Someone like Jason Pine? Fred Woodcock?
The Dominion Post
I don't think it matters who gets the job - he/she will still get slagged off by all the "experts". When I was in Wellington, it was Russell Grey who copped the crap - in Hamilton Bruce Holloway got his share - in Christchurch it's Tony Smith - in Auckland it was Terry Maddiford - in Hawkes Bay it's Anendra Singh. From what I could see they are/were all writing about the game they supported. Danny Hay, Sam Malcolmson, Billy Harris - they all get it from the well-informed anonymous critics.
Let's hope whoever is selected/appointed has a very thick skin.
Ha. I'll take my slagging on the chin, Graeme.
Probably deserved all I got, considering the virulent observations and strident opinions I dished out on an daily basis in the 1990s. Hell of a ride, though. Lots of fun.
Incidentally, links to a lot of the more mainstream Waikato newspaper football articles from the 80s-90s is steadily going on-line at
As long as you have a portrait photo at the start of your column you can write what you like.
I don't think it matters who gets the job - he/she will still get slagged off by all the "experts". When I was in Wellington, it was Russell Grey who copped the crap - in Hamilton Bruce Holloway got his share - in Christchurch it's Tony Smith - in Auckland it was Terry Maddiford - in Hawkes Bay it's Anendra Singh. From what I could see they are/were all writing about the game they supported. Danny Hay, Sam Malcolmson, Billy Harris - they all get it from the well-informed anonymous critics.
Let's hope whoever is selected/appointed has a very thick skin.
A lot of sports reporting is editorial in style, a lot of fans don't necessarily like the stance (often seen as overly critical and focussing on the negatives) of some writers. It also doesn't help when some yellow fever "experts" are able to refute points made with verifiable facts and stats.
#BringbackFred
I don't think it matters who gets the job - he/she will still get slagged off by all the "experts". When I was in Wellington, it was Russell Grey who copped the crap - in Hamilton Bruce Holloway got his share - in Christchurch it's Tony Smith - in Auckland it was Terry Maddiford - in Hawkes Bay it's Anendra Singh. From what I could see they are/were all writing about the game they supported. Danny Hay, Sam Malcolmson, Billy Harris - they all get it from the well-informed anonymous critics.
Let's hope whoever is selected/appointed has a very thick skin.
I've slagged Bruce to his face. And Steve.
I don't think it matters who gets the job - he/she will still get slagged off by all the "experts". When I was in Wellington, it was Russell Grey who copped the crap - in Hamilton Bruce Holloway got his share - in Christchurch it's Tony Smith - in Auckland it was Terry Maddiford - in Hawkes Bay it's Anendra Singh. From what I could see they are/were all writing about the game they supported. Danny Hay, Sam Malcolmson, Billy Harris - they all get it from the well-informed anonymous critics.
Let's hope whoever is selected/appointed has a very thick skin.
Hogwash.
I'm not anonymous. Danny Hay, Sam Malcolmson and Billy Harris are all professional click-baiters. It's a great shame they are paid to write about football in this country, because they do the game no justice at all. Singh's style is hilarious, his articles amusingly inaccurate at times. Tony Smith only writes on football when Ryan Nelsen tells him what to say.
They cop crap because they've earned it.
There are plenty of good football journalists in the game. Dan Richardson. Steven Holloway. Jason Pine. Andrew Gourdie. Baby Simon Hampton. They get the plaudits they deserve. So to say the haters are all negative is to close one eye on purpose.
I've actually softened on Worthington. He's a nice bloke and I think a lot of his writing was directed by his editors. I hope he goes well at Fox.
Why are there no decent football journalists in New Zealand?
You know, Like Tara Rushton or Mel MacLaughlin?
What happened to RedinNZ. Scouser at TVNZ from memory?
I don't think it matters who gets the job - he/she will still get slagged off by all the "experts". When I was in Wellington, it was Russell Grey who copped the crap - in Hamilton Bruce Holloway got his share - in Christchurch it's Tony Smith - in Auckland it was Terry Maddiford - in Hawkes Bay it's Anendra Singh. From what I could see they are/were all writing about the game they supported. Danny Hay, Sam Malcolmson, Billy Harris - they all get it from the well-informed anonymous critics.
Let's hope whoever is selected/appointed has a very thick skin.
Hogwash.
