Last night we unashamedly slaughtered James Tavernier for his self-preservation, in making a statement which stated how rotten the team was and how he prayed Steven Gerrard would not walk away.
We’re sure you’ve read the quotes, and we have to say the majority of responses we got to our (brief) piece on it were in agreement.
Unfortunately, we’re very surprised by Jermain Defoe, doing pretty much the same thing today.
To be clear – no player, yet, has actually outright apologised for the cup exit, but what we have had is a disturbing clique response instead.
To paraphrase both players:
‘we’ve been terrible lately, but Stevie is the man to turn around and we hope he doesn’t leave’
Not an ounce of apology to the supporters, not an ounce of defiance and attempt to convince the fans this will not last, but instead pure capitulation and hoping the manager doesn’t quit.
Defoe:
“We let the manager down, if you like. I just think it is important, as a group, that we just stick together. It is easy when you win and everyone is together and buzzing about. I think it is important we stick together as a group no matter what happens. That is all you can do at this moment in time. Obviously, there are times like Wednesday night when you look at the team and think: ‘That’s a top team and a strong squad’. Then we come here and sort of let ourselves down.”
Let ourselves down, let the manager down.
Not the fans, not the lifeblood of the club, but yourselves.
What an utterly self-centred cliquey attitude from both men, and we certainly expected infinitely better from a classy gentleman like Defoe.
The club response to Saturday has been some of the worst we can remember. Gerrard acting like the captain upset with his team mates, even if we agree with most of what he said, (although he did thank the supporters and apologised to them, which is appreciated at least) Tavernier trying to save his own hide and captaincy while defending his manager, and Defoe now joining in the clan by failing to apologise to the supporters either.
Only one man at Ibrox has said sorry, or admitted the supporters deserved better. It’s mostly me me me and us us us.
Barely a thing about the fans.
The current setup at Ibrox is turning into a self-centred self-preservation society, obsessed with backing the manager only, feeling sorry for themselves, and barely touching on the fans or what this club is really about, which isn’t good for the club’s interests.
Deeply disturbing.