Monday, 9 November 2009

'It's not fair!'

I do wish Alex Ferguson, knight of the realm, would grow up - and get a sense of perspective. For the third time this season that I'm aware of he's had a whinge about the referee. He sounds like a petulant schoolboy, 'It's not fair!' said with sniffling whine. This time he was upset that his team, Man United, were beaten by a single goal by Premiership rivals, Chelsea. The experts seem divided on whether there was any off-side in the melée following free kick which led to the goal, but that's really not the point. Some decisions go your way and some go against you. Referees do their best - for a great deal less reward than players, and managers - and they do a good job. That's the way it goes, laddie. Just get on and stop complaining. Stop undermining them. And stop contributing to a culture of blaming everyone else except yourself. Life is unfair, we used to be told - and, although I believe it's ultimately profoundly untrue, it's not a bad working hypothesis to be going on with! Fergie old chap, many many people have worse things to complain about. It was Remembrance Sunday, remember?

2 comments:

  1. Dear Michael,

    You should send this comment to a newspaper, so that more people can see it.

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  2. If I get the time after a session of book-writing! But what a contrast last night when Liverpool's David Ngog dived (all sides seem to agree) and won them a penalty, and so a goal which saved them from defeat! Birmingham City's manager, Alex McLeish, who was understandably cross about it, but said afterwards, 'We take it on the chin and we move forward with our magnificent performance.' His senior compatriot could learn a lesson in sportsmanship from him.

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