The Gunning Hawk is delighted to bring you an exclusive interview with Robin Bailey on media training as we believe that people are unaware of the importance of the subject in the world of football, and not only.

Director of Capricorn and journalist for over 26 years, Robin currently presents sports bulletins on the BBC including BBC1’s Final Score and Breakfast News programmes. Robin is an experienced interviewer and has interviewed the likes of Lord Sebastian Coe, Elton John, and Bernie Ecclestone.


1. What is media training?

Media Training in relation to footballers is about giving them advice from the perspective of the journalist. If you make them aware of what the journalist wants to get out of an interview with them first – whether on TV, Radio, Newspapers, Magazines or Online – then you can work on what they should and shouldn’t be saying.


2. Why is media training important?

Players are in the spotlight all the time. They are heroes for children who look up to them and see them as role models. Also the higher profile players are on your TV, in millions of homes most weeks. Behaviour, attitudes, being an ambassador for their club, praising team-mates, the manager and coaching staff all becomes important to the way they and their club are viewed.


3. Has media training gained any increased significance in the face of the pluralist media we face today?

Yes. There are so many more demands on players these days. The old one-one interview the used to be the norm when I was a newspaper and local radio reporter doesn’t happen nearly so much now. Players are often shielded from the glare of publicity until they are ready. But clubs tend to make media training of their Academy trainees a non-priority. So players end up making mistakes on air …and we know how crucial first impressions are. TV is unforgiving and people will make up their mind on people in the space of a soundbite.


4. Who is the consumer of media training?

Not sure I get the point here. The clubs should be buying it, the players should be benefiting from it and the viewers will get an ordered, normal view of these “celebrity footballers”. The wages these players are earning dictates that you need to promote a positive view.


5. When applying media training to football, wouldn’t it be fair to assume that the public in general expects sports personalities to make the occasional mistake in their public appearances – isn’t that part of the show?

What kind of mistakes are you referring to? Like when Micah Richards does a live interview after the match and uses the F-word? Like when Joey Barton beats someone up on a night out? Like when Roy Keane admits he wanted to break Alf Inge Haaland’s leg with a tackle? Like when Tony Adams admits he’s an alcoholic? It’s all part of society I guess. But none of those stories covered the people concerned or their clubs in glory. So I ask what are the clubs doing to prepare their young men for the media glare. Clubs will be the ones to benefit most. The image of football, players, managers will improve. Media Training can help to ensure reputations are kept intact. At Arsenal, would anyone argue William Gallas was right to criticise his players. Few would argue Theo Walcott isn’t a thoroughly decent guy. Not everyone is the same. But if it is ok to make mistakes publicly why do the public criticise so heavily when they do go off the rails? It’s a rich business, jealousy abounds. Clubs should deal with it.


6. Do you then believe Gallas wouldn’t have made such comments had Arsenal provided him with better media training? And being one of your clients, did the club approach you for advise following the outburst to avoid similar problems in the future?

I am convinced that if William Gallas had been media trained from the start of his career he wouldn’t have betrayed his teammates. Now we hear he is feeling humiliated! So who’s fault is that. He has not apologised either which is a mistake.


7. How would you go about providing media training to professional footballers?

Start in the Academies. Yes there are plenty of bad habits of senior players that could be put right with one or two sessions. But the youngsters won’t pick up those bad habits if they are taught the right things. Unfortunately they learn from senior pros who have no idea how to handle themselves at times. But to do that clubs have to be on board with a programme of training – let’s say six monthly sessions. For a year that would be £3,000 for ten people. But that’s money that won’t be spent. Football lives with the consequences.


The Gunning Hawk would like to thank Robin who kindly accepted to answer our questions. Robin can be reached on the Capricorn website at http://www.capricornmediagroup.com.