The true beauty of football is found in its inherent tribalism.
Of course exceptional play, wonderful goals and stunning skills are all well and good, but let’s face it, often the fare on show is turgid, tactical and thoroughly mundane. There are other, far more aesthetically pleasing and action-packed sports about.
What truly sets football apart is the intense love and hate expressed by the fans. It is the passion with which diehard supporters around the world defend their colours and detest their rivals that counts. Without that, football is just folk chasing leather.
Prior to Monday night’s snorefest between Liverpool and Manchester United, much was made of the great rivalry between the two most celebrated clubs in English football. It is ultimate match-up both on and off the field. A battle of civil pride.
Ryan Giggs, in his capacity as guest pundit on Sky Sports, stressed the importance of quietening the legion of vociferous locals. Anfield, he explained, is like no other ground – it is a cauldron of intensity, intimidation and untold noise.
Surely Jose ‘Shitcoat’ Mourinho was expecting the worst as he strode out to his touchline area. They don’t like him at Anfield and always let him know. Arriving as the manager of Manchester United was no doubt the pretence for a perfect storm.
Except no. Instead the Portuguese marched out unbothered, but for a wall of plastic slabs pointed in his direction. All the ‘locals’ seemed to care about was taking phone snaps of their adversary for keepsakes. It was thoroughly unbecoming.
Fans watching on television who would have killed for a ticket were far from impressed. They joined supporters of other clubs in mocking and bemoaning the actions of very modern fans who no doubt cared more for their fantasy league points.
The only vitriol was from those who couldn’t believe their eyes…
https://twitter.com/ChelseaFansYT/status/788092984831213568
Fucking hell. Mourinho walks right in front of the fans & they get their phones out for a picture. Shout obscenities at him for Christ sake
— Robbo (@IsMiseRobbo) October 17, 2016
https://twitter.com/JackFerrazle10/status/788091288855937024
https://twitter.com/SarcyFringehead/status/788097442399019009
Mourinho comes out, not a single Liverpool fan swearing at him as they are all taking pictures on their phones. #AgainstModernFootball
— Bing (@ChrisBinglehhh) October 17, 2016
Foreign fans getting their phones out taking pictures of Mourinho hahahaha fuck right off
— Luke Bryson (@LukeBrysonnn) October 17, 2016
https://twitter.com/aisherwood88/status/788091430136864769
https://twitter.com/MichaelRegan/status/788091488978731008
https://twitter.com/photosofootball/status/788096162561662976
As much as those Liverpool fans supposedly hate #Mourinho they still have their phones out taking pictures of him
— JB (@JABooth1987) October 17, 2016
As if you'd stand there taking photos of mourinho. Fucking tourists.
— Jay (@jvas1878) October 17, 2016
https://twitter.com/PussyMan_Dan/status/788095728325451776
AHAHAHAHAHHAAH the reds taking photos of Mourinho in awe..if Klopp walked out at Goodison like that he'd get dogs abuse
— Stuey Squires (@StueySquires) October 17, 2016
Liverpool fans taking photos of Mourinho? Modern football that.
— Robin Evans (@robin1302) October 17, 2016
https://twitter.com/FrankieCharlton/status/788091376919539712
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