Journalist Andy Howell has to go....!

The man isnt a rugby pundit or a journalist, he isnt an expert or even an apparent lover of the game, he writes nothing but vile diatribe demeaning a proud and spectacular game into a nasty world of contemptuous gossip and spite.

Paul Turner had him ejected from a press conference, rightly so after some of the rubbish Howell had aimed at him over the years. Howell is almost solely to responsible for modern welsh rugbys blame culture and the end of man a good mans career.

I cant stand the guy, or his articles, and I hate the responses people give after reading his venomous tirades in the press.


Do you agree or disagree?

I wholeheartedly concur!

Agree.

maestegmafia wrote:The man isnt a rugby pundit or a journalist, he isnt an expert or even an apparent lover of the game, he writes nothing but vile diatribe demeaning a proud and spectacular game into a nasty world of contemptuous gossip and spite.

Sorry is this about the Greyghost or Mikeyphil?

I disagree that Andy Howell isn't a fan of the game - he clearly is; but he is indisputably a twit of the highest order. Plus he writes badly.

luckless_pedestrian wrote:I disagree that Andy Howell isn't a fan of the game - he clearly is; but he is indisputably a twit of the highest order. Plus he writes badly.

Luckless

He writes well badly...!

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:The man isnt a rugby pundit or a journalist, he isnt an expert or even an apparent lover of the game, he writes nothing but vile diatribe demeaning a proud and spectacular game into a nasty world of contemptuous gossip and spite.

Sorry is this about the Greyghost or Mikeyphil?

???

Sorry what ?

A poor reflection on society when a half wit like Howell is able keep a job that he is clearly incompetent at and many intelligent youngsters can't get a start.

Offload what on earth is that comment meant to mean?

Howell is not employed by society he is employed by the owner of a media group and recommended by an editor.

Maesteg - I'm not makeing some big political point I was in a rush and chose the wrong word! - my beef is with those that keep him in a job not "society"

Agree with the OP, can't stand Howell, his writing is awful, for the life of me can't see why he's still in a job.

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler - was that really necessary?

Oh dear. I must be the only one who likes Andy Howell then The worst rugby writer in the Western Fail has got to be Delme Parfitt. That man has absolutely no idea about rugby at all. The article he wrote about the Blues Scott Andrews summed it up for me.

What was the gist of it, Londonwelsh?

Today on Howells BS watch...

"Ma' Nonu Linked with Ospreys", an article based around one fact. Ma' nonu will not be at the Canes next season. NO ONE says that he has even heard of the Ospreys.

Including the phrase "controversial departure of Mike Phillips" nothing controversial there, he wanted to leave and they wanted him to go...


"Wales warned Samoa are planning a World Cup ambush"article

An article about Wales not standing a chance at the world cup based on two quotes by "feisty Samoa lock Iosefa Tekori"

“We’re looking forward to competing at the World Cup. It’s going to be tough and we’re not going to take a backward step,” Tekori

“It’s going to be a good opportunity for us to go through. The Springboks have the strength and are favourites to win the group but we will be fighting to join them,” Tekori


How can a thousand word article be constructed based around one or two misplaced quotes with no context.

I saw that too, maestegmafia. 'Ma'a Nonu Linked with Ospreys' - yes, by you, Andy!

"I’m also talking about people like Scott Andrews –World Cup participation notwithstanding – the tighthead prop who’s had a taste of the Test environment this season but who has also been taught a few lessons, not least by Adam Jones in the first Blues-Ospreys derby of the season at Cardiff City Stadium on New Year’s Day"http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbynation/rugby-news/2011/04/06/dai-banks-on-young-guns-to-fire-blues-91466-28467464/

The BBC are just as guilty, how many times have we read articles that are based on hearsay and not fact...

It is such poor editing...

I worked in media for many years and any journalist with such a non structured article, based on personal hype and sensationalism would haver been laughed away from the coffee machine.

Bring back well rounded real journalism, with facts, constructed by people who understand what the viewer is interested in and why.

I may apply for the editorship of the Wail if it comes up to show these clowns the correct way.


Yours Sincerely

V. Angry of Glyncorrwg

V. Angry of Glyncorrwg


Calm down just console yourself with the fact the AH just CANNOT get the job he craves...................headline writer for the SUN!

What does everybody expect, the WM has 3 rugby writers trying to dig up stories or fact for every day of the week with only four teams and Wales to cover, there is going to be speculation stories putting two and two together to make five. These guys are just like many on this forum stating their opinions when their are short of news, but the WM should say the story is speculation or based certain evidence.

Happy reading!

glamorganalun wrote:What does everybody expect, the WM has 3 rugby writers trying to dig up stories or fact for every day of the week with only four teams and Wales to cover, there is going to be speculation stories putting two and two together to make five. These guys are just like many on this forum stating their opinions when their are short of news, but the WM should say the story is speculation or based certain evidence.

Happy reading!

Brilliant comment. Some of the comments here are just silly. Its his job to generate discussion on Welsh rugby using the bits of info available.

Samoa player talks up his team - the logical thing to do is to play up fact they will be playing Wales and eager to win. Discuss their chances. Article written.

