An open letter to The Sun

Neil3030

In light of what is quite possibly the nadir of gutter journalism, this is a great retort by F365:

Dear The Sun,

This is just getting silly. Nay, it has gone beyond silliness. It's now offensive, objectionable and toxic.

Today, a story appears as the back page lead of your newspaper criticising Fabio Capello's England team selection for the upcoming Euro 2012 qualifiers, before Capello has even made this selection.

Shaun Custis writes: 'Donkey Fabio Capello has stuck a hoof into England's brave new world - after just one game.

'The gormless Italian vowed to rebuild after our World Cup debacle by bringing in young players.

'But the silly ass has ruled Arsenal whizkid Jack Wilshere, 18, out of next month's vital Euro qualifiers.'

This is written under the headline 'Jackass picks just Cap it all', with a pair of donkey ears super-imposed on Capello's head in the accompanying picture.

'Jackass'. 'Silly ass'. 'Gormless'. Is this really what journalism has come to? Is this really what you want to be doing?

And what is the basis of The Sun's latest attack? The omission of 'whizkid' Wilshere, who apparently earned 'rave reviews' for his two - two - starts for Arsenal so far.

Whoever was doing this 'raving', it wasn't The Sun. Wilshere didn't warrant a mention in the paper's report of Arsenal's 6-0 win over Blackpool, while the best thing the paper could say about his performance against Liverpool (in a report written by Custis) was that he will 'grow in confidence the more games he plays', before awarding him five out of ten for his showing.

The other justification for insulting one of the most successful managers in the game is the omission of Andy Carroll, a player with eight Premier League starts to his name.

Truly, do you believe this to be justification for such descriptions as 'jackass', 'silly ass' and 'gormless', or whatever else you will be calling Capello next time?

We appreciate the consistency of The Sun's view. The Custis article is the latest in a relentless campaign waged by The Sun to remove Capello from the England job.

But is this really helping? Is this type of name-calling based on such flimsy matters, appropriate? Criticism is fine, but the Custis diatribe could never be described as 'constructive'. It is, in our humble opinion, a new low. Perhaps for backpage tabloid journalism, perhaps for The Sun, perhaps even for old-fashioned debate and discussion. Either way, it's as low as we can remember.

Football365 has largely backed Capello, but even we agree that he has made mistakes, particularly in South Africa. However, we have not forgotten his success at club level, and that he guided England through a near-flawless qualification campaign for the World Cup.

Nor do we know of an English manager who we believe will be a better man for the job. As for the 'rip it up and start again' approach, it is far too simplistic. The assumption that because the current crop of players failed, the next generation will automatically be better, is horribly - and probably fatally - flawed.

Our fear and suspicion is that this campaign is being waged not because the tabloid press truly believe that Capello is in the wrong, or that ignoring Wilshere and Carroll makes him a donkey, but largely out of spite because they didn't get their way after the summer and he stayed on.

We invite Custis, or indeed anyone from The Sun, to write to Football365 to justify this latest article, and indeed their continuing stance. And we promise to publish their right of reply.

Regards,

Football365

One small quarm though - isn't F365 owned by Sky, which is owned by Murdoch, who owns Newscorp, which includes The Sun? Probably incosequential though.

jesus_thats_gre

Football365 died when Sky bought them.. It was slowly dying already at that point but their affiliation with Sky was the final nail in the coffin for that website.

Saying that, I like this letter as the stuff referred to in it is a disgrace.

Handsome Bob

It's laughable, I don't understand how a newspaper or journalist can big up the likes of Zamora and Carroll for a call up to the English international team, and in the same breath demand that basically every player who has worn the shirt lately get the chop. I mean are they good enough to take on the best in the world? No. Surely The Sun is aware of this, so their little campaign to see "the next generation come through" is nothing more than a vendetta to be honest. What a surprise coming from that rag.

