In the modern day of football, fans are becoming far more interactive, whether it is talking to players, managers or chairmen via Facebook or Twitter, or thinking they are the next coach to conquer the world by playing Football Manager 2012, people constantly check transfer news and think they are “in the know” the fact is until the news breaks on clubs official sites, all of us as fans believe nothing, but is there any ground to claims of people knowing inside information? Here is my view…
Before the modern day erupted with social networking sites, fans would always have to wait until a press conference to find out announcements of signings or read up on rumours in the newspaper. However, the last couple of years (especially 2012) the rumour mill and speculation has pretty much gone of the scales, with people claiming to be “ITK” about certain clubs business. Many people doubt their knowledge and believe it to be either a chain of “copy cats” giving speculation more foundation, making it more believable or people who are just guessing the on-going activity.
The truth is, anyone can create these accounts, put “ITK or Agent” in their title and that’s it they are rolling, all it then takes is for that person to watch news feeds constantly and just forward on other peoples rumours. For example how many times have you seen this line “ “x” Player is having a medical tomorrow” and then nothing happens? Or see that person claim targets are being lined up…well yes that’s obvious it is a transfer window after all; changes are clearly being looked at to improve squads. I myself find it quite frustrating reading up on news and then getting my hopes up that West Ham will sign Dimitar Berbatov or Andy Carroll as someone said it will happen, but then guess what? Nothing ever does.
I know that I am not the only fan that gets this frustration reading their news, but despite it being rumours a lot of the time, I still find myself reading what they say, it’s like an obsession and without question I will check the social network sites every day. It’s funny because some of the things they say actually happen and it gives them a sense of false hope and with everything they say which is correct, they just draw in more “followers” or “friends” or as I like to say “hopefuls” and more people get caught in this ever growing web of speculation.
Despite the news some of these so called “ITK” being accurate and sometimes being brought to us before the mainstream news feeders such as BBC Sport News, ESPN or SkySports News, people never fully believe what they say until one of these confirm it, so why even believe the twitter accounts in the first place? We see adverts all the time about “loans” and “debt” and how it’s better to cut out the “middle man” yet when it comes to sport news, why do we always believe what someone says on Twitter? Is it because of hope? Boredom? Naivety? The answer is beyond me, but if we stop “following” them, who do they have to pass their knowledge (if that’s what you want to call it) on to? The answer is… no one.
The problem with the modern day is that people are just getting far too impatient, everything has to happen right away, not in a couple of minutes, hours or days…now! And that’s the issue, until fans become patient with their clubs, they will be fed false information one way or another just to help stimulate their minds and keep them at bay. I myself like to follow the news as it is something to do, but I never believe what is said until it breaks as news on SkySports News or the official West Ham United site. So, unless you can deal with being fed a load of rubbish and the odd correct bit of news, don’t put yourself through stress and follow these people on Twitter, but if you are like me and take what they say lightly then fair enough, but if you follow them in hope of everything they say being correct… then you are becoming a part of the problem and don’t say I didn’t warn you when you are let down 98% of the time.
I like to think that at least a couple of these people know things for fact and have some involvement with a club or two, but this is once again just speculation, it’s up to us to interoperate and guess who is telling the truth and who is wrong. I am going to play it safe and just believe them all to be “fakes” and wait until more reliable news feeds break the facts.
Have paitence everyone, news will break when the time is right, until then…Just put your feet up and nod off listening to “I’m forever blowing bubbles” on your I-Pod.
COYI!