Ma'a Nonu is on the move - Ospreys are a big club. Entertain the idea of him of him moving there.

In reality its no different than what we do.

Londonwelsh wrote:"I’m also talking about people like Scott Andrews –World Cup participation notwithstanding – the tighthead prop who’s had a taste of the Test environment this season but who has also been taught a few lessons, not least by Adam Jones in the first Blues-Ospreys derby of the season at Cardiff City Stadium on New Year’s Day"http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbynation/rugby-news/2011/04/06/dai-banks-on-young-guns-to-fire-blues-91466-28467464/

He didn't say specifically at the scrim did he?

I know what you mean though. His answer to the Welsh regions problems in the WOS? Marquee signings! Rick head

There is more to Welsh rugby then just the regions and national side. Can't they discuss the welsh premiership, grass roots rugby etc? there's enough out there for them to find issues/stories to write without resorting to wild speculation. It's lazy journalism.

shame we can't turn over the all blacks once in a while,he would have enough material to keep him going for a month! and we would all be more than happy to read it.

Glas a du wrote:

Londonwelsh wrote:"I’m also talking about people like Scott Andrews –World Cup participation notwithstanding – the tighthead prop who’s had a taste of the Test environment this season but who has also been taught a few lessons, not least by Adam Jones in the first Blues-Ospreys derby of the season at Cardiff City Stadium on New Year’s Day"http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbynation/rugby-news/2011/04/06/dai-banks-on-young-guns-to-fire-blues-91466-28467464/

He didn't say specifically at the scrim did he?

I know what you mean though. His answer to the Welsh regions problems in the WOS? Marquee signings! Rick head

He doesnt have to. He's obviously referring to the scrum. Except there are 2 issues with this

1. Scott Andrews would not have faced Adam Jones in the scrum as they are both tightheads and on opposite ends of the scrum.

2. Scott Andrews did not even play that match so how an earth could Adam Jones who's a tighthead even teach him a lesson in the first place! The front row was Jenkins, Thomas, & Filise. Scott Andrews was not even on the bench!

Parfitt has no knowledge of Welsh Rugby at all and this just proves it. Andy Howell gets a lot stick mostly from Dragons fans due to his no nonsense criticism of the region in the Paul Turner era and rightly so as well. He'll be more kinder to them in the Darren Edwards era I think as they seem to be turning the corner.

Londonwelsh wrote:

1. Scott Andrews would not have faced Adam Jones in the scrum as they are both tightheads and on opposite ends of the scrum.

2. Scott Andrews did not even play that match so how an earth could Adam Jones who's a tighthead even teach him a lesson in the first place! The front row was Jenkins, Thomas, & Filise. Scott Andrews was not even on the bench!

Parfitt has no knowledge of Welsh Rugby at all and this just proves it.

That really is poor. For him not to know the facts is bad enough, but for him not even to have bothered to check - or for his editor not to notice how wrong he was - says a lot about the standards of rugby journalism in the self-proclaimed 'national newspaper of Wales.'

Lets face it the whole of the western mail writters like to do exactly what we do on here and either start or spread rumours. And what i find funny is the timings of the rumours, like before a big match etc.

I have the sports section of the Wales On Sunday (or was it the fail?) from the first weekend of the season, and laugh at it quite often, where they slagged the Scarlets into a heap for losing last moment to Treviso.

Tell you what though. Like him or not Andy Howell is on the money with this article. I find very little to disagree with here

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbynation/rugby-news/2011/06/16/analysis-what-future-for-welsh-rugby-after-wales-under-20s-ship-92-points-against-new-zealand-91466-28886405/

Agreed.

Andy Howell is the , currently billed as the Fail's "Cycling Correspondent"

The sooner people accept the role of the 'antagonist' journalist in today's society, the sooner they can calm down and have a nice cup of tea

Did anyone see the article about the RRW press release last week that started by listing sick and seriously ill players, and then went into a whole load of anti RRW venom? The WRU/RRW spat has nothing to do with the injury sustained by Owen Williams, or Rhys Thomas' heart condition, or Matthew Watkins cancer etc. What sort of a human being would decide that is a good tool to use for leverage in a matter that is not related.

It is quite frightening how poor he is, after all these years.

Nonu's moved back to the Canes so wrong there.

There's a funny audio clip online somewhere where Graham Henry's giving an interview to media in Wales and he's like "Oh you're still here? I thought someone would've shot you by now".

disneychilly wrote:Nonu's moved back to the Canes so wrong there.

There's a funny audio clip online somewhere where Graham Henry's giving an interview to media in Wales and he's like "Oh you're still here? I thought someone would've shot you by now".

I knew I liked Graham Henry

Journo's go down the controversial route in order to get themselves a name. That is great in the short term, but players and management won't give them any stories after a while as they see their words being twisted. So eventually those journo's become a parody of themselves and just regurgitate the same sh!te over and over hoping a snappy editor can continue to make catchy headlines out of the tripe submitted.............. wait, or is that me on here?

Has anyone actualy heard him speak? Grates more than his 'journalism'.