Hosted by Supporters Direct Scotland
Date: 23rd October 2018
I’m all for ex-pros becoming pundits and giving the audience an insight about playing the game.
I am not convinced that current players should be on our screens, in the papers or on the radio discussing other teams and potential opponents.
For me, Kilmarnock striker Kris Boyd should be concentrating on playing football and scoring goals for Killie. So far this term, Kris has featured in five Scottish Premiership fixtures without registering a goal. In fact the hitman collected more yellow cards than goals in the league this season.
instead of hitting the back of the net the veteran has hit the back pages due to his views.
Boyd stated late last month that there was a divide in the Celtic dressing room. This was after Kilmarnock had beaten the Scottish Premiership champions and Boyd had remained on the bench for the full game.
“You only have to look at their performances.”
“Are they really that bothered to be playing in a Celtic jersey right now? Not for me.”
“I know there was a meeting after the Champions League exit.”
“And, when you look at that, there is a divide in the dressing-room, there is no doubt about it. It was quite clear.”
Should a current professional air another club’s dirty laundry? I don’t think so. Plus look at Celtic’s response, they’ve won all of their domestic fixtures since those comments were made.
After Rangers beat Hamilton Academical on Sunday, Boyd decided to have a bit of a go at Gers defender Nikola Katic. Interestingly Boyd seemed to elbow Katic when they played against each other in the Betfred Cup earlier in the year and who are Rangers playing next in the Premiership? Kilmarnock!
It was the same last season. Boyd was struggling at Killie, yet he was too busy banging on about how various Aberdeen players weren’t good enough for Scotland. It seemed steve Clarke’s appointment changed things and Boyd wasn’t as vocal in the second half of the season.
Interestingly when asked by Sky Sports to discuss a penalty incident in Lanarkshire, Boyd replied:
“I’m not getting involved in it. With me being a Kilmarnock player, we’ve been involved in enough penalty decisions in the past few weeks”
That one line shows us why he’s not the the best person to discuss what’s currently happening in our league because he’s still playing in it and has a severe conflict of interest!
In reality, it seems like sportsmanship and that he’s trying to disrupt rival players and teams. It comes across as being crass and the viewer then questions Boyd’s motives.
Kris isn’t the only one. I’m not a fan when Motherwell employee Stephen Craigan commentates on Well games for BT Sport and I’ve noticed Kenny Miller and Steven Naismith are doing more media work this season.
I think it can become a distraction and players will be better served if they concentrate more on their last years of playing football rather than having one eye on a future career.
But alas if the networks and papers come calling offering easy money, veteran stars seem set to divide their loyalties and we are left questioning what we are watching.
By Scott Johnston (TheFootyblog.net)
Posted in: Latest News