Stop medal-ling about with gongs

THE world's slowly going bonkers, some say. Well, sport is no different and yours truly had to laugh this week when news reached us that from next season winning Muratti coaches will collect a medal along with the players.

Not many moons ago football's commitment to dishing out the medals was a straightforward 11 for the starting team.

Then came the sub.

Then came additional subs and now the entire 18-man squad gets a medal regardless of whether they step on the pitch or not.

Throw in the manager's gong and mementos for the four match officials - how long before it's five? - and the tally has more than doubled to 24.

It's not the cost that bothers me, but simply the idea that non-players should be rewarded for doing their job.

Coaches and officials, surely, are merely there to facilitate a match being staged, not to be glorified by receiving a gift.

The game, surely, should be about the players.

If the officials need rewarding, then why not go the whole hog?

Throw in a medal for the groundsman, one for the lady who makes the half-time tea, one who washes the kit, one who butters the the tasty Guernsey gache on offer at GFA half-time breaks and one for the men on the gate.

And why not give an extra big one to the match sponsor?

They, along with the manager, all do a vital job in the staging of an important football game, but do not need a medal for doing so. A sincere word of thanks and knowledge of a good job well done, should be enough.

Medals are good for kids who will cherish them until they come across the 'delights' of the adult world, but how many times do you hear of the retired sportsman say he has no idea where his medals are? So often, they mean so little.

Do you the whereabouts of all your medals? Do you care? I don't.

What I'm saying is, they are overrated.

The award of a Muratti cap - the player only ever gets one - is something altogether different.

It's special and I'm relieved to hear that a player still has to step onto the pitch to earn one, not simply be part of an 18-man squad.

If it means something give it.

If it doesn't, don't.