's a clearly incorrect statement.

This week watching the European football on TV reminded me of how bad it can get. I know more than the average English bloke about German football, but I didn't realise I knew more than English commentators. They were talking about German football as if it was some oddity from the other side of the planet, and they didn't know any players who weren't somehow connceted with the Premier League.

retired_hvporter

Welcome to the world of English sports journalists. Apart from one or two, they have a reputation for being the brashest, least-knowledgeable in their profession in the world. Anyone listening to the Five Live coverage of the Leeds-Hereford match tonight would have understood this.