Saturday 5 December 2009

To handshake or not to handshake, that is the question after Man City and Arsenal game!


Another storm in a tea cup has consumed the game after the Unreal City triumph over the Arsenal A team in midweek. Never mind all the column inches devoted to Wenger's failure to shake hands with Not So Sparky Hughes, debate raged on this topic in the bar after our Friday night footy match last night, thankfully diverting attention from my truly stunning opening minute own goal.

Should Wenger have controlled his anger and shook Hughes' hand? Absolutely not in my opinion. If there is no feeling behind the gesture, why perform the ritual? Wenger was understandably angry: he had done the decent thing by resting most of his first team whilst Hughes cheated by fielding an array of expensive talent in his desperate attempt to win any old piss pot for the Sky Blues' cobweb filled trophy cabinet. How grossly unreasonable of Hughes to take the competition seriously! Arsene was utterly justified in throwing the toys out of his pram, after all, they must have been distracting for the kids he sent out onto the pitch!

I find the whole handshaking business absurd. Yes we shake hands after our game on a Friday night because we are a bunch of mates playing for fun. But the Premiership isn't about camaraderie is it? I am distinctly uncomfortable when I see how popular Zola is amongst the other managers. The grin and hug he offers every one of them before a game is too warm in my eyes. I would much rather he fix a boxer's steely stare and give the impression to his team that they were fighting a footballing war rather than playing a friendly game against one of his best mate's boys. Nice Guy Zola could learn a lot from Misery Guts Wenger in my opinion.

Hand shakes, who needs them? I loved the handbag spat between Pardew and Wenger a few years back and I would love it, love it, if one day a manager actually lamped another on the touchline. Just picture Fergie's fist sinking into Benitez's pudgy face or Hughes head butting Wenger at the mouth of the tunnel. I have no truck with crowd violence but a real punch up between managers who clearly detest each other would be both honest and great fun! Mind you, nobody would land one on 'Arry, his twitch would see every shot miss the mark!

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