4:40pm Friday 18th December 2009
BLACKBURN Rovers boss Sam Allardyce cannot understand the furore over Tottenham’s supposed ‘secret’ Christmas party.
Reports this morning claimed Spurs players visited bars and a nightclub, despite manager Harry Redknapp’s opposition to partying, during a golfing break to Ireland last week.
Allardyce, whose side face Spurs at Ewood Park tomorrow, claims the whole affair is not even a story.
”There is nothing wrong with them enjoying a Christmas party,” Allardyce said.
”What our problem is in this country, and not just in football, is that we are all far too politically correct. We are absolutely diabolical.
”What is wrong with a bit of controversy, what is wrong with a bit of fighting here and there, as long as you have stepped in and know that it is done in the right way, out of frustration and not personal vendettas.
”This is an emotional game, people get emotional and you want to see an emotional reaction.
”The trouble with this country is we want people to be angels and then when they go on the field we want them to be devils. You can’t have that.
”I don’t like this country much when it comes to that. It has gone way too far and we should get back to how we used to be. It was much more enjoyable that way.
”You could have a tiff, you could have a barney and it didn’t end up as a controversial subject in the papers with ‘Ban him, stop him playing again’, all that sort of rubbish that goes on today.
”But I ain’t going to be able to change it. It has sneaked into football and I have to live with it.
”It is a great game, an emotional game. People will get upset and say things they shouldn’t say.
"But that is why billions of people watch.”
The Spurs boss will wait until after this weekend’s Barclays Premier League trip to Blackburn before deciding what action to take.
”It was wrong and it will be dealt with. Severely. It will be dealt with,” Redknapp insisted.
”It’s being dealt with internally and we’ll keep it in-house. I will be dealing with it after the weekend. We’ve got a game to concentrate on - we’ll sort the game out, then I’ll sort them out. Believe you me, it will get sorted out.
”I’m not happy, I’d be lying if I said I was happy. I didn’t know anything about the trip at all if I’m perfectly truthful but it’s done now and will be dealt with on Monday morning.”
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