[RedForceRising]

Lately, I've been thinking about when I started to slate players.
When I first started caring about football as an 8 year-old, everything about football was great. It was pure.

My dad and I went with his best friend and his son to watch SC Freiburg in Germany's 2. Bundesliga. Expectations were not so high and I got a buzz just from being in the stadium.

When I became a Ryan Giggs fan and later an United fan, I still loved everything about football and about United.

Even, if a player was poor or even ****, at least he was our ****.

I would applaud the efforts and defend any player to the hilt.

Somehow all that changed.

I think there are several factors for this:

• As a United fan, I've been spoilt and expectations are sky high
• Arguing with rival fans
• Keeping up with the Joneses - Roman's revolution
• Playing football management games
• Roy Keane's outburst
• Egotistical players

The above are just a few factors that probably have resulted in the way I criticize United players today.

As a united fan, I always think we should be competing and winning honours, when we're not, I don't feel good and look for every reason why success is not happening.

Arguing with rival fans have led to me over-scrutinizing our own players.

Chelsea have set such a high standard with star players having to sit on the bench, making players like Fletcher see inadequate. (and yet Fletcher did a great job against them recently).

Playing games like Football Manager definitely distorts your views and expectations.

Egotistical players like Ronaldo and Nani play to look good and not necessarily for the best interest of their team. Comments from Ronaldo saying he enjoys watching himself on TV showed me what his priorities are.

and finally.....

Keano's outburst.


Although I didn't know his exact words, his public outburst was confirmation from the inside that things weren't right.

Until that point in time, it had been speculation from an outsider's perspective, but to hear Keano question his team mates' ability and attitude showed me that I could trust my instincts when it came to my observations about footballers and their behavior.


Lately though..... I'm getting tired of nit-picking and fault-finding and I'm kind of hoping to get back to enjoying football more.

Sure, discussing football and tactics is a must and I'm not saying I'm not going to criticize, but I think I want to adopt more of the "At least he's our ****" attitude.

Not every player is fabulous, but as long as they're wearing the red for United, I'm going to try my best to love 'em more.

 

[RedForceRising]

Oh yeah ...

I forgot one more factor - THE INTRNET.

Being exposed to so many ppl who like to slate players from the team they support and even the manager has been an influence.

There are some who criticize constructively, but there are others who criticize everything and anything and after a loss, will lay the blame squarely at the feet of individuals when it is so clearly a team sport.

I think I've let the influence me to.

 

[MsUnited]

We all criticize a certain player in a time or another.
It`s just a matter of thinking twice before you start slatin on them, and understand that behind the millions they earn weekly, they are still humans.

 

[RtiD]

Oh yeah ...

I forgot one more factor - THE INTRNET.

Being exposed to so many ppl who like to slate players from the team they support and even the manager has been an influence.

There are some who criticize constructively, but there are others who criticize everything and anything and after a loss, will lay the blame squarely at the feet of individuals when it is so clearly a team sport.

I think I've let the influence me to.

I think this is a very good point there are people who have a go at every little thing a single player would do.

I myself only have a good at a player when i feel it is completely deserved and that isn't very often

 

[-zuco-]

I very rarely slate any players. Some people, even on here, will slate a player every chance they get and they know who they are. I'd rather tell it like it is. If a player plays bad then I'll say it, but I'll never slag off a player just because I don't like them.

 

[Rooneys_Temper]

Great first post,im down with the internetz thing.Peoples varied insights do play a part.I think everyone is entitled to a slating for valid reasons and if they change then people should hold their hands up and realise they ****ed up with a judgement.

 

[VaVa]

It's ok to have a go at players if they have let us down.
But i've seen alot of unfair slating and knocking of players on here.
I'd never even think of doing that.^^

 

[Jazz 16]

I think there are several factors for this:

• As a United fan, I've been spoilt and expectations are sky high
• Arguing with rival fans
• Keeping up with the Joneses - Roman's revolution
• Playing football management games
• Roy Keane's outburst
• Egotistical players

.

Interesting read RFR and nice list, which I agree with.
Its ok to slate a player if its warranted. You can excuse a loss of form
or a bad game here and there as well as the odd mistake.
but unnecessary slagging off is not really on.
Good read....

 

[Cappy]

Sell Ronaldo



Oh wait, that's not this thread.

In all seriousness, I think another thing you forgot to mention is you like to play Devil's advocate to further arguments/discussions as well.

Also, I don't think you slate players that much. People get offended to easily at times by saying a player had a bad game. Hey, it happens, just cause someone says they had a bad game or is in bad form, (or hates them for being named Fletcher), doesn't mean you hate the player. It is actually kind of flattering in that you hold them to a higher standard.

 

[Nemanjaaa]

Yeah Got to agree with the Footy Manager one

I don't think I slage many players off, apart from when they have a really bad game or do something that really costs us. On Matchday threads theres only a few that come on and actually go for example - oh Park was rubbish today what is he doing at United etc. And that really annoys me, just like when a few were slating Foster yesterday.

 

[TheManc]

To be honest, I tend to slate quite a few players when I'm watching a match. Last season I was particularly harsh on Giggs unfortunately.

