Anthony Kastrinakis. the man behind the Sun’s famous Fábregas-to-Madrid hoax has been arrested by police.
Kastrinakis’ article which claimed that Fábregas was ready to play for Real Madrid was picked up by Arsenal blogs and national newspapers, making it the most successful football hoax in the history of football journalism.
The Sun had for some time been anxious to reclaim the crown as hoaxers-in-chief after the Mirror took the title with John Cross’ story that claimed Bendtner had told him he, “should start every game and play every minute of every game”. This story not only sounded insane, but was odd on the grounds that Cross cannot speak Danish – the language in which the interview was given.
Kastrinakis’ (who does not speak Spanish) decided to use the same tactics as the Mirror’s, taking an interview given in Spanish by Cesc, in which he said he would never “do a Ronaldo” (full transcript of that bit of the interview in the earlier post today on this web site) and turning it into “I want to play for Madrid”.
The coverage was much bigger, first because Cesc is a bigger name, second because the claim was more outrageous, and third because the bloggers and other papers knew just how big the Bendtner hoax had been – and realised this could be bigger.
Flushed with success, and the toast of Docklands Kastinakis went out on the town with friends, and was arrested at 4am outside Olivers Bar today.
Meanwhile the Mirror held an urgent editorial meeting this lunchtime over its plans to retaliate. It is understood that the rules of the game will stay much the same: a non-British Arsenal star, speaking while on international duty or holiday, in his native tongue.
Playing on the general inability of most English people to speak more than one European language the journalist will then pick out two or three words and then run them with a totally different meaning. The journalist in question has no need to be at the player’s side – the story will be picked up from a local paper written in the player’s language, and two or three words will be picked out.
So, next time round will the papers and the bloggers go for the hoax once more?
The answer is yes, of course, because that is what they do. But at least real Arsenal fans can look at the next story and think, “oh look, another hoax.”
Meanwhile here’s some other snippets. To the correspondent who asked if I was going to write about Michael Jackson, aside from the fact that he is not dead but is living on the dark side of the moon with Elvis, no, sorry I am not. Elsewhere, it does look as if Bishcoff is going – which I am sorry to see – but I do hope he remembers how we got him back on track. And the comment in this blog about the journalist being arrested for being drunk and disorderly is as true as the comments he attributed to Cesc on the subject of Real Mad. Makes you think.
(c) A bunch of lying toads 2009.
Alas, Americans are even worse at learning foreign languages than the Brits.
However, being an American, I took it upon myself to actually move to Russia 6 years before Andrey Arshavin transferred to Arsenal, learned to read and write Russian (although I still speak it very poorly)…just so I could read Shava’s personal website in its native language once he became a Gunner (or Gooner, if Andrey is saying it).
I should have learned Spanish instead!! :o)
Well well another silly hoax and again the media are at it. I feel sorry for fab its like he cant speak without being linked to real or barca
Clever piece Tony! I was almost ready to beleive it until the last bit. How I wish it was true though. That will teach those b*****ds a thing or two.
are they still banging their heas against this same old wall? news must be so slow right now, although the aforementioned death of a jaded 80s pop star may provide the rags so much copy they may forget about making shit up about us.
I almost believed the headline, but my wife (who is a journalist with The Asian Age in India) said it wasn’t really possible for him to be arrested already. A court case & legal hearings being necessary before that.
You had us going there Tony! Great piece! Wish something could really be done though… Oh well, more reason never to believe anything printed by The Scum.
I don’t know how many times Cesc has to come out and state that he is not leaving Arsenal. Yes, we do know that at some point he will leave, that’s only natural, but he has stated that he will let the fans know and it won’t be through the papers. I wish the papers would start to pick on another team for a change.
Looking forward to the U-21’s game, I will cheer for Sweden of course but I think England will be too strong for us. Pity Emir Bajrami is not playing, I do like him. Will Theo start?
Again, as usual Tony, a good piece of writing.
“Flushed with success, and the toast of Docklands Kastinakis went out on the town with friends, and was arrested at 4am outside Olivers Bar today.”
Sorry Tony, blown your cover I am afraid. I believed every word until my local bar appeared in your report.Which Olivers bar, you may well ask ? Well here’s a clue.
Aston,Burnley,Edinburgh,Hereford,Hornchurch,Luton,Malvern and Tamworth, all have one. 😉
Wenger is London’s least popular Premier League manager in the eyes of his club’s own supporters with Roy Hodgson, Guus Hiddink, Gianfranco Zola and Harry Redknapp all polling higher marks for last season
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/article-23711946-details/Support+for+Arsene+Wenger+on+the+wane+as+Arsenal+fans+face+a+test+of+faith/article.do
Eh! Tony, Somehow, I missed it! Was it your birthday on Tuesday 23rd June or was someone just pulling our strings? Anyway, Happy belated Birthday if it was. And if it wasn’t, Happy whatever it was!
for the millionth time in 23 minutes Fabregas has had to deny the comments and reassure Gooners of his commitment to the club. How boring! For us and him. It quite a pain in the arse really. Its old regurgitated news from the English media with add-ons.. How many Arsenal captains are the English media gonna try to destroy? Its like its a mission to see who could hound every Arsenal skipper out of the club the quickest. Do they win a prize? We will see this same story be repeated more than E4 shows Friends repeats on Sky TV. And that is a lot. Anyway, it will never end unless Arsenal do something about. The media successfully got William Gallas removed from the job last season and will persevere until Fabregas goes back to Spain. One day he will of course but I hope it isn’t because of the English press. I can’t help but imagine what would have happened had it been Gallas, still as captain, who said Arsenal were impotent. There would be uproar. The harsh treatment of William Gallas from the English media, and some Gooners, when he was appointed captain still grates with me. Most of what he said was true. Especially the statement that finally got him removed as skipper. He only said what many Gooners were saying at the time. If Cesc said the same would he be as vilified as Gallas? I doubt it. We see Cesc as one of our own and I think Gallas is still seen as a Chelsea bastard by some. As I’ve said, of course Fabregas has shown his loyalty to Arsenal, yet again, but the fact is he still said Arsenal were impotent. Why is it we react different to him saying things and Gallas, when skipper, saying things? Double standards?
Hello Tony: 1st – Bendtner, 2nd – Cesc. My prediction, next is Adebayor. The signs are all there and rest assured both the newspapers and the blogs will fall for it; hook, line and sinker.
Sorry Tony – you got the wrong man 🙂
Ade of course doesn’t even speak to the scum – his agent does and they use his vague non committal words as a stick to beat Ade with. Great piece Tony, made me chuckle.