The holier-than-thou footballing mentality of the English came to the fore when Frank Lampard announced his retirement Thursday. Lampard, who was slated by all of England during the 2006 World Cup and booed at Wembley during their disastrous Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, is a living legend, but he didn’t die on Tuesday, he just won’t be playing for NYCFC anymore.
The New York Red Bulls, NYCFC’s biggest rival, used it as a moment of banter. And why not? What do they have to do with Chelsea or Manchester City or Lampard’s Premier League goals? They’re an MLS club and focus on MLS things.
On May 21, 2016, the Red Bulls defeated Lampard’s club 7-0 at Yankee Stadium, the home of NYCFC. It was the single most humiliating defeat in the history of MLS, and it transpired between derby rivals. So the Red Bulls directed a bit of banter at Lampard yesterday.
bye #NYisRED pic.twitter.com/VGkNewQ8Nn
— New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) February 2, 2017
That was Lampard getting megged in the buildup to another goal on that fateful day.
The English media reacted like the Red Bulls had approached Lampard’s open-casket and taken a taurine-infused leak on his face.
This is JJ, a presenter on a UK hit music station. He’s a Chelsea fan, the club that recently had a group of supporters filmed chanting anti-Semitic songs after defeating Tottenham.
@NewYorkRedBulls for a league still building credibility this lacks so much class. Respect ignores rivalries.
— JJ (@_ItsJJ) February 2, 2017
Here’s another butthurt Chelsea fan who works for MTV UK and, oh, does he tell it like it is.
@NewYorkRedBulls Classless. MSL 'soccer' is embarrassing.
— parker (@sparka) February 2, 2017
The Mirror, a British tabloid that is frequently sued for libel and was led by Piers Morgan from 1995-2004, called it ‘classless’.
Footy Accumulators, a British gambling website, used the Donald Trump-approved method of pointing at their own number of followers as evidence of their self-righteousness.
I have more followers than you! Pipe down & show some respect to a legend of the game. @NewYorkRedBulls
— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) February 2, 2017
Frank Lampard’s one of the greatest midfielders of all time. His phone in to LBC Radio to defend himself after being called “scum” is a demonstration of his remarkable class as a person.
But the Red Bulls didn’t have to honor him to sanctify the Premier League’s smug self-adulation, and it was funny.
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