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It is said that Jude Bellingham has become an easy target for criticism. The Ghana manager Carlos Queiroz appears to think so.
The former Manchester United assistant manager walked into a press conference room at the Boston Stadium on Tuesday evening and dropped a bomb on Bellingham.
He accused the England star of using unacceptable language towards him during the 0-0 draw but then promptly said it didn’t really matter.
Queiroz knew what he was doing. Start the snowball rolling, watch it roll down the hill and walk out of the room pretending to wonder what the fuss is all about. It’s a cheap trick and an old one. He must have his reasons for playing it and only he will know what they are.
Maybe he wished to unsettle England’s best player ahead of a deciding round of group games that will determine who wins Group L at this World Cup. If that’s the plan, it’s unlikely to work. Bellingham has dealt with much worse.
So here are the facts.
It is said that Jude Bellingham has become an easy target for criticism. The Ghana manager Carlos Queiroz appears to think so
Queiroz accused the England star of using unacceptable language towards him during the 0-0 draw but then promptly said it didn’t really matter
Bellingham committed a foul that Queiroz didn’t like towards the end of the first half and the Ghana manager made his views known. Words flew back and forth at that moment and then also at half-time. There were some F-words and let’s just say the senior man was fully engaged in the exchange.
And this is what happens during big sporting events. Tempers rise and people release their inner tensions in different ways. There are lines that should not be crossed and it’s true that Bellingham has found himself on the wrong side on occasion.
He did so at the last Euros with a crude gesture after scoring against Slovakia. It was childish. But this was not that. This was nothing. This was Bellingham playing on the edge, fully invested in his country winning a big game at the most important tournament of all.
What smells here is Queiroz fanning the flames to further his own ends and that of his team. That’s distasteful and classless and at his age, 73, he should know better.
He worked twice at United back in the day. In between those stints he was a poor manager of Real Madrid. Sir Alex Ferguson rated him highly and he knows how to organise a team. He showed that on Tuesday.
And at United, he wasn’t to everyone’s taste. Some senior players moaned that his favourite scoreline was 1-0. That was never in the historical Old Trafford playbook. Roy Keane didn’t like him at all. He thought he couldn’t trust him.
He is not a stranger to controversy. While manager of Portugal he was accused of insulting doping officials. He was eventually cleared on appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
While manager of Iran at the last World Cup, he argued publicly with former German forward and ex-USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann. He also made a crass comment about school shootings in America.
Sir Alex Ferguson rated Queiroz highly and he knows how to organise a team. He showed that on Tuesday. And at United, he wasn’t to everyone’s taste
This was Bellingham playing on the edge, fully invested in his country winning a big game at the most important tournament of all.
This is his 12th posting as a national coach. He has become a jobbing manager as the years have rolled by, a gun for hire who isn’t afraid to take a few potshots along the way.
Queiroz has done a fine job at this World Cup. Ghana are yet to concede a goal and will in all likelihood progress to the next stage. That would be an achievement.
But the Portuguese didn’t need to try and take Bellingham with him as collateral. The 22-year-old has made a fine start to this World Cup with England. His natural temperament will continue to present him with challenges and if he does cross that line there will be plenty of us around to tell him about it.
This was not about Bellingham, though. This was just some pantomime chicanery from an experienced coach who should probably carry himself with a little more dignity.
