Football journalist Hugh Keevins uses Rangers crisis to attack Alex Salmond

Sunday, 19 February 2012 22:58
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By a Newsnet reporter
 
This weekend an article appeared in the Sunday Mail under the title ‘Alex Salmond should leave football to those involved in the game’.
 
The article was authored by someone called Hugh Keevins, a football journalist who also doubles up as a pundit on a Radio Clyde football phone in programme.

The article attempted to use recent comments by the First Minister who, on the situation regarding Rangers going into administration, said that Celtic needed Rangers to survive in order to prosper.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Mr Salmond said: "Obviously HMRC have got to pursue in the public interest, taxation.

"Equally, they've got to have cognisance of the fact that we're talking about a huge institution, part of the fabric of the Scottish nation as well as Scottish football, and everybody realises that.

"The most diehard Celtic supporter understands that Celtic can't prosper unless Rangers are there.

"The rest of the clubs understand that as well.  Therefore you have to have cognisance of these things when you're pursuing public policy."

Notwithstanding the response from Celtic Chief Executive Peter Lawwell, who took issue with Mr Salmond’s comments, the overwhelming view expressed by those commenting on the situation at Ibrox is that Scottish football and indeed old firm rivals Celtic would be diminished without Glasgow Rangers.

However, following the First Minister’s comments Mr Keevins has suggested that Alex Salmond has no right speaking out on the situation.  In his article he writes:

“First Minister Alex Salmond has got his tartan trews in a twist while making clumsy tackles all over the place regarding Rangers' insolvency event.

First he had to apologise to Celtic for saying they needed Rangers to survive.  Then he said Rangers were "part of the fabric of society" in Scotland.  Which makes Celtic what, precisely?

Alex should concentrate on his referendum and realise that administration is a conspiracy theory in this country.”

As far as I am aware the First Minister hasn’t issued any apology to Celtic – he has though clarified his statement and insisted that he was not suggesting Celtic’s financial situation was anything other than sound.

Mr Salmond is one of many politicians who have commented on the growing crisis at Ibrox.  Scottish Labour have themselves described the situation as a threat to one of “Scottish football's oldest institutions”.

Other politicians who have spoken out include former Labour First Minister Henry McLeish, Labour MP Margaret Curran and UK Prime Minister David Cameron.  Mr McLeish also insisted that it was in Celtic's best interests to see Rangers survive.

Margaret Curran, who is the Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland also wrote to the UK Treasury asking for reassurance that they were taking a “reasonable approach” to Rangers’ tax situation.

Ms Curran said that a resolution must be reached that allows Rangers to “thrive” and said that “people who have an interest in Scottish football” have a right to be angry.

“I want to make sure that the UK Government are making sure that they operate in the best interests of Scotland and the Scottish community and not necessarily making some of the mistakes they seem to have made in the past”,  she said and added

“People like ourselves have to keep in mind the future of Scottish football, we want it to be vibrant we want it to be lively and we want it to be competitive.”

So, according to a Labour MP, it is in the best interests of “Scotland and the Scottish community” for Rangers to be treated reasonably by HMRC. 

According to Scottish Labour, Rangers are an “institution” and the game would be less lively, vibrant and competitive without them.

However Mr Keevins seems either unaware of this cross party concern for one of Scotland’s oldest and largest clubs or he is indeed aware but has decided to ignore it and single out the SNP leader for attack.

It’s shoddy and cheap journalism that attempts to make political capital out of the Rangers situation.  It completely ignores the collateral damage in the form of job losses that may well result from the mismanagement of Rangers by those in charge of the club – perhaps past AND present.

Given the implications for jobs and monies owed to other Scottish football clubs, some who are themselves struggling in these times of austerity, Scotland’s First Minister had an obligation to speak out.

By singling out Mr Salmond when it is clear that the sentiments expressed by the First Minister were shared, at least in part or in some cases in full, by his political opponents suggests someone has an agenda here.

The title of Keevins’ piece implies that only those involved in football should be allowed to pontificate on this very serious issue. 

