XI at 11: Players who deserve to be booed
by Ben Blackmore, 13 October 2008
Let's be honest, when your wife is a national treasure you only have to make her a poorly-fashioned cup of tea for the nation to thrust its wrath upon you. Ashley Cole knows that, but which other players are considered worthy of a good booing?
We've seen some stonkers down the years when it comes to footballers, from personal experience we can recall Shefki Kuqi being booed after just four minutes when playing for Sheffield Wednesday.
Sometimes, like Saturday, the boos aren't totally about the football. So we're asking you, which of the current crop of footballers DESERVE to be booed?
Send us your suggestions using the feedback form below.
1. Lee Bowyer - nominated by Setanta
To put it nicely, Bowyer is 'a bit of a hot head' on the football field. With red cards and shocking challenges the legacy of his career, you could probably find at least a handful of footballers who wouldn't mind going a couple of rounds with the former Leeds midfielder. Kieron Dyer did just that on one magnificent day at St James Park, and we believe he should be receiving his knighthood any day now.
2. El-Hadji Diouf – nominated by Naughty Barnet
Universally hated, El-Hadji Diouf seems to be the type of guy who could pick a fight in a padded isolation booth. The Senegalese has spat in the faces of supporters and players alike during his time in England, but his most unforgivable moment was surely the spotted cow costume that he once took to the streets of Merseyside in.
3. Joey Barton – nominated by Man with no name
Seemingly an intelligent footballer when interviewed off the pitch, Barton's actions undeniably warrant any abuse that comes his way. Ousmane Dabo can testify to that, as can any bloke who seems to cross Barton in the street. On the pitch, the Newcastle man isn’t shy of delivering the odd leg-breaker, and just when you think it can’t get much worse, he shows you his rear end. How ironic that most people think he is exactly that.
4. Robbie Savage – nominated Fergus Alexson
For anybody who has watched this man live, you know how annoying Robbie Savage can be. Walking around with that smile that says he loves to wind people up, there are few players who we love to see sent off as much as Savage. And as for that reaction when he dived to win a penalty at Derby…
5. Didier Drogba – nominated by Jonny
Drogba doesn’t want to be here, and I think it’s fair to say the majority of the country feels mutually. To be fair to the towering Ivorian though, he does have to withstand that gale-force wind that every-so-often knocks him to the deck.
6. Dida – nominated by Laurie
The guy’s 6ft 5, but not in the Chris Kirkland style of 6ft 5, more the David Haye kind of build. Hence, when he goes down clutching his face and asking for a stretcher off the pitch, you expect it to take a heck of a lot more than a tickle of the chin by a jubilant Celtic fan.
7. Emmanuel Pogatetz – ShaneMUFC4LIFE
There are plenty of players who produce leg-breaking tackles, but few protest their innocence as much as “Mad Dog”. Although a shocking challenge, Martin Taylor showed clear remorse for what he did to Eduardo. Pogatetz did pretty much the opposite when he cut Rafael Possebon in half recently. Me ref?
8. Cristiano Ronaldo – nominated by Mon Hafeez
How lucky the Portuguese was that Manchester United were in poor form when he returned. Spent a whole summer whoring himself to Real Madrid whilst wearing lycra hotpants, yet did not receive one boo because United desperately needed their talisman.
9. Ben Thatcher – nominated by Al-Dublin
What happens when you put a graceful artisan of a footballer like Pedro Mendes up against a short-fused perennial adolescent like Ben Thatcher? The adolescent smashes the artist in the face with a disgraceful elbow that warrants a torrent of abuse in return.
10. Craig Bellamy – nominated by Edwin Ambrose
The West Ham forward is universally disliked for his prickly temperament and tendency to argue with referees and team-mates alike. A word of warning though, if you do have to boo him, don’t do it as he is lining up his drive on the 18th.
11. Rio Ferdinand – nominated by Yernited
Everyone’s favourite TV prankster has long been a figure of fun for opposing fans – not least when he missed a drugs test in 2003 because he was moving house and forgot to meet testers at Carrington. His subsequent delay over signing a new contract at Manchester United saw him targeted by the club’s fans in pre-season.