Alex Ferguson's latest rant merits more than a rap on the knuckles
Do you remember that extra second at the end of 2008? The Earth was out of synch with the atomic clocks so the final minute of the year lasted 61 seconds to make up for the deficit. The BBC used that second by adding a seventh pip to its radio signal. Jools Holland fitted in an extra boogie (if not the full woogie) to his "Hootenanny". And Sir Alex Ferguson kept it in mind as an excuse for why his football team didn't win.
If only that bonus second had been held back 367 and a bit days and deployed on Sunday, Manchester United would have had all the time they needed to draw with Leeds in the FA Cup. Heck, they might even have scored twice and won.
After the match, Sir Alex whinged that the referee had allowed only five minutes of injury time, calling it "an insult to the game". Presumably they should have played on until his side scored. Call it "next goal wins", like on the school playground? He would say anything but admit that in 95 minutes and 44 seconds (he ignored the 44 seconds) his side could not score once against a team 43 places lower in the league.
This is vintage Ferguson. The table is always stacked against this unluckiest of managers, who never remembers those games when a late goal or bad decision favours his side. He is the growling embodiment of today's entitlement culture. Above all, though, he is simply boring.
Ferguson is not the only manager to moan after defeat and football is not the only game to attract bad sports. Brendan Venter, the director of rugby at Saracens, bent the ears of journalists for 40 minutes on Saturday about the perceived injustices in his sport. He was particularly baffled that Saracens were penalised more in the second half against Leicester than in the first. "I didn't say to my team: 'Let's cheat more' ", he said, as if that was proof of official bias.
Venter actually has a valid point about the consistency of refereeing, but to whinge after a defeat, Saracens' second in a row, smacks of sour grapes. He did not complain about consistency when Saracens won nine of their first ten games of the season.
The difference is that the rugby coach, who ruminated rather than ranted, will probably be punished by his governing body today. Rugby is still based on respect for officials. Players still say "Sorry, sir" when caught cheating. They still line up and applaud opponents off the pitch.
The FA, by contrast, will give Ferguson another gentle slap on the wrist and hope to bury the matter. His last blast at an official, whose fitness he criticised, resulted in a £20,000 fine - a pittance for a man reported to be earning £3.6 million a year. While this dyspeptic bully continues to be humoured, football will remain an ugly game.
Do you remember that extra second at the end of 2008? The Earth was out of synch with the atomic clocks so the final minute of the year lasted 61 seconds to make up for the deficit. The BBC used that second by adding a seventh pip to its radio signal. Jools Holland fitted in an extra boogie (if not the full woogie) to his "Hootenanny". And Sir Alex Ferguson kept it in mind as an excuse for why his football team didn't win.
If only that bonus second had been held back 367 and a bit days and deployed on Sunday, Manchester United would have had all the time they needed to draw with Leeds in the FA Cup. Heck, they might even have scored twice and won.
After the match, Sir Alex whinged that the referee had allowed only five minutes of injury time, calling it "an insult to the game". Presumably they should have played on until his side scored. Call it "next goal wins", like on the school playground? He would say anything but admit that in 95 minutes and 44 seconds (he ignored the 44 seconds) his side could not score once against a team 43 places lower in the league.
This is vintage Ferguson. The table is always stacked against this unluckiest of managers, who never remembers those games when a late goal or bad decision favours his side. He is the growling embodiment of today's entitlement culture. Above all, though, he is simply boring.
Ferguson is not the only manager to moan after defeat and football is not the only game to attract bad sports. Brendan Venter, the director of rugby at Saracens, bent the ears of journalists for 40 minutes on Saturday about the perceived injustices in his sport. He was particularly baffled that Saracens were penalised more in the second half against Leicester than in the first. "I didn't say to my team: 'Let's cheat more' ", he said, as if that was proof of official bias.
Venter actually has a valid point about the consistency of refereeing, but to whinge after a defeat, Saracens' second in a row, smacks of sour grapes. He did not complain about consistency when Saracens won nine of their first ten games of the season.
The difference is that the rugby coach, who ruminated rather than ranted, will probably be punished by his governing body today. Rugby is still based on respect for officials. Players still say "Sorry, sir" when caught cheating. They still line up and applaud opponents off the pitch.
The FA, by contrast, will give Ferguson another gentle slap on the wrist and hope to bury the matter. His last blast at an official, whose fitness he criticised, resulted in a £20,000 fine - a pittance for a man reported to be earning £3.6 million a year. While this dyspeptic bully continues to be humoured, football will remain an ugly game.