I'm not anonymous. Danny Hay, Sam Malcolmson and Billy Harris are all professional click-baiters. It's a great shame they are paid to write about football in this country, because they do the game no justice at all. Singh's style is hilarious, his articles amusingly inaccurate at times. Tony Smith only writes on football when Ryan Nelsen tells him what to say.
They cop crap because they've earned it.
There are plenty of good football journalists in the game. Dan Richardson. Steven Holloway. Jason Pine. Andrew Gourdie. Baby Simon Hampton. They get the plaudits they deserve. So to say the haters are all negative is to close one eye on purpose.
I've actually softened on Worthington. He's a nice bloke and I think a lot of his writing was directed by his editors. I hope he goes well at Fox.
So you are saying that his editors said to him "Phoenix are shark so write a story that reflects that"? I wonder what they told the Huuricanes beat writer then....
That gif that shark links to still makes me giggle.
Smithy, to be fair, Tony Smith was an award-winning football journalist before Ryan Nelsen was even born.
His writing as "Targetman" in the mid-80s was ground-breaking in a New Zealand context.
When you go through his back catalogue, he has displayed as much breadth of significance and depth of knowledge on our media landscape as Russell Gray and Derrick Mainsbridge in historic terms.
While we mightn't agree with all he writes, I at least respect he has earned the platform (over many decades) to put it out there. And he's a journo who is always prepared to acknowledge when he thinks he has made a mistake or a wrong call.
I'd go with Tony ahead of just about any football journalist on the rounds these days.
Declaration of interest: I'm former chairman of NZ Soccer Media Association
Bruce could you kinda say that Tony is like John Adshead and Ricki Herbert? Did good things in their day that justified all the accolades they got but time moved on and they didn't? That seems to be the thought above but then it does happen to us all.
I get blasted on here for being and old man sometimes and 'back in my day' posts and thats fine because I am an old man aging and I try to keep up with the hepcats but I point you to a quote from Trainspotting on Sickboys Unified Theory of life which seems to cover it nicely.
Sick Boy: It's certainly a phenomenon in all walks of life.
Mark "Rent-boy" Renton: What do you mean?
Sick Boy: Well, at one point, you've got it, and then you lose it, and it's gone forever. All walks of life: Georgie Best, for example. Had it, lost it. Or David Bowie, or Lou Reed...
Mark "Rent-boy" Renton: Lou Reed? Some of his solo stuff's not bad.
Sick Boy: No, it's not bad, but it's not great either is it? And in your heart you kind of know that although it sounds all right, it's actually just sharke.
Mark "Rent-boy" Renton: So who else?
Sick Boy: Charlie Nicholas, David Niven, Malcolm McLaren, Elvis Presley...
Mark "Rent-boy" Renton: OK, OK, so what's the point you're trying to make?
Sick Boy: All I'm trying to do Mark is to help you understand that The Name of The Rose is merely a blip on an otherwise uninterrupted downward trajectory.
Mark "Rent-boy" Renton: and what about The Untouchables?
Sick Boy: I don't rate that at all.
Mark "Rent-boy" Renton: Despite the Academy Award?
Sick Boy: That means fudge all. Its a sympathy vote.
Mark "Rent-boy" Renton: So we all get old, we cannae hack it anymore and that's it?
Sick Boy: Yeah.
Mark "Rent-boy" Renton: That's your theory?
Sick Boy: Yeah. Beautifully fudgeing illustrated.
I had a run in with Terry Maddaford about 15 years ago where I told him what I thought about his writing and just how absolutely way off base he was on the majority of what he wrote and the response was 'I've seen more national league games than anyone else so what do you know'. Right, and cause I've cooked 1000 hot dinners doesn't mean I can hold Gordon Ramsay's d*ck for all its worth.
As the quote says "Well, at one point, you've got it, and then you lose it, and it's gone forever."
Smithy, to be fair, Tony Smith was an award-winning football journalist before Ryan Nelsen was even born.
His writing as "Targetman" in the mid-80s was ground-breaking in a New Zealand context.
When you go through his back catalogue, he has displayed as much breadth of significance and depth of knowledge on our media landscape as Russell Gray and Derrick Mainsbridge in historic terms.
While we mightn't agree with all he writes, I at least respect he has earned the platform (over many decades) to put it out there. And he's a journo who is always prepared to acknowledge when he thinks he has made a mistake or a wrong call.
I'd go with Tony ahead of just about any football journalist on the rounds these days.
