Kippax wrote:The reason why the press, and others high up in footballing circles, hate Gary Cook is exactly the reason why we as fans should appreciate what Cook has done for the club.
He breaks the mould in that he would rather socialise with the fans of the club than have luncheons with the press, and this worries people not least Chief Execs of other football clubs who still see the fans as customers rather than friends.
I could harp on about all the times that I have met Gary and to a point socialised with him, although I wouldn,t go so far to call him a mate, I would definately call him a friend. Got closer to Gary in one season than I ever did to Alistair Mackintosh in all the time he was there. And with the arrival of the new owners came the breaking down of other barriers. I kind of label Gary as an exciteable school kid, he is as excited by what is happening at our club as we are, and although he may well be a Birmingham City fan his loyalties are without doubt fully behind the club. Some of the stuff he came out with regarding the Tevez poster was pure class.
You've only got to look at his walkabouts with fans during last seasons Uefa cup run, and buying of drinks etc, the handling of the fans during the South Africa Tour, and the 5 Star BBQ that was laid on for the fans in Abu Dhabi. How many other clubs Chief Execs would go to such lengths, and how much did you see written in thed press about it, practically bugger all. It was the same during the Banana craze following the fancy dress day at Stoke, there was bugger all in the press about that. You see the press don't like good things happening with the fans in football. Because they believe they have carte blanche to all things good, and they see themselves as vastly superior to football fans, especially working class football fans.
Personally think that he handled the Kaka and Eto deals reasonably well from what I have gleemed since, it was his way of saying we aren't going to be fucked around and believe me people were trying to fuck us about. OK he's made a couple of gaffs, again it was just his little joke that wasn't quite as appropriate as he thought, but we've all made hundreds of those in our life time. Haven't we?
I would just urge people not to make too hasty a judgement on Gary in light of recent events. I try not to judge people without having met them but I appreciate that in the current climate of open media this is difficult. He really is fully behind the best interests of the club.
Keep the faith Blues.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to one and all.
Kippax.
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Thanks Kippax, as ever the voice of genuine inside knowledge on the subject!
He's not your average run-of-the-mill chief exec and we're aiming to be a club that's not your average run-of-the-mill big club that just wants to milk the fans but show no genuine affiliation towards them.
He is more human than the other big wigs I've seen in press conferences, but its not like he couldn't answer the questions properly yesterday. He made a statement that answered all of the speculation in the papers for the the three days before. Then he kept getting asked the same fucking questions again and again and again. They wanted to rile him up and it worked, which was his only downfall (PR wise) IMO and even that outburst from him showed passion and commitment to the club. I'm fine with that.
Like I mentioned before, and Kippax confirmed in the above post, seeing some of our fans turn against based on some of the most bias press interigation yesterday just shows me that the media's campaign against us may actually be working on some of you and that's what's the saddest part about all this.
They highlight only the bad things, or even the things that can be percieved as bad. Until it becomes obvious that Garry Cook is holding us back to where we need to be then he should be left alone.
Taking on the whole media when they all just want your blood is a near impoosibility and I can't see anyone in his position walking out of that grilling having completely turned them over.
He is the main PR man for the most media-resented club in England right now so let them hate him. We know what he does for us fans.
I love the way every time he talks to the cameras he puts across that all he cares about is city fans. It seems obvious, but no one else does it. Yesterday, he wasn't presenting Mancini to the world's press, he said he was presenting him to all of the city fans. He also demanded that everyone involved has to be commited to making this club one of the greates clubs in the world. And he said it with genuine belief and passion.
In a normal walk of life, you're always gonna have shitheads like traffic wardens... but if you remove one in particular, they'll be replaced with another. Al you can hope for is that they do their annoying job fairly.
Hate the game, not the player.
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