Ashley Young, Gabby Agbonlahor, Adam Johnson and maybe Walcott. These are the players that genuinely deserve a chance to break into the international team right now. Not players who are either too green or just have limited PL experience.

jesus_thats_gre

For me, they haven't a hope of winning anything unless they find a World Class defensive midfielder sometimes soon. If they can do that and play to a system that suits the players in the team, they have a chance.

gimmick

The Suns speciality is not great journalism, it is selling copy. Which they do. Lots of it. because the base common denominator loves that kind of crap.

When was F365 bought by sky? I still enjoy reading it as I do most days. Not noticed too big a change.

Neil3030

gimmick wrote: »

The Suns speciality is not great journalism, it is selling copy. Which they do. Lots of it. because the base common denominator loves that kind of crap.

When was F365 bought by sky? I still enjoy reading it as I do most days. Not noticed too big a change.

Nail
Head

PiE

Pointless letter. Anybody who knows the Earth is round knows that the Sun is, at best, toilet paper.

F365 just giving them more exposure.

DrumSteve

PiE wrote: »

Pointless letter. Anybody who knows the Earth is round knows that the Sun is, at best, toilet paper.

F365 just giving them more exposure.

which, considering they are both owned by the same people, is probably no bad thing for all involved.

Dolph Starbeam

I just read almost the exact same thing on the Eurosport website and was going to post it

It's The Sun Wot Lost It



Early Doors thought about just copying and pasting The Sun's splenetic back page lead in full today, so bizarre and entertaining is it.
Basically, the story revolves around the selection of the England Under-21 squad to play Portugal in a European Championship qualifier next Friday.
It's an important game, so thank goodness Jack Wilshere and Andy Carroll are in there, right?

Wrong. Their selection for the U21s means they have effectively been left out of Fabio Capello's senior side to play Bulgaria on the same night.

And this, says The Sun, is reason enough to Photoshop some donkey ears on Capello and unleash some world class outrage courtesy of Shaun Custis.
"DONKEY Fabio Capello has stuck a hoof into England's brave new world - after just one game. "The gormless Italian vowed to rebuild after our World Cup debacle by bringing in young players.

"But the silly ass has ruled Arsenal whizkid Jack Wilshere, 18, out of next month's vital Euro qualifiers.

"Wilshere made his Three Lions debut in the friendly victory over Hungary and also won rave reviews in the Gunners' first two games this season - but is now dumped back into the Under-21 squad.

"There will also be no place for Newcastle's Andy Carroll, 21, when the squad is announced on Sunday - despite a hat-trick against Aston Villa.
"The only hopeful news is that Arsenal's Kieran Gibbs, 20, was not named in the U21s, so is now expected to join up with the seniors."

It is remarkably venomous stuff, and totally unjustified.

Wilshere has not won rave reviews for his performances this season at all. He could very well have been sent off against Liverpool, and he was easily Arsenal's worst midfielder against Blackpool. (Check out the 'best' of Wilshere in this video).

That's OK. He's young, and will improve. He is undoubtedly a tremendous prospect.

What he is not is an automatic pick for the full England team, whose omission deserves such a staggering level of scorn.

Likewise Carroll, who certainly has started the season well. We're talking about a player with less than 20 Premier League appearances under his belt, and who clearly has some rough edges.

Again, that's not a problem. At 21, Carroll is already a real handful and will get better - or at least he will if he gets competitive action with the U21s instead of warming the bench for the senior side.

Is Carroll better than Bobby Zamora, Peter Crouch or Carlton Cole? No, no, and... well, yes.

Even more bizarre is Custis's mention of Gibbs. His inclusion in the squad is irrelevant. Why? Because he isn't as good as Ashley Cole, and probably never will be.

Certainly not if he stays at Arsenal, where his path to the first team is barred by 25-year-old Gael Clichy.

Picking a team of children is not going to qualify England for Euro 2012.
Bad as they were in South Africa, England's World Cup FlopsTM qualified with almost insulting ease, winning their first eight games and only slipping up after they had already qualified - not that it mattered as the Ukraine game was the one shown on a pay-per-view web stream therefore not seen by anyone.

It may be tempting to look past 2012 towards the next World Cup but surely, as manager of the England football team, Fabio Capello's job is to win the next match.

And the much maligned likes of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and even Wayne Rooney have shown they are rather good at qualifying for big tournaments.

