SIMON JORDAN: I like Ivan Toney but Sky’s fawning coverage of his return was hard to stomach

At the risk of turning into the Victor Meldrew of columnists, I found myself looking at the ridiculously happy submission and love that preceded Ivan Toney’s return last Saturday and thinking: I don’t believe it!

This is a man who has brought the game and himself into disrepute, put his club at risk and put them in a position where one of their highest paid and best players cannot get on the pitch and will shuffle out the door. the first chance.

And what do we get from Sky Sports and Brentford? A huge love-in. A celebration of admiration, light shows, entrance music – and to top it all off, manager Thomas Frank gave him the captain’s armband!

I really like Ivan Toney as a player and I have a lot of time for him and his father, someone I have spent some time with.

So I’ve always been a champion of Toney. When he came out of the Championship, many football observers said he was unorthodox and couldn’t do that in the Premier League. Complete nonsense.

He is not unorthodox, he is a formidable striker, a brilliant penalty taker, excellent at keeping the ball high and someone with a great football brain. He is an all-round top player and a very rare breed in modern football: an effective striker.

But even so, I watched as Sky worked himself into a frenzy over his return and thought, ‘Wait a minute, something isn’t right here.’

He put himself in this position. He initially lied about his wrongdoings, showed no remorse, and then appeared on podcasts insisting it wasn’t his fault and claiming he had been victimized. Then he comes back and is treated like a hero.

My disdain, apart from Toney’s poor behaviour, goes to Sky’s fawning reporting, the blinders of Brentford’s fanbase and their manager who gave him the armband.

That decision surprised me, as Toney’s actions were clearly not those of a leader.

Amid the landscape of fawning adulation, he was criticized for admitting he would be open to a move to a bigger club, but I think that’s an unfair stick to beat him with.

He was led down a path by the interviewer when he should have said: ‘My focus is on Brentford and the future will take care of itself. Every player wants to play at the highest level, but at the moment I owe Brentford a debt so I’m going to get on with it.”

That’s the kind of attitude you’d like to hear from him, but players are often intellectually unaware or unable to deal with such prodding and probing.

They are, to the end, not sufficiently aware of what is a reasonable way to behave.

He should have been pulled aside and told, ‘Ivan, we all know you’re going to move and get what you want, but the bottom line is you also have to have a little respect for those who do done. in addition to your talent facilitating solutions for you, so this is what you should say, process it and come out with it in your own way.’

I suspect no one has said that to him because footballers don’t like being addressed that way and you can only give them exactly what they want. Everyone has the right to redemption, of course, but we make fun of these people unnecessarily, and Jordan Henderson is a prime example of that.

I’m afraid the Toney love-in is yet another example of the ridiculousness of the game.

If this were any other walk of life – a politician or anyone in public office or a position of influence – there is no way they would be welcomed with open arms by the fawning media, but this is how absurd football is. Even when it came to him taking his medication, the England manager, who was ill-informed, got involved and others lamented how unfair the ban was.

Integrity, authenticity, validity, discipline and the culture of the game have everything to do with the fact that sometimes people have to do what they are told or follow simple rules.

Ultimately, regardless of my feelings for him, Toney refused to accept that and was guilty of bringing the game into disrepute. I’m afraid this whole episode epitomizes some of the many bad things about football.

So let’s get this straight: his return against Nottingham Forest was not about the homecoming of an all-conquering hero.

It was about a very good player who had to come back and make up for some of the problems he had caused.

I hope his inevitable departure from Brentford will set him on a new, success-laden path that offers the opportunities his talent clearly deserves. And where his off-field behavior reflects superstar status, he could well achieve that.

United needs a better boss, not a fancy CEO

Manchester United’s appointment of Manchester City CEO Omar Berrada is being received as a coup, but I’m not sure why.

The Glazers, regardless of the contempt the club’s fans hold for them, have turned the commercialization of United into the finest art. They’ve monetized everything and squeezed every last drop of commercial revenue out of every opportunity, so that’s an area that doesn’t need strengthening.

Manchester City CEO Omar Berrada, whose appointment is seen as a coup

I often find that people have very inflated reputations, when usually the person in the room with the most money is able to facilitate the best solutions. City have been in that position for some time now.

Part of me also wonders why anyone would leave something so successful to go to something that isn’t. Maybe it’s a huge pay rise or promotion, but I do wonder if there’s controversy on the horizon at City. My nose tells me that when you leave an environment like this, you think something bad is going to happen.

I still believe that until United get the right person in the dugout their problems will continue. If this man can bring a culture that is effective in achieving the best results, then you might find yourself in a culture that recruits the right manager. But if the person in the dugout doesn’t work, it’s all for naught.

United need a remarkable coach, like City have with Pep Guardiola and like they had with Sir Alex Ferguson. That is much more important than someone in the boardroom.

Contempt for Moyes cannot be healthy

Some West Ham fans don’t have David Moyes. They don’t like his playing style, they find him boring and too slow to make changes.

Facts trump sentiment, but it’s a difficult issue for an owner because you can’t overcome how people feel when they watch football.

David Moyes. Some West Ham fans don’t like his playing style

Moyes won the club’s first trophy in 43 years last season, is still in the Europa League and the club is sixth in the Premier League, but some fans are still unhappy.

If I were in owner David Sullivan’s position and believed in Moyes, I would be slightly annoyed.

Fans seemingly want everything and feel entitled to it. They want a team that competes at the top of the league and competes in a way that is committed and attractive.

That is what football has created for itself. If you make it an entertainment company – which it is now – you have to give the fans what they want.

If you don’t, you must be willing to have the courage of your convictions. If you employ Moyes and he does the job you told him to do, then you have to close your own eyes and trust your own judgement.

There is nothing wrong with expectations or wanting to watch good football. It is difficult for owners to find balance.

It’s the unholy trinity: the owners’ expectations combined with the reality of what your players can and cannot do, plus the overwhelming expectation of fans who aren’t happy with just winning, they want to win with a dash of flourish.

West Ham fans may have to be careful what they wish for. We are sometimes in danger of listening to those who shout the loudest in society and thinking it is representative of the entire community – from transgender issues to taking the knee.

Perhaps we pay too much attention to the vocal minority these days.

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