Don't jump on the Berbatov Bandwagon
Philip Oliver, who blogs about football betting at Betfair, has sent us this item:- (The views are those of the author, but not necessarily the webmaster)
The issue of players returning to their former club has a Tottenham theme this week. Robbie Keane and Sol Campbell have been on the back (and front) pages due to their past association with Spurs and on Saturday Dimitar Berbatov will be the former favourite who is likely to be in the headlines.
The Bulgarian is guaranteed a hostile reception, which will put Tottenham supporters, already tarnished by the publicity of the Campbell police probe, further under the spotlight.
For all the undoubted merits of making examples of the supporters seen indulging in the Campbell abuse at Fratton Park, there is a sense that a can of worms have been opened by this dangerous precedent – co-ordinated hateful, racist and homophobic chanting can be heard at any ground, anywhere and we now expect the regular publication of faces of the fans who are behind it.
Spurs fans therefore need to make a special effort not to add fuel to the fire when Berbatov returns to the Lane. Being known as the Premier League’s most vengeful, bitter and petty supporters is not a good tag to have.
It is a shame that Keane was being reported to have been greeted by a chorus of boos when he visited with Liverpool in October – the standing ovation that met his weekly substitution by those who recognised five years of good service drowned out the jeers of those who dwell on the manner in which he left the club.
This is the crucial factor in determining the legacy left by departing players. Keane was a little too proactive in pursuing his dream move to the Reds but was largely forgiven; Berbatov, with his one-man public strike and sulky behaviour, will not be.
But let’s not get distracted by his return with Manchester United. Put down the Bulgarian phrasebooks and leave the public humiliation of Berbatov to Ledley
Written by Philip Oliver, a Tottenham Hotspur fan and a professional sports writer who blogs about football betting at Betfair.
This week's fixtures:-
Saturday 13th December 2008
A. Villa v Bolton
Liverpool v Hull
Man City v Everton
M'brough v Arsenal
Stoke v Fulham
S'derland v West Brom
Spurs v Man Utd
Wigan v Blackburn
Sunday 14th December 2008
Chelsea v West Ham
P'tsmouth v Newcastle
Last week's results and table
Premier League Results - 06-08.12.08
Arsenal 1-0 Wigan
Blackburn 1-3 Liverpool
Bolton 0-2 Chelsea
Fulham 1-1 Man City
Hull 2-1 M'brough
Newcastle 2-2 Stoke
Man Utd 1-0 S'derland
Everton 2-3 A. Villa
West Brom 1-1 P'tsmouth
West Ham 0-2 Spurs
Barclays Premier League
Pos Team P W D L F A GD Pts
1 Liverpool 16 11 4 1 24 9 15 37
2 Chelsea 16 11 3 2 35 6 29 36
3 Man Utd 15 9 4 2 27 10 17 31
4 Arsenal 16 9 2 5 28 19 9 29
5 A. Villa 16 8 4 4 25 18 7 28
6 Hull 16 7 5 4 24 25 -1 26
7 P'tsmouth 16 6 5 5 19 23 -4 23
8 Everton 16 6 4 6 22 25 -3 22
9 Fulham 15 5 5 5 13 12 1 20
10 Bolton 16 6 2 8 18 19 -1 20
11 Wigan 16 5 4 7 18 20 -2 19
12 M'brough 16 5 4 7 16 23 -7 19
13 Stoke 16 5 4 7 17 27 -10 19
14 Man City 16 5 3 8 30 24 6 18
15 Spurs 16 5 3 8 19 21 -2 18
16 West Ham 16 5 3 8 17 24 -7 18
17 Newcastle 16 3 7 6 19 24 -5 16
18 S'derland 16 4 3 9 13 25 -12 15
19 Blackburn 16 3 4 9 17 31 -14 13
20 West Brom 16 3 3 10 12 28 -16 12
