What's Wrong With This?

dragg SG

extracted from soccernet.

Updated: Jan. 23, 2006
Carragher slams Neville's over-the-top celebration

Jamie Carragher has condemned Gary Neville for `crossing the line' with his wild celebrations at Manchester United's late winner over Liverpool at Old Trafford.

Referee Mike Riley has confirmed to the Football Association he did not see Neville race 60 yards towards the Liverpool supporters following Rio Ferdinand's last-minute header, then grab his shirt before punching the air in jubilation.

The FA will now wait for Riley to assess the incident on video and also study written observations due to be forwarded by Greater Manchester Police before deciding whether to take any action against the United skipper.

Although Neville was subjected to abuse by a section of the Liverpool fans, Carragher does not believe there was any excuse for his England team-mate's actions.

As a Liverpool man born and bred, Carragher understands totally the emotions Neville was feeling when Ferdinand's header hit the net. But he still thinks the full-back should have been able to control his emotions. 'I think there is a line and Neville crossed it,' Carragher told the Liverpool Echo.

'I have heard people say it is justified because he gets a lot of stick from the Liverpool fans but the truth is he gets the stick because he has been doing that for years. That is why it all started.

'I feel the same way about Liverpool as Neville does about Manchester United and from that point of view we are similar but I don't act like that when we score against United.

'If I did, I would expect United fans to give me the same amount of abuse.'

The Greater Manchester Police have written to the Football Association to complain about Neville's antics.

A statement from GMP read: 'Chief Superintendent Andy Holt has written a letter expressing his concern. No criminal investigation is taking place at this stage.'

dragg SG

extracted from soccernet.

Updated: Jan. 24, 2006
Neville tells Liverpool fans to calm down

Manchester United captain Gary Neville finds it hard to believe he offended Liverpool supporters with his celebration of Sunday's winning goal.

Neville raced 60 yards towards the Liverpool fans following Rio Ferdinand's last-minute header, and then grabbed his shirt before punching the air in jubilation.

The 1-0 win at Old Trafford kept United second in the Barclays Premiership and Neville admitted he went 'bananas' for a few seconds.

But the 30-year-old insists he did not intend any disrespect to Liverpool and fears sanctions for such celebrations may lead to football becoming a game for robots.

'What are you meant to do? Smile sweetly and jog back to the halfway line?' Neville told The Times.

'You are caught up in the moment and, yes, for a few seconds you can go bananas. I laughed when I heard someone say that it was not the behaviour of a 30-year-old because they are probably the same people who have accused us of lacking passion in recent games.

'No disrespect to Liverpool was intended. I would have been apologetic if I had run up to one of their players and tried to belittle them, but this was a celebration.

'Last week, I had to put up with a Liverpool lad taunting our fans during the Manchester derby, but at no point did I even consider that Robbie Fowler should be punished. The stick is part of the game. One week you take it on the chin, the next you give it out. That is how local rivals have always been - and always should be.

'I have to put up with Liverpool fans singing plenty of songs about me, none of them tasteful, and I struggle to believe that I have caused them any grave offence with an exuberant celebration.

'Increasingly people seem to want their footballers to be whiter than white and there are calls for sanctions over every little incident. Do they want a game of robots?'

stellazio SG

some people just very sensitive.. Laughing