Lakenheath Old Boys

We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!

Saturday, July 01, 2006

Hands Off Our Roon!


For all of you who rushed to blame Wayne Rooney for today's debacle, I suggest that you go back and review the tape of the incident. It's clearer to me now that I was right in my initial impression of the incident. Here's what happens, clear as day:

1)Rooney gets involved in a tangle with two Portuguese players who are trying to get the ball off him.

2)One of them - Carvalho - goes to the turf looking for a foul.

3)Rooney clumsily trips over him unintentionally treading on his bollocks.

4)The referee blows the whistle for a foul. At this point, there is no indication that he's reaching into his pocket for a card of any color or that he wants to speak with Rooney.

5)Cristiano Ronaldo runs to the referee to plead for him to give Rooney a card.

6)Rooney, incensed by this, pushes Ronaldo away, right under the nose of the ref.

7)The ref at that point changes his mind, motions for Rooney to come and speak with him and he's obviously made up his mind to send him off.

8)As Rooney trudges off the pitch, the cameras clearly pick up Ronaldo winking at the Portuguese bench. Clear as day. This was the plan before the match even kicked off.

All of this was chewed over thoroughly on the BBC coverage of the game, during which they also showed a clip of a Portuguese training session earlier in the week in which Big Phil Scolari is shown giving players directions on how to dive and play up injuries (I kid you not!).

This is what Alan Shearer had to say on the BBC coverage: "I wouldn't be surprised if Wayne Rooney goes back to the Manchester United training ground and sticks one on Ronaldo."

Say what you like about Rooney's temperament, but what do you say about Cristiano Ronaldo. Perhaps he will pack his bags for Real Madrid, where diving is approved. But can ManYoo fans support a side that continues to employ cheating scum like Ronaldo? And what will Chelski fans have to say about their center back Carvalho? Two years ago, Villa sent the Turkish thug Alpay packing after his disgraceful brawling with England players in the tunnel during half-time of a Euro 2004 qualifier. Can we expect the same from ManYoo and Chelski? I fear not.

6 Comments:

Blogger blubber boy said...

Sorry Bob, but you are incorrect. Rooney clearly steps back with intent on smashing some Portugese goolies (sp?). The SUN -- only read it for the sports -- has a video clip of the incident and, although not conclusive, it certainly appears he knows where the boot is going (link >>> http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006300400,00.html).

11:53 AM  
Blogger gatorbob said...

Sorry, Greg, not even the vile Cristiano Ronaldo is claiming that the Rooney challenge was intentional and shame on you for believing anything that The Scum has printed. Remember that they were the people who claimed that Liverpool fans were the ones responsible for the Hillsborough tragedy. Ronaldo himself is now backing away from his actions, saying that he was merely advocating for the ref to give the Portuguese a free kick. As the ref had already blown up for precisely that, he's obviously full of shit.

Here's more evidence from Steven Gerrard from today's 365, who - after all - were inches away from the incident:

The Portugal winger sprinted towards referee Horatio Elizondo shouting: "Did you see that?" after Rooney had raked his studs into Ricardo Carvalho.

Gerrard said: "I saw that, and if it was one of my team-mates I'd be absolutely disgusted in him (Ronaldo) because there's no need for that.

"I've seen Ronaldo going over giving the card and I think he's bang out of order."

Out of order, indeed, but how will ManYoo fans deal with that sort of cheat in their own camp.

2:52 PM  
Blogger gatorbob said...

Spurs manager Martin Jol has added his these words to the on-going discussion of Cristiano Ronaldo:

'To lose in those circumstances was a disgrace. And the biggest disgrace of all was Cristiano Ronaldo,' wrote Jol in his column for The Sunday Times.

'The key incident in the game was Wayne Rooney's sending-off. It wasn't even a booking.

'When Rooney trampled on Ricardo Carvalho, he didn't do it on purpose. Before that he was being impeded and should have had a foul anyway. The referee blew his whistle and paused and was thinking of what to do when Ronaldo ran over and asked him to show a card. It's how Ronaldo always behaves, trying to influence referees, and it turns my stomach when players do that.

'I thought to myself, how could he do that? You could argue that Ronaldo is playing for his country in a World Cup, so it's okay to do anything to win. I don't believe that. What about sporting values? Rooney is his club teammate, and judging by the way they walked out together at the start, joking, his friend? It was a double betrayal, a disaster for football.'

Well said. Sounds like Skippy's gonna get a hot reception wherever he goes in the Premiership next season.

11:35 PM  
Blogger United We Stand said...

It sounds like he will be out of England next season. Of course, there are contradicting stories but I think he is out.
Some stories say that Roon will split him in two. Others saying that they are texting each other.
Did you see the Sky report from fans at Old Trafford? Everyone thinks he should leave. Also, with his comments about Real, I think Fergie will boot him out. Isn't Ronaldo the player that Ruud had a problem with? Maybe this means Ruud will be staying.

9:35 AM  
Blogger gatorbob said...

You're being very diplomatic about this Dave, but it's time to stick your neck out a bit like those good folks interviewed at Old Trafford.

Ronaldo is now claiming that he and Roon have made up - despite reports that Roon had claimed he'd "split him in two" over the weekend - and that he's happy to stay at ManYoo? Should you and other fans forgive and forget or give him the Alpay treatment?

I don't quite understand the loyalty, Dave. It seems an easy fix for me. Ruud stays and Skippy goes - although what Becks will make of him at the Real is anyone's guess. It's a win-win situation - you get to lose a crybaby cheater and retain a world class finisher.

10:50 AM  
Blogger United We Stand said...

I don't think I am being diplomatic.
I would like to see the back of him.
I will go on record. You can quote me.
GOT IT!!!

11:20 AM  

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