The ugly face of football (From Watford Observer)

The ugly face of football

10:08am Tuesday 25th March 2008 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
•  

It was a sad state affairs watching Ashley Cole turn his back on referee Mike Riley during last week's enthralling 4-4 draw between Chelsea and Spurs.

A brilliant match was spoilt by the arrogant, self-obsessed and infantile antics of the defender. Cole's challenge on Alan Hutton was bad enough to warrant a red card.

But after escaping with a yellow his refusal to face the ref, turning his back on Riley, was a disgraceful episode. The fact he escaped without a suspension is scandalous and just tells footballers they can make up their own rules.

I can vaguely remember when Cole was an exceptional full-back, rampaging forward at will for Arsenal. But he typifies the greed of so many players, albeit on a exaggerated scale, when he turned his nose up at a £55,000 a week contract. Now he resembles a pale imitation of that star, regularly producing uninspired performances for club and country.

Cole is not alone in thinking he is above the laws of the game but is simply a high-profile example of the bloated ego of the average player in the English game. They are paid ridiculous wages, assume they are above the moral code of the man on the street and throw their toys out of the pram like playground children.

Kids watch these superstars' and wrongly assume it is acceptable to berate the official at will. Well it's not and it's about time these spoilt players were introduced to the real world. Why can't they take a leaf out of rugby's code of conduct? Dropping Cole from the latest England squad would have sent out a powerful message yet this never happened.

The Javier Mascherano sending off for dissent in Sunday's Grand Slam appetiser appears to be a reaction to the Cole affair.

The outstanding Argentine was naïve to go up to the official but it did seem harsh compared with other confrontations. But perhaps the only way of putting some much-needed respect and discipline back into the national game is by forcing a complete clampdown on dissent.

The problem will only ease when the captains and managers of the major clubs start telling their players how to behave on the pitch. And unfortunately that is about as close to happening as Cole is to showing some modesty.

SARACENS have threatened to emerge as a top side for years. But once again they look set to be the nearly men of rugby union. The trouncing by the Ospreys in Cardiff on the weekend did not set the ideal tone for the Heineken Cup clash against the same opposition in a fortnight.

The Men in Black were on a high back in January after crushing Biarritz at Vicarage Road. But their domestic form has tailed off alarmingly since and their qualification for the premier European competition next season is in severe doubt.

It is hard to see Sarries overturn a 27 point swing in form for their second Anglo-Welsh battle and another trophyless season is on the cards.

The team's downturn in form has coincided with the announcement of coach Alan Gaffney's departure. How much of a coincidence this is seems unclear?

But it would be only human nature for the players to turn their thoughts towards life under Eddie Jones next season.

Sarries need to rediscover their form quickly before a season of promise turns into another tale of missed opportunities.

A RECENT poll heralded Roger Federer as the greatest sportsman in the world. But for my money Tiger Woods deserves this honour. Despite the phenomenal golfer's seven tournament winning streak of six months ending yesterday, he is the best athlete on the planet. Woods has won everything, everywhere. Majors, records, titles all over the globe.

He is simply on another level to any other golfer and already the finest player to have graced the sport.

Not only is he the most talented player around but he is also the most hard working with the greatest will to win. Federer is a similarly special talent but until he wins the French Open there will always be doubts about his greatness. With Woods, I cannot find a fault and he is as close to perfection as you will see.