Man United vs Liverpool: Schmeichel and Fowler on why football has lost its character

A crunching tackle from Roy Keane. Vinnie Jones in your face. Patrick Vieira standing over you with his imposing figure. Gary Neville throwing a slide before asking the crowd to sing louder. The Crazy Gang. Arsenal’s thugs. Liverpool’s God. Joey Barton asking someone to shut up on Twitter. John Arne Riise scoring a freekick and pulling his shirt over his face.

It’s all gone, hasn’t it?

And it’s replaced by Sergio Busquets peeping at the ref before feigning injury in a Champions League semifinal, by Luis Suarez biting someone and holding his teeth as if he was hurt, by small nudges at goalkeepers which draw fouls and with suspensions for footballers who get back at you on Twitter.

“That is today’s society for you,” says Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel — his veins popping out of his arms — his calves still as swollen as his playing days. Even at the age of 51, he looks fit — and ready to take you on. He admits later, that it was the physical challenge of English football that motivated him.

“It’s proper serious now, football. In our days it was too, but I think you should be allowed to be a little light hearted. I thought Twitter could be used as a platform where footballers could right whatever wrong was written about them. But someone has a go at you and you have a go back at them and you’re deemed unprofessional because you’re a role model. It’s wrong because players should be allowed an opinion if they’re getting stick. You’re not allowed to be yourself,” agrees Liverpool’s God, Robbie Fowler — still in his World Cup pundit zone — clad in blue on the eve of Manchester United vs Liverpool.

Schmeichel, who has played 313 times for United and was part of the treble-winning team of 1999, says that it’s not the football player’s fault that the game has lost it’s old magic: “It has nothing to do with the players. It has a lot to do with football politics and those who’re making the rules. I disagree with the way football is going. I think it’s wrong to take the physicality out of football. It’s wrong to take tackling out of football because it’s a big part of English tradition and I think the game suffers because of that. When you bring up players who apply today’s rules you remove physicality and add play acting,” he told Firstpost.

The fiery character adds: “I’m sure defenders also like to block and tackle and midfielders like to have rivalries in the Keane-Vieira mould. It was something you could build your game around. That’s all gone now.”

In fact, it’s surprising how much football has changed in the last 15 years. Referees are blamed to be too soft, FIFA is covering up its own mistakes, players are sent off for nudges and let go for a studs-up challenge — and every player is a role model who ‘inspires’ a generation — losing his own character in the process.

Mario Balotelli has been charged for a racist tweet which many say was anti-racist — prompting Eurosport’s Italy managing editor Luca Stacul to write ‘Balotelli a racist? Then football is a golden bucket of vomit.’

“In our days, those things were said on the field and in the press and that created big personalities. The best example I can give is Vinnie Jones. For that kind of personality, there wouldn’t be any room for that in football today. Football doesn’t have the time or the patience to develop players with character. That human element is gone. I think that’s a shame,” Schmeichel said.

For Fowler, players are only partially responsible for this phenomenon. The former striker, who scored 144 goals for Liverpool in 310 appearances — believes that it is also the responsibility of players to help referees and rule-makers to eradicate unnecessary elements from the game.

“You speak about too much respect between players but Lazar Markovic was sent off the other day – his hand did hit the player’s face but the way he went down for me was shocking. So the players also need to help the referees and governing bodies (in making the game smoother,”

As a forward, he’s not too pleased with the protection keepers have these days: “Keepers get so much protection these days — a little nudge during a set-piece or inside the box and it’s a foul. I don’t think it’s good for the game. I don’t agree with it but it is the way it is.”

Fowler and Schmeichel also agree on not over-analysing oneself before a game like United vs Liverpool. In fact, Schmeichel says that even Sir Alex Ferguson would do no more than give a little bit of extra post-match advice in the game before the clash against traditional rivals.

“You stop over-analysing because that can have an adverse effect. Nothing, including sleeping patterns, would alter. You’d prepare for it like any other game,” Fowler explains.

While Schmeichel may have moved on — he played for Manchester City in the yesteryears of his career — the Liverpool fan inside Fowler still makes him believe in the power of a clash like the one on Sunday.

“United will think they’re more confident with five wins in a row – but for Liverpool, a good result will return confidence to the club. This is a game which could ignite their season.”

The writer tweets @TheFalseNo9