Andy Walker realises that it’s safer to irritate the Celtic support than anger Scotland’s Shame

Andy Walker doesn’t want to be a Celtic cheerleader while co-commentating on matches on Sky Sports because the former Celtic striker reckons that that’s not his job. You are left wondering what’s the difference between his job and that of the former Rangers, and theRangers striker Kris Boyd who woks alongside Walker at the subscription broadcaster and revels in his role as a cheerleader for his old Govan based clubs.

And maybe Walker might reflect on the profile that Boyd appears to have within the Sky Sports operation because he certainly appears to be getting more work than the former Celtic man.

Photo: Andrew Milligan

If you look at this from a Celtic fans perspective, which Walker is at pains not to do (and that’s entirely up to him), then we are served up a combination of blue tinted  views of Boyd, with constant digs at Celtic and that is not balanced with by the main former Celtic pundit on the station who tries hard to be balanced and impartial in his commentary and punditry.

That results in a bias for theRangers and against Celtic as Walker has a platform to balance the situation but chooses not to do so, for his own reasons which he has outlined in an interview with the subscription based mainstream media owned site Celtic Way.

“I am aware that there is a divided opinion of myself on social media,” Walker admitted. “In my job now there are two teams on the pitch and I don’t care what strip you are wearing.

Photo by Stuart Wallace

“I am going to give teams credit when they play well and criticism if they don’t. I am not interested in being a cheerleader. That is the job I do now and I really enjoy it and I am fairly relaxed about that. I have to say that anytime I meet a Celtic supporter I am greeted warmly which is great,” Walker added.

“I find it a privilege to have played alongside the players that I did for Celtic. Some of them are my favourite players and I played alongside them and whenever I see them we always have a great chat.

“We are a band of brothers and we are bonded by the wonderful experience of the centenary season. I love meeting up and seeing all the members of the 1988 Celtic centenary team.”

Boyd’s approach is vastly different and it never seems to bother Sky Sports who must be well aware of this bias in their punditry against Celtic and for theRangers. Walker plays a part in that and that’s why he’s aware of any social media backlash.

The only pundit who comes across as pro-Celtic on a consistent basis and has done well building a career in the mainstream media is Chris Sutton – but while his pro-Celtic views are the closest comparison we can think of to Boyd’s bluenose bias, he has found himself banned from Ibrox as their Board admit that they cannot guarantee his safety.

Andy Walker knows that it’s safer to irritate the Celtic support than anger Scotland’s Shame.

About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor David Faulds has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

6 Comments

  1. Allaboutceltic on

    I have to agree with you. Too many ex Celts prefer to follow the same route as Walker. It seems that the only players to back up their old team are the players from Martin O’Neils era. More than a coincidence🧐🧐. Walker did let his guard slip a couple of times last season and sconced *theRanjurs, but I think that was just a slip of the tongue and his real feelings showing, but was soon to put back on his SMSM face.

    F#*k them. We’ve had to put up with it forever, and most likely for forever to come. Makes their tears taste all the sweeter when we put them back in their coffin. The truth is that the SMSM have to big them up and exaggerate or fabricate any good stories about them, as they know in the hearts or hearts that they simply can’t compete with Celtic and the zombies would be in constant rage mode, tearing up the city if they weren’t being fed the remotest glimpse of hope to hang on to and build it into something that it clearly is not.

    HAIL HAIL
    KEEP THE FAITH🍀🍀

    • Andy Walker is banned from Ibrox. Get your facts right if you are going to have a go at someone.

      • Didn’t he do the co-commentary at Ibrox when we won there in April? I’ve taken it out anyway in case you are correct. As far as having a go at Walker, that’s not the intention. Just trying to explain why Celtic fans get irritated by the biased punditry on Sky Sports when you compare their Celtic guy to their man from theRangers…

  2. Stevie Thomson on

    Andy Walker is a Celtic legend for the 1988 season alone and is the most honest pundit in Scottish Football

  3. Paythefacepainter on

    Maybe some Celtic fans get irritated and just maybe most Celtic fans are happy that AW is a serious fair-minded pundit and by association, a credit to our club who calls things as he sees them.
    Boyd is a laughing stock would you really want something similar attached to us?