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As Albus Dumbledore gazed upon the stupendous dining hall of Hogwarts over his half-moon glasses, the students crammed inside were about to receive a nugget of wisdom far beyond their tender years.
«It takes a lot of courage to stand up to our enemies,» said a smiling Dumbledore. “But it takes a lot more courage to stand up to our friends. Therefore, I give 10 points to Neville Longbottom!
Many of you will scoff at taking a joke from a children’s book to start an article on football. Others will answer that, in a world as vividly and lovingly created as Harry Potter’s, the lines between reality and fantasy are blurred.
But JK Rowling has used her award-winning book to make a valid point; It’s very true that standing up to people you don’t like can be hard, but standing up to people on your side is harder.
This interaction came to mind during an incident in Manchester United’s 1-0 win against Aston Villa on an unusually cool afternoon at Old Trafford.
Jadon Sancho, who was tentatively working his way into the United XI, was dispossessed during a promising attack for the home side, producing a wave of groans from three quarters of the stadium.
Sancho’s slowness also produced an adverse reaction from one of his teammates; Bruno Fernandes could be seen expressing displeasure in the manner of a helicopter mom who manifests her passion for horses through a visibly uninterested child.
Considering the trials and tribulations of his time at United, you would have expected Sancho to shyly lower his head and concentrate on redeeming himself with his feet.
But the former Borussia Dortmund winger located his cojones and told Fernandes to calm down. Taking one of the great beasts of the United team, despite his mistake, is the biggest sign that Sancho is starting to become himself again.
Bruno moans Sancho comes back to life pic.twitter.com/nZBnBXASEy
— Maverick 🔰 (@Aye_Eras) April 30, 2023
«Sometimes I go over the edge,» Fernandes told Sky Sports last month. «I know. It can happen in a match and it’s difficult to control emotions.
“But I never try to disrespect anyone. We are all competitive and we all want to win. The way I play and feel about the game, the passion I have for it, is how I feel best and how I give my all for my team and my club. That’s why I play that way.
“I’ve been like this since I was seven too, I don’t want to lose my game – I’m very competitive and I want to give it my all and give the best of myself. And I expect others to give their best.
“If I see someone on the pitch and I try to tell them something it’s because I think they can do better. Sometimes I can even give them credit, but on television you can’t see it.
“You see the waving of the arms, but that doesn’t mean you’re complaining to anyone. Sometimes it’s the way you can express yourself on the pitch. With 75,000 at Old Trafford, it’s difficult to hear or hear other people, so you have to make hand gestures.»
We’ve all worked with someone who expresses their dissatisfaction in this way; dominating their room with their hot pot and, in the heat of the moment, paying scant attention to the recipient’s feelings.
But we’re glad Sancho took inspiration from Neville Longbottom and stood up for himself. As Dumbledore said, it’s often the hardest thing to do.
By Michael Lee
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