Bruno, Maresca, Salah and the art of "throwing people under the bus" - and when it's justified.
So many people "thrown under the bus" this season.
So many people have been thrown under the bus this season it’s a surprise it can move. People also throw the idiom around without stipulating which bus. If it’s the No 14 inching around Hyde Park Corner roundabout in rush-hour you’re probably safe. If it’s a bus in the Czech Republic, where they’re allowed to go up to 80 miles per hour on motorways, it’s riskier.
Mo Salah was involved in a two-way bus exchange. The Liverpool legend felt he’d been thrown under the bus by the club, scapegoated for the team’s poor form and benched. Salah was then accused by Jamie Carragher and others of throwing the club under the bus. Some Egyptians reacted angrily at treatment of their beloved compatriot and accused the English media and pundits of throwing Salah under the bus. It’s dizzying. We need an xT for expected throws.
Chelsea’s head coach Enzo Maresca appears a serial thrower. He was accused of throwing the team under the bus by Chelsea fans after losing to Sunderland in October. He was then accused of throwing Tosin Adarabioyo under the bus after the defender had a poor game against Leeds United a fortnight ago. Last week, Maresca was accused of throwing Chelsea’s sporting directors under the bus with his “worst 48 hours…many people didn’t support me” comments.
It’s good to report that everyone at Chelsea seems out from under the bus, perhaps wiping some axle grease and embarrassment off their faces, after reaching the semi-finals of the EFL Cup with a win at Cardiff City. Fans sang Maresca’s name and the Italian said he’s “happy” now. Nobody’s going back under the bus for now.
Yesterday, the Mirror reported that “Tottenham stars are throwing Thomas Frank under the bus”. This was a new development in the bus-throwing art as the process wasn’t verbal. It was, apparently, their insipid performances and, occasionally, walking off the pitch looking angry or disinterested that led to this throwing of their head coach under the bus.
⚽ ⚽
Bruno Fernandes quickly revived the tradition as rhetoric being the best means of throwing people under the bus. Manchester United’s captain is accused of throwing the board-room and dressing-room under the bus which makes it very crowded. Maybe the bus was jacked up. Fernandes’ sentiments certainly weren’t hyped up. What Fernandes said was right.