Nathan Oduwa, Scottish football and ‘disrespect’

Ibrox Noise
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Nathan Oduwa, Scottish football and ‘disrespect’

On the 15th of August Alloa’s Colin Hamilton made a statement following his side’s loss at Recreation Park to Rangers, a statement which has been paraphrased beyond mockery and highlighted the backwards and depressing nature that is Scottish football nowadays. It was in rebuttal to Rangers’ winger Nathan Oduwa’s outrageously brilliant rainbow flick in the dying minutes of the match which humiliated the Alloa defender.

He said:

“He’s come up here and he’s trying to show off, trying to make a name for himself. What can you do? I didn’t even get the chance to speak to him after the game as he just walked off. “However, I’m sure if he tries that against other centre backs and left backs in the league they won’t let him away with it the same way. I felt as if he was trying to take the p***. What was there, a minute to go? Was there really any need for it? I can’t tell any player how to play, it’s his decision. There were so many Rangers fans behind that goal and he was trying to make a name with them by trying a wee trick when his side were 5-1 up.”

Admittedly Hamilton did not explicitly use the word ‘disrespect’ but the headlines did, and they were not inaccurate within the context.

Two weeks later, Bayern’s Douglas Costa did the following at the highest level:

Yes, another rainbow flick, this time in the Bundesliga v Leverkusen. Bayern were cruising 3-0 at the time. Exactly the same circumstances as Rangers’ stroll in Alloa. But rather than being accosted and brutalised in the press for it, Costa was widely praised for his imagination and flair.

Last night Oduwa was quite simply the victim of assault. In the opening 30 seconds, Livingston’s Kieron Gibbons could have easily ended his career with a disgusting lunging ‘tackle’ which bent Oduwa’s ankle. It won a foul. Nothing else – not a card, and certainly not a red. Despite Andrew Dallas’ perfect view of it.

The young English winger found this to be the recurring theme and when Livie’s Portuguese enforcer da Encarnação Pires Faria forearm smashed his Adam’s apple, it did appear though the visitors were intent on landing Oduwa in hospital.

That referee Dallas (a pathetic and weak version of his father) chose not to brandish yellow cards till late on, and refused to be strong enough to send off the barbarians highlighted the dungeons that are Scottish football and the embarrassing nature of our domestic game.

Manager Mark Warburton looked clearly incensed without completely losing the plot – and rightly subbed Oduwa off at half time to preserve the length of his career.

Frustrate Rangers – I get that. Be physical – also acceptable. But for Livingston boss Mark Burchill to outright instruct his players to essentially be assailants and not athletes is beyond comprehension.

That Oduwa can still play football after the treatment he received is a miracle in itself – he was far from the only victim – the bright Barrie McKay (Man of the Match) also suffered some brutal attacks, but it was Oduwa’s slaughtering which was the most depressing.

Scottish football has become an absolute cesspit, a depressing pit of hate – never summed up more than by how Rangers players were treated last night. It is almost en-vogue.

Maybe German football should start disrespecting each other too?

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12 COMMENTS

  1. Hope the referee gets sacked and the league take action – disgusting – BUT when your crap at football I suppose its all you can do eh!!!!!!

  2. I would imagine livis manager had been telling his players all week to stop Rangers playing football using any means necessary. The hospital tackle on oduwa was deliberate in my opinion, injure him and the threat is gone, it was a leg breaking tackle. professional footballers will know if they do that in the first minute they are unlikely to be punished by a weak referee. It was a straight red card all day long. I hear another scottish player has been tweeting that oduwa can expect the same treatment when he meets them. Personally i would see what this player has said as a threat of violence and will watch what the media say about this matter. I dont know about the Scottish football association but I would imagine they should be taking some action and it will be a massive disappointment to me if they dont.

  3. Cowardly arseholes backed up by an equally cowardly and pathetic referee. Anyone who loves the game should go home with a smile on their face after seeing such things as 'rainbow flicks' on the field of play. Gibbons and Faria went out to do as much damage to Oduwa as they could, simply because they couldn't possibly compete on footballing terms. And as for Burchill's comments afterwards – well, the man's just a twat.

  4. I couldnt believe what I was watching last night and thought Oduwa very lucky to have escaped a broken ankle in the opening tackle, as for the fore-arm smash, I hope this guy is sited, brought to book and banned for a long time, that was an out and out assault.

  5. the SFA have to retrospectivly issue a ban?warning call it what you like otherwise they will just look like the Arseholes they are, I was stunned that the ref didnt do more, it was a shite game & i was glad when it was over, not as much as ODU was though i bet, As for that portugese prick trying to deck him he should be banned

  8. The hate brigade of Scottish football against all things Rangers, are never going to stop until they see us destroyed…because they simply cant believe that not only are we still here,but we are making giant leaps forward…on the park Rangers are playing good,honest and exciting football…off the park,behind the scenes Rangers are making a great job of rebuilding the whole infrastructure of the club…last nights fiasco is the latest effort to discredit the club,by getting our players and management to overreact to blatant and careless assaults on our team…Then it wouldn't take much effort to imagine the press headlines…Mr. Warburton is to be commended for his composure for the post match comments,and the guys on the pitch for there restraint…The SFA need to do something about this situation getting out of hand again…but i fear that will not happen because the rot is in that organization and is a lot more insidious than we can imagine

  9. Said it a million times our only hope is somehow to get away from all the bitter filthy jealous thugs that tried to kill our club and are still hellbent on doing so

  11. What's happening here is people of a certain upbringing can't stand that we are not to far away from being the the Glasgow Rangers of old and with all things being positive coming from our great club which these people really really wished we would cease to exist cannot stomach the fact we are back and will soon be building on our world record title wins, wether it be on a pitch,in the street,in the media these people are out there and they just can't stomach the fact that we will never die and that all down to every single supporter who has backed our club through these very tough and challenging few season. We are the people!!

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