Role Models

I met a man a couple of weeks back who had been a referee but had given it up because of the language and abuse that he received during and after the game. the crunch came for him (literally) when he was assaulted following his awarding of a penalty. As the offending player was being sent off his mother stormed onto the pitch and punched the referee in the face, breaking his nose! Perhaps I should have mentioned that this was a junior league match, the players were all around ten years old.

The man said that the language, the fouls and the abuse from the parents was such that he'd already had enough and the smack in the face was the final straw. Asking him what had gone wrong, he said that the kids emulated what they saw in the senior professional game.

Wel  last week, despite claims by the FA that they were going to be tough on swearing and abusing the referees I didn't need training in the art of lip-reading to make sense of the expletives that were flying around!

Yesterday that icon of Premiership football, Wayne Rooney, diverted his runs to elbow a player and escaped with nothing more than a free kick and a pat on the shoulder from the Ref'. Perhaps the laws of the game are as variable as some fans claim after all, not only that but Alex Ferguson saw, "Nothing in it." I wonder if he'd have been saying that had the roles been reversed? Or perhaps, as the commentator says, "he's been a lucky boy, he gets away with one here (again?)"

Some scream for Rooney to face a lengthy ban whilst others justify his action as, "Part of the passion and fire that makes him a great player." The reality is that he, and those who dive in the box (a blue shirt is appearing here) or manage to engage in sexual relationships outside their marriage or long-term relationships are all excused because of the pressure upon them are thus permitted to continue in their lifestyles and attitudes as poor role models.

Watching the rugger yesterday I saw a very different set of sportsmen. Different in terms of language used, payment received and pride demonstrated.

Time to get football out of the gutter once and for all and make it a sport that teaches controlled passion and sportsmanship? I think so.

ps. Went to Villa yesterday and saw a clean and well-won match (4-1 against Blackburn) amongst a great bunch of polite supporters. Perhaps there's just something about certain clubs? Hey ho, time to do next service . . .

Pax