Bradford and Swansea. Footballâs good guys 25 JANUARY 2013 BY STEVEN FOWLER After this weekâs semi- final matches I think itâs fair to say weâve pretty much seen it all. The good, the bad, the ugly and as a result a lot of positives are going to be lost in the murky mire of âthat ball boy incident.â The problem with this is that there are actually some inspirational things to take from this week, things that the media spotlight hovered upon before seeking out the ugly, unsavoury moments that tend to take up the column inches, moments that act as an anchor for the already floundering reputation of the beautiful game. People talk about overpaid superstars, the primadonnas and the thugs, where they should be talking about the heroes of Swansea and Bradford that overcame odds, clambered over the stacked wallets of footballâs elite and reached a summit on the brink of something monumental for either of the clubs. Iâm not suggesting, by the way, that Swansea is a poor team by any stretch of the imagination. The premier league status of the club can guarantee a number of riches, but in comparison to Chelsea, they are very much a step below in terms of bank balance. Instead they were able to rely upon the more valued of commodities in our game, strength of character, belief and a respect for both the competition and their opposition, something that appeared to be lacking in Chelseaâs performance. Defensive performances such as that of Williams at the heart of Swanseaâs defence are to be revered, the collective effort of the team and the determination to bring Swansea their first major cup final show qualities that can transcend football and these should take the headlines in the papers. Yes we have some awful role models in the game and footballers may not be able to hold their own in a Rugby Union game but does that mean that the sport itself is as poisoned as some would suggest? Incidents involving top level players both on and off the pitch may grab all the headlines, but in reality this is minuscule proportion of players in one of the most highly participated sports in the world. As you move through the leagues and out of the football league you see some incredible role models and itâs about time we shone the spotlight on these. For a brief moment we did⦠The heroes of West Yorkshire, Bradford City, so long in the shadow of Leeds rose to the occasion on Tuesday night. With a first eleven that cost £7000 to compile they overcame an ever present in the Premier League. This is after overcoming both Wigan and Arsenal prior to this and still maintaining a high level of football performance and credibility, rather than âkicking them off the parkâ as some people may have predicted. Particularly in the first leg at Valley Parade, there were examples of free flowing, attacking football from Bradford and coupled with the dogged determination showed at Villa park it shows a team that can perform at both ends of the field. Letâs forget Eden Hazard this week and talk about Hanson. An old fashioned number nine, playing in a lonely role up front winning every header and making me wonder why we donât see more of this type of player. He took a major pay cut of £250 a week to continue playing for Bradford instead of his job outside of football, showing itâs a love for the sport that keeps him going and not the money. He got a reward greater to him, I imagine, than any financial gain in heading that goal to seal it. So forget the ballboy, forget Hazard and what it might mean to Benitez. Forget Aston Villa and any problems this might cause, itâs unfair to highlight these mistakes. Letâs focus on the Williamsâ and the Hansons of this world and show everybody that the game is not as tarnished as they like to think.
Don't forget Luton and Leeds. The wonders of the Cup, everything to play for by the underdog and every thing to be underestimated by the big dog until they realise they are going to lose and all too late bringing on your Gerrard's and like. A will to win is the factor in these matches. BR said he was let down by his youngsters, that's really not going to endear himself to them and anyway they were beaten fair and square by a team that went after them and played some decent football too. Smith must have caught the eye of some potential buyers which, in a game like this, is a showcase for younger lower league players so well done to him. In the case of Swansea-Chelsea, well Swansea out Chelsead Chelsea. lets be fair, how did they win the European Cup? Resolute defense, attack when you can and an resolve to win, and we did the same on them for all their Millions and Demba Ba on from the start. The lesson to be learned. Do not underestimate Bradford. Make no mistake they will be up for the game. Underdogs, my arse. Dogs are never more dangerous than when they are cornered and then they bite, we saw that today. Well done Oldham, Bradford, Luton, Leeds and especially that Jack dog Swansea.
That was what Football is about, the Bantams v the Swans @ Wemberley! There to enjoy the day and let the World to see why it's still the Beautiful Game. But I'm not paying Wemberley prices for food and drink I'm a tight Yorkshireman. C.T.I.D.
