MUTED CELEBRATIONS
It’s been a mixed day for the Lionesses at the World Cup all right. A fine Lauren James pelt gave England the win over Denmark, and when she scored the goal she ran off all happy, experiencing the enjoyment emotion, smiling and waving and that, in a state of contented grace, stuff that will be NOT ALLOWED when the men’s game resumes next week according to new Ifab and the Professional Game Match Officials Limited celebration-curtailing diktats. An essential move to combat time-wasting, it says here. A clampdown on happiness, in other words. Fun? NOT ALLOWED. Entertainment? NOT ON OUR WATCH. The sensation of pleasure? GET IN THE BACK OF THE VAN, SON. Imagine having the worldview of Howard Webb, though. Once a bobby, always a bobby. You can leave the force, but it never leaves you.
