When Frank Lampard was being introduced as the next Manchester City sub to enter the fray against his old side Chelsea last weekend, I turned to the person I was watching the game with and said ‘Poor Frank, he’s going to score here!’

As both sets of supporters welcomed the former English international midfielder onto the park, I just sensed he would come back to haunt his former employers. I also knew that if he were to score then he wouldn’t celebrate the strike.

Obviously it turned out I was right on both counts, he scored and didn’t celebrate the occasion.

The lack of celebration caused quite a few to get upset and angry on social media. It always happens. Although I didn’t notice any Man City fan moan or complain.

‘He now plays for City’, ‘he’s disrespecting the fans’, ‘they pay him now’ and ‘Chelsea dumped him!’. 

Just some of the statements I read.

Now for me, Lampard was right not to celebrate. Firstly because it’s his choice. We live in a society that believes in a freedom of choice, so surely we should congratulate a person who sticks to his morals.

The respect issue is a funny one. He clearly respects the City fans. He praised them during his post-match speech to the TV cameras. Plus would it not be more disrespectful for him to celebrate in front of Chelsea fans and ex teammates who he played with, for the last thirteen seasons?

This isn’t any ordinary player playing against one of his many former teams. He spent over a decade at Stamford Bridge, winning league titles, cups and a Champions League! Lampard is also Chelsea’s all time leading goalscorer. His name will forever be linked with that particular football club, it’s a simple as that. Those ties will be strong forever. He respects those fans and they respect him. He knows that his goal would have hurt them, but not nearly as much as it would had he rubbed it in their faces and celebrated it too.

Plus he isn’t really a Manchester City player. He is on loan to the English Premier League champions while he waits to begin his new start in America that will start in 2015.

What Man City’s owners pay him to do is play football. Frank Lampard is the ultimate professional. When the ball came to him, he did what he had to do as a footballer and scored for his team.

Lets face it goals are all that matter in this scenario. You don’t get any extra points for a good celebration! Oh and the fans and the rest of the City players did enough celebrating to make up for his muted response.

We all moan at footballers for not respecting other teams, fans, referees and the like. Yet when players do show commitment and respect we still have a go at them! They can’t win. Can’t we just let them be their own individuals and respect them for scoring important goals!

 

 

Posted on September 23rd, 2014 by scott
Filed under: Article