Well, is it OK to boo or not? Harry Redknapp says: “Fans pay their money, they’re entitled to boo.” Sounds like sound logic from someone who has had his share of unpopularity, made verbal. The media tells us otherwise; it was ‘shameful’ and ‘inexcusable’ what happened to Eboue last weekend at the Emirates.
It is said that the abuse the Ivorian suffered was too much for anyone to bear, that the ‘fans’ that booed should hang their noisy heads in shame. Is it hard for fans to know when to draw the line or do they just love the pantomime of it all?
Being booed by your own crowd is the difference though. Harry was referring to the return to Three Point Lane of Dimitar Berbatov. The Bulgarian being given some abuse is surely only right. He moped and groaned his way round North London until he got what he wanted. The theatrical nature of football - even life – means he knows what to expect.
Must be harder for Eboue, he just tried his hardest and his own fans said it wasn’t good enough. They told him that in no uncertain terms and made his manager use a new move; the mercy substitute. The idea of being a supporter is probably not to boo, but it really is not as simple as that. You can ask people nicely in the programme notes not to be nasty, but that is the limit of power you have. You cannot ban fans for booing and nor should you.
We all felt for Emmanuel, he was not playing well but he was trying. Unfortunately, unlike GCSEs that is not enough in the Premier league.