Declaration of interest: I'm former chairman of NZ Soccer Media Association
Fair play Bruce. I can only really judge him on what I've read since I've been old enough to read a newspaper :)
Tks for that Jeff.
It reminded me, some of Lou Reed's post-Velvet Underground stuff was magnificent, in my view. :-)
Still waiting for somebody to play Coney Island Baby at the ground on matchday....
Cause, you know some day, man
you gotta stand up straight unless you're gonna fall
then you're gone to die
And the straightest dude
I ever knew was standing right for me all the time
So I had to play football for the coach
and I wanted to play football for the coach
I don't read The Press copy that often, and obviously am not geographically present to compare Tony's take on a game to my own.
But as a former football journalist I must say I've mostly been unconvinced by the tenor or the substantiation of the complaints lodged against Tony on this forum.
I'd want to see a bit more evidence that he's "lost it".
(Big Pete, would respect your view on this....)
I certainly don't think Tony can be compared with Terry Maddaford... quite different in terms of careers, abilities, philosophies, despite similarities in longevity.
OK Bruce, I'll bite. Below is Tony's recent piece on the state of Canterbury under coach Devine. It is titled as an Opinion piece. Tony's viewpoint - as exemplified by his empathetic headline and subsequent support for Devine's position, is that Canterbury need more money and more imports. This is way out of line with many local views, which more commonly consider that Devine's coaching is simply not up to the mark - based on performances, style of football, player development and apparent team energy. Tony raises the issue of a shallow local talent pool but instead of questioning whether he is the right man for the job (given talent pool, location and resources), he merely agrees with Devine's point of view - "I need more money".
Patsy articles such as this appear exceedingly soft; when in fact the whole organisation should be grilled for finishing a likely 2nd last in a league which includes two youth development sides. I wonder whether the institution that is Tony Smith is too close to the institution that he is supposed to be critiquing. I do wonder whether he has "lost it".
I've also highlighted in BOLD simple errors and poor writing (yet allow that a sub-editor should have picked up on these) and the more disagreeable viewpoints in comparison to those I speak to of the state of Canterbury mens football. Note, I'm old fashioned in that I hate seeing sentences starting with but - or ending with them for that matter!
By Tony Smith, The Press
OPINION: Spare a thought for Canterbury United coach Sean Devine.
If his hair hadn’t already been showing shades of grey at the start of the season, it’d be whiter than white now.
Devine was at a loss to explain why Canterbury slumped to a fifth loss on the bounce as he left English Park’s artificial pitch after a 2-1 ASB Premiership reverse to Waitakere United on Saturday.
“I’m just lost for words,” said the first-year head coach, still shaking his head at the match officials’ decision that Aaron Clapham was offside when he set up a 72nd minute goal at ASB Football Park.
“I’ve never been on a [losing] run like it, even in my playing career,” Devine said.
That’s some admission because the former English Football League striker ended his pro football days in the A-League with the luckless New Zealand Knights.
It would be easier for Devine to accept if Canterbury were playing poor football. But they created enough chances to win against Waitakere but (TWO BUTS IN ONE SENTENCE?) couldn’t turn opportunities into goals – a season-long lament for the demoralised Dragons.
Devine did concede that Saturday’s defeat ended Canterbury’s minuscule mathematical chance of making the top-four playoffs.
His best-laid plans were dashed before kickoff when midfielder Miles John suffered concussion in the warmup after an accidental collision with a team-mate.
But the Dragons started strongly. Only a superb save from Waitakere keeper Alex Carr prevented a sizzling shot from Stu Kelly entering the net in the first five minutes.
Canterbury striker Adam Dickinson did everything but score, creating alluring openings for team-mates in the first spell.
So there was some credence to Devine’s claim that Canterbury “totally dominated” the first half and created the better chances.
But, with the experienced Jake Butler and Chris Bale controlling central midfield and Santiago Falbo shackling Clapham, Waitakere gained a vital edge after the interval.
Defensive dithering contributed to both goals by the West Aucklanders with 19-year-old English striker Derice Richards getting the vital final touch in the 53rd and 60th minutes.
Carr came to the rescue again to deny Dickinson a deserved goal with a full-stretch save and Canterbury keeper Adam Highfield was equally acrobatic to beat out Tom Boss’s drive.
Clapham looked to have put Canterbury back in contention when he got to the by-line and cut the ball back across goal where a defender turned it into his own net. But the assistant referee’s flag flapped in the gentle breeze. Clapham, he claimed, was offside.
