The FA should get their own house in order before dishing out punishments to players
You cannot condone swearing but it’s too simplistic to say Wayne Rooney’s outburst at West Ham will influence the youth of the nation. If you hear a young kid swearing, it’s more likely to be because he or she picked it up walking down the street or in the school playground.
Thirty years ago you wouldn’t hear a swear word on television but somehow most 15-year-olds still got to learn about the words from somewhere. So it’s an exaggeration to say youngsters pick up all their habits from TV.
What concerns me is that by punishing Rooney — and getting a week’s headlines out of it — the authorities are pushing more serious matters under the carpet. We’ve just heard two men, former Football Association chairman Lord Triesman and Premier League chairman and FA board member Sir Dave Richards, have an argument over who gave the England national team manager, Fabio Capello, a new deal before the World Cup.
The deal has been called a ‘mistake’ by the FA themselves but these two gentlemen contradicted each other over who was responsible. It was said at a parliamentary inquiry it was Triesman who agreed it. Triesman subsequently denied it, but Richards then told MPs the following week that the peer was responsible.
Those are two very influential men in our game in recent times and, putting it kindly, they can’t both be telling the whole truth.
That, for me, is far more concerning and wide-reaching than Rooney swearing and I think a lot of other people agree. It’s disconcerting to see the FA so happy to take the moral high ground and dish out punishments when their own house doesn’t always seem to be in order.
Rooney has become an easy target. If he swore in front of a camera as an actor or musician, his star value would probably be enhanced. Plenty of industries seem to encourage outrageous behaviour.
Rage: Wayne Rooney was banned after his foul-mouthed rant at a TV camera
He isn’t picked by Manchester United and England because he claims to be the perfectly-behaved human being. He is picked because he is great at football. Unfortunately for him, he’s in an industry with plenty of differing interests and where blame has to be apportioned.
And, by the way, I’m not saying what Rooney did was big or clever.
He himself apologised very quickly afterwards and knows his talent doesn’t give him carte blanche to behave how he wants. I’m just saying we should get things in proportion. What is for sure, United will miss him in next Saturday’s FA Cup semifinal against Manchester City.
He was the best player on the pitch in last week’s Champions League first leg at Chelsea and any team who face a United team without Rooney know it gives them an advantage, despite Fergie having other top-line strikers like Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov to call on.
I think United are the biggest losers in this, going to Wembley without their best player. They have been punished more than anyone, certainly more than any television viewer who briefly caught Rooney’s outburst at Upton Park.
That was over so quickly, I don’t think most people would have realised what was said without all the repeats. United are a much better team when Rooney plays so, by implication, his absence gives City a better chance. In my view, it slightly tilts the odds in their favour.
People are beginning to talk about United’s Treble chances but I don’t think Sir Alex Ferguson will be thinking along those lines. It wasn’t long ago that Arsenal were being tipped to have a go at winning four trophies. What is possible and what actually happens in the end are two different things.
It has been said United haven’t been at their best this season but don’t go along with the theory that they’ve somehow muddled their way into this position.
Top of the Premier League, favourites to reach the Champions League final, an FA Cup semi-final. Every other club must wish they were that average.
United have an extremely strong squad and it takes many years to build that up properly. It’s not only about acquiring and developing the players either. When a manager like Fergie is in charge for a long time, he gets to know the players inside-out and that helps his judgment when deciding which individuals to pick for which games.
It’s unfortunate for him he won’t have Rooney next weekend. I wonder what Lord Triesman, Dave Richards and all those who listened to the parliamentary inquiry think about that.
Sir Alex Ferguson wasn’t the only one in football with an interest in the Grand National. I had That’s Rhythm in the Liverpool FC sweepstake, I liked the name until I found out it was 150-1. Not surprisingly, it fell at the first fence!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1375248/Kenny-Dalglish-The-FA-house-order-dishing-punishment.html#ixzz1J4QWtCqX
You cannot condone swearing but it’s too simplistic to say Wayne Rooney’s outburst at West Ham will influence the youth of the nation. If you hear a young kid swearing, it’s more likely to be because he or she picked it up walking down the street or in the school playground.
