unfortuantley cycling is not a pure, clean sport to be admired by youngsters perhaps? David Miller news yesterday? Trouble is now every sport has too much big money attached to it.
And have to sat that I disagree with your judgement on the goal scored by Sol. David Ellery (very respected ex-ref) judging it yesterday claimed it a clean goal as did many refs from around the world, - the Swiss Banker has now claimed the whistle was blown for an earlier push by Sol, - still no evidence of that. As DE said the problem is that the ref was not in a position to see what happened, - so he assumed something when he saw the goalie go down.
And to read PJ's comments, - sorry PJ but it aint that simple.
Football in the UK does have a problem; - it has become part of a class divide, we unlike other countries (Brasil) where the likes of Edmundo who is from a very rich family play alongside the likes of Rivaldo, a street kid from the NE of Brasil. I actually think this is part of England’s left sided problem; left handed left footed people are by in large of a different mind-set and can be judged as being more intelligent. The last good naturally left footed player to play for England was Graeme LeSaux, - and look at the rubbish he took for being a bit more intelligent, - somehow the likes of Robbie Fowler associated his intelligence with him being gay. Good one Robbie, it just proved his ignorance.
To knock a player has a overpaid prima-dona is not looking deep enough, - he is paid what market forces dictate or allow, - his appeal is wide, he gets paid accordingly. The fact that he may be from an uneducated poor background and have little idea of how to deal with the new fame is not surprising.
Football is a wonderful game, as it in most countries brings people together from all backgrounds, and without doubt brings people together from different nations. It does not require any expensive kit (tell that to my 5 year old), it can be played with an old coke can. I have seen the village scrub pitch where Rivaldo stared his playing. The street urchins still today kicking round a football, - it is their life, - it is their best chance of escaping the background that they were born into, - with the hope that they like Rivaldo and Ronaldo can return one day and rebuild the flavala (shanty town) into a proper village with water, electricity and schools.
And in the UK, anybody heard of "Football in the community"?, and the wonderful work that does? Complete ICT suites to teach the under-privileged and un-educated (Jonathon Woodgate was told he should go try and use the suite), - all funded by the UK teams. Charltons work against racism in the game and community?
Remember to most people the ownership of a Ducati is quite bizarre, - a Skoda can get us from A to B, but we derive great pleasure from something that is very baffling to others.
sorry, - i edit this as the tone come accross wrong, it was meant with a bit of humour and on reading it again I seem to have left it out.
[Edited on 26-6-2004 by Ian]