It was left to the indefatigable (REALLY? HOW ABOUT TIRELESS, OR A SIMPLE WORD?) Dan Terris to grab a consolation goal for Canterbury in the 87th minute after a Waitakere defensive error. But it was too little too late. The Dragons had missed the semifinals for the second successive year.
What must be done to effect (EFFECT IS THE NOUN; AFFECT IS THE VERB) a turnaround? The Mainland Premier League talent pool is shallower than a high country dam in mid-summer.
Devine is right when he says Canterbury United must bring in better players. It will be up to the board to find the funding (a six-figure windfall from Auckland City’s Club World Cup finals success will help).
They should also end the Saturday afternoon home game experiment. Gates were down this year with many football stalwarts otherwise occupied with summer sport.
Saturday’s croud – 300 tops – was particularly paltry. But why wouldn’t it be with golf star Lydia Ko playing at Clearwater and the Cricket World Cup classic match on TV?
Mainland Football could also do a lot more to help the national league franchise – like allowing Canterbury United unfettered training access at ASB Football Park. The Dragons should be the primary user, not playing second fiddle to revenue-raising social football leagues. (BLAMING TRAINING VENUE? WHAT ABOUT POOR NUMBERS AT CANTERBURY TRAINING SESSIONS DUE TO MANY OUT OF TOWNERS, OR LACK OF RESPONSE TO DEVINE'S COACHING METHODS? MAINLAND IS A BROAD CHURCH AND NEED TO ACCOMMODATE THEIR FTC YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME; PLUS SOCIAL, REVENUE RAISING SLOTS - THIS IS NOT A BIG DEAL).
Canterbury clubs also need to show better support for the province’s flagship team (WHY WOULD THEY WHEN THE COACH PICKS EXPENSIVE IMPORT FLOPS INSTEAD OF LOCALS AND THE TEAM PLAYS DIRE FOOTBALL?). Yes, they do pay levies which helps cover the ASB Premiership entry.
But if ever (TYPO, SHOULD BE EVERY) MPL club followed Halswell United’s lead and brought out two players from the UK, it would strengthen the Mainland League and provide a broader player base for Canterbury United. (AGAIN THIS DOESN'T ADDRESS ISSUE OF LOCALS SUPPORTING LOCALS OR PLAYING AN ATTRACTIVE FOOTBALL STYLE; AND IS AN APPARENT ATTACK ON THE CLUBS!)
Unless something radical is done then the long title drought will continue. (AGREED, BUT NOT SURE MANY WOULD SUPPORT TONY'S VIEW THAT MORE MONEY ON IMPORTS IS THE ANSWER).
Sorry, double post
Okay, I'll bite back, Global.
Starting a sentence with "But" is not a grammatical error. Common construction in modern journalism
Two buts in a sentence is awkward, agreed, but how anal do we want to be? Would you really hang a sub-editor for it? You could find a similar construction in any daily newspaper
His use of the phrase "effect a turnaround" is actually correct. Honest. (You are giving "effect" to the concept of a turnaround, rather than seeking to affect it.)
"Ever" is an unfortunate typo, agreed.
If a journo wants to use indefatigable, so what? It's not exactly ante-diluvian. The word "hairs" and "splitting" come to mind.
Tony is putting forward his thoughts as part of his remit as a sports writer. Naturally others will see it differently, but that doesn't alter his brief to set out his own views.
Some - like you - will criticise him for being too positive given Canterbury's poor performance.
At the same time others will criticise him for being too negative (check out the other moans on this forum from fans who hate it when a journo criticises anything)
As a football fan I would tend to agree more with some of your counter-ideas, as it happens.
But there is no suggestion Tony has a monopoly on truth. (sorry about that "but" usage, by the way, I can see you hate it). At best a sports writer should agitate, invite ferment and challenge ideas.
Tony's put out some ideas in print. You've popped down a few yourself. Nobody is right , nobody is wrong.
Email him with some feedback, I reckon. He'd be just the sort to encourage a dissenting viewpoint.
Hope this helps.
Not a fan of Tony;s Global, but that really came across as pretty nit-picking
Appreciate the feedback Bruce.
Reading that article, I have a suggestion for Mr Devine. Instead of of importing two English players per each club, why not employ 2 Australian players per each club. That way, they could groom them for either the Phoenix along with the local boys or groom them for any possible Christchurch A League ambitions. Just a thouht. English are not always the best imports to bring here.
