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Chris Graham on the latest CRO pod


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For those who haven't listened to it yet, Chris Graham was on it stating his views on Imran, and why he felt it was better that he was now gone from the club. Fair enough.

But he insisted that he would not divulge where he got the information on Imran and his supposed posts here on Rangers Media (which I don't think for one second that RM gave that information out).And if you wanted to know, well, "tough".

Why doesn't he tell us? Since the Rangers Standard is a non-profitable organisation (and Chris clearly explains that on the pod), what has he got to lose in telling us? Are they (TRS) withholding the information solely in order for future exclusives? And if this is the case, is the person(s) who informed him that it's (allegedly) Imran, the 'mole' we've been under the impression is at Ibrox leaking out information left, right and centre?

I can understand the Mhedia to never reveal their sources, as they have no issue in placing our club under as much negativity as possible, but I don't understand it coming from a fellow bear.

Or am I being completely naive in the matter, and should understand that people should not reveal their sources no matter what?

For what it's worth, I have absolutely no issue with Chris, and no, no like what Chris says about Mather in the pod ;). I think he fights our corner impeccably, and comes across as level-headed and intelligent.

But the whole believe-us-or-tough attitude slightly rub me up the wrong way.

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I think Chris put it quite succinctly when it came right down to it: When you start naming sources, whether you're "traditional media" or part of what's clearly becoming the norm for how people get the latest news, eg blogging, Twitter, etc, sources dry up. That's just the facts of reporting, and this was a more old school reporting job than what TRS usually does.

Honestly, I've heard plenty of it, too. I just shrug it off and take the piss out of people doing it.

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I think Chris put it quite succinctly when it came right down to it: When you start naming sources, whether you're "traditional media" or part of what's clearly becoming the norm for how people get the latest news, eg blogging, Twitter, etc, sources dry up. That's just the facts of reporting, and this was a more old school reporting job than what TRS usually does.

Honestly, I've heard plenty of it, too. I just shrug it off and take the piss out of people doing it.

You back TRS all the way here. You agree with the smear campaign against this guy Ahmad and you agree that they should not enlarge on any reporting other than they have a belief. You didn't do the Rangers support any favours by releasing this article. On the contrary, you caused them a great deal of anxiety. So much so that Rangers Media had to release a statement to calm the fears of their members that their personal information which is stored on Rangers Media, was never released to anyone. Don't tell us about the Data Protection Act, people will still worry when they don't know how that user can be pinpointed to this guy Ahmad. Further, you have left the support with the undeniable belief that there is a mole inside Ibrox. They don't know who to trust anymore. I would think that when TRS tell us, "tough" and you tell us that you will "take the piss out of us", you realise that a lot of the fans would think that you are being pretty arrogant. I'm sure that you feel that both of you have earned, both for yourselves and for your websites, a lot of respect. If I were to tell you that I have a belief that you have done a really great job, would you believe me? There again, you've heard it all before.

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I don't think that's the point, though. We're isolating one story, one event. And people are jumping to their own conclusions about a "source" or whatever they want to call it. People didn't ask how I found out Chris McKenzie wasn't real or how I found those responsible. I understand this may be more sensitive, but that's the nature of the story.

For the record, I've said repeatedly now (including on this episode of the CROpod, I believe) that I think the "mole" as we knew it at Ibrox has been dealt with. It would appear Imran was the last of those slipping real info out. People point to the balding sniggling prick at the BBC still "breaking" stuff over the past couple weeks; he's beating the news cycle by a matter of minutes and on just a few stories. That's not breaking anything; that's being a cunt. That's backdoor scooping and doing no work for it. And then when I say, "Well, we had the Imran story before him" people shrug it off and go, "Aye, but we knew that was going to happen." Obviously that's not the case.

You just can't have it both ways doing this, mate. We use sources all the time at the CRO, I'm sure more than TRS as we deal in more current events as opposed to analysis than they do. And if I started every article saying, "So and so told me this" I'd have nothing left to pass along to you guys.

And people think we should be held to different standard because we're a blog as opposed to traditional media. The main complaint fired my way at first was that I didn't (I'll repeat that: that I did not) hide behind some journo speak such as "sources said" or "indications are". What's the point? Would the story be any more relevant? Would you be less keen on asking me what happened where and who was in the study? No.

Look at Deadspin, who broke one of the biggest stories in American sport in January, the absolutely mental Manti T'eo story. They don't just come out and say, "Oh, Jim Boogity gave me and ring and said this" because that's mental. That's not dealing with respect to sources who play an integral part in how stories are written.

And the cunts I was taking the piss out of deserved it, to be fair. One of them took it quite well and in stride and had a laugh; the other went further down the path of YOU'RE HIDING SOMETHING!!! Which, whatever, that's his prerogative. I could care less. He's asking questions of me he should be asking of someone else given he's so dead set on the notion of the club having slipped me a brown envelope filled with emails.

I think we have earned respect in our separate ways, and therefore yeah, I find it a little troubling that Rangers supporters have gone out of their way to have at go at us over one particular story and a particular aspect of that story. I work in news, this is how news travels, and no news outlet can sustain its reputation or status by revealing a supposed source for every single piece it writes.

And FWIW, I thought RM's statement was sound and well prepared, and the guys here know that none of us would ever do anything to injure their reputations or standing in the online community. So that's about that. Hopefully that answers your questions.