This, no doubt includes Mr Keevins himself who recently expressed his own views on whether Celtic, and indeed Scottish football, needed Rangers in order to prosper.

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Comments  

 
# Macart 2012-02-20 08:23
Is Keevins really suggesting that when a massive multi-million pound business in Scotland is in danger of collapsing, (even if it is one of the ugly twins), that the FM shouldn't step in and try to save jobs?

At the end of the day that is what RFC is, a huge business with god knows how many others relying on its existence. It wouldn't matter if it was Celtic, Rangers or some other national business entity, when a threat comes to something that big with long roots in the community it is the FMs job to try and avert financial disaster for that community.

Mr Keevans should note that his newspaper's credentials are showing and stay out of commenting on the business world. Peoples livliehoods are at stake. God knows I'm no fan of football or those teams colourful histories, but bread on the table for working Scots comes first.
 
 
# The Laird 2012-02-20 09:57
Hugh who??
 
 
# chicmac 2012-02-20 16:25
Hi ya!
 
 
# peter,aberdeenshire 2012-02-20 18:48
too subtle for some I think but it made me smile!!
 
 
# Suomi 2012-02-20 10:26
I have been a Celtic Fan since the days of Jock Stein.I fully agree with Alec Salmond.He is only doing what we should expect from our politicians.
 
 
# Keep UTG 2012-02-20 10:33
It`s only hypocrisy and we`re well used to that,the fact that Keevins chooses to advertise his prejudice and ignorance is a matter for him.
 
 
# Training Day 2012-02-20 10:35
Keevins is a Labour hack not worth bothering about.

However, the FM should keep well out of this. Nothing was surer than that Labour would try to play the sectarian card here, as they have done for decades. It took them less than two days. Thus you get politicians like 'Lord' McFall urging the FM to somehow intervene on Rangers behalf. Far be it from me to suggest that this was so Labour could portray the SNP as Rangers friendly in the Celtic community.

To repeat, this is a toxic issue and the FM should stay schtum.
 
 
# millie 2012-02-21 00:11
Training day.

Very wise words!
 
 
# Vincent McDee 2012-02-21 12:04
The fact the issue is toxic doesn't make it less Scottish.

Which team is Celtic going to fight for the Scottish League? Barca?
 
 
# Training Day 2012-02-21 14:27
Few are suggesting that what Salmond said was intrinsically wrong. The problem lies with what the media and Labour would, predictably, make of it.

If you doubt the potential for this situation being unnecessarily inflamed to the SNP's disadvantage you should have been in certain Glasgow pubs at 5pm last Saturday evening..
 
 
# Louperdowg 2012-02-20 10:38
Its not that long ago that both Rangers and Celtic thought that the Scottish football pond was too small to support two big fish.

Obviously, with one big fish out of the way then the other will do just brilliantly.
 
 
# ituna semea 2012-02-20 10:40
Mr Salmond has every right to comment on the situation at Rangers. Nevertheless his normally reliable political antennae should have kept him from commenting on the prospects for Celtic.
 
 
# proudscot 2012-02-20 14:57
Quoting ituna semea:
Mr Salmond has every right to comment on the situation at Rangers. Nevertheless his normally reliable political antennae should have kept him from commenting on the prospects for Celtic.


On the other hand, is Hugh Keevins or anyone else, trying to deny that Celtic will not be financially poorer from the loss of a guaranteed four sell-out games against their Old Firm rivals, taking into account gate monies, TV and advertising revenue and sales of shirts and other club merchandise - and that's not including the possible/probable further equally lucrative meetings in cup competitions against Rangers?

Surely Hugh Keevins isn't letting his anti-SNP/Alex Salmond prejudices show here, or maybe the fact that said AS is a known Jambo. Just a thought.
 
 
# farrochie 2012-02-20 10:56
Any politician or journalist commenting on this case would be well advised to educate themselves on some of the issues via:-

rangerstaxcase.com/

If ye flee wi the craws ye'll get shot at.
 
