Gary Neville, Was he a bit o.t.t

[willowbankbear]

Did any of you footy fans think Gary Neville was over the top yesterday? or did you think well, hes had stick off the scousers so its payback?
You reap what you so they say, but can you imagine what would happen in an old firm game? Aye , youd be hit with a paper cup OR a Lighter, its already happened though hasnt it.
Should the authorities clamp down or has the football world gone too p.c?
What do ye think folks?

[Saveman]

Did any of you footy fans think Gary Neville was over the top yesterday? or did you think well, hes had stick off the scousers so its payback?
You reap what you so they say, but can you imagine what would happen in an old firm game? Aye , youd be hit with a paper cup OR a Lighter, its already happened though hasnt it.
Should the authorities clamp down or has the football world gone too p.c?
What do ye think folks?

I didn't see what happened. What did he do?

[scotsboy]

Perfectly reasonable behaviour I would say - and I was wanting Liverpool to win.

[landmarker]

I didn't see it, but heard what he did 'pumping his arms 'and running almost the length of the field to the Liverpool fans kissing his badge.

I'm a Manchester City supporter (absent mostly, almost exclusively now) but I quite like Gary Neville. He is articulate and intelligent. He should have known better but hey! a last minute winner ? He's bound to get over excited isn't he? even a seasoned professional like him. Especially given the opposition - he looks upon the Liverpool fixture as a 'derby' game I'm told. Given City's indifference over the last few years I can't blame him (though things are improving)

The Scousers will have baited him mercillessly down the years - all part and parcel. I think he'll learn from this and not do it again.

That said , almost all premiership footballers are overpaid prima-donnas.
I can remembe r Mike Summerbee dropping his shorts in front of the kop c.1967 and nothing much was said. They just responded with a chorus of 'where did you get that nose'. Too much media in football today, too much reportage. I know I sound like an auld trumper but never mind.

[Saveman]

It sounds like a "heat of the moment" thing. Can't see it happening again.

[teddybear1873]

I think alot of players have done worse than what Gary Neville has done, the man has been at Man Utd all of his playing career, he's just showing loyalty to the club he loves, not like some foreign players who havent got a clue what loyalty is, there more interested in getting there pay pumped up as much as they can.

[Geo]

Allegedly he has done it before at Liverpool games and that "may" be a contributing factor to the aggro he gets from their fans. I'm a ManU supporter and if the media story is true I thought it was OTT and he should instead have ran to the Manu fans and celebrated with them.

[JAWS]

A lot of rubbish has been said for several years now about trouble at football matches between fans.
One of the latest "causes" is supposed to be the way players celebrate scoring a goal.

Perhaps the fans who phone round prior to matches to arrange times and places where they will do battle have some sort of crystal ball which informs them that they are going to be "enraged" by a players actions.

I have seen the most sportsman like games followed by extremely of violent behaviour by fans.

If trouble is caused by players actions on the day why is it that the Police can predict with almost unerring accuracy those matches where trouble will occur.
Perhaps players are kind enough to warn the Police at which matches and a which point during a match they are going to score a goal and to the extent of the excessive manner they will use to celebrate.

[frank ward]

I'm a Liverepool fan and I don't see the problem with Neville or others winding up the fans. It's all entertainment after all, and it cuts both ways.

The authorities are trying to turn the game into some anodyne TV-only visual spectacle. Last week an Arsenal player was booked, then sent off, for celebrating with his own fans - this is now against 'the rules' I heard.

Every football match now is preceded by mega-decibel music from the tannoys which deliberately prevents fans from singing their communal songs or engaging in chant-banter with the opposing fans. They no longer play old favourite sing-along songs, just Top Twenty rubbish. At half time, the music immediately blasts out again, forcing everyone down below and into the overpriced bars.

I remember Robbie Fowler getting booked for his amusing snort of the white line after scoring against Everton. Both he and Steve MacManaman were fined and banned from wearing T-shirts supporting the striking Liverpool dockers, but gormless brain-dead Christians are OK to flash Jesus in our face every week. The bureaucrats who run football are witless prats.

Far worse of course is DeCanio boasting of his fascist beliefs on the pitch and off it. He says he's 'not a racist, just a fascist' and gets away with it. He gets a one-match ban and a joke fine of £7000.

[Tymey]

I'm a Liverepool fan and I don't see the problem with Neville or others winding up the fans. It's all entertainment after all, and it cuts both ways.

I agree. Fans can shout the most disgusting abuse to players all through the match yet when a player has the guts to acknowledge the fans or waves a finger in their general direction the fans run scared and complain to the police....

Players have a responsibilty to behave as they are role models to millions we hear over and over again. Does this mean that fans are responsible to no one and can chant what they like? The ridiculously poor fines imposed over rascist chanting from fans in continental Europe would suggest they can.

