Prefer a clean conscience than a dirty goal

Because of a foul goal had Leeds United also the opponent to score. Why is this so valued?

It was barely two wedstrijdminuten, in the game between Leeds United and Aston Villa, but it was a spectacle in a theater, an evening program would be. Which written …

It was barely two wedstrijdminuten, in the game between Leeds United and Aston Villa, but it was a spectacle in a theater, an evening program would be. In which written and unwritten rules damaging, a result opposite of respect, the heart against the head. With a coach nicknamed ‘The Crazy’ has determined director.

Praise was for the way in which Leeds-coach Marcelo Bielsa in the competition in the Championship, the second English level, the opponent score a goal gift did. He received the compliments of Villa-coach Dean Smith. Also of old-Arsenal-coach Arsène Wenger, himself an expert. Wenger was in 1999-praised when he after an unsportsmanlike, winning goal by Marc Overmars against Sheffield United suggested considering to play again. Bielsa understand the discussion about his gesture: he takes it for granted.

Why is there so much to do, why do we find such a sporting gesture, yet so exceptional?

It was not necessary , that first of all. After all, it is the referee who determines, and who decided that the game should go. Leeds captain Pontus Jansson was also violently disagree with his trainer and tried to get in with a tackle to the free goal to prevent.

In this case, the importance is also high. This was not Rafael Nadal who opponent Stefanos Tsitsipas with a 6-2 and 5-3-lead a service yet again save it because someone from the audience shouted. Not the John van der Brom, who, in 2005, as coach of Jong Ajax to a 3-0-lead, a goal gives Cambuur Leeuwarden, after Jan Vertonghen, the ball accidentally binnenschoot when he wanted to return.

Interest

This competition went somewhere. Leeds made a small chance on direct promotion to the Premier League, but the tie condemned to the play-offs.

But weigh this interest more heavily than respect? In times of social media it is easier than ever dissatisfaction to express, to scold, to threaten. Athletes have to deal with fans that are more powerful than ever. Nothing is as variable as opinions online, just look at how Bielsa in January was still flared when he admitted other teams to spy on.

It Is a goal with a smell it is still worth about a week, two? Go through life as a cheat, as each subsequent success will be accompanied by the memory of a moment of onsportiviteit. Super Bowl-champion New England Patriots, the most successful American football team in the world since 2000, is almost every time reminded of the scandals in which they were involved: ‘Deflategate’, about wedstrijdballen the team, which blank would have let walk, ‘Spygate’, when they sneak other teams were filmed.

Movies of sportsmanship in athletes draw on YouTube millions of clicks. At the end of march there was a youth player of Galatasaray who knowingly makes a penalty next lap, because he mistakenly had been given. “This is what we look for in a real sportsman” is the top comment under the video on the page of ESPN UK. 1.900 duimpjes up. Compilations are accompanied by clickbaittitels as “faith in humanity restored”, the faith in humanity restored. A discreet back-pass as a medicine against tyranny and famine.

Inhumane

It seems sometimes as if we are athletes not people see. They are monomane vakgekken, constantly occupied with their own success, without empathy. Beautiful, we find it as a NBA star his shoes to a young fan, moved we as Cristiano Ronaldo for the contest, a staring boy a pat. Athletes are like politicians; we don’t seem to expect that they are normal human traits.

Wonderful, too, as opponents could appreciate. Mutual respect strengthens a beautiful sportmoment. So is it beautiful as a tennis player Nick Kyrgios just like everyone else on the bank also of a wereldbal of Roger Federer, such as during the US Open of last year.

Because it happens often enough the other way around. Tennis players who have no hand after a match, tirades against referees. Especially in football, sportsmanship is often hard to find, it is a sport in which acting is a quality player. For each Marcelo Bielsa, and there are ten Neymars dramatically to the ground to deposit in order to opponents a card to sell.

As obvious as Bielsa of action, on Sunday called, it is in the sport. Which is why he is so acclaimed. Honesty will win you some matches, but to sleep with a clean conscience is perhaps worth more.