Most ridiculous of all is that this 'controversy' comes just a fortnight after Capello was roundly criticised for saying David Beckham is "a little bit old".
So, he's being implored to look to the future (to the obvious detriment of the present), but dare to drop a 35-year-old and he's a national hate figure.

As Jim White pointed out last fortnight, everything Capello does is used as a stick with which to beat the Italian.

Today's Mirror gets in on the act, gleefully repeating quotes from Jose Mourinho criticising Capello, accompanied by a photo of The Special One flicking a V-sign.

It doesn't matter if the tabloids completely contradict themselves - they just want him out, and they will condemn his every move until he is forced out.

Just imagine the storm of fury if Capello picks Mikel Arteta. Or, indeed, if he doesn't.

Is it any surprise that, under such pressure, scrutiny and criticism, England managers tend to lose the plot?

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/early-doors/article/276740/

gimmick

DrumSteve wrote: »

which, considering they are both owned by the same people, is probably no bad thing for all involved.

In fairness, how many people even know that? And lets be honest, its not exactly endorsing The Sun, nor is it likely to make you go out and buy it.

DrumSteve

gimmick wrote: »

In fairness, how many people even know that? And lets be honest, its not exactly endorsing The Sun, nor is it likely to make you go out and buy it.

why would it matter if you knew who owned it? To Newscorp it wouldnt matter. the simple fact is by reading f365's story most people will be naturaly curious to see the article in question.

IMHO though i think the sun, the mirror and the rest of them are a ****in disgrace. they have one of the best managers in the world in charge and they want to get rid of him for sam allardyce. complete numptys the lot of them.

gimmick

DrumSteve wrote: »

why would it matter if you knew who owned it? To Newscorp it wouldnt matter. the simple fact is by reading f365's story most people will be naturaly curious to see the article in question.

I do not see how. Most people with half a brain don't read that drivel paper anyway. I enjoyed reading the open letter though as the tabloids hysteria can be amusing in short doses though. Certainly would not have me running out to buy a paper though.

everdead.ie

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

For me, they haven't a hope of winning anything unless they find a World Class defensive midfielder sometimes soon. If they can do that and play to a system that suits the players in the team, they have a chance.

They just need a midfielder that like to retain posession and pass it rather then run into the box and smack one in. doesn't need to be overly defensive

greendom

The Sun is a pile of crud and the more people that point it out and prove it the better

DrumSteve

gimmick wrote: »

I do not see how. Most people with half a brain don't read that drivel paper anyway. I enjoyed reading the open letter though as the tabloids hysteria can be amusing in short doses though. Certainly would not have me running out to buy a paper though.

No such thing as bad publicity really though.

anyway i think the point that needs to be made here is the sun is a ****ing rag.

Savman

I only read The Sun article having clicked thru F365. Is that irony?

Tabloid newspaper in toilet humour shocker. I mean after the 3rd page, what's worth reading?!?!

Neil3030

Savman wrote: »

I only read The Sun article having clicked thru F365. Is that irony?

Tabloid newspaper in toilet humour shocker. I mean after the 3rd page, what's worth reading?!?!

You actually "read" what's on the third page??

Savman

Neil3030 wrote: »

You actually "read" what's on the third page??

Yes. A picture paints a thousand words.

DrumSteve

Neil3030 wrote: »

You actually "read" what's on the third page??

I read it. thoroughly.

dfx-

Could be worse.

Could be the Evening Herald or Daily Heil (or Irish Daily Heil)

therokerroar

Neil3030 wrote: »

One small quarm though - isn't F365 owned by Sky, which is owned by Murdoch, who owns Newscorp, which includes The Sun? Probably incosequential though.

Yes.

It's a publicity stunt and nothing more.

flahavaj

LOL @ football365.com laughing at anyone's standards of journalism tbh.

UnitedIrishman

I think everyone knows at this stage Shaun Custis and Neil Custis (I think that's his name) are no-mark fools. I actually wonder what the rest of the journalists from decent papers/magazines think of them when they're in the press section.

Actually it's more likely they have a chimp write their articles for them.