25 January 2010
RESPECT: Gary and Carlos Should Let Their Football Do The Talking
By Russell Drury
It has not been a good week for the Respect campaign. It has been a week where neither supporters nor players have taken a step back to think before their actions. This is because a large section of people involved in football, both playing and watching, have very little to think with. That is the only way you can explain the behaviour of some Arsenal supporters who cheered as Bolton’s Mark Davies was carried from the pitch on a stretcher after William Gallas’ challenge. Arsene Wenger was good enough to condemn the supporters who are, in my opinion, the type who still threaten the positive behaviour of thousands of England supporters who will make their way to South Africa in the summer. They are right down there with the Millwall supporters who chose to wear Galatasaray shirts when they played against Leeds this season. Their attitude is sick beyond belief.
The potential for violence was also exposed in the Manchester derby this week, as reports of supporters equipping themselves with darts and golfballs surfaced after Manchester City’s Carling Cup victory. And this is where players and managers must play a vital part. There is nothing wrong with a bit of pre-match banter in football. The likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho are intelligent men and their mind games are clever, calculated and always laced with a touch of humour. They are wind-up merchants and they know it, and know when to say the right thing at the right time in pre-match build-ups (although their views after games often let them down).
Gary Neville on the other hand, whilst a fine footballer with medals to match his talent, is not a particularly intelligent man. His problem is that he has always taken his own opinion far too seriously, almost to the point of believing himself to be the voice of reason in English football. Unfortunately for Gary, his views will never be held in the same regard of Sir Bobby Charlton, Sir Trevor Brooking or the late Sir Bobby Robson. Annoyingly for United supporters, Neville did not have the forethought of how his view that Tevez was not worth £25 million might later backfire spectacularly. He may be right in his opinion, but the intelligent thing to do would be to keep it to himself.
Neither would any of the above footballing royalty have been reduced to the petulant one-fingered salute by Neville in response to Carlos Tevez’s actions after scoring City’s equaliser from the penalty spot. At the same time, there was no need for Tevez to celebrate in the way he did, as two goals alone were all the revenge he should have needed. However, he was clever enough not to stoop to the level of his team-mate Emmanuel Adebayor in racing 70 yards to goad the supporters who once worshipped him, but now jeer his every move. I am hopeful and sure that Roberto Mancini has suggested the ‘less is more’ approach might be the best option for Tevez in the second leg.
It promises to be a cracking game. I just hope all the petty schoolboy arguments can be left in the changing room this time.
