For a fair few months now, a Manchester United striker has flirted with the prospect of being brilliant again. A bicycle-kick here, a strike there, but he has yet to really grab the idea of returning to glory by its skirt, and devouring it in the same way he would do with any semi-respectable prostitute in the Manchester area (allegedly).
Yesterday’s match winning hat-trick from Wayne Rooney against West Ham was simply sublime. Instead of trudging through the game with cross-field sprays and decent lay-offs, Rooney was completely absent from the game until he started scoring, which is exactly what he should be doing. A performance that should solidify a bit of form through the latter stages of the premier league season, and ensure that the season of 2010/11 will not be painted with disappointment.
But this season, no matter what Rooney does, there is always an after-taste of negativity, which came in the form of a four-letter rant at a television camera after he slotted away his third from the spot. He was clear of mind, and a good 15 seconds into his celebration, when he looked straight down the lens and began to, almost purposely, begin a violent altercation with the millions of people watching the game. Rooney has never been clean-cut, but it could be argued that this may be the worst thing he has ever done.
This may seem a ramble/rant from a silly, easily-offended fan, but it’s not, I assure you. Since Rooney’s move to Manchester United (no coincidence) he has been very good value for gossip columns and tabloid scandal stories. Like any celebrity scandal, we’ll talk about it in the pubs, we’ll point a metaphorical finger at the people involved, but all in all, it’s just conversation. Newspapers sell copies, online blogs get hits and we all go home with something to talk about.
None of this effects us one bit in the long term. Our own way-of-life won’t be effected, and we certainly won’t be offended. The only people that really matter in these events are the ones who are easily influenced.
Young children don’t read newspapers, they don’t go for coffee to converse, and the magazines they read won’t mention gang bangs, sex crimes, fighting or anything negative. The only way a footballer can negatively effect a child is during a game. Case in point – When I was younger (primary school) I used to pretend I was Gary Neville. I had no idea that he was a bit of a twat, which was great. He was my hero, and I wanted to play like him. If I was watching the TV screen, and Neville walked directly to the camera (and, to all its purpose, me) and began swearing quite clearly and loudly, I would have been devastated and upset.
Whether they like it or not, the best players in the world are instantly elevated to superior status in a child’s eyes. In this case, the players in question do have a responsibility to not behave like thugs. The argument against this is the fact that players will always put in late tackles, push each other, square up and even fight in some instances. That’s what happens when you put 22-men in a two-sided affair. But for a child to see a squabble in the middle of a pitch, as part of the event, is not the same as being face-to-face with a hero, who then shouts ‘YEAH, AND F*****G WHAT’.
Completely inexcusable from a man who will never know any better.
Journalist Ryan Duggins can be found on twitter here