So I log onto Stuff and thought I'd check out what our local rag has to say about the match and the rise of the Nix.
Not a sausage. A million super rugby stories. Cricket, basketball, tennis, golf all there. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/670...
Something at least.
I see nothing on the Dom Post part of Stuff.
Sorry, double post
So I log onto Stuff and thought I'd check out what our local rag has to say about the match and the rise of the Nix.
must have been momentary glitch with iPhone app. Seems to be there now (although you have to go to football to find it is, not in the featured general or sports stories.
Not a sausage. A million super rugby stories. Cricket, basketball, tennis, golf all there. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
Who exactly are the Yellow Fever?
DAVE BURGESS
Just what is the Yellow Fever fan club? How do you become a member? What happens to profits from their merchandise?
These questions stem from a conversation with a non-footballing friend who asked me if I was a Yellow Fever member.
I have a club membership. The membership card says Yellow Fever Zone. That’s good because I like to stand, sing, and shout my support.
It certainly makes me part of the Yellow Fever croud but does it make me part of the fan club? Or is the club, as has been suggested to me, simply a website forum?
Well, for sure, it’s a bit more than that. Yellow Fever Ltd is a registered company with one director/shareholder and two other shareholders.
What I also know is that Yellow Fever Ltd management, or their representatives, get to decide what is written on a giant banner traditionally unfurled before games. They get to submit articles for the Nix programme. They get to organise trips to games outside Wellington. They get to represent the fans with stadium management. They get invitations to media events.
Good on them.
Then comes the Yellow Fever merchandise, primarily t-shirts such as the Retro-Ricki.
There are new t-shirt designs every season. They are sold in shops such as Ryos. They’re as classy as a Hernandez free kick. I own three different styles.
Does the merchandise make a profit and if so where does that profit go?
It’s time for the Yellow Fever to have a transparent leadership structure and to insist on memberships.
Having a website forum so fans hiding their identities can spread whatever rubbish they want doesn’t cut it as a fan club. All fans deserve a voice but they should be clearly identifiable.
Wellington Phoenix Football Club needs to play a larger part in Yellow Fever operations. For example, it should take a lead from AFL teams which hold BBQs for official fanclub members. They do that because they know without fans, there is no club.
Yellow Fever-founders rightfully received plaudits for creating a good atmosphere at the Cake Tin after the club formed in 2007. But more than six years later and the time has come to step it up a level.
I have never signed a Yellow Fever membership form or paid a membership fee. As far as I’m aware, no one else has either. Ask me and I’d do both – so long as there is transparency of operations and management.
I love the Phoenix and being part of the Fever croud but these are valid questions that demand some clear answers
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/67586824/fans-can-...
"Yellow Fever stalwart Guy Smith said the news about the special licence was the best he had received all day.
"We enjoy a lager on game day, so well played Westpac Stadium in making that happen," the Wellington Phoenix official fan club member said."
Who exactly are the Yellow Fever?
DAVE BURGESS
Just what is the Yellow Fever fan club? How do you become a member? What happens to profits from their merchandise?
These questions stem from a conversation with a non-footballing friend who asked me if I was a Yellow Fever member.
I have a club membership. The membership card says Yellow Fever Zone. That’s good because I like to stand, sing, and shout my support.
It certainly makes me part of the Yellow Fever croud but does it make me part of the fan club? Or is the club, as has been suggested to me, simply a website forum?
Well, for sure, it’s a bit more than that. Yellow Fever Ltd is a registered company with one director/shareholder and two other shareholders.
What I also know is that Yellow Fever Ltd management, or their representatives, get to decide what is written on a giant banner traditionally unfurled before games. They get to submit articles for the Nix programme. They get to organise trips to games outside Wellington. They get to represent the fans with stadium management. They get invitations to media events.
Good on them.
Then comes the Yellow Fever merchandise, primarily t-shirts such as the Retro-Ricki.
There are new t-shirt designs every season. They are sold in shops such as Ryos. They’re as classy as a Hernandez free kick. I own three different styles.
Does the merchandise make a profit and if so where does that profit go?
It’s time for the Yellow Fever to have a transparent leadership structure and to insist on memberships.
Having a website forum so fans hiding their identities can spread whatever rubbish they want doesn’t cut it as a fan club. All fans deserve a voice but they should be clearly identifiable.
