DON’T TEMPT ME
Canning admits he has had to calm himself down amid baiting by fans
MARTIN Canning has felt his blood rise. The urge to bite back at derogatory words hurled from the stand has a familiarity for the Hamilton manager.
So far, he hasn’t succumbed to that impulse. Not through some unlimited tolerance, but because he ultimately believes that managers and supporters share one important thing in common. Both tend to shed their regular personalities at the sound of the referee’s first whistle.
Canning sees a line where standard baiting in a football arena can cross into something far more unpleasant.
He wasn’t slow in condemning a Hamilton fan who went too far in barracking defender Mikey Devlin during the final throes of last season.
The issue has been back in the spotlight this week after the debate surrounding Neil Lennon’s goal celebration at Ibrox last weekend. And the abuse sent in his direction.
While SFA compliance officer Tony McGlennan may yet decide Lennon has a disciplinary case to answer for his gesture towards Rangers fans, the Hibernian manager will face no action from Police Scotland.
Canning will be in the opposing technical area from the Northern Irishman this Saturday when he takes Accies to Easter Road, seeking to end the Leith side’s 100-per-cent Premiership start.
Asked whether he had ever hit back at stick from fans, he said: ‘There have been times I have been tempted but I’ve managed to control myself.
‘I know what I am like on the touchline. It’s not a reflection of me from Monday to Friday. You see me shouting and bawling like a maniac on a Saturday — but if you had a coffee with me on a Monday you’d think it was two completely different people.
‘The guy who is slaughtering you on the weekend turns out to be a nice guy during the week, doing nice things with his family.
‘Football turns us all into maniacs! There are two sides to it and it’s fine if it’s done in jest. There’s nothing wrong if it’s banter.’
Canning made it clear he wasn’t commenting on Lennon’s actions at Ibrox, insisting he had only read media reports of the incident. In general, however, he understands why those on the touchline can lose their cool.
‘It’s human nature,’ said the Accies boss. ‘Remember, managers are going to have good days and bad days like everyone.
‘It might be they’re having a bad week and are not feeling fully at it, then someone could say something that hits a nerve.
‘You’re going to react, just like anyone else would in any walk of life. You might look back and think you shouldn’t have done that, but it’s just the emotion getting the better of you.
‘It doesn’t matter if you are a football manager or work in an office, if someone says something when you are having a bad moment, then you might bite back and do something or say something you regret. That’s life in general.
‘It just seems to be a part of modern-day football now that if you’re a manager, a coach or a player then you’re expected to take that level of abuse. ‘Of course it’s hard to bite your lip at times, and you can understand reacting to it, but in the job we’re in you probably can’t react over a certain point. There’s always going to be a bit of banter back and forward.’
More pertinent to Canning this week is the way in which Lennon has enabled Hibs to make a very positive start to their top-flight return.
‘They’ve recruited really well,’ said Canning. ‘They have Steven Whittaker coming back up and Anthony Stokes, too.
‘Simon Murray played against us last year with Dundee United. He was busy and did well, and he’s hit the ground running there and is scoring goals.
‘It’s a difficult task against a good side who are full of confidence, but we know that if we are at it, we can go there and get something.
‘Are Hibs potentially a top three side? They will be aiming for that, and when you look at the quality and depth of their squad and the size of the support that they’ve got, then there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be challenging at the top end of the league.’
“Football can turn all of us into maniacs on the sidelines”