Alf Inge Haaland - Captain Catastrophe (Manchester City F.C.)

Member Name: GroundZero

Product:	Manchester City F.C.
Date:	29/04/01 (243 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Erm, get back to you on that one....

Disadvantages: Outspoken, average player

As captain of one of the worst teams in the Premiership, Manchester City, who are currently involved in what looks a doomed bid to avoid relegation, you would expect Alf Inge Haaland to be keeping a low profile. Instead he seems determined to vent his frustrations by telling the world how much he hates City’s rivals United. Just another bitter Blue?

Haaland, a deeply average midfielder, was sold by Leeds at the start of the season, and he has not exactly been missed. While Leeds have had an impressive debut season in the Champions League, his new club, City, on the other hand have struggled miserably in their first season back in the top league.

Under Haaland’s leadership, City have won only 8 games from 36 so far. Euphemistically labelled a hard-tackling midfielder, it has been interesting to see the reaction to Roy Keane’s challenge on him in the derby recently. Yes, it was a bad tackle, and Keane deserved to go, but from some of the comments you would think that Haaland had never committed a foul in his career.

For some reason, Haaland has a blindspot when it comes to United. Rather than simply keeping quiet, Haaland feels he has to speak out at every opportunity, criticising United in any way he can. He claims he “hates” United, and dislikes all their players. Well, I’m sure they feel exactly the same way about you too Alfie...

His comments earlier in the season regarding Roy Keane’s injury a few seasons ago were nothing short of sickening. He claimed that he thought it was “funny” when Keane had ruptured his cruciate ligaments making a tackle on Haaland, an injury that can easily spell the end of a footballers career. He then tried to stir things up by saying how he thought Keane’s infamous prawn sandwich comments were a slur on the fans, when most United fans had been saying exactly the same things that Keane was trying to highlight.

In contrast,
when it comes to his own club, Haaland likes to perpetuate the myth that City are a “massive club”. Massive clubs don’t plumb the depths of Division 2, and only scrape into the first division via the play-offs. His constant attempts to praise the Blues fans are at least one way of deflecting criticism of his poor performances on the pitch.

For next season, it looks like Haaland will be plying his trade in the Nationwide First Division. The slide into obscurity beckons...

Summary: