Drobga's missile crisis

If there is any justice in football - and life - then Didier Drogba will be heavily punished for his recent act of stupidity.

In midweek, the Chelsea striker picked up a coin that had been thrown at him during the Burnley match and threw it back into the midst of rival supporters.

Now, obviously the thug who threw it in the first place deserves to have the book thrown at him. He, or possibly she, should be pinpointed, prosecuted, banned from football and generally used as an example of what happens to people who launch 'missiles' at football matches.

But, equally, so should Drogba.

Coincidentally, I was reading that very same day how clubs are installing high-definition surveillance cameras to monitor crowds so that anybody found guilty of throwing things on the pitch can be dealt with by the police.

And rightly so. Players should never have to fear for their safety when they are playing a game.

But the same punishment that applies to the average supporter should also apply to the players.

Drogba has apologised for the incident which also saw him make a 'single fingered' salute towards the Burnley fans before launching his counter-strike.

"This is not something I should show in a football match. It was an incident in the heat of the moment and I regret it. It was just a mistake and nothing more," he said, somewhat dismissively.

A mistake that could have caused serious injury to one of a whole number of innocent people, including women and children. In fact, you could argue that his throw had considerably more potential to cause injury than the original one.

On that basis, an apology is not nearly enough.

If the idiot fan who threw the coin initially is revealed, do you think he will be able to get away with an apology? Do you think he will be able say it was 'a mistake and nothing more' and then go about his business? Absolutely not. He will be given a proper seeing to and could even end up with a jail term.

So why should Drogba be any different?

There is a precedent for this. In 2002, Jamie Carragher was sent off for doing exactly the same thing during an FA Cup match at Arsenal. He served his mandatory three-match ban but neither the FA nor the police decided to take the matter any further.

And that was very, very wrong.

It's bad enough that modern professional footballers are so detached from reality they believe they are above the law. It is even worse when the authorities make this perceived legal immunity a reality.

The FA and the police have launched inquiries into 'coingate', which is exactly what they had to do. And the FA has charged Drogba with violent conduct with a hearing set for tomorrow. It is now imperative that they punish the player appropriately.

If fans can now face trial by high-definition television, there is no reason why the same shouldn't apply to players committing a similar crime.

As far as I know there is no legal defence based on the playground concept of "he started it", which leaves the authorities with no excuse for being ridiculously lenient a second time.

Now let's see if they have the guts to see justice properly served.

Haber master

Like the true professional he is, Justin Haber is quietly going about his business at Sheffield United.

The Malta international goalkeeper has already proved a huge hit around the club where his enthusiasm, personality and polite determination have made a firm favourite with staff and coaches.

And although he is only a few months into his contract, he is starting to make his mark on the team itself.

Although Haber has yet to break into the starting 11, he has now cemented his place as first choice keeper for the reserves - a major step in the right direction.

He has grasped this opportunity with both hands, keeping three clean sheets in his first three games and earning glowing praise from those who have seen him play.

A couple of weeks ago I met up with him in Sheffield and he told me he is loving every minute of his latest overseas adventure. Every morning he is the first out on the training pitch as he is seeking to make the most of the opportunity his hard work has earned him.

And that's no less that you would expect from a man who is living his dream of playing in England.

Even more impressive, though, is the way the club have taken to him. I spoke to people at all levels and each and every one had nothing but praise for him, from executive director to receptionist.

He may not have made the number one jersey his own just yet. And that is not going to be an easy task considering the current incumbent is at the very top of his game.

But Haber is determined. He has overcome numerous setbacks to get to where he currently is. And only a fool would bet against him making it all the way.

Even if he doesn't, Malta can be hugely satisfied that we have exported a player who is doing our country proud on and off the pitch.

The end of an error

So that's it then. It's all over. The only player I have ever seen tackle himself has finally hung up his boots.

This week, Andrew Cole called it a day after a rather barren and unsuccessful spell at his hometown club, Nottingham Forest.

And, surprisingly, I am going to miss him.

In terms of record there is no arguing with Cole's achievements. A massive 289 career goals, including 187 in the Premier League, makes him one of the most prolific strikers of the modern era.

His career has taken in a host of top clubs, including the likes of Newcastle, Arsenal, Manchester City, Fulham and Blackburn.

But he will always be remembered most for his incredibly successful time at Manchester United where he was part of the famous treble winning side and also won numerous other trophies.

Yet despite his record, I have always maintained - and always will - that he was one of the most overrated strikers of his generation. His main successes came when he was playing for teams at their very peak. Teams that were creating chances for fun.

Stick any striker in the 1998 Manchester United team and he would have scored a hatful. Even I would have probably reached double figures. And the same can be said of Newcastle under Keegan when their policy was to try and win every game 6-5.

The problem was, for every goal he scored, Cole missed another nine easier opportunities. For every 30-yard screamer that nestled in the back of the net, a whole bunch of other attempts hit the corner flag. Sometimes at the opposite end of the pitch.

I readily admit he scored some stunners. But equally, it has to be said, he missed a million sitters.

In my mind, his England career reflected this - 15 games and no goals, before being unceremoniously discarded when he should have been at his peak. His weaknesses, which were easily covered up at club level, were painfully exposed playing for his country.

However, when all is said and done, you have to take your hat off to him. A player who - in my opinion - was almost entirely devoid of natural football skill, managed to make a 19-year career in the game. Thanks to hard work, determination and an uncanny ability to be at the right club at the right time.

Cole now intends to go into coaching in a bid to put something back into the game that has given him so much. So while we may miss him on the pitch, at least his immense experience will not be lost to the game.

Luckily for us, while the king of the miss may have abdicated his throne, his heir apparent has already shown he is ready to fill Cole's boots.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Nicklas Bendtner...

Your say

Malachy Portelli writes:

"I have to agree with you 100 per cent about the two types of football that are played. I fully understand what you are trying to say because I am an FC Barcelona supporter, and when I watched last year's matches I used to get really frustrated.

"There is no law that states you have to play pretty football instead of 'sick football', and when you have a side like Arsenal, Manchester United or Barca, it is obvious that the lesser teams will end up playing sick football because they do not have that much talent.

"What these smaller teams do best is implement their own football to perfection and manage to win against the big teams. We must admit, therefore, that a team like Stoke, although they were boring to watch, did do their job excellently, without breaking any rules."

Chris Borg writes:

"Lewis Hamilton becoming the youngest FIA Formula One World Champion in just his second season is a remarkable achievement.

"Apart from having to compete against the likes of Massa, Raikonnen, Kubica, Alonso and company, he also had to accept the FIA's decisions that at times, in my opinion, were often too harsh.

"My commiserations to Massa. Being beaten by one point is not exactly ideal, although the same can be said of Hamilton who lost the 2007 title by the same margin to Kimi."

sportscolumnist@timesofmalta.com