Oli Winton's View - a fair one I think

[RoyalBlue]

Today's Current Bun reports that the FA have picked up on the video footage, which appears to show Rooney calling the ref an '**cking cheating **nt' after he failed to award him a penalty when he fell over having lost the ball to Hunt.

Apparently the FA will write to warn him but won't take any other action because they are scared the ugly one will throw his toys out of the pram again and refuse to be involved in any promotional work for the FA!

So that's it then - individual players are now above the law because they are regarded as more important than the governing body in this country! Money rules!

[skipper]

By Oli Winton - UO Reporter
Reading 1 - 1 United
United went to Reading expecting to win. Despite their very good home record United would not have felt threatened by the Premiership new-boys, and probably had a bit of a shock. Reading are a good team. Not good enough to take points off us, but good enough to with us not being at full strength and not performing to full capability. United had enough chances to win the match but ultimately the performance was not remotely satisfactory.

Going to a new stadium is always more exciting than just another trip to the same old places year after year. However, Reading might as well have been Boro, Sunderland, Derby, Southampton, Leicester or any other generic new stadium. Four stands, one tier, built near a motorway in fields with nothing else about, fans full of replica shirts, PA announcer getting far too excited, music when they score a goal and small time supporters.

Anyway, back to the match itself, the home support bored us with the same old ‘we support our local team’ and booing Ronaldo nonsense. Ronaldo, incidentally, was superb. His powerful free kick, mazy runs, sense of urgency, tricks that came off and low wipped in balls across the box provided United’s greatest threat. Every time he was booed he looked better, and the United fans gave him the usual defensive reaction, cheering him on and winding up the home Ingerlund fans with Portugal chants.

A special mention must go to Darren Fletcher, so often the recipient of unwarranted abuse. He ran his heart out today and made a tackle in the first half in the opposition box that was simply sensational. He worked tirelessly all day doing a role that went unnoticed but was of huge importance. Other players did not perform so well though, his midfield partner Michael Carrick being one of them.

The second half started badly. A penalty given to Reading a minute from kick off, for alleged handball by Gary Neville in the box. It was never intentional and his arm was by his side; a crazy decision. Doyle, a boyhood United fan, stepped up and just squeezed the ball in. Lucky lucky lucky.

United suddenly woke up. It is almost comical and disgraceful that it takes going a goal down to add some urgency and fight. Almost at will United were spurred into action and it only took a few moments between Richardson missed an absolute sitter. Fortunately ego boy was taken off straight after. The only saving grace of Richardon’s miss was that Rooney made it. It signalled a change to the boy wonder and gave him confidence to take men on and produce chances again. He was fantastic for the last 25 minutes and played a role in the Scholes deflected shot that somehow did not go in. Ronaldo again played a great role is this chance too with his sheer persistence.

Finally the equaliser came; a solo effort from, of course, Ronaldo. For the remaining period of the game United camped in the opposition box, but no goal came. Reading will look back at a game in which they had no efforts on goal and only scored from a dubious penalty. United can look back at missed chances, the return to form of Rooney and the fitness of Heinze and Vidic. However, on a day when all United’s rivals and title challengers won, this was just not good enough.

Poor summary of the game. this is all the feedback he deserves.

[Scylla]

Today's Current Bun reports that the FA have picked up on the video footage, which appears to show Rooney calling the ref an '**cking cheating **nt' after he failed to award him a penalty when he fell over having lost the ball to Hunt.

Apparently the FA will write to warn him but won't take any other action because they are scared the ugly one will throw his toys out of the pram again and refuse to be involved in any promotional work for the FA!

So that's it then - individual players are now above the law because they are regarded as more important than the governing body in this country! Money rules!

Utd may be paranoid but that doesn't mean that the FA aren't out to get 'em.

If the FA start writing to every player that swears at the ref they are going to need a lot of stamps. Why pick on Rooney?

[Shortbread]

I'd forgotten this one with Rooney - I wondered when I saw it on Saturday how he got away with it. Clearly bookings are made in the context of the game and 'foul and abusive language' evidently doesn't merit a yellow card when the refe allowed Heinze to get away with murder, comparatively.

Of course, the FA is going to need a few stamps if it starts writing to everyone who swears at the ref and that's no answer (anyway) - but the most abusive word in what Rooney said is neither of the obvious ones. Calling a referee a 'cheat' is completely over the top and he ought to be brought to book about it.

