Source: Daily_Mail
Alan Fraser: The Review Sorry, Greenie, this is football’s tamest debate
Derek from Bolton wanted Gary Megson sacked and something like the deification ofTony Pulis seemed to be what John from Crewe or it might have been John Carew was suggesting.[LNB]Andrew from Brentford, who thought Barcelona's Eric Abidal was rightly sent off forhis non-existent foul on Nicolas Anelka, was shown the radio phone-in equivalent of the red card.[LNB]'You are talking nonsense,' Alan Green told Andrew. 'Thanks very much. Goodbye.'The things you have to do to find material for a column. I had made it a lifetime aim just behind never again hiding in a hedge outside the house of Eric Cantona's mother in France that I would never listen to 606, 'football's biggest debate' according to a BBC 5 Live trailer.[LNB][LNB] Talking point: John Terry protests to Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo[LNB]'Your views, your platform, your programme,' a voice declared. Not mine, mate.[LNB]But there I was spending Saturday evening listening to Greenie andsidekick Izzy when I could have been watching thrice marriedUlrika-ka-kaka on All Star Mr & Mr & Mr and Mrs.[LNB]Chelsea's controversial defeat by Barcelona was still whipping upthe air waves. Terry, who had attended the match, had been so angrythat he immediately started dialling. All he heard was the engagedtone. 'I could not get through to Tim Lovejoy,' he said, referring tothe presenter of the Wednesday version of the audience participationprogramme. 'I was livid so I thought I would wait for Alan onSaturday.' Terry got through. 'I felt cheated,' he told Green. [LNB]'I left Stamford Bridge feeling cheated,' Green replied.[LNB]I knew what they meant. I, too, was beginning to feel cheated. Where was all the verbalsparring? Where was all the abuse? Where was the disagreement? Wherewere the demented, the sad and lonely, the tipsy, Mr Angry and MrsDisappointed? Where did all the one-eyed Manchester United fans andred-faced Liverpool supporters go? This was not what had been expected.[LNB] Death threats referee won't be forced out after battle of Stamford Bridge Don't hammer my Drogba: Guus Hiddink in plea for UEFA to go easy on Chelsea strikerChelsea flop Andriy Shevchenko handed £7m to stay away from Stamford Bridge[LNB]Instead, callers came up with demands for Pulis to be manager of theyear, praise for Cardiff City manager David Jones, eulogies aboutfantastic Stoke City, condemnation of a dodgy Norwegian referee and thesuggestion that John Carew or it might have been John from Crewe should stick to the middle instead of playing wide right.[LNB]The listeners named it and, with the exception of Brentford's Andrew, Green concurred. This was football's tamest debate.[LNB]Suddenly, along came a most articulate, coherently structured andwell-argued contribution from Michael in London on the demonisation ofDidier Drogba and a national predisposition towards disliking Chelsea.[LNB]The defence of Drogba was bound to get Greenie spitting into his lipmike. But what did Mr Opinionated reply? What brilliant put-down did heemploy to make the caller feel small and insignificant?[LNB]'OK,' Green countered. And something about having given Michael afair platform. But not one word more. It was almost as if Green hadstepped back from a 50-50 tackle.[LNB]'I'm bouncin', I am,' Phil, a Stoke City supporter, declared from the M62. Green hoped he was not driving.[LNB]'No, not really,' Phil replied mysteriously Not really? Now, where was that hedge?[LNB][LNB] [LNB]
