INCREDIBLE SULKS

 

12:00 - 29 February 2008

 

Aberdeen players are refusing to speak to you ... by imposing a ban on interviews with the Evening Express, writes Charlie Allan.

 

In an amazing hissy fit, skipper Scott Severin and his team-mates have decided not to talk to us, despite the fact we are the newspaper on which most fans depend for news of the club.

 

The players have accused the Evening Express of being "generally negative" about the Dons.

 

A request to speak to Barry Nicholson after their 1-1 draw with Motherwell was rejected.

 

The players also refused to speak to us to preview tomorrow's SPL clash with Rangers at Ibrox. But they did interviews with Glasgow-based papers.

 

I went to Pittodrie and asked for a face-to-face meeting with Severin to discuss the players' issues with our coverage.

 

The club skipper refused my request for a chat and instead sent Dons media officer Dave Macdermid to speak on his behalf.

 

Macdermid confirmed the players have imposed the ban because of what was described as "the general negativity" of our coverage in recent weeks.

 

Macdermid claimed Severin told him the ban would be lifted after tomorrow's SPL clash with Rangers "once the players had made their point."

 

"They feel the local paper should be more supportive," he added.

 

Macdermid added the "negativity" included critical comments from columnists and fans.

 

He said the players were particularly upset by last Monday's back page story, confirming manager Jimmy Calderwood plans to move out at least 10 players in the summer.

 

Calderwood did not name any of the players, so we printed a list of those believed to be most under threat.

 

Severin and the squad then held a meeting, after which they informed the club they would no longer speak to us.

 

The Evening Express makes no apology for asking hard questions of a team that has won just two of their last 11 SPL games.

 

We also hit out at the players for their poor display in the 4-1 CIS League Cup semi-final thrashing by Dundee United.

 

But we have heaped praise on them for their efforts in the UEFA Cup this season. We ran front and back page tributes and published pull-outs celebrating their achievements.

 

Calderwood admitted he thinks the players have made a mistake by refusing to do interviews with the Evening Express.

 

Calderwood said: "I think the players are wrong because I don't think it helps anyone. But Seve told me that is what they wanted to do, so it's their choice.

 

"They were annoyed by last Monday's article in particular. It was a bit naughty putting names to what I said, but you have to expect that. I didn't name anyone but had to speak to Lee Mair and it clearly annoyed the players."

 

Despite the stance by the players, we will continue to bring you the best news about the Dons.

 

If the players don't want to talk to this Non Journalist, then that is their perogative.

 

It seems to me that it's not just the players who have "Gone in a huff" The fatman appears to be the one with an agenda here. It looks like his toys are now strewn miles away from the pram!

"dons in the huff day 5"

 

Which is fairly petty in my opinion.  The players aren't speaking to you Charlie, how about doing your job and trying some journalism for a change instead of expecting to get all your stories from phone calls to your mates at Pittodrie.

 

I agree with K9 regarding a complete ban of anyone from AFC speaking to the rag, but its a bit difficult when WM and JC are employed by Aberdeen Journals.

Which is fairly petty in my opinion.  The players aren't speaking to you Charlie, how about doing your job and trying some journalism for a change instead of expecting to get all your stories from phone calls to your mates at Pittodrie.

 

I agree with K9 regarding a complete ban of anyone from AFC speaking to the rag, but its a bit difficult when WM and JC are employed by Aberdeen Journals.

 

it is funny that last week Lovell was his viallain of the week and this week he has him in the "its been a good week for" bit.

 

seve incidentally is in his villain of the week bit for not talking to him.

I hope he is 

 

Could be that some folk are confusing a extremely vocal minority for the majority of Dons fans.

 

i know what you mean but it seems to me that more and more fans (not just on internet forums) have had enough.

It could be for the players though, perhaps some of them want to stay.

 

Yup - 4 possibly want to stay.  Touzani clearly out of favour so must be candidate for punting.  Mair and Macnamara will no doubt want to stay but both looking like a waste of a good wage.  JDV is the other who has not done that much as yet .

 

If those 10 mentioned in the EE are not the ones (double figures) who JC wants to clear out then wonder who is.

