FIFA are once again focusing on what matters in football, demonstrating the clear irrelevance of goal line technology, diving and respecting the officials, they have decided to look into what is really important, and what is destroying our game and bringing it to it’s knees….the snood.
Citing it as ‘a potential danger to players’ necks’ they have announced their intentions to discuss the slightly farcical pieces of neckwear at their meeting on the 5th March. They claim if a player is grabbed by the snood it could potentially cause injury and harm, whilst this is possibly true, it wouldn’t also have something to do with the potential obstruction of various sponsors logo would it?
Which players in our division though sport these neck warming miracles, well we know they have been banned by Sir Alex, but who are the ‘coolest snoods’ in the league, here is my run down:
5 – Pepe Reina
The Liverpool keeper is probably deserving of the snood the most, goalkeepers don’t do as much running and charging about as outfield players so it is a definite possibility that Reina could get a bit chilly on a cold afternoon in front of the kop.
4 – Yaya Toure (Snood Dogg)
Toure was in that first wave of wearers, he still wears it now with temperatures rising to a barmy 12 degrees. Yaya sports a Manchester City branded snood which they sell in the club shop….another income stream to help the Eastlands club meet the financial fair-play guidelines.
3 – Marouane Chamakh
Arsenal come 2nd to City in the snood stakes, and Chamakh wears it with typical French style (I realise he plays for Morocco, but he was born in France!). Definitely used to warmer climes I think Chamakh can be forgiven for wearing one, its not like its David Weir running round with a baggy snood round his neck playing for Rangers! If he keeps improving and showing his potential like he is, he would be forgiven by Arsenal fans even if he were wearing a scarf and hat.
2 – Samir Nasri
Nasri is really an exceptional footballer, and it is difficult to write about his snood wearing when really he deserves nothing but praise for his improvements as a footballer. Maybe his patchy form prior to this season and the days when he never quite lived up to his potential was because he had a cold neck, and now that he is toasty and warm he can go on too cement himself as one of the best midfielders in the world and as the most important member of Arsenal’s midfield (ahead of Fabregas). He was one of the first in the league to adopt the garment, and if it weren’t for the number 1, he’d be the face (or should that be neck) of the snood!
1 – Carlos Tevez
Tevez has hit 18 goals in 23 league games this term and has become one of the best strikers in the league, however as well as goals he brought us the snood and if it weren’t for him and his merry band of City team mates I doubt we would be in this situation now. A wearer of the officially branded fashion accessory, he is using energy he used to use on keeping warm to instead terrify defences with his trickery and work rate.
This list could very easily have just been made up of 5 City players, Balotelli, Jo and David Silva are also avid wearers of this strange garment, but I thought it best to represent different clubs so we can all celebrate this stupidly fantastic item of clothing. In all seriousness, if FIFA do ban it I would have no real complaints, I understand the argument about causing potential injury, and in a game where winning is becoming so important any advantage that can be gained, is possibly going to be used.
I just feel there are hundreds of other more pressing issues that FIFA should be discuss before we get to this frankly ridiculous topic.
The state of fashion in the game could be worse, more players could be wearing Balotelli hats!
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