Angry Fans
SO Alex Ferguson is furious about the disgraceful behaviour of Lille, eh? Doesn’t like to see the officials being intimidated? I seem to recall a referee being chased around Old Trafford a few seasons back for having the audacity to award a penalty against U****d. Won’t hold my breath waiting for a reporter to bring this to His Majesty’s attention though.
QUICKLY taken free kicks in the style of Ryan Giggs and, a few years ago, Thierry Henry — they’re just an officially-sanctioned form of poor sportsmanship aren’t they? Taking a sneaky little advantage while everyone is waiting for the whistle and the goalkeeper is off his line. It’s a discreditable way to win and while UEFA are getting around to banning things it should be something like this rather than goal celebrations.
CAN someone explain to me why a team which has committed a foul, and taken an advantage away from an attacking team, should then further benefit by taking as long as they would like to organise their defensive wall? Surely this just adds an additional penalty to the team that’s pressing forward.
Keep the surprise free kick I say. If a team’s smart enough to benefit from quick thinking then so it should.
ONLY the French could turn a disgraceful piece of behaviour in the Félix-Bollaert Stadium into a demand to have the match against Manchester United replayed. Lille should be fined and United given a bye into the next round. UEFA have at least ten days to make a decision. Will they have the guts? As Lille are a “little” team it might make it easier for them.
ALTHOUGH the football was controversial in Lens last week there are much more important matters surrounding this game than the result. It seems a matter of great good fortune that no one was seriously injured in the crush at the stadium caused, depending on who you believe, by forged tickets, by the tickets not being checked, and by over aggressive policing.
The French police have a reputation for being too liberal with the use of tear gas, and it is clearly madness to be pushing more fans into pens which are already full. The police officer who gave the order to fire tear gas at United fans who were already in distress should be made to explain his decision publicly, and then sacked.
DO Lille have a stadium which passes health and safety standards? If so, that is where they should play their Champions League games, under the control of their own stewards and local police, and not be allowed to transfer them to larger venues such as the Stades de France and Lens simply so they can make more money. In the case of Lens it was a particularly bad choice because there was trouble between the police and England fans there during the 1998 World Cup.
WHY are stadiums which have metal barriers still allowed to host important matches? Has nothing been learned from events such as Hillsborough? I agree with the journalist who wrote this: “Uefa, an organisation obsessed with television, hardly have a reputation for putting fans’ interests first, yet the last thing TV wants is a disaster unfolding behind a goal. Those infuriating rolling advertising boards would look even worse when fans are struggling for air, just yards behind.”
: Of all the controversies surrounding this game, I reckon Fin Leahy has put his finger on the most serious one — the reaction of the police on the night. Firing tear gas into a crush of fans was just hooliganism in uniform. The only consolation is that no one was seriously hurt. Letter of the Week prize goes to him. As for the free-kick issue, I’m with Patrick McDonagh. Since a free-kick is a sanction for foul play, I don’t see why every advantage possible within the laws of the game shouldn’t accrue to the attacking side.
I READ last week your reply to two emails concerning Keane’s and Duff’s lacklustre performances in the Irish shirt. You suggested if Keane was “unburdened of the captaincy” he might produce more of his best performances like he did against Fulham. But wasn’t Keane captain against Fulham?
I think Ireland’s top player’s standard has reduced in the green shirt because the quality of players coming through has reduced or isn’t up to the standards of what other countries are producing.
: Like pets at Christmas, the captaincy isn’t just for one game, James. I’d would go along to some degree with your point about quality but add that it’s a British problem not just an Irish one.
WAS the punishment of Shelbourne fair and balanced in your opinion Liam?
: With reluctance, because the club has already suffered a great deal, I would say yes. After all, no one demanded that Shels set their targets so high, from such a fragile ground. And not that it’s likely to be any consolation to Tolka Park regulars, but a year in First Division seems to have done Rovers a power of good.
OK, I know Liam Brady doesn’t like Mourinho (and why should he when Mourinho has knocked Arsenal off the number one slot in London?) but does he have to remind us with every Champions League commentary he does? It is getting tedious in the extreme. Old Bill should really get a grasp on the constant parading of personal prejudices at the drop of a hat which now infests RTE’s programme.
: Believe it or not, old friend, but I agree with you. So the red card goes to Chippy. (Oh, all right then, have one yourself, as well).
AS goal celebrations go, wasn’t it the tiniest bit predictable that Craig Bellamy would go for a five iron shot in the Nou Camp. Still think he should be sold at the end of the season.
: Yeah, he could do with a new club.
IS there some sort of secret pact within UEFA that once a team has won the Champions League it is obliged to lose it the next season. Can’t think of anything else to explain Barcelona’s toothless performance against Liverpool in the Nou Camp. Barely a shot in the second half. That’s not the Barca and Frank Rijkaard I’ve been watching over the past three seasons.
LIVERPOOL fans think it’s all over. It isn’t. With Eto’o back at Anfield, as I think he will be, Barcelona are more than capable of taking Liverpoool’s defence to pieces. I predict this will be the outstanding match of the tournament.
: Me too, Richard. I don’t doubt Barca’s ability to turn it on the night but I suspect their dodgy defence may cancel out any fireworks up front.
HAS Henrik Larsson’s holiday with Manchester United really made much of a difference? They’re ahead, just as they were when he arrived.
It’s a shame he’s not staying around to help them win things.
: But just think of how much Rooney’s Swedish has improved.
CAN you tell me why Bolton seem able to go on signing players when the transfer window has closed while other clubs can’t. Is it like, magic?
You mean you’ve never heard of Magic Sam? For shame.
