Football has long been perceived a sport for the working classes - a theory that must be dispelled. For now it is a sport, if indeed it ever wasn't, that encompasses the majority of the population, from the intellectual genius of Stephen Fry to Essex reality television personality, Mark Wright. Inevitably crowds at football and rugby matches will differ, yet both appeal to the varied millions.
What must be considered though is the distinct underclass that is slowly developing within Football's elite. Yesterday I wrote about the obnoxious Joey Barton and how he is a disgrace to the sport, today I wish to moot about two newly crowned Premier League champions. Samir Nasri and Carlos Tevez are both, to put it simply, mercenaries. Solely driven by money, both have migrated to club's wishing to dispense with hundreds of thousands for them to ply their trade. For Tevez it was from West Ham to Manchester United and then across the city to the blue half. Nasri managed to wangle a move away from Arsenal under the guise of "wanting to win silverware"; he ended up at City with fellow mercenary, Tevez. Little surprise was it that both individuals followed the oil money of the richest club in the world. However, we can forgive both for wanting more money; it is the natural instinct of most to seek promotion and a higher salary. What is unacceptable is the way in which both have belittled their former clubs in the days following City's first Premier League crown for forty-four years.
On City's open-top bus parade around the City Tevez took it upon himself to further extenuate his "bad boy" image (following his golf course histrionics in Argentina) by branding a sign saying "RIP Fergie". The epitome of disrespect to the best manager in the World. How Tevez could think that it was acceptable to brandish such a banner is beyond me, and then to dare suggest he was unaware of what he was holding, a tool if ever I saw one. For all Tevez's qualities the Premier League would be a happier place without him and his portly body, maybe he can find employment in the golfing world.
Samir Nasri is a slightly different proposition to messers Tevez and Barton - he isn't your stereotypical football "bad boy", nor does he claim to be misunderstood, thank goodness. As already said, one can forgive his desire for riches; however his rant at former employers, Arsenal, today was disgraceful. The full interview can be found here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-city/9266576/Samir-Nasri-mocks-Arsenals-third-place-finish-following-Manchester-Citys-Premier-League-title.html)
One final word on Joey Barton, his Twitter feed states that he is basking in the Portuguese sunshine, do us a favour, Joey, stay there.