Wellington Phoenix Football Club needs to play a larger part in Yellow Fever operations. For example, it should take a lead from AFL teams which hold BBQs for official fanclub members. They do that because they know without fans, there is no club.
Yellow Fever-founders rightfully received plaudits for creating a good atmosphere at the Cake Tin after the club formed in 2007. But more than six years later and the time has come to step it up a level.
I have never signed a Yellow Fever membership form or paid a membership fee. As far as I’m aware, no one else has either. Ask me and I’d do both – so long as there is transparency of operations and management.
I love the Phoenix and being part of the Fever croud but these are valid questions that demand some clear answers
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/67586824/fans-can-...
"Yellow Fever stalwart Guy Smith said the news about the special licence was the best he had received all day.
"We enjoy a lager on game day, so well played Westpac Stadium in making that happen," the Wellington Phoenix official fan club member said."
Ha.
We sold out!
This Ernie journo writes a good opinion piece.
Superb from the Dom Post. How on earth do you arrive at Phoniex?!
Superb from the Dom Post. How on earth do you arrive at Phoniex?!
By being a phoni subeditor.
Is it just a copy paste job of the overseas article? Did they even bother to contact the phoenix?
Is it just a copy paste job of the overseas article? Did they even bother to contact the phoenix?
Spoke to Burns and Ernie
Fairfax newspapers such as the Press and Dominion Post are fast going down the proverbial gurgler.
Fairfax are increasingly moving away from a focus on their print media towards digital and a couple of weeks ago announced a new policy to do away with local editors, including sports editors and instead institute national editors for various departments including sport.
180 positions at Fairfax nationally were disestablished and 160 journalists asked to reapply for jobs under new descriptions.
I suspect that the Press and the Dominion Post as a result of Fairfax's restructuring, no longer even have their own sports editors.
You can see this is resulting in not bothering with covering local sports events in papers like the Press and Dominion Post with local sports reporters mostly commissioned to write stories to fit into their national digital strategy.
Not only was there no report on Sunday's Christchurch U-20 World Cup double header in Monday's Press newspaper, there was actually no report on Saturday's Canterbury Crusaders Super I5 rugby win over the Blues. Instead they published a generic Super 15 roundup article which didn't even mention the Crusaders game but was knocked off to cheaply provide one article for all their publications and save on paying local sports reporters to actually attend games involving local sides.
It seems counter-productive to reduce print content if they still want to sell newspapers.
The next step will be to introduce pay walls for the Stuff website etc. as this is what Fairfax have done in Australia.
The owners of the NZ Herald will inevitably start charging for access to their website too within the next couple of years...
Superb from the Dom Post. How on earth do you arrive at Phoniex?!
You arrive at "Phoniex" by not even employing subeditors any more.
Fairfax journalists are now expected to edit their own writing.
Anything to cut costs.
Hence the huge increase n typos and bad speeling and grammer in Fairfax publications this year.
Local editors are also now gone, including no more local sports editors.
It's all increasingly geared towards journalists providing content for the Stuff website nationally rather than writing aimed at a local readership.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/further-demise-media-...
However, a source has told NBR that “subeditors are toast,” with the subediting group, Fairfax Editorial Services, being disestablished.
Smithy, to be fair, Tony Smith was an award-winning football journalist before Ryan Nelsen was even born.
His writing as "Targetman" in the mid-80s was ground-breaking in a New Zealand context.
When you go through his back catalogue, he has displayed as much breadth of significance and depth of knowledge on our media landscape as Russell Gray and Derrick Mainsbridge in historic terms.
While we mightn't agree with all he writes, I at least respect he has earned the platform (over many decades) to put it out there. And he's a journo who is always prepared to acknowledge when he thinks he has made a mistake or a wrong call.
I'd go with Tony ahead of just about any football journalist on the rounds these days.
Declaration of interest: I'm former chairman of NZ Soccer Media Association
Fair play Bruce. I can only really judge him on what I've read since I've been old enough to read a newspaper :)
It should be noted that only a portion of what Tony writes is posted on the Stuff website, which is where you North Island blokes will have read his articles.
Not everything in the Press print edition makes it to the Stuff website - only pieces which they feel are of national interest.
The Press portion of the Stuff website contains only a very small number of recent sports stories with no archive.
More Stuff than DP, but it's all Fairfax isn't it?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/69719294/...
also there wasn't a "Things that make you LOL" thread.