How the Scottish media used Mohsni to excuse Motherwell

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How the Scottish media used Mohsni to excuse Motherwell

Before I go any further, this
entry is anything but a defence of Bilel Mohsni. Provoked though he was, his
response was completely unacceptable and Rangers are right to have publicly
condemned him.
Unfortunately, this one man’s
actions have been used by the press to completely excuse the absolutely
appalling events at Fir
Park before that
full-time brawl had even taken place.

The press reports focused 90% on
what the Tunisian international did, and borderline justified (or at least
played down) the shocking acts of the home fans.
First we had flaregate. Just like
at Ibrox, Motherwell fans set off flares – this is illegal in Scottish grounds,
yet absolutely no action was taken against the idiots guilty of it. It seemed
dismissed as ‘craic’.
Then we had the despicable attack
on Lee McCulloch by an elderly Motherwell ‘fan’ armed with a flag stick. First,
can anyone tell me what on earth a supporter was doing with an object of that
nature in the crowd? The fact someone was allowed to carry an object like that
is absolutely astounding. But then he had the absolute gall to swing it towards
Lee McCulloch as the skipper tried to retrieve the ball, smacking him in the
face, then did it again on his backside as he approached the ball.
Every non-Rangers fan either
laughed at the act, enjoying the fact McCulloch got a couple of hits, or
pretended the ‘fan’ had only been trying to hit the ball. The fact that he
swung again post-ball retrieval says it all.
The further fact nothing was done
about this says even more.
Then lastly we had the pitch
invasion by the Motherwell ‘supporters’ trying to intimidate Rangers fans, as
you see at the top of this entry. That photo says more than my words can.
Now, for every instance of ‘Motherwell’
so far in this article, switch it for ‘Rangers’.
Can you imagine the sanctions the SPFL and SFA would now be carrying out on
Rangers if the Ibrox Club’s fans had been the ones doing this?
Can you imagine the press reports in the red tops if the Ibrox Club’s fans
had been the ones doing this?
I can – they would have looked
like the ones that focused on Mohsni’s unacceptable behaviour have and painted
Rangers the bad guys in all of this.
Lee Erwin especially has played a
sly, cunning, but cowardly role in it – his ridiculous slam into the back of
Mohsni after the Tunisian had just lost the match and was high on aggressive
adrenaline, regardless of a handshake refusal, was absolutely disgraceful but
went completely without repercussions in the media. He was painted as the
victim, and even got a soapbox in that Scottish media to do so, and condemn
that ‘bad man’ Bilel Mohsni.
Sorry, but Mohsni is a big boy
who can handle himself – Erwin went too far – what did he expect in return, a
kiss? If anyone in this world gets attacked from behind, they have every right
to respond. It is true Mohsni probably went a little further than expected, but
come on! How many times have we seen CCTV footage of a brawl in the street
provoked by some idiot who shoved someone else?
‘Oh but he is a footballer, he
cannot do that’ – he is also a person, who has been attacked – and you are
telling me he cannot respond?
As for the rest of the Motherwell
fans, the response most SPL fans have justified their actions with are is by
highlighting balls of paper the Union Bears threw at Scott Allan.
I do not condone that – I found
those ‘missiles’ unacceptable and rather embarrassing – but there is a BIG
difference between directly slapping a player in the face and back with a pole,
invading the pitch and intimidating Rangers fans and lighting up illegal flares,
compared with annoying a player by throwing screwed-up balls of paper to put
him off his corner.
Can you imagine the press reports
if everything Motherwell fans did had been by Rangers supporters?
Of course you can.

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21 COMMENTS

  1. Seriousy thought that as a footballer Mohsni was quite good, but obviously unhinged, so pity McCall coudn't man manage him effectively. I also think its a joke that Killie want to take barrel 'o lard Boyd. Surely has to be a wind up by the press?

  2. Motherwell should be forced to play all of next season home games with no home support fucking disgraceful.I a rangers fan living in England congratulate the rangers fans present on sunday for not reacting

    • Because they were outnumbered and would have got a kicking. That's why I've seen what their fans are capable of when they supported the old rangers.

  3. If it were Rangers they would have been forced to sacrifice the game by way of punishment. Interesting to see what punishments will be dished out for the red cards. My opinion has always been that whoever started it should get heaviest punishment. We will see. It will be that foreigner who will get worst punishment.

  4. Agree with absolutely everything in this article, the constant scapegoating of Rangers is tiresome, the rules whether legal or ethical mean nothing when it comes to Rangers.

  5. Not sure the fat Motherwell fan really meant to whack Lee but at least big Jig never retaliated. Bilel should have known better but in his defence he was aggressively shoved by a typical wee ned who starts a fight and then greets when he gets thumped back. It was a great left hook by the big man. Sorry it didn't work out for him, I always thought there was a footballer in there somewhere trying to get out. I met him once and he did seem a genuinely nice guy.

