Fitba Hell

Writing elsewhere about five years ago, I predicted that the pressures of football’s bid for world domination could lead to a scenario where Manchester United were put under pressure to move lock, stock and barrel to London. We’re not quite at that stage yet, but the bizarre notion of a 39th game in the English Premier League shows the same deep reservoir of contempt for the sport’s tradition and integrity.

I admit to a little schadenfreude as supporters of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United wring their hands about the implications for their clubs’ future. They may revel in the skills of Adebayor, Torres and Ronaldo while Darren Mackie is testing my forebearance yet again, but at least when I go to Pittodrie I’m putting my money towards a football club – not a global marketing strategy.

There are three ways to deal with abuse from opposition fans: most players ignore it, a few stoke it up, but it’s only a tiny minority who confront it head on with good grace and humility.

Luca Toni is one such exception. At one point in last night’s Aberdeen-Bayern Munich UEFA Cup tie, a small object I couldn’t identify – although its erratic trajectory suggested it wasn’t a coin – flew past Toni from somewhere in the South Stand. Toni turned round, turned his palms upwards, cocked his head and furrowed his brow in disapproval. To which he was roundly jeered, and responded with the predictable cupping of the ear as he jogged back to the half-way line.

A short while later Toni fluffed a chance at the near post and the South Stand erupted in derisive laughter. In similar scenarios I’ve seen many a player respond with an ugly scowl, muttered profanities and a sly but obscene gesture. Toni, though, smiled good-naturedly, put out his hand straight out to the South Stand and made it waver up and down, left and right: “Not very good, am I?” he was asking with surprising irony and self-deprecation.

Toni’s response immediately defused the situation of any hostility. There were a few more smiles to come the way of the South Stand from the Italian striker, and any ribbing he got for the rest of the game was distinctly lacking in venom.

Compare the CIS Cup semi-final last week, when Dundee United keeper Lukasz Zaluska, for a full minute or so, celebrated a goal for his team by continually turning round to the Aberdeen supporters behind him, pumping a fist under his arm and hurling unintelligible abuse their way. I’d never seen a professional player respond in this way before – split-second outbursts, yes, but never have I a player carry on so aggressively for so long after the dust should have settled. (Incidentally, this in no way condones the morons who responded by flinging cups, coins and chocolate bars at him, but I saw nothing thrown his way before his bizarre and inflammatory outburst – contrary to some media reports).

Zaluska showed himself up as a low-life but I have new found respect for Toni, a man I’d dismissed as a diving prima donna at Hampden last November.