Jose Morinho; misunderstood, sensitive, special one, persecuted by the press and the collective referees of every footballing nation? Or just a bad-losing, whingeing, excuse-mongering plonker?

That’s the big question of our times. Replacing the old ones: ‘what is Jeremy Corbyn?’ and ‘will Brendan Rogers be ok at Liverpool?’

Jose was fined 50,000 quid by the FA yesterday because in his post-match interview following one of Chelsea’s many losses this year, he questioned the integrity of the ref. Both his impartiality and his honesty. Oooooohhhhh. Can’t do that, even if its how you feel at the time.

Better off not saying anything. Ah; you can’t actually do that either. Because rule 335941/RGTY/8ju6.7 states quite clearly that manager MUST attend post-match interviews. Even if they’ve lost. Even if they’ve just sacked the team doctor. They’re just not allowed to say what they think.

Therefore the FA would be better off just giving them a script. Or a list of approved statements, all equally bland and meaningless, to fulfill their obligation without incurring a fine.

“It was a game’a two ‘alves”
“he could’a would’a should’a scored a fistfull”
“they think its all over…”

The ‘freedom of speech’ and post-match interview rules were borrowed from Russia.

Meanwhile in a new survey, a big surprise: football’s getting more expensive. Wow. Who’d’a thought? At Everton now the average ticket price is 30 quid. Same as your pre-match bagel at Spurs. Those northerners don’t know when they’ve got it good.

Happy Thursday

A xxxx