Let managers vent without a draconian ban

AS the debate rages over that ridiculous eight-game ban handed to Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin for accusing Hibernian defender Ryan Porteous of ‘blatant cheating’, one viewpoint that keeps popping up is that ‘you can’t say things like that’.

My question is: Why not? Why shouldn’t Goodwin come out and say what he thinks about what has unfolded in games involving his team? Or any other team, for that matter. It’s only a game.

Football is entertainment. It’s showbiz. It’s about people squaring off against each other and a bit of tribalism and a bit of aggro, whether we care to admit that or not. The Barnum and Bailey factor.

Goodwin was visibly aggrieved by Porteous’ conduct in winning a penalty that resulted in Liam Scales being sent off at Easter Road last month. It was an incident which altered the entire balance of the game.

People want to know what those involved at the thick of the action think about game-changing events and decisions. Do those tut-tutting over Goodwin’s reaction really want a situation where managers and players emerge after matches and say nothing of any note at all?

There’s plenty of that going on as it is and that’s what the SFA handing out Draconian bans is really about. Stopping free speech, as melodramatic as that may sound.

Goodwin’s focused, structured rant at Porteous was magnificent. A joy to be in the room to witness. And Porteous is definitely big enough to come out and defend himself.

That’s part of the fun of the fair. Eight-game suspensions from doing your job properly simply because you said what you think are a joke.