When newspapers…or websites… don’t know what what’s actually going on, there’s a tendency for them to ask someone else what they think, and then run it as a story, often leaving out the bit that it’s merely an opinion.

It’s a nice little earner for former players, and a way for hacks to keep themselves , at least in their own mind, relevant.

Whereas we just make stuff up, they go one step further and make stuff up about stuff they’ve made up.

The Daily Record, for instance , has asked Stephen MacManus for his thoughts, hoping his position within the walls of Celtic Park will shed some light on the incomings and outgoings as the transfer deadline looms.

Under the headline;

The Danish international looks set to complete a switch to the Premier League

With such an intro, one would expect him to at least mention O’Riley, or thank him, or something, but MacManus just talked about Celtic, using a lot of words to say very little….

“Brendan is absolutely only just getting started. Last year was a difficult, challenging campaign for everyone at the club when you look at the injuries to key players, guys not always being available, others departing. It was a huge challenge but Brendan knows you are judged on success at Celtic. Through stormy waters, there’s always someone who has to be the figurehead, to stay calm and lead you through it.

“That’s what the club has. A manager and staff who are calm, there’s a captain who brings a calmness no matter what is going on out on the pitch. That feeds through the entire club. Brendan was the manager when I came back in and he played a bit part in bringing me to the club.

“That was great but the club as a whole is surrounded by good people. Some people move on but the core remains and the quality and culture of the work continue. Everyone knows how important it is to stay calm and composed, they know what their jobs are and how to achieve success. The club is in such a strong place.” 

“There’s no doubt working with Brendan helps you develop as a coach. It’s everyone at the club though.

“That’s the important thing when you become an employee here. There is obviously the football department but there are good people throughout behind the scenes. Brendan is terrific. Everyone could see in those last few months of last season that he is absolutely elite.

“The way he communicates, the way he speaks to players and dealing with the chaos on the outside. It was top class. Everything that he said was going to happen, ended up happening. He is what it says on the tin – he’s a total winner.

“It’s all about how he conducts himself day to day. It goes right through the staff and there is a real togetherness at the club.

“Everyone plays a part, which is great. You then get the momentum kicking on and you can see how it was another successful year.” 

 “It’s something I was aware of as a player here. A lot of the boys who have come through the academy have a similar mindset in how to stack their working day.

“You look at Callum, at James and Anthony Ralston, Stephen Welsh, you go back to Kieran Tierney and then when we were coming through. There are different kinds of abilities but they are exactly the same types.

“They are extremely dedicated to their profession, they don’t speak too much publicly about what they’re going to do, they just do the jobs they are paid to do and are part of a winning side.”  

Any mention of O’Riley, and it was quite frequent , especially given that MacManus doesn’t talk about him at all, is purely superfluous to the story, but they had to get it in there.

Truth is, they have no idea what’s going on, but have taken the line that O’Riley is going to Brighton, which is up to him, but there is still little or no evidence he wants to go.

The Daily Express knows even less, and probably couldn’t articulate the facts if they had them.

Matt O’Riley snubs Prem move as Brendan Rodgers lands new striker – Celtic’s dream window

Celtic are entering a crucial stage of the summer transfer window for Brendan Rodgers.

Despite having Kyogo, Maeda and Idah as strikers, there seems to be a push for a third player…a top player…who would be willing to spend time in an unattractive league for relatively low wages hoping the three other players in his position are all injured at once.

Sort of like Scott Bain but with ability.

A little realism is needed here. Celtic have just spent £9,5m on a second choice striker.  That’s it for strikers this window, and anyone else who plays there is already there.

All that’s needed now is a couple of defenders. One to cover for Greg Taylor, who , if he fails to agree a new deal, will be sold in January at the latest, to avoid him leaving for free next summer.

And a centre half or two, one ready to play and one ready to learn.

Anything else would be a bonus, though probably a waste of time. For what it’s worth, it’s more likely to be try before you buy loans , a policy which is working.

Oh, and Jota keeps dropping hints about coming home, but again, that may be wishful thinking on everyone’s part.

And Reo Hatate to Leicester? Someone has a vivid imagination.

Not to be outdone in the bullshit stakes, social media kicked back with this doing the rounds….

Old Firm match ?

Was this written over a decade ago ?

And Celtic Quick News, which does have links to the board and it’s PR department, says that we should expect some “urgent action from the Champions ” in the window, which could mean that we will get a couple of signings, or it could just be what they’ve been told to say.

When the media are full of doom and gloom it’s usually to deflect from something else, perhaps concerning a club/company who are not having a good time of it.

Happily, there are rumblings over the river, as things are not going so well for our newest and dearest rivals.

In court yesterday to finalise the details of their payments to yet another company they rode roughshod over, “rangers ” accepted the terms and conditions to pay compensation to Elite, a sportswear firm they tried to scam over a shirt deal.

The Sun was one of many who parroted the line….

KIT CLASH 

Rangers’ £9.5m dispute with kit firm FINALLY settled as lawyer tells court ‘they think it’s all over – it is now’

It’s not been settled, what has been “settled ” are the terms and conditions of the payments…and not the actual payments themselves.

The reason the payments haven’t been made is that they can’t afford it.

They have also announced a share issue for £6.75m, a sum which apprently matches the payment they need to make to Elite, according to some sources, which is quite a coincidence when you think about it.

It gets worse, as in a thinly disguised Gizza Job rant from Ally McCoist, the campaign to shift Phillipe clement as manager began to ramp up.