 
# alexb 2012-02-20 10:59
It,s only natural that the First Minister would be asked to comment on what was the main news story of the week, but I thought what he said wasn,t as well thought out as most of his pronouncements. While my sympathies lie with the "ordinary" employees of Rangers F.C, in over forty years of business dealing with what is now called H.M.R.C, they never "went easy", on any tax payments they were trying to collect from me, so why should a football club be a special case. By the way, I,m a Partick Thistle supporter, and in the 90s, it was the "ordinary supporters", who saved it from going "bust".
 
 
# KingEckI 2012-02-20 11:54
This is just typical of the small minded idiots who follow the toxic twins. As if coming out in support of one of Scotland's two biggest clubs while it's facing financial problems was somehow denegrating to the other. If the situation was reversed he'd have said the same about Celtic, i.e. that it is in Rangers interest for them to survive.
 
 
# chicmac 2012-02-20 16:34
Furthermore, if he had said NOTHING one suspects Mr Keevins (and others) would have been right on Alex's case with all sorts of innuendo.

Classic case is the Trump affair, OK that's golf related, but when AS seemed to side with Trump he came in for stick, then when he seemed to oppose Trump (about the wind farms) he came in for it as well.

With the MSM it is a case of 'Attack the SNP' then maybe justify it later.
 
 
# Jester 2012-02-20 13:37
What time is this cretins show on? What's the phone/email contact?
Mr Keevins should expect a high call volume tonight!
 
 
# the wallace 2012-02-20 14:12
NNS MOD TEAM,Why was my post removed it wastnt offensive in any way,whits going on???
 
 
# alexmc8275 2012-02-20 14:20
Mr keevins show is on radio Clyde at six, I wouldn't even bother calling as you won't get to talk to him about it.
 
 
# Aplinal 2012-02-20 14:21
As a life-long Celtic supporter, I think AS is absolutely right, and fully entitled to comment. I may wish them (Rangers) ill in footballing success (!), but it's a long standing and respected club going through a difficult time and there are hundreds, if not thousands of jobs, direct and indirect, that are in question. I hope they survive.

I also feel that Scottish football is already in a parlous state, and if Rangers went under, this would do no one any good. A team improves through rivalry and challenge. Celtic "needs" (to a large extent) someone to maintain a challenge on them. Unfortunately, there are few clubs in the SPL that can do this.

I think a 'solution' will be found. And in the meantime, let's just ignore the pro-Lab/Con/Unionist journalists who have little regard for journalistic integrity, and apparently, very little in the way of proper objective reporting.
 
 
# WilliamO 2012-02-21 10:07
Well put Aplinal - could not have said it better myself. Your last para says it all!!
 
 
# alicmurray 2012-02-20 14:58
This country has been brought to its knees because until recently we only had the Labour party who with no challengers did less and less costing more and more. This is what would happen to Celtic without Rangers.
 
 
# Mac 2012-02-20 17:30
The BIG problem for Rangers is that if they lose the tax case then SFA and UEFA are likely to step in and further punish the club. There is talk of demotion to the SFL's 3rd division by the SFA and a 5-6 year European competition ban by UEFA. It is that serious.

The impact on Scottish club football and its status in Europe would be great and long lasting. Also the long term financial impact on a club like Rangers going into administration creates a lot of uncertainity.

These are not good times for Scottish football. It is important that people put differences to one side and pull together.

It would be better for the game as a whole to adopt community based ownership of clubs as is done in Germany. The fans should be in control of football clubs. Lets bring back some honesty to the game.
 
 
# Louperdowg 2012-02-20 23:22
Plus they wouldn't be able to use the tax free lure to attract players again.
 
 
# Arbroath1320 2012-02-21 00:06
Yeeha!

Annan at home to Rangers.

I can just see the papers now.

Oops sorry Annan will be division two by then.

Still they'll get to play Rangers when they get promoted! :D
 
 
# sneckedagain 2012-02-20 17:51
As a liflong Celtic supporter ("lifted over" from the age of four)I have to say Celtic's remarks have been unhelpful and politically divisive. But then again with John Reid and Brian Wilson on the board this is hardly surprising. How much more respect Celtic would have gained had they expressed support and concern for the Rangers players and managerent and agreed to the simple point that the collapse of Rangers would have massive collteral damage to all of the Scottish game.
It didn't take much on Saturday to send the Rangers support back into their abusive sectarian position. Celtic's remarks partly promoted this but you won't find Labour hacks like Keevins addressing this.
 
