FOOTBALL: FOWL PLAY MUST STOP.
ROBBIE Fowler can have few complaints about being charged with misconduct for his crazy weekend celebrations.And I think he probably knows himself that the FA will sharpen their teeth before finally dealing with him.
It might not be nice for a player when he is targeted by the fans, especially when the allegations are vicious.
Over the past few years, Robbie has had to endure a lot of hurtful - and totally unsubstantiated - gossip suggesting that he was a cocaine user.
I understand how that would make him frustrated and angry and why he would want to have a go back at the Everton supporters.
Still, though, it doesn't excuse what happened on Saturday after he scored a penalty in the Merseyside derby.
It was sad to see Robbie mimicking a drug user snorting cocaine. That sort of thing has no place in football.
Robbie must accept that goading from the terraces is part of the territory. He has become a millionaire because of the interest from the public. If he accepts the positives of celebrity, he must deal with the negatives.
He had hurt the Everton fans by scoring. That was the best way to make his point. What came afterwards was as unnecessary and regretful.
Fowler does not seem to be learning his lesson. He is already in a spot of bother as a result of both the verbals and body language he aimed in Graeme Le Saux's direction a few weeks back.
What is the point in apologising for that particular incident, if he is just going to walk himself straight back into trouble again?
Robbie has to realise that as a player earning pounds 30,000 a week he has obligations to his employers and to the public.
Gerard Houllier dismissed the incident as a harmless prank, but I doubt if others in the club shared his view.
Fowler has let himself down. He will certainly be fined. The FA may even choose to make an example of him by imposing a ban.
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| Title Annotation: | Sport |
|---|---|
| Author: | McGrath, Paul |
| Publication: | The Mirror (London, England) |
| Date: | Apr 7, 1999 |
| Words: | 337 |
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