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Thank you for taking the time to answer. This quote ...

" For the record, I've said repeatedly now (including on this episode of the CROpod, I believe) that I think the "mole" as we knew it at Ibrox has been dealt with. It would appear Imran was the last of those slipping real info out." ... settles an awful lot of doubt. I don't know how you would do it, you're the newsman, but if you or Chris could have inserted that message into the original article then I don't think there would have been the level of reaction there has been. For the record, we don't always require to know your source to believe the story, but sometimes real clarification is called for. Cheers, follow follow.

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Cheers, brother. I may have misunderstood the issue as people were framing it, then. Most of what I was hearing was that we had some sort of undeclared "agenda" in some way or another. My agenda, if we can call it that, is my love for Rangers, and it informs everything we do on the site. And I always try to shoot you guys as straight as I can aim. Always will.

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Thank you for taking the time to answer. This quote ...

" For the record, I've said repeatedly now (including on this episode of the CROpod, I believe) that I think the "mole" as we knew it at Ibrox has been dealt with. It would appear Imran was the last of those slipping real info out." ... settles an awful lot of doubt. I don't know how you would do it, you're the newsman, but if you or Chris could have inserted that message into the original article then I don't think there would have been the level of reaction there has been. For the record, we don't always require to know your source to believe the story, but sometimes real clarification is called for. Cheers, follow follow.

The title of the Record's article the following day was 'Mole in a hole'.

They seemed to know who had been spoon feeding McLaughlin.

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The thing that annoys me about this whole situation, weather it is true or not, is the way it was dealt with.....Chris knows very well how much the mainstream media crave a negative story about Rangers and yet during a tumultuous period (again) he gave them yet more ammo.....He can say it was all about informing the Rangers fans all he likes, I dont buy that, because what ever way you look at it his information came form a "leak" so why arent we being informed of that one?

The big thing here for me is if Chris got this information or TRS did, why not go to the club? Why not keep it under wraps and protect the reputation of the club? Who gains from an article like this? Perhaps the "leak" who gave Chris the information? It just doesnt sit right with me and the way in which he (and the RST) are against Mather before the guy even starts is ridiculous ....My mate was at the POTY night and said Mather spoke and came accross like a really nice guy, he clearly has a business background and is involved in sport, whats the problem? Or is this another example of him not being the "right man" for certain people?

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For the record, I've said repeatedly now (including on this episode of the CROpod, I believe) that I think the "mole" as we knew it at Ibrox has been dealt with.

Shane the mole or perhaps more accurately the mole mentality inside Ibrox has not been dealt with so long as current members of our staff are happy to brief their pals in the press with juicy insider knowledge concerning our club.

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Shane the mole or perhaps more accurately the mole mentality inside Ibrox has not been dealt with so long as current members of our staff are happy to brief their pals in the press with juicy insider knowledge concerning our club.

But that's my point, mate. I haven't seen that juicy insider knowledge lately. I've seen normal press behavior from skims like CM who feels like a circulated release on embargo is excuse to "break" a story. There are people like that in every sport in every league across the world, and their peers don't have much kind to say about them.

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It just doesnt sit right with me and the way in which he (and the RST) are against Mather before the guy even starts is ridiculous ....My mate was at the POTY night and said Mather spoke and came accross like a really nice guy, he clearly has a business background and is involved in sport, whats the problem? Or is this another example of him not being the "right man" for certain people?

That's where the mask slips and their real agenda rears its head

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But that's my point, mate. I haven't seen that juicy insider knowledge lately. I've seen normal press behavior from skims like CM who feels like a circulated release on embargo is excuse to "break" a story. There are people like that in every sport in every league across the world, and their peers don't have much kind to say about them.

I think you need to extend your reading then bud - some of Keevins latest rants have would have a medium declaring "I sense the ghost of Ally McCoist"

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Shane perhaps you can answer this question.....why (assuming the information is correct and regardless of how TRS came about it and the irony of that) did you not go to the club and protect the dignity and reputation of the club and its fans instead of printing a piece with no proof and alot of conjecture and assumption that we as everyday normal fans are sick to the back teeth of? You realise all this did was add to the disparity in our support and the perception that too many people are working towards their own agenda?

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I think Chris put it quite succinctly when it came right down to it: When you start naming sources, whether you're "traditional media" or part of what's clearly becoming the norm for how people get the latest news, eg blogging, Twitter, etc, sources dry up. That's just the facts of reporting, and this was a more old school reporting job than what TRS usually does.

Honestly, I've heard plenty of it, too. I just shrug it off and take the piss out of people doing it.

Take the piss for what, not havaing access to a mole or not being in on the inside info ?

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Chris is quite correct to not name his source

That being said I thought the story was poor in the extreme and as a fan of TRS i was concerned by it and its motives.

The whole thing regarding the 'mole' has IMO got rather out of hand.

We (The Club) have used 'leaks' in the past when it fitted our agenda.

This time it didnt and TRS only poured petrol on the fire.

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I was at the POTY Dinner and Craig Mather spoke very well. He didn't give any bullsh*t and didn't promise any fantasies. I don't read blogs, red top papers or listen to podcasts or Scottish radio. I form my own opinion from facts available. Malcolm Murray and the board appointed Mather and I see no reason to doubt their judgement on that just now. Chris Graham is somewhat tainted for me by RST connections and I'm also concerned that he is now letting his ego start to overwhelm him.

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