Savages' Key Role in Norwich Win. Thanks, Robbie! 29th APRIL 2011

Savage’s key role in Canaries’ victory.            THANKS, ROBBIE

Robbie Savage. ‘Pretentious’, ‘arrogant’ and ‘hypocritical’ were the words which sprang to mind as I watched his ultimately rather sad farewell at Carrow Road on Monday. Though he has often captured the headlines for the wrong reasons in his pantomime career Savage has, I think, generally given of his best for whichever team he has played. He has 39 Welsh caps, a League Cup winners’ medal, a Maserati (I think) and millions of pounds. A pretty fine haul in a variety of senses for a pretty limited player.

With his blond ponytail and Alice band, his record of attention-seeking behaviour and pseudo-rebellious traits Savage has cleverly kept himself in or near the football headlines for fifteen years or so now without ever really reaching the top. As his limited playing powers wane he has, inexplicably to my mind, somehow impressed those that govern our national sports radio station (BBC Five Live) sufficiently for them to grant him considerable amounts of air time. In particular his co-presentation of 6-0-6 (which has amazingly seen him nominated for a broadcasting award) has allowed him to display what seems to me a severely limited tactical appreciation of the game and an even less impressive ability to understand coherent arguments. The result is a constant tirade of repeated, shouted put downs whenever his own view is challenged.

Savage is apparently some sort of players’ representative for the ‘Respect’ campaign for referees and match officials. Anybody present at Carrow Road last Monday will appreciate the huge irony of that completely ridiculous fact. Indeed I can think of few finer examples of complete and utter nonsense in the world today, sporting or otherwise. Tasked with man-marking Wes Hoolahan and having been proved incapable of so doing, Savage set about trying to influence the game in other ways. Whingeing and whining at every decision that did not go Derby’s way he quickly began to irritate the home fans. One of his finest moments came when he stood over a free kick awarded to Norwich, illegally trying to stop it from being taken quickly. When it was taken, despite his interference, and the ball subsequently lost, the referee quite sensibly called it back to be retaken. Since Savage had (illegally) prevented Norwich from properly taking the kick this seemed fair. Cue a pathetic rant from the Welshman; arms waving, mane tossing, voice raised, the ‘Respect’ campaign ambassador did all that he could to undermine the entire concept of the movement he is supposed to represent. What a hypocrite!

However, the best was yet to come. When substituted, Savage played his key role in the Norwich victory. Dawdling ridiculously slowly across the full width of the Carrow Road pitch he responded to the cat-calls of the home fans by pausing repeatedly to wave to all parts of the ground. This was a self-indulgent and breathtakingly arrogant demonstration of self-importance. Had it been perpetrated by a truly great player in the twilight of his career it might have been acceptable; from Savage it was totally embarrassing.

How wonderful, then, that this ridiculous posturing should result in extra time being added by the referee only for Norwich City to snatch victory in the very dying seconds. How marvellously fitting that the footballing gods should exact their revenge in so ruthless a fashion.

Thanks, Robbie!