This weekend's Good, the Bad and the downright Ugly!

By Paul Frederickson

Every week I will look at the weekend's football and bring you the weekend's, Good, the Bad and the downright Ugly! With the start of the EPL and the majority of the European leagues commencing, there should be plenty of choice!

THE GOOD

There are many leagues in Europe outside of the English Premier League, yes I know, it is true! Before Barcelona, had the Barcelona way there was Ajax's total football style. Two games into the Eredivisie and Ajax are two wins from two games, not total football yet, but starting to get their fans excited. This weekend's 5-1 win against Heerenveen had plenty of highlights including the goal below!



THE BAD

The London riots would definitely make the bad and the ugly last week but on the weekend it was left to Australia via the Twitter debate between Michael Cockerill and Mark Schwarzer. Michael Cockerill started the debate by quoting from a recent Schwarzer interview published in the Football + magazine. "Read this very carefully, and weep: ''I have seen too many players go back home, and it has not worked out. The biggest example is John Aloisi, and how he was treated so badly by people. You are up there to be shot down very, very quickly. I don't want to give anyone the opportunity to do that to me.'' (1)

Schwarzer counted with a number of tweets, one such tweet showing the hurt that Cockerill's article had caused him.

"I wanted to be honest, what happens I get called arrogant and that I'm slapping fans in the face! I thought you new me better"

The A-League needs all the publicity it can get, perhaps infighting between key stakeholders in the game should be the exception. This pre/post season has been way too long!

THE UGLY

Joey Barton has been in the press for many wrong reasons over the years. In recent times, his forthright tweets have garnered him new respect from many quarters, excluding Newcastle United management! His reaction to what was a barely a tap on the weekend has to be this week's 'Ugly'!


Joey Barton And Gervinho Incident During... by FootballVideosHD

What do you think?

(1) Michael Cockerill, Schwarzer's slip a slap for fans and own goal for Australia's No.1, Brisbane Times, August 12, 2011.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/football/schwarzers-slip-a-slap-for-fans-and-own-goal-for-australias-no1-20110811-1ioti.html#ixzz1V5c4WVY2
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/football/schwarzers-slip-a-slap-for-fans-and-own-goal-for-australias-no1-20110811-1ioti.html