Attitude really says alot about a player.
It seems a common phenomenon in the modern footballing era within England to throw hissy-fits, temper-tantrums, and public displays of puerility when managerial decisions jeopardise your own playing time.
It happens to be a selfish mentality due to football being a squad game. In the days of competing on multiple fronts, the notion that it is a team-game have long gone, especially when one considers the players that Sir Alex Ferguson calls upon when competing in the third round of the League Cup, compared to his selection for the upcoming Champions League final.
Can you imagine hard-lined footballers from the old-school era - who grew up in post-war Britain in a day of rationing - players whom were working-class and lived and breathed on the same streets as those who skipped down to the stadia to witness the sport on a Saturday, whinge not to their coaches, but to a lonely camera about something or the other that only affects them, and them alone?
It is a rhetorical question that should not be elaborated on, for fear of turning this column into a protracted rant about the state of modern footballers and their detachment to the fans who fork out a day's wage to see them play, leave entertained by the brand of football, but tarnished with the memory that a prima donna cannot accept whatever notion it is that has given him a bee in his bonnet.
As Cristiano Ronaldo trudged off the Old Trafford green, heavy-shouldered, walking with a unfathomable expression as to why he was being substituted during United's win over local rivals Manchester City, he did so to great applause due to the good shift he put in. Then he snapped a tracksuit out of the offering clutches of a trainer, threw it to the floor in disgust, shook his head repeatedly, and all of a sudden the paying fans around the dugout began to vocalise opinion. It didn't take a lip-readet to spot "Grow up", among others, and it was fitting of such petulance.
Why the reaction? Some quarters suggest his mind may have been on the Premier League top-scorer's charts.
1
Cristiano Ronaldo
Manchester United
18
2
Nicolas Anelka
Chelsea
17
3
Steven Gerrard
Liverpool
15
4
Robinho
Manchester City
14
5
Fernando Torres
Liverpool
13
A plausible theory, but still doubtable nonetheless. Ronaldo has long had this streak to him. He is passionate about playing every minute. He is currently World Player of the Year, according to FIFA, an achievement that has been a long-term ambition. He is an individual, playing within a team, but he will no doubt look to retain his own personal accolades together with the club ones. To do that, he would have wanted to play as much as he can in order to consolidate his position, especially considering the exemplary club form of Argentinean starlet Leo Messi at Barcelona.
On the one hand passion is condonable, Didier Drogba for instance felt an injustice in the aftermath to Chelsea's elimination from the Champions League. Protesting is fine, but to do so in the manner he did, together with his intimidating hounding of the referee as Tom Henning Ovrebo attempted to return to the temporary safety of his dressing-room before being marshalled out of the country under police protection was, to choose the word of the week: a disgrace. His passion, like Ronaldo's, is a good thing to have. But again, like Ronaldo, he channels it in ridiculously excessive and extroverted ways.
Polarisation of the pundits was inevitable. Some, like former United player Lou Macari, have attempted to play down the action and Sir Alex Ferguson's surprising tolerance of the incident, by claiming that there are currently bigger hurdles to jump such as concluding the Premier League race as quick as possible, together with preparing for a Barca date in Rome at the end of the month. Meanwhile, Bryan Robson, another member of United's alumni, told Goal.com that Ronaldo's reaction disrespected Ferguson.
"Ronaldo’s reaction sent a wrong lesson to the kids watching the game around the world," Robson said. "It was wrong."
Sir Alex is not one to suffer fools, nor has he been one - historically - to allow egos to get as big as the Beetham Tower. David Beckham was swiftly booted - literally, as it transpired - to Real Madrid as soon as Sir Alex felt the iconic English midfielder cared more about international stardom than he did about playing for his club. Ronaldo, though, despite his sarcastic applauding of contentious officiating, despite his constant riling of opposition fans, despite his (admittedly diluted) theatrics, and despite his most recent stormy substitution, is ultimately being tolerated.
Why?
Is Ferguson, as has been mooted in recent years, becoming - like his probable underground cellar containing countless corked bottles of aging rouge - increasingly mellow and mature in his vintage years?
Or, as is more likely, is the Scot trying to pacify the situation so as to skirt any inevitable 'will-he, won't he' transfer saga when Real Madrid begin their summer tricks?
It's almost an entirely different handling, and situation, to that of hustling, hard-working, tireless engine that is Carlos Tevez.
The former West Ham United hotshot is fast approaching the end of his two-year loan spell, and it appears increasingly apparent that he will ply trade elsewhere next season, despite doing all the right things at Old Trafford and winning over all the fans. A trip to Spain's La Primera or Italy's Serie A may not be on the agenda, as he refuted allegations his family are unhappy in England, and confirmed his desire to remain in the country's top flight, "I want to play in England because it is the best league in the world and it suits my style."
Prior to Sunday's derby showdown with City, he also told a weekend tabloid, "I do not feel wanted. I feel bad over my situation, I do, but it's very, very difficult to stay any longer. I guess what I'm saying is goodbye."
Usually, such conversation may be deemed in bad timing for a fixture that was to follow that day, but Sir Alex maintained his initial team-sheet, and did not drop the potential outbound player. His display on the field warranted instant commendation, and owner Kia Joorabchian could be seen in the stands, on his mobile, talking to a stream of neverending suitors, as he covered his mouth with his hand so he could avoid the same fate as the United support that surrounded the home side's dugout: being able to have his lips read. Or maybe he was just making sure whoever was on the other end could hear him clearly.
Tevez's own laudable showing brought no smile to the Argentine, nor his boss - not even when he scored a cracking second goal to put the game to bed. Ferguson may feel Tevez, even though he has extraordinary class and talent, is surplus to requirements at Old Trafford seeing as he is similar in style to the untouchable golden boy of the north-west Wayne Rooney. But why one has been treated with such contempt and indifference, while another, far more inviting of criticism for his attitude, is strolling free of any internal criticism.
Ferguson's man-management skills are world renowned, so it will be an interesting summer to see how he appeases the ever-dramatic situations of Cristiano Ronaldo, and whether he will allow such a competitive rival such as Liverpool capitalise on a for-sale Carlos Tevez.
Alan Dawson, Goal.com
bwahahahaha I guess we'll see this saga till the end of the season