The whole of football loves the story of a rising star. A young player working his way through the ranks to become the next global football phenomenon. At the PFA Awards last weekend, Tottenham Hotspur’s Kyle Walker was the latest to be labelled the ‘next big thing’.
Fans who have been following the trials and tribulations of the beautiful game for more years than they care to recall may be familiar with a song called ‘That’s Entertainment’, a particularly memorable number courtesy of Paul Weller’s days with The Jam.
The issue of diving, simulation, sportsmanship, or perhaps just plain old cheating has reared its head again in the past week. It is a part of football that becomes topical periodically. It has been within the game for decades now, but from time to time the actions of a player (or players) will stimulate further debate.
Twelve years have passed since the FA closed the doors to the original Wembley stadium and saw to it that the famous twin towers were gone forever. With five years of the ‘New Wembley’ now behind us maybe we’re at a point where we can ask ‘was it all worth it’?
The common consensus among aficionados of the beautiful game has it that referees, for all that they obviously play a critical role in ensuring we have a game of football in the first place, should never enjoy prominence in the grand scheme of things. In other words, to borrow an old-fashioned saying that used to be adopted by adults of a certain vintage when describing children, match officials should be seen and not heard.