Early
Doors knew to expect a Neil Warnock special when, in the wake of QPR's 1-1 draw
with Aston Villa, he blurted: "In football you get what you deserve. I
thought we deserved more than a point."
What
followed was a sustained rant displaying the same logical powers, reminding
everyone just why Warnock is so unpopular.
"It's
disappointing to be talking about referees...there's nothing to referee in that
game," said Warnock. "Referees should be seen and not heard."
Nothing
to referee, that is, apart from the bits where Michael Oliver and his
assistants should have awarded penalties to QPR and sent off Aston Villa
players.
Having ranted once on Sky, Warnock came back out for another
go after watching some replays.
"How has the linesman
not seen that (Alan Hutton's first handball)? He deliberately handballs
it," he gasped.
"And the second one, we're told that if
you raise your hands it's a handball. He's raised his hands against Tommy Smith.
"But
the first one is embarrassing. How that cannot be given a penalty...he can't
even say he's in a bad position."
Perhaps
the ref would have whistled, but he decided it was better to be seen and not
heard?
Oliver
was not the only one who came under fire. Warnock called Armand Traore "thick"
and "a disgrace" and promised to fine him as much as possible after
his red card, while Aston Villa were accused of trying to "con the
ref" and should have had James Collins and Charles N'Zogbia sent off.
Again, nothing to referee here.
Hardly the reaction of a man whose team had just got out of jail courtesy
of a 93rd-minute own goal.
It was such an aggressive display of self-pity it made Heather Mills look like stoicism personified.
It
called to mind the scene in the Big Lebowski when Walter makes a forceful
point, challenging The Dude: "Am I wrong, Dude, am I wrong?"
The
Dude replies: "You're not wrong, you're just an a**hole."
And
so it was with Warnock yesterday.
He
wasn't wrong about the penalty decisions. The one awarded to Villa was harsh
(although there was a microscopic tug of the shirt by Traore), and QPR should
have had one for Hutton's first handball (not the second). Watch the video
here.
But
his reaction? Just so bitter. So self-absorbed. So punchable. If ED were a
Premier League ref, it would give every single marginal decision against
Warnock's team just to wind him up.
In
reality, though Warnock seems convinced there is a conspiracy against his club,
nobody cares enough about QPR for that.
He
just seems so mad at the world. ED imagines him after the game, stalking the
streets of Shepherds Bush stopping motorists just to bellow a stream of
invective at them.
ED
loves an opinion, and will side with a gobsh**e wherever possible. But Warnock
is more than outspoken. If he decides, on
reflection, that his emotional post-game reaction went too far, and he offers
an apology, then so will ED. But what are the chances of that?
There are plenty of Premier League managers who take misfortune on the chin - Roy Hodgson, Alex McLeish and Roberto Martinez spring most readily to mind - but their profession is blighted by those who go out of their way to embarrass referees, opponents, their own players and ultimately themselves.
Last
time Warnock was in the Premier League, he performed the not-inconsiderable act
of making everybody side with Carlos Tevez - widespread sympathy for Sheffield
United after their relegation at the hands of West Ham and the illegally
registered Tevez evaporated as Warnock and United whinged about it for
literally years.
This
season, he has set about alienating neutrals in fine style. QPR is a good club with a decent new owner and ED pin-up
Joey Barton on board - but this blog is rooting for a season of misery and injustice
for them and their manager.
- - -
QUOTE OF THE
DAY: Robin van Persie: "I still have almost two years until 2013.
So, for the moment, that's fine, but I don't know. We will have to look. I'm
happy with my contract, I'm good. That's how it is, I can't say much more. I
can't look into the future." This is how it starts.
FOREIGN VIEW: The subject of Jose
Mourinho prompted passionate debate between members at Real Madrid's general
assembly, with some saying his behaviour had damaged the club's image.
"If you have a tiger as your mascot you
have to keep him tied up to stop him eating your neighbour's daughter,"
said club member Rafael Vareos who prompted catcalls and
whistles from the largely pro-Mourinho crowd.
"Mourinho
is not a Madridista he is a Mourinhista," Vareos added.
COMING UP: We have live coverage of the weekend's final
Premier League game - Norwich City v Sunderland from 20:00 UK time, and surprise Liga leaders Real Betis in action at Getafe at the same time.
In the meantime, you can watch all the weekend's Premier
League highlights right here. Well, go on then. Go!