Arsenal and Spurs - THE CROW - Beating Young Boys is nothing to Braga-bout
Published: 16 September 2010
I HEAR there was quite the party that night Spurs finally got into the group stages of the Champions League a few weeks ago. As if beating Young Boys was some sort of wondrous achievement, on a par with eating more than three cream crackers in a minute or getting to the end of a Dan Brown novel, the Tottenham fans danced the night away like lottery winners.
For their special night, they had the lot. There were tears of joy. Laughter. A Chas and Dave remix CD. Coconut rings. Blue WKD.They had those squeaky things that unroll when you blow into them. Four orange whips. Double chilli sauce on the doner kebabs. Hey, in a little less than nine months time, don’t be too surprised to hear of a baby boom of new-borns called Aaron. And Luka, Gareth or Wilson.
And since then? They haven’t won a match.
In a well-known pub in Camden Town on Tuesday night, the Spurs v Werder Bremen match had been relegated to a back room TV. The main screen was showing Man United and the commentary from Old Trafford was playing loudly to the room. Tottenham, it felt, were the sneaky impostors at a party, lurking around in the kitchen with nobody to talk to. No wonder the team bottled the occasion and tanked a two goal lead.
The following night, the main event, Arsenal bagged six goals in the same tournament. Something to Braga-bout.
RICHARD OSLEY
WOULD I have taken a draw at the beginning of our Champions League game against Werder Bremen?
Umm yeah!
Spurs were sublime in the first half and although some fans will think we were a little naive we proved we’re not in the group just to make up the numbers. Yes we threw away a two-goal lead but this type of lesson will prove invaluable.
Meanwhile, all week, I’ve been debating with female friends about the allegations surrounding Wayne Rooney and although I don’t condone what he’s said to have done, does it really serve the public interest?
I don’t think so. Does it make him a bad footballer? No, it makes him a bad husband which should be the only consideration here. If I were a 23-year-old multi-millionaire superstar, I wouldn’t get married while I was playing because there is a whole industry of inappropriateness waiting to entrap me. Some will say the intrusion is deserved because Wayne and Coleen both court media attention: but theirs was a love story. Childhood sweethearts who’d made it as an A-list couple and for me therein lies the tragedy. Will Rooney shirt sales go down? Will Man Utd or England supporters marvel any less at his obvious footballing genius? I doubt it.
All this will do is erode the trust in the family that surrounds him and provide the ammunition that stimulates the lyrical genius of opposing fans to pen a few more songs.
TONY DALLAS