Even as Anne Diamond, herself a journalist, expressed the sad but axiomatic fact that all a celebrity is to a newspaper is "fodder to sell newspapers" , the inquest into the death of former Wales footballer and manager Gary Speed opens today, as rumours continue to circulate that a newspaper approached him after the match between Manchester United and Newcastle United on Saturday and informed him that they would be publishing a story about his personal life.
Writing about the practical impossibility of changing a sporting culture where men's private sorrows and battles cannot be shared and burdens relieved in a mature and sympathetic environment,Alan Hansen understands that there is something wrong with the way of the world.
While it is much to be hoped that the unveiling of the truth of the circumstances leading to Speed's death leads to reflection among the general population and the journalistic industry, I'm not sanguine about the chances of any real change. The poison seems to have seeped too deeply into our lifeblood.
Writing about the practical impossibility of changing a sporting culture where men's private sorrows and battles cannot be shared and burdens relieved in a mature and sympathetic environment,
While it is much to be hoped that the unveiling of the truth of the circumstances leading to Speed's death leads to reflection among the general population and the journalistic industry, I'm not sanguine about the chances of any real change. The poison seems to have seeped too deeply into our lifeblood.
8 comments:
You're more confident than I am that the reasons he topped himself will come out.
sa'nguine 1. habitually hopeful, confident, expecting things to go well 2. ruddy complexion and courageous hopeful amorous disposition
nonnie 2, you're absolutely right of course. Schoolboy howler. Six of the best and a visit to matron for me.
I will change 'I remain sanguine' to 'I'm not sanguine' forthwith.
Can you point to any of these rumours with links? I have seen nothing similar.
Googling "Gary Speed rumours" would do the trick.
Sounds like he may have sorted the whole thing with his wife beforehand. She leaves the house for a drive, but only goes to the end of the road before coming back. She's taken no house keys with her, which is very strange if you go out at one in the morning. She decides to sleep in the car, even though it's cold and sleeps right through till 6pm. He leaves no suicide note, which opens the way for the coroner to return an open verdict which means the family won't have to live under the stigma of suicide. Too neat?
The inquest appears to have raised more questions than it answers. Presumably, ruling the death accidental has life-insurance implications as well as the psychological ones you mention.
Alan Shearer, who was with Speed on the day before he died, gave a written statement at the inquest in which he referred to the summer holiday the families shared last year. Speed and his wife were arguing and the two friends talked about it, according to Shearer, who said that Speed had said he was "going to give it a go" and "stick in there". There were clearly issues.
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