Phil Hay, perennial Leeds United Twitter target info source
One man who will be particularly relieved, and who may indeed shed tears of joy, when the white smoke eventually goes up over Elland Road and Marcelo Bielsa becomes our anointed king, is the Yorkshire Evening Post‘s chief football writer Phil Hay.
Phil is the man with his finger on the pulse of Leeds United and his ear to the ground at Thorp Arch. It’s become an article of faith that any item of Whites football news can only really be believed when it’s been presented as fact by Mr. Hay, whose articles and revelations always carry that stamp of authenticity.
The downside to this elite and privileged position is that Hay, an endearingly prolific tweeter of the snippets all Leeds fans thirst for, has to put up with a phenomenal amount of Twitter queries, amounting to an ongoing Inquisition, with demands for more news, more verbatim accounts of what’s being said and, above all, urgent confirmation of that which has not yet been confirmed. Sometimes, the strain ever so slightly shows, when representatives from the dimmer end of the Leeds Twitteratti attempt to second guess our intrepid reporter. Then, such responses as he makes can be quite terse and dry. But, ever the pro, Phil does not engage in unseemly to-ing and fro-ing. That’s a lesson I could do with learning.
It’s not just Phil Hay, of course. The equally respected Adam Pope cops for his share of incessant nagging, the likes of “Popey, can you confirm… etc”. Lee Sobot is another target for this insatiable hunger for news NOW. Of course, people do know that you can’t report developments until those developments have developed – but you sometimes have to doubt that awareness. Our professional reporters are harangued 24/7, and it’d be no wonder if they got just a teensy bit sick of it.
The last couple of weeks have been a case in point, with “Any news, Phil?” becoming a catchphrase to rank alongside any in the world of alternative comedy. It’s being used ironically now, as Tweeters take the mick out of their less patient fellow online fans. If Messrs Hay, Pope and Sobot tried to answer every desperate plea for knowledge aimed directly at them, they’d have neither the time nor the energy to get on with their actual jobs.
With this in mind, it’d be nice to think that the manic tweeters would lay off a bit, accept that things happen when they happen or not at all, and generally give our faithful correspondents a bit of time and room to breathe. Not that any such restraint is likely to happen, of course. That imperious need to know is out there, and it’s voracious.
What I will wish is for the Bielsa story to be resolved as soon as possible, so that our chaps in the press room can take a bit of a rest. Then again, once Bielsa is in – well, all the transfer business will catch fire and consume us all, won’t it? Hmmm.
Erm – any news, Phil?
Life, Leeds United, the Universe & Everything 
What’s new Rob?
LikeLike
True, it’s my tolerance that’s declining I suspect.
LikeLike
If you want to occupy yourself during this protracted period of suspense Rob and have a smug giggle at one of your competitors, just browse over HITC’s suggestions regarding which players Leeds United must bid for. Bearing in mind we are only approx. 4 weeks into this “window” HITC have nominated no fewer than 79 players as “not to be missed out on”!! (I may have missed a couple but just imagine the size of our squad Rob and the wages bill)!!!
HITC makes Victor Orta’s “scattergun recruitment approach” appear quite reserved and focused by comparison. Hopefully, you will be happy with my maths and not put yourself through such an ordeal irrespective of how amusing it may be to compare HITC’s fountains of wisdom with your own brilliant posts.
Hope the news arrives soon, a “reliable” Guardian journalist announced that Leeds will confirm Bielsa’s appointment within 24 hours a mere 53hours (and counting), ago. Cannot bear the thought of poor Phil Hay getting no sleep. ALAW
LikeLike
Ha – I’ve actually filtered that “source”. Kind words appreciated mate.
LikeLike
Sorry mate as I said before we are being played, bay, pope love it made a career out of it, me sick of it. Hope I am wrong but sadly doubt it.
LikeLike
Whatever happens with Bielsa, you’re certainly wrong about the journos you tried to mention but misspelled. Clueless sums you up.
LikeLike
I’m convincing myself that if Biesla intended to turn us down it would have been done before now. These are serious negotiations, serious intentions and commitments. We are talking money, we are assessing how ambittion and targets could be reasonably achieved.
The man is coming. Have faith
LikeLike
I tend to agree with this. At the very least, they must have someone of comparable stature lined up as a fall-back option.
LikeLike
The overwrought and overwhelmed Phil Hay has Tweeted in past 20 mins. that ‘sources close to Marcelo Bielsa say he intends to sign the contract tonight and will become Leeds United’s next head coach’. You heard it here first (probably not, but I’ve always wanted to say it)!
LikeLike