On te flip side of that all players need to do is a simple nice pass and I rave about them.

Of course its all forgotten after the match though. Emotions get the better of me when we're actually playing.

 

[babysenorita]

I only slate utd players as in going mental and can blow my top off like being disgusted, is when they are in these catergories: ( not in order)


- Diving
- Petulance.
- Foul Mouth
- Give away penalty ( depending the nature of course)
- Too OVERLY selfish ( i have to mention mostly in nani)
- Unfaithful - as in talking about playing elsewhere while still with us and no not only for ronaldo.
- Stupid/silly/unnecessary mistake that led to being red carded.


These are what i cant stand the most and not only will i slate the player but i wont defend them for getting slated as well including Giggsy if found guilty.....On another hand, if its about not playing well, mischances or etc, seldom will i go overboard slating any of them individually. I'll discussed their form and keep telling myself that its just a one off and move on for the next match..

 

[christianoharleiro]

I only slate utd players as in going mental and can blow my top off like being disgusted, is when they are in these catergories: ( not in order)


- Diving
- Petulance.
- Foul Mouth
- Give away penalty ( depending the nature of course)
- Too OVERLY selfish ( i have to mention mostly in nani)
- Unfaithful - as in talking about playing elsewhere while still with us and no not only for ronaldo.
- Stupid/silly/unnecessary mistake that led to being red carded.


These are what i cant stand the most and not only will i slate the player but i wont defend them for getting slated as well including Giggsy if found guilty.....On another hand, if its about not playing well, mischances or etc, seldom will i go overboard slating any of them individually. I'll discussed their form and keep telling myself that its just a one off and move on for the next match..

in one word - immaturity.

 

[Nachito Coronel]

I think every player needs a slating every now and then, like they say constructive criticism has never hurt anyone.

 

[versa]

I think it is mostly just a storm in a teacup but some (minority only) may make it a mountain out of a mole hill, conciously or unconciously.

On one extreme, we have fans slating a particular player because he strongly dislikes him for whatever reason(s) and nothing he does can be right anymore.

On the other, we have fans defending a particular player because he strongly favours him for whatever reason(s) and nothing he does can be wrong anymore.

Thankfully, most of us are somewhere in the middle....

I don't think there is anything too wrong about slating a player nor anything too noble about blindly supporting a player, especially if he has been playing badly for our beloved club for a period. The key is if it is about performance only and nothing personal.

Afterall, we are fans of Manchester United Football Club, not fans of <insert player> Fan Club. Surely United's cause must be more important to us than that of a Rooney, Ronaldo or Berbatov.

 

[Rahul]

Oh yeah ...

I forgot one more factor - THE INTRNET.

Being exposed to so many ppl who like to slate players from the team they support and even the manager has been an influence.

There are some who criticize constructively, but there are others who criticize everything and anything and after a loss, will lay the blame squarely at the feet of individuals when it is so clearly a team sport.

I think I've let the influence me to.

Internet is the biggest factor most of us start critisizing a player.

I completely agree with what you have said in your first post.

First when I started watching football i.e. when I started watching Man Utd I used to love watching them and enjoy football. I used to be really very happy to see us win and score goals. When we used to get defeated by some team I felt bad but for no point in time did I really feel that a certain player was pathetic and he should be out of the club and I don't feel like that now too. It's just that the Internet has made me see fans who criticize the players non stop and some even target a player like few over here who are always after Nani.

I always had and will always have the attitude that even if he isn't that great a player he is our player and no mater how bad he plays he still plays for United and I love him for that.

Somehow I feel football was really simple and easier to enjoy and watch when there was no Internet. It has made everything complicated.

 

[moondog]

Lately though..... I'm getting tired of nit-picking and fault-finding and I'm kind of hoping to get back to enjoying football more.

Sure, discussing football and tactics is a must and I'm not saying I'm not going to criticize, but I think I want to adopt more of the "At least he's our ****" attitude.

No every player is fabulous, but as long as they're wearing the red for United, I'm going to try my best to love 'em more.

Ahem, Darren Fletcher?

Anyway rfr, great post.

I like to think of myself as an objective fan (if that's not a contradiction in terms). There have been times earlier this season when individual performances and overall team attitude were far less than what we have grown to expect - and deserve. I voiced my opinion, and will continue to do so. I don't think that makes me any less of a fan.

Consistent effort is much more important to me than rare/selective moments of brilliance. This is why I have been reluctant to over-praise Berba. These guys are paid extremely well (understatement) to play a game they love - there is absolutely no excuse for lack of effort or negative attitudes.

Its funny, I really study the body language of players on the pitch to judge their attitude and commitment to the team. I look at the reactions of various players after we score (both the goal scorer and his teammates). It is really interesting to note when players are clearly happy that a particular individual has scored, and when they are less so. It's actually pretty consistent. For example, Ronaldo's reactions can be pretty telling...

As for irrationality, I usually find a particular player that never does anything right in my eyes. For some reason, I don't have such a mark on this team....although Scholesy has the inside track. Don't ask me why.