How Drogba's shameful example dragged Chelsea's name into the mud

The Blues striker's behaviour after the Champions League semi-final is NOT the way to educate impressionable youngsters.

Manchester United against Barcelona in the Champions League Final - who could ask for anything more?

We've got the final many of us were privately hoping for. The mighty Spanish matadors will take on the all-conquering Premier League champions. You could say it’s a meeting of football’s greatest minds.

In their respective Champions League semi-finals, both United and Barcelona showed the kind of attacking verve and virtuosity that is somehow their hallmark.

At the Emirates stadium, United simply overwhelmed Arsenal with an exhibition of sweet, one-touch football. After the brightest of starts from Arsene Wenger’s men, United quickly picked up the baton, trampling over the Gooners with football to make the heart swoon.

And at Stamford Bridge the following evening Chelsea were agonisingly unravelled by a last-gasp Barcelona goal. The passions were raging, tempers were frayed and Didier Drogba did his utmost to manhandle a Norwegian referee.

Amid all the tears, tantrums and turbulence, Drogba it was who snarled his way through a football match. At the end of a fiery and feisty evening in West London, Drogba once again lost his cool.

After a whole sequence of penalty appeals had been turned down, Drogba decided to take the law into his hands. As the players came off the pitch he became a man possessed. He became that mad, wild-eyed creature who frequently comes out at night.

There was the traditional stamping of feet, the outstretched hands and the despairing plea for justice. He was like the hardened criminal who’d just received 20 years for petty theft.

Now we all know that Drogba is no saint and nor does he profess to be by any stretch of the imagination. But his behaviour at the end of the Champions League semi-final was nothing short of deplorable.

Football will always produce its villains, bad boys and thoroughly nasty pieces of work. The fact remains though that his appalling language and moronic waving of arms will send a shiver of revulsion throughout the game.

Ours is not to take the moral high ground but Drogba dragged an otherwise excellent Champions League game through the mud. If players find it impossible to keep their mouths firmly shut and their hands to themselves then football may have to take drastic measures.

Drogba disgraced himself in a way that some of us may never be able to condone. Alongside the German midfield enforcer Michael Ballack, Drogba flapped and flounced around Stamford Bridge as if he’d just lost a talent contest.

Drogba, though, is in the enormously privileged position of being a well-paid Premier League player. When he picks up his thousands at the end of his working week, he must surely know that there are impressionable children who may also lose their temper.

Nobody knows better than Didier Drogba that there are standards to be kept and timeless values.

When the whistle goes at both the beginning and end of a game, Drogba may realise that counting to ten does indeed have its merits.

After a whole sequence of penalty appeals had been turned down, Drogba decided to take the law into his hands. As the players came off the pitch he became a man possessed. He became that mad, wild-eyed creature who frequently comes out at night.

There was the traditional stamping of feet, the outstretched hands and the despairing plea for justice. He was like the hardened criminal who’d just received 20 years for petty theft.

Now we all know that Drogba is no saint and nor does he profess to be by any stretch of the imagination. But his behaviour at the end of the Champions League semi-final was nothing short of deplorable.

Football will always produce its villains, bad boys and thoroughly nasty pieces of work. The fact remains though that his appalling language and moronic waving of arms will send a shiver of revulsion throughout the game.

Ours is not to take the moral high ground but Drogba dragged an otherwise excellent Champions League game through the mud. If players find it impossible to keep their mouths firmly shut and their hands to themselves then football may have to take drastic measures.

Drogba disgraced himself in a way that some of us may never be able to condone. Alongside the German midfield enforcer Michael Ballack, Drogba flapped and flounced around Stamford Bridge as if he’d just lost a talent contest.

Drogba, though, is in the enormously privileged position of being a well-paid Premier League player. When he picks up his thousands at the end of his working week, he must surely know that there are impressionable children who may also lose their temper.

Nobody knows better than Didier Drogba that there are standards to be kept and timeless values.

When the whistle goes at both the beginning and end of a game, Drogba may realise that counting to ten does indeed have its merits.