Complacent Cole deserves boos
Mon Oct 13 08:57AM
Early Doors never thought it would see anybody leap to Ashley Cole's defence.
This is a man who embodies everything odious about the modern game. Who left his boyhood club to chase money; who became the face (or the back) of anti-respect when he turned away from a referee; who played the field despite landing a pop star wife; who published a remarkably self-pitying autobiography that sold only 4000 copies.
Now he is cast as a victim after England fans booed him for his calamitous pass that led to Kazakhstan's goal on Saturday.
Words like 'disgraceful', 'mindless' and 'idiots' are bandied about by players, managers and pundits who reach the po-faced conclusion that anyone who booed Cole is worse than Hitler.
First of all, there is the namby-pamby argument that nobody should be subjected to public ridicule.
Tell that to Ashley's more successful other half Cheryl, currently appearing on a TV programme that has spent the last two months laughing at poor saps who think they can sing but can't.
Next comes the claim that the fans are to blame for England's poor home record. Wembley will never become a fortress unless people get behind the team and show unwavering support.
Surely this puts the cart before the horse? Fans wouldn't be booing if the team wasn't so crap.
The crowd had already endured 68 minutes of utter tosh with some patience before Cole's party piece allowed Zhambyl Kukeyev to race through and score the most embarrassing goal England have conceded since Davide 'General' Gualtieri took just eight seconds to beat David Seaman for San Marino.
Rio Ferdinand also deserves blame, incidentally. If he had reacted to Cole's ricket as quickly as Kukeyev did, he would have cut the ball out easily.
Only then did the jeers rain down on Cole. But it is important to understand that he wasn't booed for the mistake as much as what the mistake represented.
For reasons that are painfully obvious, Early Doors doesn't condone booing people for incompetence. Cole was guilty of more than that.
That San Marino goal in 1993 came from another left-back error, by Stuart Pearce. He under-hit a backpass and San Marino scored. But it was merely rubbish, not reprehensible.
When people say Cole didn't make his mistake on purpose, they are wrong. Of course he did it on purpose.
ED doesn't mean he deliberately gave away a goal. But he knew that the pass was showy and risky, and he played it anyway because it was only Kazakhstan.
In nearly a decade of club football, has Cole ever done anything as stupid as that? (On the pitch, that is.) Would he ever, in a million years, think of doing that for Chelsea? Of course not.
Cole personified the entire England team, which was suffused with complacency. Where the 4-1 win in Croatia was full of urgency, drive and ambition, Saturday's match was totally flat.
England were so convinced that goals would come by divine right, they couldn't be bothered to make anything happen.
It was the same at the back. In the first half, rather than making an obvious clearance, Matthew Upson attempted a dangerous backpass to David James. Presumably because booting the ball into Row Z against such lowly opposition would have been embarrassing.
A couple of minutes before the first goal, Kazakhstan nearly scored after Cole was caught miles out of position.
Where was he? Vomiting on the floor of a black cab? Watching X-Factor? Debating some p*ss-take contract offer?
Clearly, England were not trying, and Cole was the worst offender.
Clubs and the FA are happy to view football as a product when it suits them. They take full advantage when people pay huge sums to consume football matches, replica shirts, Peter Crouch calendars and Wes Brown alarm clocks.
Despite this relentless commercialisation, there seems to remain an old-fashioned view that the people who shell out thousands of pounds a year for this tat should not be viewed as discriminating customers.
They are expected to shell out £70 a head for tickets, get a crappy old train to a dank corner of North-West London (no parking at English grounds, obviously), spend another tenner on a programme, then buy overpriced hot dogs and fizzy drinks.
And then they are expected not to complain when they see something as lifeless and complacent as the first 70 minutes against Kazakhstan?
Nobody is forcing people to come to football matches. If they are not entertained, they won't be back. That's business. And if you don't want football to be a business, bring prices back down to 1966 levels, when World Cup tickets set you back all of seven bob.
Otherwise, you must expect people to make their voices heard when they feel short-changed.
And who said unconditional support was the best way to help your team win, anyway? Why is it that fans are expected to sit there (sorry, stand there) and cheer, clap and whoop, whatever fetid tripe their team feeds them?
Managers who take this approach - well, Kevin Keegan - are ridiculed for it. There are times when you need a good old-fashion rollicking to sort things out - and the booing of Cole was the fans' version of the hairdryer treatment.
