The outcry over Gary Neville’s recent goal celebration is just pathetic.

It shows that politically correct nutcases are increasing their stranglehold on modern football to the detriment of everyone involved in the game – especially the players and the fans.

The Manchester United right back has been charged with improper conduct by the FA for celebrating his side’s last minute winner over Liverpool. Neville clutched his shirt, kissed his badge and gesticulated towards the away fans after Rio Ferdinand’s header went in.

Well I am sorry but charging him for that is plain ridiculous. At what point did it become illegal for a player to show some passion towards his team? When did it become ‘improper’ to celebrate a spectacular winner in an important match?

Maybe, just maybe, Neville may have gone a little bit overboard and maybe, just maybe, he might have been better advised to celebrate in front of his own fans.

But to charge him with improper conduct is just football gone mad.

This latest clampdown follows hot on the heels of Arjen Robben’s equally stupid sending off for celebrating his goal against Sunderland. The Dutch player received his second yellow of that match for jumping over the hoardings and celebrating with his own fans.

What is it the football authorities want? A totally sanitised sport? A polite handshake or nod of the head instead of proper celebrations? Or maybe they would like to see players running over to opposing fans to apologise when they score?

I agree that players should be cautious not to provoke crowd trouble but, provided they don’t do that, they should be allowed to get on with showing their joy when the ball hits the back of the net in any way they want.

Unless I am greatly mistaken, that’s what football is all about.

Arsenal and Henry

If Arsenal really are serious about keeping Thierry Henry they better start doing something on the pitch to indicate they are a club to match his ambitions.

When they beat Middlesborough 7-0 a few weeks ago it looked like it might be the dawning of a new era for the club, a return to the days when they were formidable and could score at will.

But, since then, they have lost in the league, been knocked out of the League Cup by Wigan and eliminated from the FA Cup by Bolton. Not the sort of run which will persuade Henry that Arsenal are heading in the right direction.

An offer – described by the club as financially spectacular – is sitting on the table just waiting for the player to sign on the dotted line and commit himself to Arsenal for the rest of his career.

But who could blame him for keeping his pen in his pocket for the time being until he has more of an indication as to which way the club are heading.

Arsene Wenger fielded a weakened team against Bolton, a move which ultimately cost them their place in the next round of the FA Cup. He must be kicking himself in hindsight.

How much harder will he be kicking himself if it ends up costing Arsenal the chance to resign their best player?

The new Wembley

Talking about the FA Cup, I wish somebody would decide whether or not the new Wembley is going to be ready to stage this season’s final.

Over the past couple of months we have been treated to a variety of statements from the different parties involved in its construction – first saying it will be ready then, a week later, saying it probably won’t.

Traditionally, these were then followed by another statement, apologising for the first two statements and saying that, actually, they had no real idea either way.

On Monday this confusion reached a new level when ‘a source’ went public saying they were confident all was going to be okay for the 13 May event, only for the firm itself to later say they were only 70 per cent sure it would be ready on time.

Two conflicting views issued on the same day, apparently from the same office.

In the greater scheme of things I don’t suppose it really matters whether or not the final is staged at Wembley or whether it is farmed out to Cardiff one last time.

But I have to say my confidence in exactly what the final product will be like is waning with each passing day of confusion.

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