 
# Legerwood 2012-02-20 17:56
First he had to apologise to Celtic for saying they needed Rangers to survive. Then he said Rangers were "part of the fabric of society" in Scotland. Which makes Celtic what, precisely?[/quote]

Another part I guess. Part suggests it is a fraction of aa whole so which part do they not understand?

Heavens above I cannot believe I am even bothering to write anything about this.

By the way who is the Chairman of Celtic - some labour chappie is it not?
 
 
# Big Eye 2012-02-20 19:24
Want something spooky? If you take the starting letters of the four teams at the top of the premier league in reverse order you get H for Hearts, M for Motherwell, R for Rangers and C for Celtic spelling out HMRC!

Now what are the odds on that happening. No doubt Mr Keevins will be able to suggest it is a plot set up by Hearts supporter Alex Salmond.

Nonsense? No more so that this cheap shot from an increasingly forgotten journalist.
 
 
# Arbroath1320 2012-02-20 20:39
S..... P..... O..... O..... K..... Y!

Ooooooh!
 
 
# ds12 2012-02-20 21:29
Was listening to Spoprtsound earlier on and the ex St Johnstone chairman had a go at Alex Salmond's comments and then came right out and more or less said exactly the same thing.
As usual the FM's words have been spun until they bear no relation to what he actually said.
 
 
# weegie38 2012-02-20 22:14
Football people, as a rule, tend not to notice politicians much. They like to think they're dealing with something much more important. There's very much a "keep your nose out" mindset among them. You can see it all the way to the top, with FIFA's very aggressive attitude to political interference in the game (oh, except for when it comes to handing over cash for World Cup bids, of course...)

As such I wouldn't care much about Keevins: the guy has always struck me as being firmly second division in the pundit stakes. Even Chick Young takes the p out of him pretty regular. And always remember, the radio / TV football pundit is part of the entertainment industry, so they'll say anything to get noticed.
 
 
# Jester 2012-02-20 22:18
The ramificatons of Rangers going out of business extend far beyond the walls of I-Brokes. Buses full of supporters travel from all over the country to Glasgow, so the coach companies would be hit. Sports retailers selling every bit of tat they can with a club badge on it would be hit. Pubs who deal in the fans trade before and after the match, plus the pubs up and down the country who show live games, they would take a hit. The companies who supply the food and drink for the supporters during the games, and for the corporate crowd, they too would be affected. Why, even two-bit radio shows which focus on the minutiae of the Old Firm may even take a hit.
Perhaps Mr Keevins would explain why the First Minister of Scotland should not be allowed to comment, but Shuggie from Clydebank can (if he calls Radio Snide that is!)
 
 
# Early Ball 2012-02-20 22:35
Scotland on Sunday's Irish sports hack Tom English has slaughtered Salmond in his column for the past two Sundays.

He is also getting the same on the Aberdeen fans forum.

Football is too tribal to get involved.

Not only is there Rangers and Celtic antagonism there is also everybody else against the old firm.

He did not say what everyone else is not saying but they have all stepped back and let him take the flak.
 
 
# Jim Johnston 2012-02-20 23:03
Calm down, what Keevins knows about football wouldn't fill the back of a fag packet.

Like all subjects, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Alex Salmond is not the only politician adding their twopence worth, eg. PM Cameron for instance, they all have as much right to express an opinion as anyone.

Shanks......."Football, It's a form of socialism, without the politics of course".

Jock Stein...."Some politicians don't know much about football, but then some of them don't know much about politics either".

John Greig...."It's only a game !!" (Used by STV for the title of a great documentary).

Chick Murray...."At least I've got one thing sorted out today. I spoke to the Duke of Edinburgh, and he spoke to the Queen, and she's passed a law that if anybody beats Glasgow Rangers, it's only a draw".