Players are mollycoddled and protected from reality enough as it is. Do they really need fans to overlook their failings and give them a pat on the back they clearly don't deserve?
England's performance in general - and Cole's in particular - was unacceptable and they needed to be told so.
Things improved markedly after the booing started - do you think it was a coincidence? Well, yes, it probably was.
The late glut of goals probably had less to do with the abuse meted out to Cole than England's realisation that defending set-pieces is no more a part of Kazakh culture than naked wrestling or the running of the Jew.
But it's fun to boo Ashley Cole.
- - -
Disagree with the above? Well, you're in good company. Jonathan Symcox explains why booing simply isn't on. And Reda Maher agrees with him. Early Doors thinks they are both fools.
- - -
QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND: Steven Gerrard: "It's up to the manager whether he plays me and Frank [Lampard] in central midfield or plays a three and changes the formation."
Only for the staggering arrogance in Gerrard's statement. It hasn't even occurred to him that he might be dropped.
EXCHANGE OF THE WEEKEND: Paul Dickov on Goals on Sunday, proving he is just as troublesome as a pundit as he was as a player.
Pleasingly, Robbie Savage was the target of his mischief, forcing Chris Kamara to defuse a potentially embarrassing situation.
Savage on Scotland 'striker' Chris Iwelumo: "I didn't expect to hear that sound coming out of his mouth."
Dickov: "Why?"
Savage: "Well, er.."
[Awkward silence...]
Kamara: "Because he's coloured!! HAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! It's OK, you can say it!!!"
- - -
FOREIGN VIEW: Early Doors is bracing itself for the worst. Despite France coming from two goals down to draw in Romania on Saturday, the most entertaining man in international football could still get the push. The French FA meets on Wednesday to discuss Raymond Domenech's position.
Gettng any work done today lads?
From jammydodge6 on Mon Oct 13 04:58PMMy computer is so fuckingslow lately. Must have something to do with the yanks.
As Snoop would say, I'm outta this jizzle. Keep it rizzle and I'll see ya'll tomizzle.
From kgh_r on Mon Oct 13 04:59PMsee u kgh_r.Peace guide ur steps
From jacknfor on Mon Oct 13 05:01PMSee ya guys Im off too woooohoooo peace Jack
From anne_helm on Mon Oct 13 05:02PMCan't hang around blogging here all day I've got work to do
From arttidesco on Mon Oct 13 05:12PMwow where the suck meister when you need him?
i havent been able to keep up all day, pressure of work etc, i read cole isnt fit for the belarus game not that he was fit for kazaketcetc i cant say let alone spell, at least cole's slip wasnt a costly one yet, goal difference might come into play who knows?
From roxydgurl on Mon Oct 13 05:21PMi've absoulutely no intrest in football or the players i just happened to read complacent cole deserves boo's whoever wrote (you know what i mean)it watta b***c it's so funny and true i'll never understand how people can get excited about people kicking a ball around don't matter what country their from either and people wanting to wear these people's after shaves ect why....there are people out there who actually make this world a better place and it's got nothing to do with balls or who's sleeping with who or who's getting married to what ...or getting paid thousands..i don't care about how much money they get or the cars they drive or the houses i just don't get the they got i just don't get the intrest
From tiggiedapuss on Mon Oct 13 05:59PMALL ENGLISH FOOTBALL
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ALL MATCHES ON WEB: PREMIER LEAGUE, LIGA, SERIE A, BUNDESLIGA AND CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - UEFA CUP
ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS OF PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHES
From gjkgjkgjk54645 on Mon Oct 13 06:09PM#581. Youu sound like a typical ED blogger that like a good rant every now and again
From arttidesco on Mon Oct 13 06:12PMMan Utd Sucks
From arttidesco on Mon Oct 13 06:13PMOk,so the majority of posts here are obviously from people who dislike Ashley Cole,i've seen nothing here but hatred for the man,and not a discussion as to whether or not booing is ok at a football match.
In my opinion,if you support a team or have any passion for a sport,you support them through thick and thin.
Unfortunately,the moron element you get at football matches is what's clear here.
Was Henman ever booed everytime he hit a ball at Wimbledon?
Were the GB relay teams booed for dropping the baton?
Was Vaughan booed off for not getting enough runs?
