My copy of the above arrived from Amazon when I got home last night, and I have read the appendix chapters on doping and the LTA. I'll not give too much away as I suspect that many forum members will want to read it themselves in the coming weeks.
Suffice it to say, Neil is both insufferable (name-dropping his contact book; needing to demonstrate how chummy he is with players and the great-and-the-good; bigging himself up) and also superb (passion; knowledge; insight) in equal measure.
Let's just say he is exceptionally circumspect on doping - acknowleging there are rumours about very famous players - then skipping this and talking generalities. Unfortunately I think the need to protect his contact book and his access to the superstars takes precedence over getting to the truth (which was precisely the charge David Walsh levelled at 95% of his journo colleagues re Armstrong et al in cycling). Understandable, but uncomfortable.
On the LTA he is VERY specific, he names names, and really comes down hard on Draper. He doesn't need him anymore, so his journalist's need for access is no longer a concern. Even Draper's son is mentioned in the text (without openly questioning how Jack made the cut into the LTA elite programme, the reader is left with an obvious implication and the conflict of interest wouldn't be lost on anyone). I tend to agree with Neil but would feel very uncomfortable putting my name to anything with a veiled question mark over a 10 year old and then publishing widely. That will hurt. And it's unnecessary.
I look forward to reading the book in full, where I fully expect some serious brown-nosing of Tim Henman - Harman revealed his retirement without checking with Tim or asking his permission, and the pair now barely speak.....I suspect Neil didn;t expect Tim to become a bigwig at Wimbledon, so niceties weren't really needed (just like Draper), but of course that has now changed, so this seriously affects Harman's future access. I expect Neil to champion Henman at every possible chance he gets from now on in writing and on air!
As I said, his passion, insight, knowledge and access are exceptional. And he writes superbly. I can put up with the ego-trip stuff - after all it's not even close to Jonathan Ross levels of unbearable self-obsession!!
I do think journalists have a very difficult job in that without access, their job is all but impossible. The life of a campaigning journalist like David Walsh is a difficult one, and certainly a less glamorous one.....and I sense that Mr Harman is not averse to the glamour side of sport, and he certainly needs the superstars onside. There is a danger that he gets too close to certain players and loses his objectivity ...........in his book he was happy to mention David Ferrer as under suspicion.........I wonder if he is at all close to David Ferrer (whose english is very poor and who is as unglamorous as they get). I don't know. Would he have ever chosen to mention any of the big 4, some of whom have widely come under suspicion in noises off? I suspect not. Access would be removed in a flash.
Very tough to call.
I tend to agree with almost everything Neil says about the LTA, however.
Neil Harman filling time during the rain delay at Queens with a shameless book plugging episode. What with that and the relentless mentions on his Twitter feed I'll give this one a miss on principle.
