Angry Fans
Let him know what you think and he’ll argue the toss with you. We’ll be offering a free sports prize to the star contribution each week.
SINCE statistics (courtesy of our friends at Sky) regularly seem to show that the ball is only in play for about 60 minutes of a game, why not make football exactly that — a 60 minute game where the clock stops every time the ball is not in play? No point then in players rolling around feigning injury, taking an eternity to decide who’ll take a throw in, substitutions with one second left of injury time etc. No more influencing of officials by the likes of Ferguson and Mourinho (two minutes added time when they’re winning, about six or seven when they’re not). And best of all, no more having to look at the odious David Moyes pointing sarcastically at his watch.
You are Sepp Blatter and I claim my five Swiss francs. (Anyway, wouldn’t the ball only be in play for 40 minutes?).
I HAVE always defended the beautiful game but my frustration has recently reached boiling point with the consistent diving and cheating on display in the Premiership and world stage which has reached saturation point in the last couple of years. These so-called professionals are paid enormous wages which their behaviour does not merit and are influencing future generations who see these players as role models. Of course, the managers must also take responsibility as they seem to encourage this behaviour and are quick to blame the opposition or the match officials. We must not forget about the clueless referees who have been blinded by the spotlight and have forgotten the basics of officiating a soccer match — perhaps they should have a look at a rugby game some time to see how it is done.
Players should think of playing honestly for a change because fans will not tolerate these shameful displays forever and it is the fans, after all, who are responsible for the players’ lavish lifestyles.
I’m not so convinced that the game has degenerated to the extent that the more hysterical commentators like to claim but, even so, the simplest way to confound the cheats is for refs to hand out a yellow card at the first sight of someone taking a dive or otherwise trying to claim a baltantly unfair advantage.
WITH reference to Wenger’s “hissy fit” as you called it; I wonder what your opinion would have been had Wenger been Irish and that charmless xenophobe Pardew had screamed in his face “made in England you paddy w*****”. I doubt you would have been advocating such magnanimity on his part.
As for Chelsea — citing three ex-players’ names does not really constitute evidence of class or tradition. Any old club can name their ex-players but in itself this proves nothing. No, Chelsea have always been a smallish club flitting between the top two divisions and winning the (very) odd cup. Let us not forget that only twelve or so years ago they were seeing attendances of 8,000 and even now, despite being in a position to basically buy any trophy they want, are still forced to prostitute themselves at mainline London railway stations in order to sell match tickets. Sad and not a bit desperate really.
So winning only big trophies constitutes tradition and class, does it Gerry? And there was I thinking that your antipathy towards Chelsea might mean you’d be a bit more sympathetic towards “smallish” clubs. Or is this really just a Chelsea thing?
WELL done, Mike Newell. With the game desperate to attract officials at all levels this is just the time to have a pop at women officials after a match in which she didn’t even make the crucial decision which affected his side.
I’ve always thought Newell was a bit flaky . . . making those allegations about corruption and then failing to produce the evidence, what was all that about then? Now it looks like he may be on his way out of Luton. He’s made quite a lot of noise for someone who hasn’t won anything.
I PERSONALLY don’t see what the problem is with Mike Newell’s comments.
It can’t really be a serious suggestion, with all the pressure on big game referees, that there should be more women officiating these matches? How many women do you see taking charge of top class rugby games? Or refereeing boxing matches? What do you think Liam?
I think you’ve just been to the movies to see Borat, Phillip.
I HAD the pleasure of travelling back to Cork on Sunday night with some Arsenal supporters celebrating their win over Liverpool, the new crisis club. I was struck by the jolly songs they were singing about Ashley Cole.
Presumably they have got what they want — another Frenchman to join the 15th Arrondissement in Ashburton Grove du Pres, and Chelsea have got what they want . . . another Londoner and English international. Time to move on boys. Let’s call a truce on the Gallas-Cole affair.
Not quite sure what the hell you’re on about this week, Cork Blue, but just to be on the safe side, have your customary red card.
JUST why did Noel White resign from the board of Liverpool Football Club? Everything he said was accurate. Rafa Benitez does not know his best team and he is being just plain wrong-headed about playing Gerrard out on the wing. This may have worked, perhaps, possibly, when Sissoko was there to do all the leg work. But it certainly did nothing for the side at the Emirates on Sunday. Is Rafa trying to freeze Steven out?
STEVEN Gerrard may have flirted twice with the option of taking the Chelsea rouble but that route’s firmly closed down for him now with the arrival of Essien and Ballack. But what IS for sure is that if he does not leave Liverpool he will not develop as a player. I can’t really get my head around him playing in Spain or Italy and I simply can’t contemplate him running out at Old Trafford. Arsenal anyone?
ZENDEN in central midfield? You have got to be joking.
By last count, we have had 978 Angry Fans writing to this column about Liverpool and Steve Gerrard. Refreshingly, Peter McCourt is the first to point out the bleeding obvious and, for keeping it pithy, he receives this week’s Letter Of The Week prize.
ANOTHER weekend, another coin-throwing incident, this time at a lower league ground after an outburst against an official by a manager.
Copycat behaviour or an unfortunate coincidence? Either way this has to be stopped now before a player, or an official, gets very seriously injured.
BIG shout for Chris Sutton. £10m misfit at Chelsea; rebuilt his career at Celtic; anonymous for Birmingham . . . and now working his socks off for Martin O’Neill rather than retiring to his farm to look after his chickens. Is he going to be the next Teddy Sheringham?
I suppose we’ll have to wait another 20 years or so to find out.
SO Lionel Messi out with the dreaded metatarsal until the New Year. I think the odds on Barcelona ushering in their new era with back-to-back Champions League victories just got longer.
Sure, it’s always good to see a new name on a trophy. Lyon is nice and short. Shouldn’t give the engravers too much problem with repetitive strain injury.