No.Because other sports have real fans.From malocchio69 on Mon Oct 13 06:25PMyou're not funny you're stupid. this is a waste of time. i hope they don't pay you for this. get a life. grow up. (and i don't even like ashley cole)
From lanegold on Mon Oct 13 07:09PMThis article should be framed and sent to every Premiership Football Club to hang in the home player's dressing room and a 25 year prison sentence if not acted upon....LOL
Professional footballers are whining, over-rated, over-paid, commercialism induced, pathetic little children. I would love to see this England team play proper contact sports like ice-hockey or rugby, they'd s**t themselves.....
And incidentally, Ashley Cole's winning bonus payment on Saturday was allegedly equal to 6 months unemployment benefit for a single man.
And he wonders why he got boooooed.....
From nottmpantherssteve on Mon Oct 13 07:42PMi think its good booing bad players at time but if its done as a racist thing it should be banned but letting a player know he is playing poor is ok
From p.walker89 on Mon Oct 13 08:02PMi think its good booing bad players at time but if its done as a racist thing it should be banned but letting a player know he is playing poor is ok
From p.walker89 on Mon Oct 13 08:02PMWonderful, wonderful article today ED. Loved it. More for the fact you didn't take the p1ss out of the scots. Cheers!
As for lonzuk's comment on Iwelumo's miss - "I've never heard a crowd fall so silent in all my life" - i was at the game, right behind the goal where The Easiest Chance In The History Of Football Ever™ went begging and trust me mate, myself and the many thousands of others around me certainly weren't silent!
From kevmun82 on Mon Oct 13 08:09PM#590 I agree good to see England providing enough Komedy against Kazakhstan that they can leave the Scots alone
I wonder what they will come up with against Belaruss ? 'Wayne a Bridge too far'
From arttidesco on Mon Oct 13 10:35PMYou have to wonder who the 4000 people were that allegedly bought copies of Ashley Coles Book ?
From arttidesco on Mon Oct 13 10:38PMcole is nothing but a @#$%! deserves all he gets!!!
From chrisharrold on Mon Oct 13 11:06PMWHO CARES FOOTBALL IS NOW OFFICIALLY @HIT. Over paid nancy BOYS with no idea about sportsmanship. Never thought i'd say it but im off to watch the rugby.
From simplyhucknell on Tue Oct 14 12:48AMApart from his "mistake" Cole had a decent game. If anyone needs booing is Gerrard you DON'T SAY IT IS OK TO BOO FELLOW PLAYERS when they make mistakes. How about Gerrard's lack-luster and mistake ridden game. If he showed any heart and determination maybe we would have qualified and won the Euros.
From starman_123 on Tue Oct 14 03:53AMBooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!England are all over paid they dont play together as a team because of premiership clashes you might as well get lower division players to play because there commitment would be great to our beutifull game and a chance to play international footy would be like a dream come true and would soley give %100.Were a embarasment to the game we created and now other countries are showing us how to play it.
From martinjfreeman on Tue Oct 14 06:24AMExcellent article
From timrsidney on Tue Oct 14 07:55AMWhile I am not against booing all-round awfulness from my team per se (almost exclusively at the END of a game, though), does anyone think that a) if Walcott, say, had made such a mistake, he would have been booed? and b) that it actually does the team ANY favours at all? If you really want an improvement in performance, do you feel that booing your own player/team during a match is the slightest bit helpful to their cause of winning, or your cause of being better entertained?
What next - England fans booing a player because he plays for their league club's rivals? Cobblers. And pathetic.
From chassy1969 on Tue Oct 14 08:45AM#598. Passing the ball to the opposition in front of an open goal is cobblers and pathetic
From arttidesco on Tue Oct 14 08:52AMMan Utd Suck !
Chealski Suck !
Arsenal Suck
600 Sucks !!
From arttidesco on Tue Oct 14 08:53AMbooing A. cole was wrong cos everybody makes mistakes, those pple that booed or support the booing are bitter idiots just like pple that chant racist abuse at players. if u think footballers are overpayed then dont go 2 the matches, after all its not their fault that u get a lousy paycheque and as for the arsenal to chelsea incidence, so what if he did it 4 money, so what? i don´t hear anybody complaining when pple leave their spouse for someone else based on love or whatever, when did it become a crime to make to decisions based on money or what we want. bottom line is we all do what make us happy.
From tukoded on Tue Oct 14 09:13AM
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