[anR]

Today's Current Bun reports that the FA have picked up on the video footage, which appears to show Rooney calling the ref an '**cking cheating **nt' after he failed to award him a penalty when he fell over having lost the ball to Hunt.

Apparently the FA will write to warn him but won't take any other action because they are scared the ugly one will throw his toys out of the pram again and refuse to be involved in any promotional work for the FA!

So that's it then - individual players are now above the law because they are regarded as more important than the governing body in this country! Money rules!

Regardless of this incident, Rooney is known for this. So if he refuses to do promotional stuff for the FA, whatever the incident, when he gets shit loads of money anyway, can someone explain again why the FA can't sue him for breach of contract?

[rabidbee]

Regardless of this incident, Rooney is known for this. So if he refuses to do promotional stuff for the FA, whatever the incident, when he gets shit loads of money anyway, can someone explain again why the FA can't sue him for breach of contract?

Because he's contracted to United, not to the FA (or England).

[igoe agogo]

i thought he said

"Ref, it was a f*cking pen, silly c*nt"

[Farnborough Royal]

Going to a new stadium is always more exciting than just another trip to the same old places year after year. However, Reading might as well have been Boro, Sunderland, Derby, Southampton, Leicester or any other generic new stadium. Four stands, one tier, built near a motorway in fields with nothing else about, fans full of replica shirts, PA announcer getting far too excited, music when they score a goal

He has a point

[Silver Fox]

After spudboy swore repeatedly at Graham Poll in the game against Arsenal a couple of years ago (also memorable for the tunnel pillow fight between Viera and Keane) There was a load of uproar, I seem to recall techers calling for football not to be shown live until after the watershed (gay) so maybe the FA have decided they've had enough of the little Shrek and have decided to issue a final straw letter?

[lozz2601]

Biased view. Agree about the over-excited PA and music. THE DAMN TOM HARK!

[SpaceCruiser]

i thought he said

"Ref, it was a f*cking pen, silly c*nt"

I hate to agree with a tree-hugger, but yes, that's what I thought when I lipread him.

[Shortbread]

I do have a problem disagreeing with tree huggers, but I'm sure I lipread 'ch' rather than 's' on Saturday night. Does anyone actually say 'silly c*nt' in an aggressive way?

[Spirit of Elm Park]

Today's Current Bun reports that the FA have picked up on the video footage, which appears to show Rooney calling the ref an '**cking cheating **nt' after he failed to award him a penalty when he fell over having lost the ball to Hunt.

In all fairness though, it should have been a penalty, Hunts "challenge" was awful.

[zac naloen]

i thought he said

"Ref, it was a f*cking pen, silly c*nt"

I hate to agree with a tree-hugger, but yes, that's what I thought when I lipread him.

I read "Ref, it was a oxf*rd pen!! Shit-cock!!"

The last bit makes less sense than yours obviously.

[Tennents Super]

I'm sure I lipread 'ch' rather than 's' on Saturday night.

Why would he call him a chilly cünt?

[RoyalBlue]

i thought he said

"Ref, it was a f*cking pen, silly c*nt"

I hate to agree with a tree-hugger, but yes, that's what I thought when I lipread him.

Spacey, perhaps you ought to offer your services to the Current Bun!

To those who suggest that Rooney is no different to many other footballers who swear at the ref when he (in their view) makes a mistake, I beg to differ. Yes, other footballers do express their displeasure but few do so in the outrightly aggressive in the face way that Rooney does. He virtually spat the words at the ref.

The incident was shown 'live' in close up on the big screen on Saturday (the camera operators and director were clearly anticipating such a reaction, which in itself says a lot about Rooney's poor character and reputation) and as we watched, I said to my kids 'I wonder whether the FA will pick up on that'. Good to see that they did but what a shame they bottled out of dealing with him in the manner he deserves.

[If you still hate Futcher]

Yes, other footballers do express their displeasure but few do so in the outrightly aggressive in the face way that Rooney does.

To be fair to Shrek, that is his usual expression.

It's about time the FA (if not FIFA) issued a directive to crack down on this.

I was watching my nephews team of 8 year-olds play last season and both sides were back chatting the ref - although the parents on the sidelines were worse