Monday, November 7, 2011

The Sharp truth

"A touching tribute"
For a sport where it’s players’ are often criticised, the fans’ are heavily castigated and the managers are given P45’s more often than coffee, a rare shining line shone bright this past week.


Doncaster Rovers striker Billy Sharp, who had just undergone the most turbulent week any person could have. For in the space of two days he celebrated the birth of his son Luey, then sadly commiserated and grieved the death of his aforementioned son.

Yet in the midst of grief, dealing with the worst possible feeling any man, parent or person could feel, Sharp donned the red and white striped jersey of Doncaster and skippered the side in their Npower Championship match against Middlesbrough.

Sharp who was “honoured” to captain the side, didn’t stop his remarkable act of bravery at playing, playing wasn’t enough. Fourteen minutes in, an elegant, exquisite volley looped over ‘Boro goalie Jason Steele, nestling in the goal, provoking pandemonium at the Keepmoat Stadium, where Doncaster fans rejoiced, and showed their support for their striker.

Wheeling away, celebrating the audacious finish, the grief-stricken Sharp removed his shirt, revealing a t-shirt where the words “That’s for you Son” lit up the stadium like an oncoming headlight, touching hearts of football fans across the county.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoZG7ftG1kQ

Not only Sharp came away shining in adulation, as referee Darren Deadman took the commonsensical approach to football officiating, a rarity in itself and neglected the rules, not cautioning Sharp.

The story didn’t end there, Sharp who tweeted the goal as “the most important of his career”, continued the form at Portman Road this past Saturday. Scoring Doncaster’s second goal, the entire stadium, Ipswich fans included leapt to their feet and greeted Sharp with a resounding, rapturous applause. A feat seldom seen, yet, like Sharp should be revered.

With Sharp’s attitude and love of football, using it as a tool to heal his pain, it puts into context the arrogance, petulance and sheer ignorance of Carlos Tevez and his refusal to play at Bayern Munich.

Tevez, a man who pockets in excess of 200,000 pounds per week exercised perhaps the biggest crime in football, bar a pink away kit with his antics in Germany. This break of unwritten football conduct has only been exacerbated after we all witnessed the suffering the Sharp’s have endured, and the attitude and love for the game Billy Sharp demonstrated.

Then we see the England team, where the captain’s a racist…allegedly, his centre back partner has a history of drug offences. Three-quarters of the team have adulterous, mischevious pasts, then Ashley Cole who cheats on his wife, treats football clubs with the upmost disrespect, and shoots work experience kids with a gun. These people, these role models, the men children are supposed to admire. A worrying thought.

Although Sharp has hit form and won on the football pitch. It’s not close to what he’s lost off it. Although Sharp can take solace in the way he’s carried himself, the maturity and brave face he’s possessed through this ordeal has been nothing short of heroic. A real role model.

If only they could behave like this the division above.

No comments:

Post a Comment