Thirty years ago you wouldn’t hear a swear word on television but somehow most 15-year-olds still got to learn about the words from somewhere. So it’s an exaggeration to say youngsters pick up all their habits from TV.
What concerns me is that by punishing Rooney — and getting a week’s headlines out of it — the authorities are pushing more serious matters under the carpet. We’ve just heard two men, former Football Association chairman Lord Triesman and Premier League chairman and FA board member Sir Dave Richards, have an argument over who gave the England national team manager, Fabio Capello, a new deal before the World Cup.
The deal has been called a ‘mistake’ by the FA themselves but these two gentlemen contradicted each other over who was responsible. It was said at a parliamentary inquiry it was Triesman who agreed it. Triesman subsequently denied it, but Richards then told MPs the following week that the peer was responsible.
Those are two very influential men in our game in recent times and, putting it kindly, they can’t both be telling the whole truth.
That, for me, is far more concerning and wide-reaching than Rooney swearing and I think a lot of other people agree. It’s disconcerting to see the FA so happy to take the moral high ground and dish out punishments when their own house doesn’t always seem to be in order.
Rooney has become an easy target. If he swore in front of a camera as an actor or musician, his star value would probably be enhanced. Plenty of industries seem to encourage outrageous behaviour.
Rage: Wayne Rooney was banned after his foul-mouthed rant at a TV camera
He isn’t picked by Manchester United and England because he claims to be the perfectly-behaved human being. He is picked because he is great at football. Unfortunately for him, he’s in an industry with plenty of differing interests and where blame has to be apportioned.
And, by the way, I’m not saying what Rooney did was big or clever.
He himself apologised very quickly afterwards and knows his talent doesn’t give him carte blanche to behave how he wants. I’m just saying we should get things in proportion. What is for sure, United will miss him in next Saturday’s FA Cup semifinal against Manchester City.
He was the best player on the pitch in last week’s Champions League first leg at Chelsea and any team who face a United team without Rooney know it gives them an advantage, despite Fergie having other top-line strikers like Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov to call on.
I think United are the biggest losers in this, going to Wembley without their best player. They have been punished more than anyone, certainly more than any television viewer who briefly caught Rooney’s outburst at Upton Park.
That was over so quickly, I don’t think most people would have realised what was said without all the repeats. United are a much better team when Rooney plays so, by implication, his absence gives City a better chance. In my view, it slightly tilts the odds in their favour.
People are beginning to talk about United’s Treble chances but I don’t think Sir Alex Ferguson will be thinking along those lines. It wasn’t long ago that Arsenal were being tipped to have a go at winning four trophies. What is possible and what actually happens in the end are two different things.
It has been said United haven’t been at their best this season but don’t go along with the theory that they’ve somehow muddled their way into this position.
Top of the Premier League, favourites to reach the Champions League final, an FA Cup semi-final. Every other club must wish they were that average.
United have an extremely strong squad and it takes many years to build that up properly. It’s not only about acquiring and developing the players either. When a manager like Fergie is in charge for a long time, he gets to know the players inside-out and that helps his judgment when deciding which individuals to pick for which games.
It’s unfortunate for him he won’t have Rooney next weekend. I wonder what Lord Triesman, Dave Richards and all those who listened to the parliamentary inquiry think about that.
Sir Alex Ferguson wasn’t the only one in football with an interest in the Grand National. I had That’s Rhythm in the Liverpool FC sweepstake, I liked the name until I found out it was 150-1. Not surprisingly, it fell at the first fence!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1375248/Kenny-Dalglish-The-FA-house-order-dishing-punishment.html#ixzz1J4QWtCqX
get over it, Rooney got what he deserved for elbowing McCarthey anyway.
.