  6. The media's treatment of Rangers is becoming a joke now and is simply aggravating the anti-Rangers sentiment that has reached fever pitch in recent years. As Rangers fans we are more embarrassed than some realise about the boardroom shenanigans and some of the performances of the team so all these attempts to kick us while we're down are just a sad representation of the disrespect that exists in the game now. Too often it's a distraction to divert attention from their own club's failings. Celtic talk about sporting integrity when they showed none to Legia Warsaw. Aberdeen call us cheats but forget that a technicality saved them from relegation a few years ago. Simply put, the morons are setting a disappointing example for the future generations of our game and the media are fuelling this hatred, which spilled out on Sunday from brain-dead fans, angry at a season of failure in the top flight.

    Rangers fans should be commended that they didn't react to the shameful behaviour of the Motherwell fans and the SFA must throw the book at them before someone gets hurt. Moshni was out of order but not a surprise. I'm glad that fool will never pull on a Rangers shirt again but sadly Lee Erwin should be treated with a similar tough stance for his petulant shove which ignited the incident, but he won't. This is all part of the hypocrisy that Scottish football is tainted with. Sunday, and the season of bile and smear against Rangers, is part of the reason nobody respects our diddy leagues. Teams are happy without Rangers because they lack ambition and their losing mentality is part of their clubs' culture, so they will never achieve anything. Rangers must be kept down at all cost because playing them again means risking defeat.

    Sunday's defeat was a sad end to a sad chapter in Ranger's history but we move up now. With King's backing and the right manager (Warburton), the season's of under-achievement and poor managerial decisions can be turned around and a winning culture restored to the team.

  7. Most MEN would have reacted the way Moshi did ,especially given the circumstances.
    We however now have a culture which would suggest that Moshni should have thrown himself to the ground when pushed in the back, then rolled about complaining of some sever back injury . Had he done so , what would have been said about Lee Erwin then ?
    As was said -he comes across as simply a thick ned.

  8. I would suggest that Rangers will damage the SPL teams more by not going up. It is a very poor league and I for one, now refuse to watch any Scottish matches with the exception of Rangers games. We really need to build a team capable of going back to the SPL and challenging to win it.
    Had we gone up ,I think it would have been difficult to watch us struggle and get humped by Septic.

  9. Spot on with all you have said, we the supporters, the club, and the name Rangers, put up with all kinds of crap. I'm a great believer in what goes around comes around,i just hope that when the day comes(and it will) that any of these clubs need us, we tell them where to go..

    • Where were you when Hearts needed you ya tatie ???? Oh aye, in League 2 calling for our heads. Clown

  10. Remember the first rule of the Football Media in Scotland….Don't let the facts get in the way of a good story.

  11. Moshni – He got shoved in the back. That does not warrant a kick and jab to the face. Most sensible Rangers fans will agree with that! As do the SFA who have only warned Erwin. No sending off.

    Flagstick – Shouldn't have done it, fair enough. But calm your 'seethe' down mate. 'Object of that nature'…it's a flag…not a metal bar.

    Flare – The flare was thrown from a group of fans who left the main stand just after the second goal went in. Clearly Rangers fans. Saw it with my own eyes…as did the police and stewards.

    Fans on pitch – Idiotic. Agreed.

    Other points to note – Video on youtube of a Rangers fan spittin on a Motherwell section of the crowd after leaving the home section he wasnt meant to be in. Broken seats in the South stand broken by Rangers fans. Sectarian chanting in the toilets/kiosk area within the Main Stand by your Rangers fans.

    • Any supporter will defend there club and theres a good chance they will be bias when they do so. But cmon pal, you cannot deny that erwin started off that whole chain of events. And the motherwell fans are thugs for trying to goad rangers fans onto the pitch for a brawl. Gera have a bigger rivalry with hibs but you didnt see our fans doing that to the leith lot when we kept them in championship. At the end of the day be the bigger men in success and have a wee singsong instead of physically trying to start a fight like a bunch of fannys

  12. I think that the statements above are exactly as I see it. I think it is outrageous that Erwin was only awarded a yellow card. Without his aggression, and that IS what it was there would be no incident involving Mohsni. Thus giving cover to another whitewash of Motherwell's fans inciting a riot. Mohsni was the victim. Pathetic decision by the referee.

  13. "Before I go any further, this entry is anything but a defence of Bilel Mohsni."

    But then…

    "If anyone in this world gets attacked from behind, they have every right to respond." and also
    "…and you are telling me he cannot respond?"

    Well you ARE trying to justify his actions (ie provide a defence), and in answer to your question, "No – you do not have the right to assault someone because they push you first."

    Don't confuse 'self-defence' with 'retaliation'. What Mohsni did was all the latter and none of the former.

  14. You lot are deranged…i couldve sold all the lighters thrown at us on Thursday night at the Barras., so dont give it the poor wee Ranjurs fans…enjoy Alloa again next year #COYW

  15. I would have loved that doughnut that hit big Jig too have hit Mohsni instead. The half witted bastard would still be lying in Wishy General tonight.
    Glasgow Rangers the only show in town.
    It must be cold there in our shadow!

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