Is it really a 'witchunt' against Wazza?
There’s an issue with Wayne Rooney’s temperament. I wish he’d concentrate on his form instead of his bad attitude and I make no excuses for him in the elbow incident that is taking all the headlines in the media. He was daft, stupid, and was very lucky not to see red for his sign of petulance against James McCarthy of Wigan yesterday.
On the face of it, Rooney was out of order. But that’s one issue out of two that happened in the incident yesterday, and although I’m not supporting Rooney’s actions one bit – that’s not the point of this post.
Watching replays of what happened at the DW Stadium, a second issue was evidently clear to me that has gone completely un-noticed by fans, media and anyone associated with the game.
McCarthy wasn’t as innocent as he may seem. Yes, he got straight up and didn’t make a meal of the blow to the head – but I’m not going to praise him for that at all. He’d already done himself an injustice in the seconds leading up to the clash, watching Rooney’s diagonal run and knowing where he was heading for.
A more wholesome player with moral fibre would have done the right thing for his club, and tracked Rooney’s run – limiting the options for the striker, performing first class defensive duties and in general just doing his job right. However, McCarthy knew exactly what he was doing in moving over and leaning in to Rooney to block him, impede his run, and foul him. He unfairly stopped him from running to his desired position on the football pitch, and if you notice, this was the first offence in the incident.
This was no accidental collision, it was a calculated clash by McCarthy, and no-one has noticed.
Niggly things like this grate on me. It spoils the game. Fair Play…Respect…incidents that jeopardise these initiatives are rife, and when they never seem to be addressed, it makes a mockery of these campaigns.
But, things like this aren’t new, and aren’t right. It’s sneaky, and it’s cheating. Whether or not someone reacts to them is a separate issue, and shouldn’t over shadow the fact that cheats sometimes do prosper.
If I was stood next to a shop doorway, and saw someone about to walk in to the shop and I shuffled over towards them getting in their way ‘accidentally’, knocking them in to the door frame, I couldn’t really complain if I got a smack in the face. It wouldn’t have been right, but I’d have provoked the assault and would have felt pretty silly if I’d have complained about it.
Different scenario maybe, but same concept as the McCarthy foul. And the thing is, sneaky and niggly cheats have always gone un-noticed.
Alan Shearer was the master of the little push in the lower back in the box, before heading in a goal and Denis Bergkamp was all hands, arms and shirt pulls on the blind side of referees.
Dennis Wise slid his hands up Nicky Butt’s shorts and pulled his pubic hair in one incident at Stamford Bridge which caused Butt to kick out at Wise, and earn a red card.
So, while the media criticise, chastise and ‘electrocute’ Wayne Rooney, there’s another issue which is long standing in the game, and completely ignored.
If the media are successful in their agenda of getting the FA to look at this incident again and take retrospective action, I’m all for it. As long as they are consistent and look at the FULL incident, which would not only mean throwing the book at Rooney for his retaliation to being impeded, but also give a suitable punishment to the provocative James McCarthy for cheating.
I already know that the actions of McCarthy isn’t an excuse for what Rooney did, and he should have curbed this problem he has a long time ago. But what are your thoughts on unsporting schemers getting away with it?
Steve
Follow me on Twitter: @stevecrab and follow Red Flag Flying High on Twitter: @RFFH
Good article, and a point well made. The same is true of the ‘he had to make that’ tactical foul, it gets dressed up as some regrettable obligation, and not downright cheating.
Thanks James. You’re right – there are so many different types of disguised cheating that it’s accepted!
And of course, our players NEVER do that, do they… rubbish article, sorry. Trying to dress this up as some kind of “McCarthy deserved it” type thing is utter rot.
I cannot stand these kind if blinkered blitherings masquarading as ‘articles’. Nothing excused Rooney’s actions and McCarthy’s challenge was nothing that any team, including ours, wouldn’t do either.
Not sure how much you have read, but there’s no denial of our players doing this type of thing, it’s not dressed up to say anyone deserved the elbow, and if you’ve read the piece thoroughly you’ve surely seen that I’ve gone out of my way to say that Rooney is inexcusable?
Lines such as: “I already know that the actions of McCarthy isn’t an excuse for what Rooney did, and he should have curbed this problem he has a long time ago” and “I make no excuses for him in the elbow incident that is taking all the headlines in the media. He was daft, stupid, and was very lucky not to see red for his sign of petulance against James McCarthy of Wigan yesterday.” would, I would have thought, given that away?
