Best way to beat the trolls? Try counting to ten

IN THE manufacturing of faux outrage, Scottish football is a world-class superpower. Alfredo Morelos makes a gesture and people want him run out of the country. Leigh Griffiths rolls up some tape, throws it at a Kilmarnock supporter and it’s a call to 999. Morelos received a belated booking for his Parkhead gesture. And SFA compliance officer Clare Whyte now faces calls to make sure Griffiths receives the same treatment. Even if she’s not entirely sure what breach to charge him with. Listen, neither player was a great loss to the peace corps. But spare us the notion that the actions of either posed a serious threat to law and order. Or caused genuine grievous offence. If any Celtic fan was reduced to a state of apoplexy by the Morelos gesture at Parkhead, then they need to get out more. And while players shouldn’t really be throwing anything at supporters, a ball of scrunched-up gaffer tape was never likely to end in the admissions’ department of Crosshouse Hospital cancelling all leave. Both incidents have been blown up and magnified through a cloud of convoluted outrage — and journalists can’t wash our hands of that. In the age of digital clickbait, the media have to bear some responsibility for a culture of giving relatively trivial incidents disproportionate attention. But here’s the thing. The minute we

don’t, supporters of the other lot are straight on to Twitter accusing media outlets of sweeping the whole business under the carpet. The truth is that football fans love nothing more than one of the star players from their arch-rivals landing himself in bother. It’s the perfect opportunity to demand an SFA ban and paint a failure to act as more evidence of rampant institutional bias. But there’s something laughable about supporters screaming foul-mouthed, offensive (or worse) abuse at a rival player for 90 minutes then calling the police in a fit of indignation the minute they get some back. Players are not robots. Cast the bait far enough and eventually one or two will bite. Which, in the relentless pursuit of the moral high ground, is the precise response the terracing trolls are looking for. And the best possible reason for footballers everywhere to close their eyes and count to ten.