US bound George Galloway to publish book on Neil's Lennon's first year as Celtic manager
Former MP George Galloway, who is poised for a new career as a TV chat show host in the US, is to publish a book about Neil Lennon's controversial first season as manager of Celtic FC, according to The Scotsman.
The daily newspaper reports that the colourful and controversdial Respect Party politician has just finished writing the book which will chart the sensational events of the last football season.
Lennon has been the victim of death threats, letter bombs and was even attacked by a rival fan during his first 12 months in charge at Parkhead.
The Scotsman reported: “Mr Galloway, a Celtic fan, said he wanted to focus on the ‘anti-Catholic and anti-Irish bigotry’ in Scotland by telling Lennon's story. The book called: ‘Open Season: The Neil Lennon Story’, will be published later this summer and Mr Galloway is hoping to get Lennon to write the foreword".
The Scotsman quotes Galloway as saying on BBC Radio Scotland, "I have just completed my book on the Neil Lennon affair. It's called Open Season: The Neil Lennon Story and it deals with the extraordinary season we have just been through."
Galloway has been writing the book since his unsuccessful attempt to become an MSP in May when he lost out in the regional list vote in Glasgow.
The Scottish Government is currently in discussions to implement new laws which will aim to crack down on sectarian and other forms of hatred in Scotland. These are expected to be in place in time for the new football season after Scottish Ministers introduced a draft Bill to the Scottish Parliament this week.
Galloway had revealed in his weekly Daily Record column that he has landed a five-days-a-week television presenting job in America.
Subject to threashing out a financial deal, the Scottish politician wrote: “I am going to present The George Galloway Daily Show - bringing to two the number of Scots presenting daily shows on American TV (the other being East Kilbride’s finest, Craig Ferguson, aka Bing Hitler).
“Of course, Piers Morgan, who took over from Larry King on CNN, is a third from Britain. Not since Shea Stadium and the Beatles has there been an invasion like it.”
The Scottish Daily Mail acknowledged the news of Galloway’s US offer with the heading, 'So is George Galloway the new Oprah?’
In a story by reporter Sarah Bruce, the paper pointed out: " ... the timing is perfect, with US TV daytime queen, Oprah Winfrey, recently calling time on her much-loved chat show.
“Dundee-born Mr Galloway, 56, is no stranger to being the centre of attention. He is a politician of long-standing, a former Labour MP, and most recently stood on the Coalition Against Cuts in Glasgow ticket in this year’s Holyrood elections. But he failed in his attempt to be elected, polling only 6,335 votes on the Glasgow list.
“He cemented his place in the celebrity spotlight of reality TV in 2006, after a memorable appearance in the Big Brother house, dressed up in a catsuit and being ‘fed’ a saucer of milk by actress. Rula Lenska.
“... His relaxed attitude to the camera may have made him a favourite for a US show where the world of chat has been ruled by Miss Winfrey for the last 25 years.
“... The US venture will be a big contrast to Mr Galloway’s other broadcasting outing, though, a weekly, one-hour English-language programme, Comment, aired on the Iranian international news network, Press TV.”