PRAISE be for Val Migliaccio, a man who is currently being vilified on (anti) social media for having the temerity to do his job, in questioning the Adelaide United coach, Josep Gombau.
What nonsense these keyboard warriors type. In fact, Val is one of the better exponents of that dying art known as journalism.
In other words, he breaks stories, asks hard questions, writes opinion pieces without fear or favour, tries to make people read the newspaper he works for, and think about the issues.
He doesn't always get it right of course, but he is prepared to cop it when that occurs...providing it doesn't get personal.
Therein lies Josep Gombau's problem.
In stooping to the sort of trash-talking more reminiscent of an Anthony Mundine press conference, Gombau revealed his soft underbelly.
Val was also critical of previous Reds coaches - namely John Kosmina and Aurelio Vidmar. Was that "agenda driven" too?
On the contrary, it sounds like pretty consistent reporting to me. If a club struggles on the park, is it a reporters job to soft-soap the coach? Or to ask proper questions?The issue surrounding Gombau has become clouded precisely because there aren't enough journalists like Val Migliaccio operating at the moment. Too many media roles are now filled by those without proper journalistic backgrounds.
Gombau, far from feeling aggrieved at a little scrutiny, should thank his lucky stars he doesn't work in what he would no doubt term "knowledgeable" football countries.He'd have been sacked if he'd delivered such a start at Barcelona, be in no doubt about that.
Let's be honest, without his Barcelona connection, he'd also have been castigated here as "old school" for his words on Friday. Not to mention his teams poor disciplinary record on the park.
Can you imagine the reaction had Jim Magilton called a journalists son "a shit goalkeeper?"
Magilton - hounded out of office at Melbourne Victory after only a dozen games - makes for an interesting comparison. In 2011/12, the Northern Irishman was quoted as saying "the regeneration of any football club takes time."
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No-one was listening.
He was rounded upon by experts, some of whom questioned whether he came from a high enough level to coach in the A-League. Here is a direct quote from one...
"It is high time a rule was instituted that any import must have demonstrated success in a league with a high tactical level, and the (English) Championship would clearly not comply."
From this then, we are able to deduce (by the ensuing silence on Gombau's appointment), that the Hong Kong First Division, where he held his only previous senior coaching role, is of a significantly higher level than the second tier in England.
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Such inconsistent messages however, are ignored. Why? Because journalistic principles are undervalued by a society in thrall to celebrity - meaning ex-pros now dominate football opinion pages.
They have an important role to play of course, but they should never be allowed to frame every debate without challenge. Good journalists are worth their weight in gold in that regard, for providing the balance so often missing.
However, lopsided discussion is now the norm. Worse, the advent of new media has made everyone believe they can be, should be, or even actually are - a journalist. It leaves those who work full-time in the job as being viewed with utter contempt, impostors in a world the new order believes they now both inhabit, and control.Of Migliaccio's interested readership
(the quiet majority), plenty will be questioning why Adelaide United are struggling. Therefore, it is his duty to pursue a probing line of questioning, not cheerlead for a "philosophy," or whatever cliche is currently in vogue in the football milieu.
In mitigation, Gombau does indeed, deserve some time to get it right, and he may yet turn the Reds into world beaters. There were good signs against the Mariners, that's for sure.
But he cannot quote statistics to back up his teams dominance, and then complain when they are used against him to illustrate their failings. It is also folly to dismiss the locals for a "lack of football understanding," when United's crowd figure dwindled to 7,785 on Saturday - a fair indication that not everyone has been won over by style over substance.
But most importantly, if he can't handle a few questions after a rotten run of results (which DO matter), then perhaps he should not be in coaching at all.
Read more:
http://www.foxsports.com.au//football/a-league/simon-says-reds-coach-josep-gombau-showed-soft-underbelly-with-personal-attack-on-journalist/story-e6frf4gl-1226784574260#ixzz2ncwTGSVB
Emphasis mine. Commentary:
- Reads altogether like a closing of the ranks; protecting one of their own.
- Don't know much about Adelaide, but fml, Val asks the most inane, frivolous questions imaginable.
- Anyone who refers to a 'silent majority', in whatever context, should be driven from respectable society