Heroes and Villains

Wayne Rooney's red card was to be expected. I am not sure if he should have played or whether the blame lies in the sensationalization by the media of his father's arrest. I bet the Montenegro players spent the game calling his dad a jail bird.


So, it got me thinking about soccer's heroes and villains. My opinion of them, of course. So maybe this will get you thinking about the players you love or hate. The blog is being read in 52 countries now - we welcomed Malaysia, Kuwait (hi rick!) and Japan. Regulars include the US, UK, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Netherlands, India, Russia, Australia and France. It is quite simply a miracle that we share the love of soccer. I wonder who the villains are in Russia, India or the Reunion Islands?


OK - here's the format. Two players per round. Villain - Hero


Round 1
Wayne Rooney - yes. The golden boy of English soccer. He's the face we see when FIFA pump World Cup montage through our TVs. He is the face of English soccer. A good player? Of course - mercurial, for Manchester United mostly and only this season. If it wasn't for his soccer talent I'm sure he'd be outside the 'Puss in Boot's in Macclesfield involved in a punch-up. Villain.




Theo Walcott - with wings, literally as he blasts down the right wing. The golden boy of Arsenal and now has Jack Wilshire to speak English with at the Emirates. He is the shiny new coin of soccer but this is what scares me - there are a bunch of really good players around the age of 27/28 who are being bi-passed as we go in search of the next 'group' of talent. Theo is a good boy - but does have a tattoo - so girls may still find him sexy in that bad-boy way.

Round 2
John Terry - booo. He may have played at the West Ham Academy but I like to think we Hammers fans turn a blind eye to the fact. Good player? Yes. Thug? For sure - both in the night clubs and his bedroom (depending on who is there with him). If Terry was in a Xmas Pantomime he would be the Villain with a patch on his eye, mostly because he got pissed the night before and ended up with 5 stitches above his eye. Wayne Bridge clearly took John off the Xmas card list.


Scott Parker. I know, he does play for Spurs, but he supports them so in a strange way (as a Hammers supporter) I have tremendous respect for a man who does a spectacular job week in week out for one of Tottenham's rivals. Parker is a hero both on and off the field. On the field he is a constant worker always making those tackles which count, then turning defense into attack and never giving the ball away. Spurs have dramatically improved since his arrival and the Hammers have gone off the boil since his departure. I remember walking past Avram Grant's office on practice day at Chadwell Heath. He was talking to Parker and the rest were outside. Parker walked out and ran past me to the training ground. Grant stayed put. I knew who was motivating that team.


Round 3


Vinnie Jones. Now a somewhat famous actor (Snatch / Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels). He was the bad boy of the Wimbledon 'crazy gang' and was infamous for a number of pranks that most players would have run home to mummy and cried about. The picture below says it all.

Paul Gascoigne. See above. If Shakespeare could write a modern day tragedy it would be about a charismatic man called Paul de Gascoigne, who despite his flamboyant and gregarious nature squandered his fortune only to live his life out as a poor merchant selling dreams. Gascoigne is one of my heros. He was simply a wonderful player and funny with it. True story - a number of years ago a friend met him in California. He was dating a friend of her sister and it was arranged they would all have dinner together. Gascoigne arrived drunk. He 's antics are on video for me to keep. He got very sad about his son after seeing a picture of my Henry. He then proceeded to talk to the camera (knowing I was a big fan) and tell me his date was 'ugly' and that it was a full moon - to which end he turned and dropped his pants to the camera. I showed my family that Xmas. It didn't go down well. I still have the signed picture to me and the signed picture to Henry. I love Gazza.


Round 4
Chris Waddle. I'm sorry, but the penalty he missed v Germany in 1990 sticks in my throat. Sorry Chris - I know Ben Illingworth and you went to school together. It might have been the mullet haircut - he was a success story coming late into the game. Those tight shorts and the step over were mesmerizing. Oh well, I am not sure that move is as convincing with a nice buzz cut.





Gary Lineker. OK - the man is practically St Peter. He scored goals against Poland with a broken arm. He scored goals against Germany in World Cup Semi-Finals. The man was magic. I once watched England v Hungary from behind the goal at the old Wembley. Terrible seats - couldn't see a thing apart from Lineker make those lateral runs all night. 










Round 5. David Beckham. He is the yin and yang of soccer. Hero to villain to hero to God status. Let the pictures tell the story....

More? Maybe not tonight. Trevor Brooking was always a hero of mine. I was just a little too young to tune into Bobby Moore, but he is to all Hammers fans the very epitome of honor and class. My friend Paul Heffer has the same qualities. He was denied the chance to play a full career but has been continually responsible for a long line of talented players.