GLF 63: Eddie gets infuriated at the way footballers claim they love their clubs.
A Steelman's Slant
The Contradiction of the Modern Day Footballer !!!!!
Can there really be anything as infuriating as watching our footballing heroes, of whatever colour, proclaiming an undying love and affection to whatever particular Club they happen to be (or hope to be !) signing for?
The latest transfer window encapsulated this whole phenomenon perfectly.
The curious tale of Kevin Thomson grabbed my attention.Now he is a player who, after seeing him against the Italian under-21 side, convinced me he had something special going for him.A few months later and Tony Mowbray has made him captain of his Club on the back of Thomson signing a "bumper" new long term deal, and thus on his summer holidays life must have seemed like a dream to Kev.Come the new season, international honours are quoted, and the Hibees are flying high (too high at Fir Park sadly on one occasion).Kevin Thomson proclaims to the country live on telly that he's"a Hibee through and through", "what a proud moment it was to be given the armband", and his"dream is to lift the CIS League cup for my boyhood heroes".You know the usual nonsense, only this time a player was telling the truth, telling it like it is.
Fast forward a couple of months with a new agent in tow, he is quoted as saying (by his agent !!!) that Celtic Park is where he wants to play his football.That's fine. It's his prerogative, although I don't think that comment would've went down too well in the Lochend Inn, near Easter Road.The transfer window begins to close and Young Kevin is unveiled as a new player, at the cost of £2.2M at ……… Rangers.
Now these things happen in football.Clubs will trump other Clubs for players, and deals will be done at the twelfth hour. However the comments from Thomson hit an all time low (or high if you think this is a cackle!!)."I would've have walked along the M8 barefoot to join Rangers, it's a boyhood dream to be here."If it hadn't happened in Scottish Football, you wouldn't have believed it.
Of course he hasn't been the only one bumping his gums recently, walking down Sauchiehall Street like a hooker, hitching their skirt up at any Glasgow Football Club that makes eye contact (copyright, Keith Wyness, 2003).Paul Hartley "dreamed" of playing for Celtic in December, would love to play under Walter Smith at Rangers in January, before completing a move to his (original) boyhood heroes as the window slammed shut.
Alan Gow was another one who proclaimed his love of all things Ibrox before signing his pre-contract, although to be fair he's only loved the one team.Our own Lee McCulloch, if you believe the Press, was desperate to join his "boyhood heroes" in a "dream move"which never materialised.
These quotes were attributed to him despite any article I've seen on him (even after his move to Wigan) pledging his allegiance to Motherwell FC.Indeed was it not his interview in the programme of the last International at Hampden that he said that the first result he looks for is the one involving the mighty Steelmen !!!!
Regardless of what the papers print is it not time that we as fans stood up against the utter crap we are fed from these overpaid under-worked prima donnas, who think of us as the lowest of the low.These quotes about boyhood heroes, dreams and so on are an insult to the man on the street, the man on the terracing.Stop being condescending to the fans.We won't in general slate anybody for supporting this team or that team, but what really gets us mad is players quite plainly lying just to get in favour with their new employers.
Scott McDonald.Where do I start with this prat?By his own admission he was on his way back to Aussieland after failing to cut itat Wimbledon and Southampton, when Terry Butcher stepped in.One good wage rise later, and he's been moaning about how Motherwell FC are holding him back.His head is so far up his arse he must be nibbling his tonsils. I've only just got over his antics at the summer when he claimed that he'd love to sign for Hearts ……… or …….Hibs……… or Celtic ………… or ……….. Rangers ………. or ……… even bloody Dundee United got a mention!!!!!!!It's not untrue to state that Scott McDonald would go to any club that will give him more dosh and/or Press attention.Now on the eve of the closure of the transfer window Scotty boy is "utterly devastated" because Motherwell never accepted a bid from the Vile Hun which was £250,000 less than what was widely quoted as the fee the Club had turned down at the beginning of January.As far as I'm concerned McDonald can leave this Club as fast as he wishes.I'd take half a million and drive him to his destination toute suite.Better players than McDonald have played their way to big money moves from Fir Park without insulting the fans who at that time arepaying their wages.By and large these players are welcomed with open arms back here, I'm not so sure that when McDonald ends his time here that will be the case with him.
McDonald is quite frankly an embarrassment to this famous Club.A Club where he should've became a legend following his exploits in THAT game against the Gronkies.However he's been acting like a spoilt brat over the past year proving what I've said from day one, he could never even lace Dougie Arnott's boots.Dougie is a true Motherwell legend who lights up a room when he walks in, whereas Mr upmyownass just has no class.
Eddie Steelman
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