 

 

At the moment we look like we are losing:

 

Nicholson

Miller

Aluko

Walker

 

(All out of contract and JC says wants to keep 4 of those 5.)

 

Lovell

Duff

Bus

Soutar

Maybury

 

(All out of contract and none offered new deal as yet so may be part of the 10 bar Maybury who just came in a few days before JC said he wanted to move players out)

 

 

Leaves first team squad of:

 

Jamie Langfield (Wanted as given new contract)

Ritchie Byrne (Was reported to have been offered new contract before injured yet again??)

Jackie McNamara (Possible)

Zander Diamond (Wanted as signed new contract)

Scott Severin (Wanted as bummed up regularly and is JC's captain)

Jamie Smith (Can't imagine he wants to let him go as talks him up)

Darren Mackie (As above)

Richard Foster (Wanted as recently signed new contract)

Lee Mair (Possible)

Derek Young (Doubt on list as played well and is "great to have about the place" & "we have missed him")

Andrew Considine (Possible as gets blame thrown on him regularly)

Chris Maguire (Possible again but JC seems to really like him when everyone else thinks he is rank)

Jeffrey De Visscher (Possible)

Jonathan Smith (Possible)

 

Scott Severin (Wanted as bummed up regularly and is JC's captain)

 

 

That for me more than anything is my main problem with the club at the moment. Watching Seve and it comes across that he couldnt give a rats arse what happens.

 

Maybe someone with an encyclopaedic knowledge of our results this season can help but how did we do when he was dropped earlier in the season ?

 

 

we cant dump seve, his long throw ins are menacing

we cant dump seve, his long throw ins are menacing

 

He's good to have around the place

That for me more than anything is my main problem with the club at the moment. Watching Seve and it comes across that he couldnt give a rats arse what happens.

 

Maybe someone with an encyclopaedic knowledge of our results this season can help but how did we do when he was dropped earlier in the season ?

 

 

 

Couldn't agree more. 

 

Having said that thinking more and more that it may have a lot to do with his dodgy knee and just isn't fit since he hardly ever trains nowadays.

 

Maybe my Seve bashing for being lazy and uninterested has something behind it or maybe just wishful thinking and he is a lazy slug!!

K9 - you could say that Touzani was out of favour last time but then he was handed a 2 year deal. 

 

More and more of our signings/sales seem to be more based on money matters rather than football ones.  For that reason alone, I wouldn't be surprised by who stays rather than who goes.

Couldn't agree more. 

 

Having said that thinking more and more that it may have a lot to do with his dodgy knee and just isn't fit since he hardly ever trains nowadays.

 

Maybe my Seve bashing for being lazy and uninterested has something behind it or maybe just wishful thinking and he is a lazy slug!!

 

Aye, declares himself fit on the Friday usually.

 

Mind you, if you know the manager is going to pick you no matter what then if your of that mindset then there is no need to bust a gut.

 

Anyone remember how we got on without him earlier in the season ?

 

 

Actually just checked:

 

We beat Hibs and Killie with him on the bench, he came into the 1st team we were humped 3-0 by Motherwell

K9 - you could say that Touzani was out of favour last time but then he was handed a 2 year deal.   

 

More and more of our signings/sales seem to be more based on money matters rather than football ones.  For that reason alone, I wouldn't be surprised by who stays rather than who goes.

Would think Touzani stil on fair wage to entice him to up sticks from Holland and move to Scotland.  Would take a fair package in order to do that i would think. 

 

Reckon most of our signings lack imagination and it is laziness from management that means likes of out of favour Touzani re-sign on.

Looks like the cover of the EE online today has the S-Pieman (who thought that up? ) going undercover to break the ban.

 

He must think he's so clever!

Looks like the cover of the EE online today has the S-Pieman (who thought that up? ) going undercover to break the ban.

 

He must think he's so clever!

 

What did he do, take off his fat suit ?

Is he disguised as the back of the team bus?

Jesus christ that article is bad. What the fuck is their chief sports writer doing?!

 

It just goes to show that without the club, the paper is fucked. Charlie Allan is effectively proving that he has fuck all else to do or write about nowadays.

