Editor: Why Brendan Rodgers might be right about media bias

Celtic have frequently been portrayed in the turbulent Scottish football scene as a melodramatic team that swings between success and failure like a flashbulb.

The man responsible for orchestrating Celtic’s most recent symphonies, Brendan Rodgers, has identified what he believes to be a dominant media bias that blows colder and harder in Celtic’s direction, while a softer wind appears to favour Rangers, especially with Philippe Clement on the helm.

Could Rodgers be onto something, I can’t help but wonder after the most recent development in the title race?

First, the story of the underdog can be important in this situation. The Rangers, having survived financial turmoil and a lower league debut following liquidation, are currently seen as the tenacious underdogs—a notion that they would deny to their supporters. Does this stance make them more appealing to a story of redemption whenever they play Celtic, particularly considering how easy it is for the media to be supportive of the Ibrox team?

On the other hand, Celtic is viewed as the dominant force due to their recent history of supremacy, wherein success is the only acceptable outcome and perfection is the standard.

Expectations skew one’s view. Because of Celtic’s first-round victory under Rodgers, expectations have been raised to such extreme levels that it is now impossible to sustain them. Every misstep and every draw seems more like a fall from grace than a stumble on a path that every club in the country has travelled extensively. This is not just a football phenomena; it follows many a winning team as well, since supremacy creates not only admirers but also a vociferous chorus of detractors.

And there’s the attraction of the novel. With Clement joining the Rangers, a new chapter that begs for further development and embellishment was introduced into the media. In addition to being addictive, fresh starts give media outlets great material for tales of metamorphoses and new dawns. Even with their tremendous accomplishments, Celtics’ ongoing story, led by Rodgers, lacks the novelty component, making it seem less “newsworthy” in comparison.

In Scotland, the media scene is just as competitive as football, with outlets frequently choosing to focus on the story that will captivate their audience. Due to the enormous fan bases of Rangers and Celtic, there is a journalistic tug-of-war to satisfy each group while also provoking, engaging, and occasionally inflaming. To put it plainly, they get more clicks when they disparage Celtic and exalt their competitors. Brendan makes a point, no matter how you cut it. For instance, based on the information available, you would not be aware that the Rangers have won just two of their last seven games. If that had been Celtic, there would be a plethora of headlines promoting it.

It’s critical for Celtic to play the narrative as well as football with just five games left and a title still up for grabs. Every game is a chapter, and even though players have no control over the pen of the media, they can nevertheless shape the plot with their on-field antics.

Five wins would guarantee the crown, but they would also provide an engaging counter-story to the season-long debate. The Bhoys have a clear route marked out for them in green: concentrate, persevere, and complete the task at hand without giving in to temptations of weakness or complacency.

Rodgers and his club must balance their own balances by converting potential energy into tangible accomplishments during a season in which the media’s scales of judgement have appeared more uneven than usual.

Let the last whistle in May be the loudest word, the headlines write of victory, the columns record the points. Ultimately, in both football and narrative, the most memorable part is always the conclusion.

Should Celtic win the league, they will not only be the champions of Scotland but also of their own tale, which has been rewritten in the face of the very pressure that was intended to bring them down.

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