My Dad....(Fits Keevins perfectly)..."He only got one kick at the ball, it was a header and he missed it, but he ran on and chested it in with his arse,"
 
 
# Blanco 2012-02-21 08:13
The obvious answer is that Celtic should buy Rangers and play as Glasgow United. They could wear turquoise strips. But that will never happen as Celtic fans believe themselves to be an oppressed minority. And with Rangers gone and along with them the idiots who like to play the flute and wave union flags, who will they claim oppresses them? Celtic do not need Rangers in a business or a football sense, but they need Rangers in order to perpetuate a sense of victimhood.

The rest of Scottish football does not need Rangers at all. The dominance of the old firm over the last two decades has led to the leakage of support from other teams towards the old firm until now, half the football fans in the country support either Rangers or Celtic. If the title is not such a binary prize then I can see people going back to supporting their local clubs, which can only be a good thing. 
 
 
# lochside 2012-02-21 14:23
I was moderated off here before because of my comments..therefore I'd just like to say that AS should als stay schtum re. this subject. And the sooner the 'gruesome twosome' better known as the 'old firm' (for very good reasons) disappear, the better for Scottish football and Scottish society.
 
 
# John Souter 2012-02-21 14:37
In basic business terms it is irrefutably better for Rangers to survive for all of the Scottish game.

How many clubs in Scotland benefit from increased takings at a Rangers game.

To bring politics or sectarianism into the present situation is plain bloody stupid.
 
 
# Puskas 2012-02-21 19:58
Third Lanark, Clydebank, Hibs, Airdrie, Gretna, Dundee, Livingstone...Hearts.....

I personally cannot remember any of these clubs trying to cheay in a financial utopia that Scottish Footbal ain't...Sympathy? I cannot remember much of that regards these clubs..
Looking back at the situ in Edinburgh when Hibs were in the soapy bubble makes for interesting thought.. Hibs struggling financially had no sympathy or help from any organisation in the proffesional game...When looking back Mercer the Hearts chairman at that time expressed himself well regards Hearts having Edinburgh to them selves.

Behind the scenes we had David Murray who was pulling Mercers puppet strings..

Now cheating has to be punished if found to be the case. Rule books to be torn up is that what some are suggesting...
The clubs I mention above hanging from their fitba studs had no help whatsoever..and rules by the magic committees within football SFA and SPL we were told could not be broken as they stuck the boot in fiercely to clubs who were struggling and some if not all to present day...

Sympathy.. Sorry I for one remember the HEARSE arriving at Celtic Park and the broken badge on the club jersey front page headlines... Yes funny some thought .I cannot remember many football chairman and the press telling the masses Scottish Football needed Celtic..

My fear is for the other clubs who hopefully may be playing in EUFA competition..
I believe at this time the European and World football bodies are looking from afar at the happenings within Scotland and strangely enough our very own SFA..

If cheating with the financial aspect, and accounts that remember the SFA sign off to allow each club permission to head into competition. This could be dire in the future and lead to all Scottish clubs being punished by a ban of years due to Rangers FC's / SFA misconduct if proven...Remember also as the days pass that very noticably the wagons are circling.

What we see happening before all our eyes regards money hidden here their and everywhere is very suspicious..
 
 
# Barontorc 2012-02-21 23:01
It would make you laugh if it wasn't for the boak inducing thought patterns of these pundits.

In terms of stature on the world stage, in terms of the importance and added value that AS brings to Scotland and indeed the UK political scene, just who are these cretins that try to take him down at every opportunity?

Alex Salmond is a 7 star Dubai skyscraper compared to these shoddy decrepit wee but-n-bens.

Away and gie's all peace!
 
 
# Hamish100 2012-02-21 23:13
I think the attack on Alex Salmond is more about the Governments attack on sectarianism particulary with the "big 2" or is it Big 1? Now helped by the upstanding help of the big impartial businessmen (heaven help us).
One covers itself in the Union Flag, God Save the queen ... rebellious Scots to Crush...and other offensive songs with the other wrapped in the flag of another country singing other offensive songs...(of course they need each other)

Come away Scotland !!
 

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