Knock-Out Football

WHEN I heard that a Sunderland fan was suing their own club I was shocked. The Mackems are amongst some of the most passionate and loyal in the land, surely it is a hoax I thought.

Then I saw the reason why the Black Cats were being sued, which is absolutely preposterous.

Why on earth would anyone sue the club they love after being knocked out by a stray Djibril Cisse shot at the training ground? Has the world gone completely mad?

So you got hit by the ball? Big deal.

Chairman Niall Quinn should ban this lunatic from coming within 100 yards of the Stadium of Light after this fiasco, but instead he is answering questions on BBC Radio Newcastle about the legal action being taken against the club.

"That supporter is in the process of suing us right now," said the Irishman.

Incredible.

This one supporter will probably end up ruining it for every other Sunderland fan. The effects this will now have on supporter and training ground regulations could be catastrophic.

Young Mackems lining up to get a glimpse of their heroes will be turned by the club for fear of having another lawsuit filed against them. It is completely ridiculous.

It could also start a new craze in the football stadiums now. Should a fan get hit by the ball when a player clears it into touch, what is to stop them from suing the club too?

'Where there's a blame there's a claim'...Try blaming yourself for not moving out of the way of a ball you moron!

If this fan wins the case then there is something seriously wrong with the world we are living in today.

Does the Punishment Fit the Crime?

PASSION. One of many words associated with football. Unfortunately idiocy is another one that fits the bill perfectly. The mind boggles to come to terms with why Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has been slapped with a two match ban for merely showing his enthusiasm.

The England man said that the automatic two-match ban was "clearly excessive" and I completely agree.

There is always going to be swearing in modern day football, it is part and parcel of the game, it is the culture that we live in. Tempers are running high and emotions are boiling over, and showing your passion is a crime now...apparently.

It seems that, lately, the FA are doing all they can to undermine United. First by hitting Sir Alex Ferguson with a five game touchline ban for improper conduct after his rant at Martin Atkinson, and now the ban dished out to Rooney for foul and abusive language. This means both will be in the stands for the crucial FA Cup semi-final tie against local rivals Manchester City.

It is such a harsh and petty punishment for Rooney, who has done worse things in his life than swear down a television camera. Yes, there would probably be children watching at home, but it is nothing that they will not hear in the playground in a few years time anyway.

Live matches always have abusive chants coming from the stands that cannot be edited out. Is this just the FA trying to even out the law for when Rooney should have been suspended for elbowing James McCarthy in the fixture against Wigan Athletic?

If so, it is a terrible way to go about it.

The absence of the former Everton man in the semi-final clash will have a drastic impact on moral in the City dressing room. Although Rooney has not hit top form at all this season, he still has all the capabilities to cause problems, and Roberto Mancini will no doubt be relieved that his name will not be on the team sheet.

I do not think that anyone particularly cares that he swore down the lens of a camera. It was certainly inappropriate, but there are much worse things in life at the moment.

So does the punishment fit the crime? Not one bit.

The English game is becoming a complete farce. It is high time the FA took a long hard look at some of their actions and realised how truly pathetic they are.

The Pressure is Real

AHEAD of this evenings Champions League clash at the Bernabeu, all the pressure is on Jose Mourinho's team of superstars.

Champions League new comers Tottenham Hotspur are not going to disgrace themselves, even with a 5-0 defeat at the hands of the Galacticos, which is why I think the Spanish giants may struggle tonight.

If Spurs are able to keep their heads and defend properly they will have a fantastic opportunity to get a positive result. With Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema both out of the clash, the visiting defence will really fancy their chances in the Spanish capital.

Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon will be the key men for the Harry Redkapp's men as they will be looking to provide the service for Milan hero Peter Crouch and the prolific Jermaine Defoe.

Rafael van der Vaart is a man on a mission tonight. The former Ajax and Hamburg midfielder was signed by Spurs for £8m from Madrid on January deadline day, and has been a key figure in the North London club's bid to secure a second successive Champions League spot.

The expectations are high for a club drenched in European glory with no less than nine Champions League triumphs, the last of which, however, was in 2002 - a game which will always be remembered for a tremendous volley from undoubtedly the best player at the time...Zinedine Zidane.

With the likes of Zidane and Luis Figo now well and truly moved on, it is up to new boys Mezut Ozil and Angel di Maria to step up to the plate and show their true qualities.

Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Vedran Corluka will have their work cut out to deal with the movement of the tricky forwards, and may face familiar foe in the shape of on-loan Manchester City star Emmanuel Adebayor, who played for fierce rivals Arsenal for four seasons.

Gonzalo Higuain will also have to be watched carefully by the depleted visiting defence. No Ledley King or Youness Kaboul has left the back line looking very thin, but Michael Dawson has been in inspirational form at the heart of the defence this season.

It is up to Spurs to go out there and do what they do best - play free-flowing attacking football. If Redknapp's men sit back and attempt to defend, there will only be one outcome.

Both AC and Inter Milan have come undone at the hands of Tottenham's explosive attacking football, so it is time now for Harry's lads to show the world that it was no fluke by causing another European upset.