Without doubt the funniest thing I have seen this festive season is Thiago Alcantara passing the ball to Father Christmas by mistake.
The amusing incident happened during Bayern Munich’s 3-0 win over RB Leipzig. Alcantara was in the middle of the pitch under no pressure at all when he hit a sideways pass to one of his team-mates in red and white.
Sadly for him, what he thought was one of his colleagues was actually an animated picture of Father Christmas being shown on one of the digital advertising boards around the pitch.
It really was a delightful moment which is well worth a little look on You Tube if you haven’t seen it.
However, it does raise some slightly more serious concerns, namely how distracting are those digital advertising boards for players?
When they were first introduced I found them incredibly annoying as a spectator, especially when the action was on the edges of the pitch. You were trying to watch the ball but flashing, scrolling adverts were drawing your eyes in other directions.
Over time I have to admit I have got used to them and they no longer annoy me as much as they used to. They are irritating but my mind has trained itself to block them out (sorry advertisers, but it’s the truth).
However, this Alcantara incident shows that they do still have the power to distract, and not just those watching in the stands and on TV but those on the pitch itself.
In this particular case it didn’t cause too much trouble. Bayern were cantering towards victory anyway.
But what if it had happened in the dying seconds of the game with the scores at 0-0 and Bayern desperately seeking a winner? Or in a knock-out match with everything to play for? There would be all sorts of complaints and protests.
The incident does raise some slightly more serious concerns, namely how distracting are those digital advertising boards for players?
I’m not suggesting these animated boards should be removed entirely as they are obviously huge revenue generators and, with the way football is going, asking clubs to reduce their income is like asking them to jump off a cliff.
But there should be some sort of control over what is displayed on them and at what point the adverts move, flicker and change. Or at very least, a quick pre-match check to ensure the colours in the adverts don’t clash with the kits.
We have all these rules in place to ensure players aren’t put off by what is happening on the sidelines – like substitutes having to wear bibs when they are warming up, for example.
Yet there are no checks in place to stop Father Christmas looking like he is playing on Bayern’s left wing.
The Alcantara incident was a giggle which everybody enjoyed. But mark my words, if it happens in another time and place when there is more at stake it will be no laughing matter.
History repeating itself for Pearson
Nigel Pearson must feel like he is stuck in football management’s own version of Groundhog Day as he watches another team he put together go on a remarkable run after his departure.
Pearson built the Leicester City team that went on to win the Premier League title last season. Claudio Ranieri gets all the credit for that incredible triumph, of course, but the reality is he made only minor adjustments to the team that Pearson left behind.
Now the same thing is starting to happen at Derby County. And once again Pearson is watching it happen from the sidelines.
He started the season in charge of the Rams but, following a major disagreement with the club’s chairman, he was sacked. That paved the way for Steve McLaren to return as manager.
Since then, Derby have gone on a brilliant run of form, including winning eight and drawing one of their last nine matches to push themselves up into contention for promotion. And again, at least in terms of personnel, McLaren has not made any massive changes to the team he inherited.
It must be absolutely soul destroying for Pearson to have to sit on the sidelines watching another ex-team power up the table. Fair enough, this may be a league lower, but the principle remains the same.
Going back to Leicester for a moment, I have read a lot of theories as to why the defending champions are embroiled in a relegation battle. Some of them plausible, others considerably less so.
But could the reason be a very simple one: Pearson’s influence has now been completely eroded and today’s Leicester team is entirely a reflection of Ranieri and his tactics?
Let’s be honest, if you look at Ranieri’s track record over the 15 or 16 teams he has managed during his long career, it isn’t particularly impressive. In fact, his only major achievement has been winning the title at the Kings Power Stadium.
It’s just a theory, of course, but given the success that Derby are now having, it does increasingly seem like Pearson may be a better manager than he gets credit for. At least at building teams, if not in running them.
If the pattern holds true, then supporters of the next team Pearson takes over shouldn’t get overly excited at his appointment. But they should get very excited the day he leaves…
Goals galore – 54 years ago…
Last week’s Premier League Boxing Day fixtures brought a decent amount of goals – 21 in nine games to be precise.
But that total pales into insignificance compared to the all time Boxing Day record for the top flight.
Back in 1963, the 10 games on the day after Christmas conjured up a quite staggering 66 goals.
In among those results was a rather amusing 6-1 defeat for Manchester United at Burnley, a staggering 10-1 win for Fulham over Ipswich Town, a 6-1 victory for Liverpool against Stoke City, a couple of 3-3 draws, a 4-4 draw and an equally remarkable 8-2 away win for Blackburn Rovers at West Ham United.
In fact, the only teams to let everyone down on the day were Everton and Bolton Wanderers, who obviously didn’t get the memo and failed to find the back of the net.
They say today’s Premier League is the most entertaining it has ever been. Well I’m pretty sure there weren’t many bored football fans around on the December 26, 1963.
Something to keep in mind the next time someone insists on telling you that football now is much better than it was in the past…
Happy New Year
Finally, here’s wishing everyone a great new year ahead – especially if you are a celebrity and you made it through 2016 unscathed…
sportscolumnist@timesofmalta.com
Twitter: @maltablade