I've got to be honest, football tries my patience sometimes. With 'Cashley' Cole making a fool of himself, yet again, it makes you wonder why Premier League players of his ilk are idolised in the way they are.
The Chelsea defender seldom plays with a smile on his face and he's forever moaning at referees, opponents and his measly wage packet.
Remember when he famously almost crashed his car after being informed of Arsenal's ?55,000 a week offer. Poor him.
Hello?? You are paid a fortune to do the job you love, and your Mrs happens to be one of the most desirable women on the planet (I hope the wife isn't reading this…).
And this week, while Cheryl was slogging her guts out climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief, the Blues left-back was getting drunk and swearing at policemen in West London.
Is it any wonder that people are becoming disillusioned with the beautiful game? Take the Chelsea set, Cole included, for example. They are so far removed from the average football fan it's just plain embarrassing.
At least in other sports there isn't that 'them and us' vibe. The England cricket boys are, according to people in the know, a decent bunch.
In Antigua, during the farcical abandoned test, they stood and chatted with fans whilst they waited for officials to tell them what the hell was going on. Can you imagine that happening in football?
Saying that, the emergence of Cody McDonald at Norwich, culminating in his star showing from the bench against Cardiff last night, has come as a real breath of fresh air in these troubled times.
His smile lit up Carrow Road ? and most of Norfolk for that matter – after he netted on debut against the Bluebirds and it is so refreshing to see.
Having been part of the 'real world', working as a scaffolder, only a matter of weeks ago, he is now living in dreamland ? despite City's precarious position in the Championship.
His post-match interview with the gathered media was a joy to behold and in this day and age, when so many talented players throw their talent down the drain, it was genuinely heart warming.
There is a lot of genuine good will out there for the ex-Dartford man and it would be a real rags to riches story if he can score the goals that keep the Canaries up.
Imagine the puns! “Ex-scaffolder lays the foundations for City's survival bid”. Don't worry, I'll stop there.
He is certainly held in high regard back in Kent though and a quick peek on the Darts' messageboard community last night proved as much.
“What a goal, his speed is amazing,” said one Dartford supporter. “As soon as he latched onto the ball it had GOAL written all over it. God, how I wish he was still here.
“You lucky, lucky feckers up at Norwich, he's a beauty.” And there were plenty more comments like that.
I truly believe players like McDonald, with nothing to lose and everything to gain, could be the key to any 'Great Escape' act.
He, like Alan Gow, David Carney, David Mooney and Adrian Leijer, have no battle scars from relegation struggles gone by and they can go and express themselves as City desperately search for the four wins that most people seem to think will see them safe.
I'm not so sure myself. After all, Leicester went down last year with a whopping 52 points so it could be that City will need that or more. It's all ifs, buts and maybes at the moment though.
First and foremost, they need to approach the Plymouth clash on Saturday in the same manner they did against Cardiff. They MUST prove that last night wasn't a blip.
If they can do that, then City have a chance. It promises to be some afternoon.
Leave a Reply