Manchester United’s Ravel Morrison is a tabloid editor’s wet dream
RAVEL Morrison is the hot news in football. Ravel Morrison is the 18-year-old Manchester United footballer and England youth international with a name like a new rotary iron. Morrison signed professional terms with United on his 17th birthday. Not long after, he was arrested.
To date, Manchester-born and raised Ravel Morrison has played three games for Manchester United’s first team, all in the Carling Cup. And he may be on the move. Who wants him? Well, Newcastle Untied have put in an offer, which has been rejected. Anyone else? Well, Arsenal are keen.
While clearly talented, Ravel is famous for a colourful private life. In 2011, he pleaded guilty to two counts of witness intimidation. He was given a referral order:
District judge Wendy Lloyd warned Morrison he would be jailed for 12 months if he put a foot out of line. She said: “I have a straight-forward choice – send you away or give you a referral order. I’ve decided to give you a referral order but you will be spending 12 months in a young offenders institute if you breach it.”
Morrison threatened a mugging victim in a bid to stop him giving evidence against two people accused of carrying out a mugging at knifepoint.
Over the course of two days, Morrison contacted the boy – who had his trainers and music player stolen in the attack – a ‘number of times’ by mobile phone. The court heard how the calls began to take on a more threatening nature and Morrison offered to buy goods to replace the stolen items – in return for the victim dropping the charges. In one call, he told the boy he was in the Trafford Centre buying the replacements.
During the conversation Morrison warned: “You don’t know me any more. You don’t know what I’m capable of.” The victim later received a threatening message on Facebook from Morrison, saying: “Watch yourself. You trying to set me up like that.”
Ravel holds a police caution for assaulting his mother when he was 15. Ravel has been arrested twice for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend – both cases were dropped because she refused to give evidence.
He is also the subject of a criminal file that suggests he has been lucky:
He was accused of visiting Pendleton College, which is attended by the teenage witness who Morrison admitted to intimidating in a separate case. It is understood the victim’s family complained to police, alleging Morrison had been seen outside the college and had attempted to approach the teenager. He was not arrested but was asked to sign a harassment letter, explaining the seriousness of harassment and telling him he would be in trouble if he was found to be committing the offence.
The M.E.N. understands that Morrison denied any improper behaviour.
Signing the letter is not an admission of guilt.
He was spared jail in May after his second conviction in four months.
In January, he pleaded guilty to witness intimidation and was warned he would be locked up for a year if he was convicted of another offence before the end of 2011.
Why wasn’t he, then?
But just four months later, he escaped with a fine at Salford magistrates’ court after admitting criminal damage following a bust-up with his girlfriend.
The local teenage talent worth millions on the football flesh markets escapes jail. Lucky, eh:
He was brought back to court earlier this month after the court later discovered the fine caused the referral order to be automatically cancelled.
What are the odds on that?
Sir Alex Ferguson wants to keep hold of the player, but says Morrison has been “unrealistic” in his demands.
“His agent has been working hard to get him another club,’ said Ferguson.We’ve offered him terms which he has refused. His demands are unrealistic. We’ve rejected an offer from Newcastle.”
Ravel Morrison is already a minor celebrity. You can follow him on twitter.
You can hear him reject claims that he turned down £15,000 a week, a big rise on his current wage of £1,200 per week. Says Morrison:
I have never 1s [once] turned down a contract off Manchester United
Morrison previously called United’s end of season awards party “a crap night”; described being dropped from the reserve team “a piss take“; said in November 2011, “I can not waite till the end of the season“; and offered: “What a load from last nights awardss well done tunnerz tho appart from dat – Shit“.
Ravel Morrison is a tabloid editors’ wet dream. If he fails to fulfil his potential, he’ll be an example of what can go wrong in football in “Broken Britain”. If he succeeds, he’s the new face of those mythical tabloid communities, where everyone has “community leaders” and a footballer can give people hope and a reason to be alive. Whatever happens, Ravel Morrison is no longer a private individual living his own life and making his own mistakes – he’s an example – a “role model” – in a media-created world where football is a tool exploit for political and moral purpose.
Football is not just game Ravel Morrison happens to be very good at. It’s the way by which the elite manage and educate the masses…
Posted: 16th, January 2012 | In: Key Posts, Sports Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
