First of all let me say that Hazard was in the wrong, regardless of whether he kicked the ball or ballboy, he overreacted. However he isn't the only one. South Wales police, the press, public, Swansea players and ballboy himself can join the long queue. Hearing that police will "not take the matter further" actually makes me sick to my stomach. The incident has been blown way out of proportion but sadly, draws uncanny comparisons with the John Terry witch-hunt last year. To break it down simply, Chelsea were chasing a game and in the latter stages, Swansea ballboys were time-wasting to ensure the retrieval of the ball took as long as possible, a clear act of gamesmanship. Judging by his Twitter comments it was pre-meditated, he clearly wanted the limelight and let it known he would be on TV.
This is the problem we have in society, the PC brigade that thrust moral outrage at the most minimal of events upon us. All that needs to simply happen is for both Hazard and the ballboy to shake hands and exchange autographs (the ballboy is probably the bigger celeb of the two now), that is as far as the incident should go. It was a simple misunderstanding to an incident that happened in the heat of the moment. For those that believe Hazard went in with the intent or in fact kicked the ballboy I ask you this: If time was being wasted anyway, why would Hazard want to intentionally cause injury to a ballboy thus prolonging things even further and wasting more time?
Sky's product "The Premier League" is becoming increasingly more about politics and brand image rather than actual football and common sense/rationale scarcely prevails, this incident being indicative of this, as have others. Since Sky got involved the agenda has long since been to destroy football as a sport and make the transition into being a business. In business there are no morals, few ethics (which are actually adhered to), it's a cold and ruthless game whereby you cannot have or be seen to display any emotion. This doesn't necessarily transcend onto the football pitch though, to players, football is first and foremost a sport, they dedicate their lives to it from grass roots level upwards. The FA have tried vehemently to stamp out any kind of emotion from the game. Footballers, managers and even fans are now being told to be submissive and emotionless. The lack of empathy with Chelsea fans regarding Di Matteo and Benitez is further testament to this.
- Wayne Rooney - banned for swearing after scoring a goal
- Ashley Williams - publicly vilified for kicking a ball at Robin Van Persie's head (whilst the ball was in a dangerous area in his own 12 yard box), which he later apologised for and claimed was unintentional.
- John Brooks - dropped for a tongue in cheek conversation with the Man City players, telling them to thank their own fans.
Most journalists have never played football or any sport at any level so their public condemnation of Hazard and sensationalism shouldn't surprise anyone, it doesn't surprise me at all fellow professionals like Michael Owen and Gareth Bale have leapt to the defence of Hazard, they understand football and understand the concept of emotions running high in football stadia, football is more than just a mundane sport to them.
I'll finish with some food for thought, who is the real victim?
Is it the tactless 17 year old ballboy who boasted of time-wasting before the game and milked as much attention as he could from a minor incident and drives around in an Audi OR is it 22 year old Eden Hazard, who in the heat of the moment whilst provoked may or may not have kicked the ballboy whilst trying to retrieve the ball and is no undergoing a character assassination from the press? One can seemingly do as he pleases and is under no pressure, the other has been in the country not much longer than 6 months and left all he knows and is expected to deliver for one of the biggest football clubs in the country. Wayne Rooney and the Manchester United Football Club were real victims of the PC witch-hunt, not armchair Sky viewers, Ashley Williams was the real victim of the ball incident in Swansea, not Robin Van Persie and John Brooks was the real victim at the Emirates, not Sky or the FA's brand image. The victim culture that exists amongst human beings and is transmitted via football succinctly epitomises everything that is wrong with not just football, but modern society, the need to try and condemn people of being guilty for something when they aren't. The need to create a (moral) crime that doesn't actually exist
Oh piss off. Hazard should rightly be condemned for his actions, regardless of whether he is "in the heat of the moment" or not. He chose to lash out at a minor in what could be regarded as a violent manner, prior circumstance (i.e. actions of the ball boy) shouldn't be used to excuse what is essentially him kicking a kid in a very public forum. Consistency needs to be shown in football more than anything else, and one has to ask, if it had been someone like Luis Suarez, someone looked upon less favourably by the British media, what would have been the shit storm circling him now?
ReplyDeleteI understand you're a Chelsea fan but at the end of the day you said yourself, Hazard is wrong and the judgmental British public will more than make him aware of this so you may as well accept it.
Your confusing passion with violence. It's indicative of the sensationalism we have in this country. Different TV angles show Hazard kicked the ball. Common sense Hazard kicked the ball, there was no malice on his face at all, chances are if you kick someone "violently" "lash out" as you are insinuating you'd dsiplay a degree of anger made evident by your facial expression.
ReplyDeleteFundamentally it's like the Gerrard/DJ incident, you will see what you want to see not what actually happened.
a 17 year old isn't a minor, he drives an Audi and goes out clubbing with adults. At what point we will start making "kids" responsible for their own actions?