Writing in the Glasgow Times, Rangers ambassador Derek Johnstone has had his say on Alfredo Morelos as the striker continues to receive criticism in the Scottish media.
Morelos was sent off for a second bookable offence in Sunday’s win over Celtic at Parkhead and he made a gesture towards the crowd as he left the field.
Rangers have found themselves defending the player from criticism in the wake of the incident, with members of the Scottish media, including Chris Sutton, claiming the gesture was ‘violent’ in nature.
Johnstone has admitted that El Bufalo isn’t perfect and has much to learn, but he’s pointed to the player’s attitude in training and his charity work in his native Colombia as evidence that he’s not the crazed maniac some depict him as.
‘So many people think they know Alfredo and know what makes him tick,” wrote Johnstone in the Glasgow Times. “They judge him as a player but they don’t know him as a man…he does keep himself to himself at times and he goes in and trains hard and gets his work done.
‘After the Old Firm game on Sunday, he flew home to Colombia and hosted a charity match for his Foundation. He wants to give the kids there a chance to do what he has done and make a career and a living for themselves in football.
‘He is a kind-hearted man that wants to help kids in Colombia and that wants to do well for Rangers. Our fans rightly love him for that.’
He went on to assert that the main reason he’s so hated by opposition fans is not due to his personality traits, but due to the fact that he’s a threat.
Verdict
There’s no doubt Morelos didn’t help himself last season, with his on-field petulance earning him five red cards (one later rescinded) and 19 yellows, making it easy for others to brand him as the bad boy of Scottish football.
That tag has stayed with him this term, with his detractors waiting to pounce on any little misdemeanour.
His first booking was harsh at the weekend, and although he didn’t do himself any favours with the dive that led to his dismissal, the fallout to his gesture has been ludicrous.
Johnstone is right that more needs to be done to look at Morelos’ character and his superb recent work back in his hometown of Cerete.
With Morelos not yet comfortable giving interviews in English, it’s easy to demonise him to create headlines and outrage, but the media should be celebrating the fact that a high-quality, extremely valuable striker is currently plying his trade in the Scottish Premiership.
