As a football writer the game has dictated that I have had to write about some of the more unsavoury aspects of society. Racism, hooliganism, fascism, but now a new ‘ism’ has caught the media’s attention. Strangely, even to me, I’m about to write about cannibalism.
This weekend we saw football hooliganism, anti-Thatcher protests and a new episode of Catchphrase on TV. Who says that Britain is going backwards?
As hard as this is to believe, one day, Sir Alex Ferguson will not be manager of Manchester United. Even the unrivalled Scotsman known simply as Sir Alex or Fergie has a limit. And while the 71 year old looks all but certain to preside over yet another title win this season it’s fair to assume that his trophy-laden career at Manchester United is much closer to the end than it is the beginning.
We seemed to be on the verge of a fairly quiet week as far as football news went. Then Sunderland appoint Paolo Di Canio as their new manager after the sacking of Martin O’Neill and the press remained quiet no more. The furore around Di Canio’s potentially fascist leanings and the mixture of politics and football have contributed to journalists all over the country licking their lips, it seems that a major story has broken.
I know, never say never. It’s not over until it’s over etc, etc. But, just between me and you, I think Manchester United have won the Premier League this season. It’s not been confirmed yet, fair enough. Mathematically Manchester City (and a few others for that matter) can still end the season as Champions, but United’s 15 point lead with 11 games to go does seem unassailable. So, season over, right? Wrong.