MANCHESTER UNITED, ARRGH!

I watched the match that Manchester United played and lost against Swansea.

I too was looking forward to this match, as it was the first under new manager, Louis Van Gaal.

IT WAS DISAPPOINTING!

I have to admit, I felt that former manager, David Moyles had been treated badly and should have been allowed to be the Gaffer for the Red Devils for at least two years, as anyone taking the job after Sir Alex, a strong man who held the job for 26 years, would have a struggle to maintain that type of success.

But a player with both experience and maturity is needed to be the captain – that player is Robin van Persie – not the popular choice, of Wayne Rooney.

Leadership is not about looking the part while shouting insults to people, which is all I got from Mr Rooney in the above match.

Being a captain isn’t about throwing your weight about the place, being a bully or being rude to teammates in person or behind their back – former skipper Roy Keane is a clear example of that one, as the only achievement he made was to nearly destroy this football club.

If Mr Rooney was shouting words of advice, encouragement and inspiration, I would respect him but you don’t need to be a lip-reader to know those weren’t the words that were coming from his mouth!

Such behaviour doesn’t work in any work setting and too many owners or company directors have learned this the hard way, which is why one such owner of a once thriving radio station I worked at, who was warned of her behaviour but refused to change, is now having to make ends meet by flipping burgers at a fast food outlet.

Please don’t get me wrong. I have always admired Wayne Rooney as a player. The excitement and thrill he brings to a match is electrifying, even when he was a player for Everton FC.

But as captain of Manchester United? I have my reservations, as it’s well known that this man also threatens to walk every time he doesn’t get his way.

At a time when players are no longer showing consistency at a club; sadly I think the days of a club having a Ryan Giggs or Paul Scholes in their team is a thing of the past, you don’t appoint a captain who seems to throw a strop when things go wrong.

On that day, the behaviour of Mr Rooney left me horrified. When Steve Bruce and Bryan Robson were captains of this great club, they brought honour, respect and decency to the game – I sadly can't say the same about Wayne.

Because I don’t support this team, I won’t go any further in saying what I think it needs to strengthen but at this rate, you might as well hand the title over to Chelsea or Manchester City.

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May I also say I wish the very best for Sheryl, who used to be a support worker at the now defunct Brent Association of Disabled People (BADP).

It's ironic that after being a support worker for Ms Jyoti Patel and Mr Tom Reid, (Ms Patel has Multiple Screlosis, MS for short and Mr Reid was blind)that Cheryl finds out that she is now a member of the MS club.

Cheryl, I know how hard it is to be signed off work but it has to be done - like me, this woman has worked since the age of 15 years as we both delivered local newspapers on the streets we lived on.

I do wish you all the best in life Sheryl and hope you are coping well, since you're diagnosis.

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Light and Peace

Andria - I do still like to watch a good footie match!

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