[scotsboy]

but gormless brain-dead Christians are OK to flash Jesus in our face every week

Do you consider all Christians to be gormless and brain-dead - or only those who flash Jesus?

A good post spoiled by the section I quoted Frank.

[Keve!]

It's getting to the point where players are going to be sent off for showing emotion, enjoyment and excitement when their teams scored a goal. Look at the recent winner Robben scored a for Chelsea away to Sunderland.

He scored at the away fans end wheeled away, jumped over the billboards and celebrated amongst his own fans. Not crossing the barrier, just reaching over and hugging the fans who were exstatic to see one of ther idols let alone touch him.

Bare in mind these fans have travelled hundreds of miles from London to Sunderland to see their team so it's quite fitting that Arjen should celebrate with them.

He got booked for his celebrations, witch was his second caution of the match (1st one was barely a booking in itself) so he was subsequently shown a red card. Sent off for celebrating a winning goal away from home.

Absolutely ridiculous!

The FA, north and south of the border, FIFA and EUFA should all look at what's happening to football. We'll be seeing several sendings off in game because referee's are not allowed to let commonsense revail. OF course, you can't even look a keeper when a corner gets swung in, they've got to much protection.

It's high time football became a man's game again, the way it's heading, we'll on a level playing field with basketball - we'll be lumbered with a non-contact sport.

Nuff said.

[Geo]

Robben's sending off was crazy. Players should be allowed to celebrate. The game has a lot of problems just now, inconsistant refereeing for one. Don't get me started on footballs with microchips in them!

[Saveman]

What do they put microchips in footballs for?

[Geo]

They are planning to introduce them so they can tell when the ball crosses the goal line. It appears a camera along the line is just not high tech enough for football.

[JAWS]

Ever since some idiot decided that the Police should take part in behaviour on the football pitch the door has been wide open for problems.
Using the excuse, which was used, that there were assaults between footballer which would be an offence outside a pub on a Saturday night is an absolute nonsense.

If that is the case then every boxer, wrestler, rugby player and even certain cricketers should be arrested during ever game they play. The first three are obviously violent but cricket? Well if I took a solid object about 3 inches across and hurled it at upwards of 80 MPH and intentionally hit somebody in the ribs or on the head outside that same pub I think I would be in fairly serious trouble.

Once it was decided that the Police should, under certain circumstances, to become involved it opened the opportunity for fans to become 'enraged' or 'offended' by players of a rival team and go complaining to the Police to cause trouble.
This goes for any team, not just those involved over the weekend.

Players have always celebrated scoring in important matches and as any fan from Liverpool or Manchester will tell you there is an intense rivalry between the two Cities.
Had the result gone the other way then I'm sure the Liverpool player scoring the goal would probably done something similar.
Teasing the opposing teams fans, as far as I am concerned, provided it doesn't descend into abuse and insults, is all part of the game and always has been.

Somehow I just can’t picture players of the standing of Denis Law or Ian St. John whining, “Please sir, please sir, have you seen the way he’s celebrating?”
They wouldn’t have lowered themselves to such petty behaviour, they would have been laughed off the pitch if they had!

[landmarker]

I remember Robbie Fowler getting booked for his amusing snort of the white line after scoring against Everton. Both he and Steve MacManaman were fined and banned from wearing T-shirts supporting the striking Liverpool dockers, but gormless brain-dead Christians are OK to flash Jesus in our face every week. .

Be careful. You'll be accused of inciting religious hatred before long.
I should add that you do need a functioning brain to be gormless.

[willowbankbear]

Well it seems Mr Neville was over the top in his goal celebration, because today he was up in front of the English F.a disciplinery comittee & found guilty.
He was fined 5,000 pounds and given a wee telling off, probably to watch his future conduct.
Neville has likened the sentence meted out to him as being punished for not acting in the way of a robot which seems to be the way pro footballers are heading these days, or words similar to this-Im not too particular!

Was this just silly or should he have been hammered more?? What do ye think guys?

[The Pepsi Challenge]

Hmmm... And to think, one of Villareal's top supporters' clubs has been asked to tell their fans not to wear Celtic jerseys to the game against Rangers at Ipox. The chap in question said that was fine as he didn't want to "break the rules." Break the rules? Where does it say you're not allowed to wear a jersey of a different club to your own matches?

[scotsboy]

I would imagine it is Villareal themselves who have asked for this – in the spirit of sport/friendship etc etc. Personally if someone wants to wear green and grey hoops and dress up like a clown let them go ahead. Don’t think there are any rules – but then again there were none for the printing of cartoons and look what happened there.
I would ban football tops all together from matches, along with silly hats, face paint and wigs.
I am glad you are taking an interest in the Champions League Pepsi .