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Today’s Football Daily would like to start with the topical events of 15 February 1983. That was the day Manchester United outplayed and outviolenced Arsenal in the first leg of their Milk Cup semi-final at Highbury. United won 4-2; they were 4-0 up after 80 minutes before taking their foot off Arsenal’s throat, and shinbone, and head. “Perhaps we’ve been concentrating too much on passing and technique,” lamented Don Howe, Arsenal’s head coach and assistant to the manager, Terry Neill. “Against United we went out to strike the ball about instead of putting some meat into the game.” In 1980s English football, there was no place for veganism. Things have changed since the days when ABH was a bookable offence, and only then after the first 10 minutes, but English football still has a pretty noxious meat footprint.
In 2025, English society, never mind football, is addicted to beef. You know it’s a weekday when a relatively minor difference of opinion between two adults is reported using the kind of language once reserved for a bloodbath involving the Five Families. Today’s beef involves two football legends: Wayne Rooney (association) and Tom Brady (American). In case you missed it – if you did, get out while you still can – Rooney’s work ethic during his time as Birmingham City manager was questioned by Brady, a part-owner of the club. This emerged in a documentary at the end of July, seven months after Rooney was sacked by Birmingham – but this ultra-processed beef ain’t got no sell-by date, baby. “I’m a little worried about our head coach’s work ethic,” said Brady. “I mean, I don’t know, I don’t have great instincts on that.” Rooney waited a couple of weeks to reply publicly, coincidentally via the medium of a new podcast that he’d be plugging desperately, if only there was a story he could sell. Remember the name: The Wayne Rooney Show.
