Weekend drama as Mourinho mocks, Moyes moans

It was shocking to say the least when Jose Mourinho mocked the referee by "congratulating" him during the post-match interview after Chelsea's shock 2-1 home defeat to last-placed Sunderland.

And he did not just mock the referee, his "graciousness" extended to the head of the body that governs the selection of referees, Mike Riley, too.

Come on, Jose! Surely, you remember the West Bromwich Albion match early in the season? A penalty to earn a draw in the dying minutes when Ramires went down under dubious circumstances.

What is more interesting to note is the not-so-Happy One's “praise” for his players... surely there can’t be trouble in the paradise that is Stamford Bridge?

The popular saying in life, what goes around, comes around could not be more true than in this instance.

However, Jose and referees is a tired topic, and come midweek in Madrid, the Chelsea manager will have another whinge or two about refereeing if results don’t go their way.

We have spoken about referees in the Premier League playing a large part in anointing the Champions this season and here we are, back to this conversation.

The number of incredulous calls during matches involving title favourites has steadily increased, and what is being done about this? The body responsible for referees surely must get involved at some level to increase the consistency of refereeing quality?

Moving on to another much used phrase in football, "the day football died", would it have been more aptly applied at the beginning of the season for a certain manager who is finding his predecessor's boots a bit too big to fill?

Yes, such an early judgment would have been deemed harsh on David Moyes.

But to be ridiculed at a homecoming (a fan does not easily forget a manager whose tenure lasted almost a decade) is quite perhaps the right moment to describe Moyes's destruction of a once mighty club.

The football has been a mess. Individual performances have taken a mighty dip. There is no "team" per se. And Moyes has taken Manchester United out of Europe at the first attempt.

With Moyes at the helm, there is no sign of progress against the boundless depths that are seemingly destined to be achieved.

The current England manager, Roy Hodgson, will tell you, at certain junctures of your life, there will be relationships made in hell. It is important to recognise this immediately and act upon it as an individual and not wait for the world to scream at you!

Hodgson will now look at Liverpool and be grateful for how Daniel Sturridge, Raheem Sterling, Glen Johnson and Jordan Henderson together with Steven Gerrard could help him be successful on the international stage.

In the immediate future, it is going to be extremely important for Hodgson to recognise that the Brendan Rodgers style of play can help propel England forward.

The English national team has for so long not had a playing identity, especially ever since "English football a.k.a route one" died a natural death on the international stage.

Rodgers plays the most innovative football at Liverpool and the intensity of their football is one of the main reasons the English Premier League is one of the most watched leagues in the world.

Lest we forget, and it is easy to forget, the amount of "spade work" put in by each and every individual to ensure the style works. No rewards without hard graft at Anfield, that’s for sure.

And note the word "style" and not "system" that is used to describe Rodgers's playing philosophy.

Systems are rigid blueprints tacked onto footballing sides, but what Rodgers has done is implement a distinct style of play, suitable for variations at a far more fluid pace than otherwise possible.

One is the blueprint for long-term success, and the other is often exhilarating to watch. Which would you prefer? – April 22, 2014.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.