We wouldn't write blogs about football if we didn't think it was rife with symbolism. It seems those within the game think the same way -- see Arsene Wenger's bizarre attempt to inspire his players by pointing out how Barack Obama rose to the top of the US government even though 'nobody really knows what his ideas are...' (judging by Jay Simpson's killer strike on a suprise center pass, perhaps Wenger is on to something).
This week, Joe Kinnear called Martin Atkinson a 'Mickey Mouse ref.' The FA wants to know exactly what he meant, and so do I. I mean, this isn't exactly John Knowles stuff here -- this is a symbol worthy of Eliot, and Kinnear is not the first to use it. Referring to a Manchester United Sheffield Wednesday tie in '93, referree John Hiditch remarked that Chris Waddle called him out for his 'Mickey Mouse watch' after the former added eight minutes of extra time, allowing Steve Bruce to score the winner.
What are we to make of this? Mickey Mouse, America's favourite rosy-cheeked rodent, is hardly an indecisive character. He has one girlfriend, one guy-friend and one dog, a perpetual straight man without the manic episodes of a Goofy or the vindictiveness of a Donald. In other words, exactly the sort of guy you want reffing a closely contested Premier League match. Perhaps Kinnear might mention this when grovelling to the FA mindpolice.
In keeping with Remembrance Day, you may want to read this bit on football at Vimy Ridge.
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