FEB 14 — After all the hype and intent to showcase goodness, respect and honour the past weekend, could it have been instead the worst weekend n English Premier League (EPL) history? Has the Premier League become a joke for the egomaniacs? 

The rivalry between any two clubs is down to prowess on the pitch, nothing more nothing less.

However, two individuals, one from each club, have taken this rivalry down the gutter.

Then compound that with the two managers concerned showing so much immaturity in dealing with the situation and the various spin-off sideshows since that first encounter back in October.

I am beginning to wonder if American Vince McMahon has quietly brought in a branch of his World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) franchise into the EPL, taking into consideration the owners of the two biggest clubs in England. And it is not because he shares the same surname with a certain sometimes-”nemesis” of mine in the studio. But I jest.

Getting back to the drama, yes, Liverpool travelled to Manchester for the first league match involving a certain Spanish-speaking striker Luis Suarez and his now “arch nemesis” Patrice Evra.

The FA has once again been shown up as short-sighted, slow and impotent, much like the so-called “referees” in the WWE showdowns.

They were only too happy to allow the Evra-Suarez situation to develop whereas they dealt with the QPR-Chelsea situation promptly by disallowing the pre-match handshakes.

So the FA sat on their bums or maybe thought they had dealt with the situation by banning the Uruguayan for eight matches but they had only managed to ignite the blue paper.

The joke is on Fabio Capello too for the way he chickened out of Euro 2012. 

He was also clever in the way he made use of the John Terry situation as an excuse after the way he has enjoyed holding the England job without working for long, in a manner of speaking. 

Seriously, right now, from all of Capello’s so-called efforts, there is no semblance of a team that can put in the kind of challenge expected of England in the summer in Poland-Ukraine.

There are too many gaps to be filled in the England XI because the Italian did not bother. Is John Terry really indispensible? Did anyone not watch the last World Cup?

And from all indications, Capello tried to bring back Paul Scholes into the team and that was indication enough of the way England managers love their job but refuse to work.

It could be Guus Hiddink in charge for Euro 2012 for England. Honestly, it would be perfect for Hiddink, who simply loves these short-term assignments.

But, of course, the odds-on favourite to take on the role of England manager full-time is Harry Redknapp. Give him the job and watch as England will start singing that they’re going to win the World Cup in Brazil 2014.

Don’t we just love the drama that is English football?

* The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.