West Ham United goalkeeper Robert Green made his feelings about the recent criticism aimed at him by the nation’s press abundantly clear with his defiant gesture towards the press box during West Ham’s victory on Saturday.
Green pulled off a string of magnificent saves to keep a clean sheet at Upton Park and was keen to make a point to the watching media. At the end of the game, Green pretended to make notes with an imaginary pen and paper before firing an “up-yours” to the journalists who savaged him after his error against the United States at the World Cup.
After the game, West Ham manager Avram Grant was quizzed about Green’s reaction and he responded with this statement:
“In football you can perform and then you do not have to say anything.”
“I think Rob’s performance was his best speech. I like emotions in sport. I don’t want to be a cold fish.”
“Rob showed what he can do on the only place a sportsman needs to show – on the pitch. Not in the papers, not in the media, not with excuses.”
The FA have decided not to punish Green for his gesture to the press and I believe that it is a good thing.
Passion and pride are an important part of the game and players should have an opportunity to display it. Players have become somewhat distant from the fans and are given little opportunity to really interact.
The rise of social media and tweeting has gone some way to try and bridge that gap but it is an indirect tool of interaction and is increasingly being regulated by the clubs to curb any controversy that may arise from its use.
Indeed, players are told how to behave in front of the press and are given training by their clubs so that they don’t say anything untoward.
That’s why Robert Green’s reaction on Saturday is so refreshing. He is visibly and physically responding to the criticism heaped upon him. He is doing so publically; not in cyberspace or in the blogosphere but on the pitch where his passion is clear for all to see.
As fans, we like to keep up to date with what our players are up and how our club is doing but that is usually done at a distance through the internet or the newspapers. However, with Green’s gesture, we get to see what a performance really means to a player personally and the emotion that goes along with it and that is what is great about football.