“……..that any team, including ours, wouldn’t do either.”
LIVERPOOL, ARSENAL OR CITEH SUPPORTER???? Get a life you two handed wanker. It is all about a media beat up reliably predicted by S.A.F immediately after the game.
Steve, don’t let idiots wind you up mate. Most likely a Daily Mail or Weekly Fart employee expounding their abyssmal lack of knowledge.
However I don’t agree with your evaluation of Roobey’s actions. McCarthy set out to impede Rooney’s run by unfair tactics and got a VERY MINOR clip to the back of his head. Serves the dirty son right. It wouldn’t have happened if he’d been a quality player, but……
he got a deliberate elbow from behind ya dickhead! typical man-ure scum, defending the indefencable! shrek should have been sent off but just like howard webb, clattenberg is afraid of slur alex!
a cowardly attack from a common thug and knobs like you make excuses!
What a total uneducated scumbag. Gotta be a Scouser, Even Citeh fans have more intellect.
I believe the comment below applies to you:
“Ignorance predominates where vulgarity usually exceeds itself”
Thanks Bred. Not wound up, just astounded at those who comment on things that aren’t there.
No problems Steve Crabtree. It is idiots like that steve mcauley that annoy me. I bet he has never even attended a top class football match.
He also attacks the integrity of referees. I wonder how many times United have been on the end of bad refereeing decisions, ala Chel$ki last season.
Bred Red
69 years ago & still proud of it.
69 years old and still can’t acknowledge wrong-doing by one of your own you old tosser!
typical man-ure scum!
It’such a shame you can’t see past the hatred and bitterness to realise that what goes on at United is insignificant to you and your club. We’re fighting for the title and the Champion’s League, you don’t need to worry about us. Just focus your energy on finishing above Spurs and building on that great victory over Aris Whoeverthefook in the Netto League and you’ll be fine son.
This is where the intelligence of some bewilder me.
Steve McAuley. Read paragraph one and the final paragraph. It’s dumbed down enough for people like you to understand that there is no defence of Rooney here. Short of spelling it out, it’s clear to see, and I suggest a return to infant school for reading classes if it’s still unclear.
I totally agree, I pointed this out to my dad last night, everyone seems to forget that Rooney was going to be fouled off the ball but the conspiracy theorist would rather ignore that and cry foul of his treatment by the referee.
There were two wrongs there. One more serious than the other, but the other more common than the serious offence.
Oh please fuck off. You have to be kidding me!!!? You deluded Red faced cunt
Tim,
Go get a life somewhere else. Maybe on a ladies fluffy ball website. Fucking big girls blouse.
Say what you like, but that is 2 games on the trot now that Rooney has been guilty of stupid behaviour that could have cost our team the game. We can’t afford to keep making excuses for Rooney when he loses his head. He does it far too often. Fergie needs to play Hernandez in all the away games, because he is the one who can score for us. Rooney and Berbatov only put in performances in the home games – they are homers. Sorry but that is the truth!
Players step into players all the time. Even utd defenders do it. Rooneys actions were totally indefensible and he and our fans should accept the punishment.
Oh come on Rooney the victim this is why you guys are hated to much by other fans!
SAF came out with his comments cause he new Rooney had done wrong and he new quite rightly so he was gonna get the treatment from the press. Any player that totally unprovoked runs over on another blind side and blatenly elbows another should be sent off and band.
good article. fair points.
not sure where Si works out that it was a totally unprovoked attack from though!
the ref saw the incident though and got it wrong. how many times have we heard the fa say they cannot act in these situations.
I bet that will change now!
You absolute idiot. What a ridiculous article. Why would the FA even consider placing punishment on McCarthy? He didn’t cheat, he didn’t even commit the foul that your psychic ability is telling you he was going to, because he got an elbow to the back of the head. It’s not hard for someone to side step someone in your way, Wayne Rooney rides tackles all the time, so we know he’s capable of dodging something in his way. But your stupid biased views don’t take into account that it was off the ball, arms raised and deliberate. Thuggish behaviour, I hope Rooney gets a ban for this. Not because I’m part of a ‘witch hunt'(you moron), not because I’m a Man City fan (I support a Championship team with no rivalry links to Man U, geographically or past history)
But just because the only thing you’ve said that I agree with is; “It spoils the game. Fair Play…Respect…incidents that jeopardise these initiatives are rife”
But you were referring to McCarthy, when you should have been aiming this at Rooney.
Your a disgrace.