Alex Steine
Recently Jose Mourhino created a furore with a comment directed at Arsene Wenger. It was a storm in a teacup, but one which signified much to me. This insolent remark never developed into a spat, which is the most it ever could have become, because the integrity displayed by the recipient of the barb - Wenger, never gave the clown - Mourhino, the ammunition to offer a diatribe, or engage in a tit for tat exchange. The absence of a reactive response meant the voracious appetite for scandal that the media possesses was nullified. They had no material to work with. My take on the episode is simple. This man is boorish, arrogant, egotistical and puffed-up. To make an announcement like this is completely in character. He is not known as the 'Portuguese Peasant' without reason. Arsene's integrity and attitude is also easily recognisable. That attitude also defines the man. So, we have a 'non story', which the media desperately wanted to breath life into, just to sell copy. Is it any wonder that Arsene Wenger isn't on the Xmas card lists of the newspaper editors? He refuses to play their vacuous games.
The thing is, so many others want to play this silly game. A child brought up on a certain diet, enjoys the foodstuffs that another might reject. Our society has been spoon fed gossip, scandal and unenlightened drivel by those in power for a long time. The advertising men, governments, media all use the same beguiling instruments to play a similar tune, and we dance to it. The 'dumbing down' is omnipresent. Many people began 'talking up' Mourhino. Singing his praises when they would be best employed rejecting his behaviour as that of a vandal, a destroyer. Sadly they didn't, and this is the damaging point beyond his spiteful and foolish statement.
Through the years people have offered up unconnected statements to bolster a weak argument. 'At least the Krays were good to their mother.' So was my brother and I, but we never went around hurting people for personal gain. 'At least Hitler got the trains to run on time.' Again, I am scrupulously punctual yet resisted murdering six million innocents as an aside, though am sure they appreciated it with their 'on time train journey' to the death camps. Mourhino's track record is unconnected with his rude remark. Yes it is within the parameters of football, but that is a flimsy excuse, and at best has an extremely tenuous connection. A neighbour's untidy front garden is within the parameters of a desire for an aesthetic and harmonious neighbourhood, but doesn't give me the right to be rude and insulting to them. Yet I am sure many today would argue with that view; therein lies the crux of the matter.
Why do Arsenal supporters (!??!) engage in such a past time? Yet again, led as sheep, they have been seduced into believing it's the way to go. It is normal and acceptable behaviour. It isn't, and never shall be! Why do they try to use the situation as a 'stick to beat' Arsene with? It's because they have a secret agenda, even if that secret is an 'open' one. They use the premise that 'the enemy of my enemy, is my friend'. Then try in unfair, certainly invalid ways of justifying their claims. Then we have a slapstick moment when the more balanced side offers their rebuttals, and they along with Wenger reap the whirlwind of reprisals from the original perpetrators. Very odd behaviour, but commonplace. As an observer of life I find the situation very typical. These reactions are not at all surprising, though I constantly remain amazed at the ineptitude of some to see through a tissue of manipulation by those that rule. I guess that's why they rule.
