I am an ex football journalist; have written for many national newspapers, both tabloid and broadsheet - as well as online (where my career was leading me until I landed a publishing deal and now write literature, non-fiction and fiction).
There seems to be lots and lots of posters on here concerned with journalists; who is top tier? who is a bullshitter? who is properly ITK?
Let me explain, if you don't mind.
NOBODY is ITK. Not anymore.
When I started in football journalism about twenty years ago; there were - of course - journalists working the Premier League beat who were ITK. They would have trusted sources at football clubs; sometimes even footballers themselves or managers or (in a lot of cases) the press officer at a football club who was asked to drop a story to a journalist etc.
The reason for this was simple: If Manchester United (for example) wanted to reach us guys (the fans) by telling us some news; this is how they would go about it. The manager would give a nod and a wink to our press officer, the press officer would pick up the phone to a couple of journalists or indeed write a press release if it was something formal and then those journalists would write up their article for you and I to read in the newspaper the next day. Very simple: that is how you would reach your fan base to let them know something. Source - press officer - journalist - fan.
But these days; the game has changed. It was in 2008 that the game really changed and I become disillusioned by being a football reporter (though I didn't leave until 2013).
Because these days; if Manchester United want to reach you and I (the fan base), they no longer need the middle man in order to do that. Social Media has changed the game. United can reach us without the need for a journalist. Print journalism is dead and has been dead for a decade now in terms of being useful.
NOBODY at Manchester United or any major club uses ANY print journalist to let them know of any news that is occurring within the football club. Those days are long gone.
So, when Johnny Cross or Andy Mitten or James Ducker or Charlie Wheeler etc etc are linking Man United with players, I guarantee they are just making it up. I've ben there. I know it happens. It happens all the time. And it is happening more and more now, for one simple reason.
Manchester United are the biggest football club in the world by a mile. I know some like to argue that we're not bigger or better than Real Madrid yada yada.. but the truth is that the world is much more transfixed and obsessed with Manchester United. If a journalists drops Manchester United's name into a headline in modern media, it is going to reach a massive audience. This is why we are constantly linked to numerous players. Because journalists and editors know that they will get more revenue from advertising on a page if the name 'Manchester United is a key part of the SEO for that page.
I PROMISE you I know this because I was asked - and carried out - to use that tactic for years by some top sports editors. (Be happy to show any of the mods my credentials for proof in this regard).
It's not just Manchester United by the way who no longer use print media journalists. No club does.
Look at yesterday's jaw-dropping news for proof.
Wayne Rooney signed for Derby yesterday. DERBY!!! And this was after a summer of him talking to half a dozen clubs in England. He was speaking to Derby before Cocu was named manager. Now; how on earth did the print media only find out about Wayne Rooney's move to Derby 12-hours before his reveal press conference?
All these journalists who pretend to beITK on deals, didn't have one darn clue about the biggest transfer of the summer. Not one iota! Even though Rooney and his reps had been talking to many clubs over a two month period?
These journalists haven't one darn clue what is going on because clubs no longer use them to break news.
So, please stop with all this 'Mitten reported this' and 'Wheeler reported this'.
These guys know as much as you do.
No British-based sports journalist gets any heads up from Manchester United or any other club.
James Cooper is the only reporter who follows the Manchester United beat who gets any heads-up from the club and that's because the club know the Sky Sports news channel is the quickest broadcast way to reach their fans. So yes.. Cooper does get a phone call from Karen Shotbolt (our press officer) every now and then, and he does have a source or two on the inside. But he only gets information when the club want a bit of information put out there... such as the decision to walk away from the Dybala deal.
That's it. If you want a trusted source; James Cooper is the nearest you will get to a trusted source.
Not one print journalist attached to any of the main newspapers is ever passed on information. It doesn't work like that any more.
A lot of posters on here need to take heed of this: Stop getting your knickers in a twist over which journalist reported what.. Whatever they are reporting is a nonsense. They are only interested in generating money for their newspapers by getting people like you to click on their stories. Fact: United have been linked in the British press with 79 players this summer. That tells you all you need to know.
The journalists know nothing! Trust me. I used to be one.
