Coe Gives Lesson To Bernstein And Dalglish

May 9, 2012 - PRLog -- Olympics supremo Seb Coe has given a lesson in public relations to FA chairman David Bernstein and Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish.
That's the verdict of Tony Flood, the former Controller of Information at Sky Television, in his new celebrity book 'My Life With The Stars - Best, Ali and the Panties', revealing the secrets of sports and show biz stars.
Flood critiises Bernstein and Dalglish for the way they have conducted themselves with the media by evading key questions and, in the case of Dalglish, being abrasive and sometimes confrontational.
Flood, whose book by My Voice Publishing (http://www.mvpub.co.uk) is already available as a paperback on Amazon, has added a new chapter for the forthcoming e-version in which he says: "I feel my roles as a journalist, analyist and public relations executive make me ideally qualified to tell big name stars in show business, sport and politics why they have come across badly in certain aspects – and advise them on how they could improve their image.
"So I am giving tips to 13 celebrities - Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne, Cheryl Cole, Joan Rivers, Donald Trump, Prime Minister David Cameron, Ken Clarke, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, Labour's Ed Miliband and football personalties Kenny Dalglish, Sepp Blatter, Joey Barton and David Bernstein.

"Dalglish, Blatter, Barton and Bernstein have a lot to learn about PR - and Seb Coe has shown them how dealing with the media should be handled.

"Bernstein upset the majority of soccer fans by not even interviewing Harry Redknapp for the England manager's job and then refusing to say why the strongest candidate had been overlooked in favour of Roy Hodgson.

"This was an exercise in how NOT to win support. His tight-lipped approach led to suspicions that there had been a hidden agenda, and even the normally evasive Sir Trevor Brooking, the FA's director of football who was on their four-man selection panel, found it necessary to deny suggestions that he had a grudge against Rednapp dating back to 1994 when Harry stepped up from his coaching role to replace Brooking's close friend Billy Bonds as West Ham boss.

"Bernstein should learn a lesson in how to deal with the media from Seb Coe, who wisely pledged that he would bear no grudge against Dwain Chambers if the tarnished sprinter qualified for London 2012.

"Chambers was freed to compete at this summer's Games when the British Olympic Association's decision to ban him for life was judged to be illegal.

"London 2012 chairman Coe had backed the BOA lifetime ban for drug cheats, which I thought was unfair on Chambers, but I have to give Coe credit for announcing: "If any of those athletes in question get in the team they, of course, have to be accorded every courtesy. They are eligible to compete.

"My views on the issue have been known for many years, but the decision is binding. I supported the BOA by-law, but that is academic now."

Flood's advice to Bernstein is: "Listen and learn from Coe on how good public relations can get people back on your side when either a decision has gone against you or you are going against public opinion."
The former Fleet Street journalist goes on: Dalglish is like Sharon Osbourne in one respect. He is so fiercely protective of his 'family' – in this case the Liverpool players – that he is inclined to sometimes come across as brusque, bordering on abrasive, when questioned by journalists.

"It seems to me that Kenny still finds it hard to treat journalists as allies rather than potential opponents. If that is really his perception, he needs to change it by following the example of Harry Redknapp, who shows charm, warmth and humour when dealing with questions (even the less charasmatic Arsène Wenger manages to do this).

"After all, the information Dalglish is being asked to provide is for the benefit of the fans who enable Liverpool Football Club to pay his wages!

"To his credit, Kenny did conduct himself with dignity when interviewed on ITV after Liverpool had lost 2-1 to Chelsea in the FA Cup final in May. He even dealt well with questions about the Reds being denied by Petr Cech's remarkable save from substitute Andy Carroll, whose claims that the ball had crossed the line were correctly over-ruled by referee Phil Dowd.

"Perhaps Dalglish was reflecting that he had got it wrong by picking both the inexperienced Jay Spearing and Jordan Henderson in mid-field and not starting with Carroll? Or perhaps he had taken on board the comments made before the match by former Liverpool manager Roy Evans, who claimed that Kenny 'is still a pain in the backside sometimes.'

Flood said yesterday: "I found interviewing Seb Coe was a lot easier than talking to Kenny. I remember when Kenny was manager of Liverpool the first time and I was then Head of Sport at Sunday Sport, receiving a phone call from him.

"He was complaining that I had given an interview with two of his players, previewing the FA Cup final against Wimbledon, to our sister paper the Daily Star. Kenny was upset that the players' pool had missed out on the fee they would have charged had they known it was for the Star!

"It surprised me that he found time to get involved to that degree, especially concerning an amount of probably just a few hundred pounds, but I suppose it shows how much he has always supported his players."

In the book Flood reckons that hard man Joey Barton, a footballer known for his violence on and off the field, could also benefit from showing more charm and less aggression."

Flood reckons Barton has been unnecessarily provocative when tweeting harsh criticisms of his former club Newcastle and former QPR manager Neil Warnock.

The 68-year-old author says: "I would advise Barton to adopt a lower profile and a higher tolerance level - and, if in doubt, keep his mouth shut! On reflection, the same advice could apply to most of the other 12 big names I have mentioned! In contrast, Bernstein (did I say, big names?) should learn to open his!!"