Arrogance is unacceptable

You cannot miss the hype of the soccer world-cup even if you tried. It’s in your face from the moment you step out of the front door of your house. What with flags and quiet streets and lets not forget almost every street based advertisement attempts to vainly link itself to the footie fest.

The World-cup also focuses or mind on one thing – Television! The worldwide audiences must be in the Billions. It is also a time when we hope that any images that we are exposed to show people in a good light. I’m afraid that even though the number of yellow cards, false dives and acting-up is in my view at an all time high I can’t help thinking how closely such behaviour reflects real life.

On 2nd July it was reported that Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) has been widely criticised for his antics during England's defeat to Portugal on Saturday. Ronaldo insists he did not try to get Wayne Rooney sent off in the World Cup quarter-final. It appeared to viewers that that he (Ronaldo) rushed up to the referee Horacio Elizondo and seemed to encourage him to punish Wayne Rooney for a stamp on Ricardo Carvalho. Rooney then pushed Manchester United team-mate Ronaldo in the chest and was shown the red card by the Argentinean referee. The England striker left the pitch, 17 minutes into the second-half, and Ronaldo was caught on camera winking at the Portugal bench. Ronaldo, 21, said: ‘I tried to talk to the referee and say it was a foul but I didn't say he should give a red card. I felt very sorry for him (Rooney) because we are team-mates and very good friends.’ Based on them being team mates in Manchester United, maybe this is the truth?

Ronaldo then scored the winning penalty in a tense shoot-out in Gelsenkirchen to fire Portugal into their first World Cup semi-final since 1966.

Eriksson, who now leaves his job as England boss, said: "I'm sure Wayne Rooney does more good things than bad things. ‘He has a temperament; you have to live with that. I have spoken to him about it in the past but I always said you can't take the temperament away from Wayne Rooney because then he wouldn't be that kind of player.’

We need to ask the question that although adrenaline is running through all the players’ veins - can there not be more sportsmanship on the field. The desperation / desire to win are so high that careers, reputations and injuries can result. In addition, why is it that it sometimes appears that those with a sense of arrogance and a high temperament get away with it!?

Why do we have to put up with such behaviour?
The out-burst by Wayne is especially frustrating when you consider how much maturity Rooney displayed in other situations - he handled the transfer to Old Trafford very well, and was the definition of restraint on his difficult first return to Goodison in February 2005.

In summary, those who want to behave can. Those that are arrogant I believe will suffer under the same arrogance. We should not have to put up with a bad temperament. If footballers are earning millions they have a responsibility to set a good example - especially to those in their influential years.

There is more to life than football. We’ll all find out post 8th July!