Alan Green: What does he know?

Alan Green. The football commentary equivalent of marmite. You either love him or hate him. The BBC Radio 5live commentator splits opinion more than any other radio football journalist. Some love his forthright, "tell it as it is" style whilst others cannot stand his arrogance, and apparent lack of respect for other people's opinions.

I am one of the few in the middle ground. I think Green is very entertaining, and I do tend to enjoy listening when he is commentating on a Liverpool match, however some of his views on the game are clearly insane.

On Sunday, the 57 year old Northern Irishman was at Anfield to witness Liverpool batter a helpless Sunderland team into submission, claiming a 3-0 victory. With time running out Rafa Benitez substituted both Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, to rest them for the games ahead.

Crazily, Green repeatedly lambasted the Reds boss for making these substitutions. He claimed that it was typical of the Spaniard to "deny" his star striker a hattrick by replacing him during a game when Torres had already netted a brace. Also, he criticised the decision to substitute Gerrard, claiming that Rafa should have kept his best players on the pitch to score more goals, increasing the confidence of the team.

Whilst there is merit in the argument that they should continue to play, in order to increase both our goal difference and our confidence, given the circumstances it is illogical to criticise Rafa for protecting Gerrard and Torres from injury. After both Gerrard, and especially Torres, have faced substantial periods of time on the treatment table, it is clearly ridiculous to risk injury by keeping them on the pitch, when the game is already won, as it clearly was on Sunday.

Alan Green's views were shown to be foolish last night, as Wayne Rooney limped off the pitch at the Allianz Arena after he had sustained an ankle sprain, that is likely to keep him out of Manchester United's crucial Premier League encounter at home to title rivals Chelsea.

Now Mr Green, what if that had happened to Torres, or Gerrard? Liverpool would then have lost their two key players at the business end of the season, for the sake of an extra goal or two, or a hattrick for Torres?

Clearly, Mr Green is not a football manager. Now we know why. If Rafa had followed his advice, and failed to substitute Torres and Gerrard, than Liverpool could be facing up to the prospect of having to compete for fourth spot without their two key men.

Stick to commentary Alan, because you'll never make it as a football manager.

YNWA