Dear Angel,
Thank you for your letter. You say football is about maths, but I disagree. Maths is involved when that 12 year old counts up his pocket money for 10 weeks to buy a shirt with "Di Maria" on the back. Maths is involved when ticket prices go up because a club takes 175,000 Euros per week from a bank account to give to an ungrateful player who tries to sabotage the work he is being payed to do, and when that club loses £15 million in a year because they have to sell him.
Maths is involved when you have to count the number of players who have worn the number 7 shirt for Manchester United, and see its rich history mocked by someone who had no pride in it and who wouldn't fight for it. Maths is involved when you count the amount of points United lost last season when you squandered every bit of possession because, boo hoo, you were unhappy.
Maths is involved when your agent negotiates on your behalf a salary that is more than 10 times the average annual salary in a league where you can continue your lazy, arrogant, spineless, profligate ways without more being demanded of you. Maths is involved when you count the millions of kids in the world who look up to footballers as their role models and who will learn traits such as professionalism, dedication, humility, hard work and loyalty from those players.
Have fun in Paris, Angel.
All the best,
The Supporters of Manchester United