 

Embarrassment

Embarrassment

 

Got to agree having now read it. What a joke of an article! He's not writing for some fanzine, it's a newspaper. Why is there even an evening paper in Aberdeen? It's the same news as is in the P&J just with more of a tabloid spin.

was going to buy the EE until i had a quick look at the back 3 pages!!!! Cringeworthy to say the least!!!!

was going to buy the EE until i had a quick look at the back 3 pages!!!! Cringeworthy to say the least!!!!

 

Crazy eh!! Nice to meet you on Friday night by the way 

 

If anyone is in any doubt as to the awfulness of todays back-page, have a gander at this

 

Crazy eh!! Nice to meet you on Friday night by the way 

 

If anyone is in any doubt as to the awfulness of todays back-page, have a gander at this

 

 

Player ban busted!

 

By fat cunt in shades. Got to keep the ban going now, FFS!

Aberdeen Journals should be ashamed of this article.

 

DONS PLAYER BAN BUSTED!

 

12:00 - 04 March 2008

 

With the Scottish Cup clash with Celtic looming large on the horizon it was time to beat the Dons players' ban on the Evening Express.

 

And when I was told Dutch defender Dave Bus would be outside Pittodrie to announce he is being sponsored First Aberdeen, I decided to grab my chance.

 

Well, let's face it I had already managed to beat a ban imposed on me getting into Dundee United's Tannadice Stadium by wearing a mask of my own face printed by the Evening Express.

 

I was sure it would take something far more cunning to get past big Dave and Dons media bloke Malcolm Panton, who kept looking at me in a strange way as I stood waiting with the rest of the media pack.

 

Dave, perhaps in tribute to the bus company he is being backed by, was a couple of minutes late for the photo call.

 

When my moment to speak to the big fella finally arrived I feared my master disguise wasn't going to be get past the eagle eyed Dutchman.

 

"Are you warm enough under there?" Dave asked, giving me a curious 'I think I should know you' sort of look.

 

"My hair is orange because I love the Dutch," I replied, meekly, aware that the strong wind was threatening to blow my cover as well.

 

"Any chance of an interview?" I added.

 

"No problem," said Dave - I was in! Even stranger, Dave didn't bat an eyelid.

 

I can only assume being interviewed by a guy wearing an orange wig, Elvis sunglasses, false nose and moustache is a common occurrence in Holland.

 

"You must be pleased a local company has decided to back you, even though they are having a bit of fun with your name?" I said.

 

The question was met with a bemused stare. Dave then said: " Can you repeat that please. My English isn't so good and that (pointing to my moustache, which was by now starting to droop) is making it difficult to hear you."

 

I delivered the question again, to which Dave replied: "It's great and I don't mind. I'm proud of my name and pleased if it can help the company."

 

Celtic scored five goals on their last visit to Pittodrie, so I asked if it might be best for the Dons to actually park a bus in front of their goal on Sunday to keep them out. Dave was not amused.

 

"We lost badly to Celtic, but the scoreline flattered them," he said.

 

"We had chances to score as well and believe the game was a lot closer than it looked.

 

"Now we have to win to keep the excitement going for our fans, so we certainly won't be trying to defend all the time."

 

Dave claimed the Dons have taken a lot of encouragement out of their last two performances, a 1-1 draw with Motherwell and 3-1 defeat by Rangers at Ibrox a match they took the lead in through Steve Lovell.

 

"We played well in both games and deserved more.

 

"The cup competitions aren't as important in Holland as they are in Scotland but I know how much it would mean to our fans if we were to win on Sunday."

 

I then blew it by asking Dave if I would need to wear a disguise every time to speak to him.

 

"I don't know, it's not my call," he replied, before reaching over and removing my wig.

 

It was over, too late though, the ban had been beaten. I doubt if the wig will work again though.

Jesus wept. It's amazing what passes for journalism these days.

The ban has been beaten, now surely it is time that fat fucking useless waste of skin is beaten too.

AFC shouldn't let this clown anywhere near the front door.

 

Whether he dresses up as one or not.