Anger Management Courses Anyone

Stuart Pearce has the reputation of being a strong manager and the way things are shaping at Manchester City, he’s going to need to be.

Many people haven’t forgotten past incidents relating to Joey Barton, but they pale almost into insignificance compared to Ben Thatcher’s horrific assault on Portsmouth’s Pedro Mendes – an offence which City immediately condemned and acted upon responsibly with a heavy fine and suspension. Even after that, the F.A. wisely felt it necessary to extend the punishment to a massive 8 match suspension, with a further suspended sentence of 15 matches, which Pearce (ever the optimist) is convinced will never be enacted.

Add to that Ousmane Dabo’s three match ban following the red card (albeit a harsh one) for elbowing Reading’s Steve Sidwell and, more ominously perhaps, the extraordinarily petulant reaction of Micah Richards to being substituted. When Pearce, quite reasonably, decided to bring on the very experienced Hatem Trabelsi, Richards stomped off to the dug-out, where he ostentatiously tore off his shirt and flung it to the ground like a spoilt child. Asked in the post-match interview what action he proposed to take, the Manchester City boss replied “I will educate him”.

Good. He needs it.