Pundits: footballers don't have character anymore, they're all robots, we need them to express themselves Richarlison: does three keepy ups Pundits: Richarlison is disrespectful

I'm amazed that three keepy-ups is even being viewed as "showboating" - even I can knock out three keepy-ups. If he'd done fifty-three keepy-ups using every part of his body that'd be disrespectful... unsportsmanlike, but three - is that really taking the piss out of your opponents?

As a Forest fan I wasn't bothered by any of it. From some people's reactions you'd think he'd either committed a terrible crime or displayed some amazing skill. He did neither. Meh. Well played Spurs, it's a steep learning curve for Forest obviously but hopefully we'll learn and prosper.

If the media reacted the way they did, I want to see Richarlison do more kick ups and maybe an around the world to annoy them even more 😂

I never thought I’d see a 25 minute video on three keepy-ups but nonetheless this is incredibly entertaining

Honestly I'd rprefer showboating over what many teams do nowadays when their in the lead, wasting time with set piece and backwards passing

Personally, I'd love to see more showboating and piss taking on the pitch. But I'm equally happy to see a bit of what goes around comes around in that showboat = a bit of an "'av that" (no I don't mean two footing his ankles and ruining his career, just a knock or two). I think it all just adds up to louder and crazier atmospheres and a bit more emotion in the sport. I'd rather be wound up by a team than sit there emotionally void as the game wraps up in a defeat for my team

This could be my favourite HITC Sevens video of all time. Incisive and earnest deep dive philosophical analyses (of things seemingly as trivial as a keepie-uppie) are what make this channel so great.

I hope Richarlison does more showboating, he already clapped back on twitter with Neymar backing him. And it's with the latter that I first came across that nonesense where it's 'punishable' to showboat. Anyone remember when Neymar got booked for doing tricks?

Best point is they are entertainers and that is what fills the seats and doing stuff like that is what sells the jerseys. Only reason not to showboat is if you are losing.

Honestly need more stuff like this in the English game. Its just fun and like you say no different from a winger running to the corner flag doing stepovers. If I was a Forest fan I would be more upset he had the time and space to do that in the first place!

That fact that this is a topic is so ridiculous. Thank you for presenting it as such Alf. They gave him time and space with the ball while his team was ahead and they needed to run the clock down. If you don't want him to do this, then like mark him? Press him? Win the ball back, you know, football stuff. Fouling him was playing into his hands, and was the least intelligent thing to do. Time was wasted as he wanted, and as a bonus one of the top Forest players was booked. Do they not understand how football works? Are there reasons to aim for someone's shins during a game? Certainly, keepy uppies are not that reason

As a Spurs fan, I obviously loved it. The overreaction is too much. Every child spends years practicing skills. Why does football have to be so serious all the time. I bet these pundits would label a player as unprofessional just for smiling more than usual. They’re all so bitter that their careers are over.

The way pundits like carragher and souness reacted to this- you’d think richarlison had committed a horrid crime on the pitch 😂

I grew up watching mostly Premier League and Serie A. In the 90s, I much preferred the Italian brand of football. Had the tough defenders but also the slick forwards who had a bit of flair about how they played. In the Premier League, I loved players like Eric Cantona, Benito Carbone, Jay Jay Okocha who played with flair. Without it, the game is dull as dishwater.

You actually made a video on Richarlison's juggling and talked about how it relates to Margaret Thatcher's influence on changing English culture. That is genuinely amazing. Never change Alfie, never change. On a serious note, I completely understand where Johnson was coming from. He was frustrated and took it out on an opponent who showboated. I did it when I was a kid as a defender, it was dumb, and I regret it. I don't think his act is necessarily even uncommon. But I do think it shouldn't be celebrated. He should be told he needs to keep his head straight and play with professionalism and pride. The thing that really infuriates me is that this is the exact opposite response everyone had a couple weeks ago when Darwin Nunez put his head through Joachim Andersen. Essentially the same thing happened: A young and inexperienced player got riled up by teasing or purposeful aggravation by an opposing player, and he lashed out in a stupid way. One saw red, the other yellow. Everyone was condemning and criticizing Nunez for his actions, but now everyone wants to defend Johnson for his. All because Richarlison did a few keepy-uppies. There is a serious brain-rot problem in this world.

much more entertaining to see someone waste time with their skills then just falling on the floor and calling the medical team to magically cure them

Martin Tyler is a modern day Brian Moore who used to hate footballers strutting after scoring a goal back in the early nineties. If you wonder why Brazil are not the samba team they used to be, it’s because their top players play in Europe.

It’s actually pretty smart from Richarlison really: see out a 2-0 lead by winding up opponents. Anyone whose played any sport at, really, any level understands how important mentality is. It’s true he risks someone lashing out on him with a stray boot, but that’s a professional risk, it’s part of the game.

1. Richarlison juggled the ball on his head against Man Utd last season, it was praised. 2. Most Nottingham Forest fans didn’t even care, they saw one of their own clatter him so were happy. Tottenham fans loved seeing the cheek, so both sets of fans are fine. 3. If it was Brennan Johnson doing keepy ups after being 2-0 up against Tottenham, guarantee the commentators would be praising him, and again Forest fans would be happy seeing it, Tottenham fans would be happy seeing him clattered. I think the media just don’t like Richarlison tbh.

I had the thought while watch the ESPN aftershow ........ if you are more offended by someone mocking rather than someone assaulting the said person, I think you have a serious problem. He could've torn his knee ligaments easily, and the fact that he's just playing the sport while the other is deliberately trying to hurt a person. If you think he deserved it, just answer this : would one not be in jail, if someone mocked you and you hit them on the street?

Football need more "disrespectful" moments. Football needs more "showboating".

You're absolutely spot on. Much as I can't stand Richarlison, I don't want to see the lad get injured. Maybe custard-pied in the face every now and then, like as if he was on a Saturday morning kids tv show, but not kicked up and down the place.

Seen it before with Nathan Oduwa at Rangers he did a rainbow flick on a player and you'd think he broke someone's leg the way the commentary team went on. Later in the game he took a bad tackle and they insinuated he deserved it for doing flicks and step overs. Next day the print media were calling him disrespectful to his opponents.

Henry done it while running with the ball! It was magnificent! Keep it up with the flair, it makes the game more entertaining. The guy done 3 kick ups and then laid the ball off to his team mate. There was nobody tackling him at the time. Get a grip. Also, who remembers when nutmegging was considered to be taking the piss?

I once had my life threatened at an U17 Football match in South Africa for simply winning a foot race towards the ball and clearing it before the attacker. The problem of violent idiocy in football fans is a worldwide problem

Alfie this is exceptional. You made every point perfectly and every insult I’ll back til the grave. Well done

Excellent content as always Alfie. It's good to know that there are still people like you out there, who at the very least can think for themselves and are not devoid of reasoning and objectivity

One of my friends has a similar outlook to Richarlison’s keepy uppies and told me it is disrespectful. I showed him Liverpool’s score line against Bournemouth. By the same logic, Liverpool should be banned from playing football altogether

Of all the HITC uploads I see right before bed, this is the one I felt I had to watch.

i think i just started crying with laughter from about 18 minutes or so onwards lol. this is a great video alphy

Thank you for making this video it means a lot to me because I am a Brazilian and I miss seeing the beautiful game the way it was meant to be play.

You're correct about Len Shackleton, there's no greater showboater to come out of the British game than him.

Doing keepy uppies is disrespectful but keeping the ball on the corner flag at the 90th minute resulting in a 4-man pile up and fists being thrown isn't?

Well done Alfie: sadly the reaction mirrors how this country has become a xenophobic cesspit, particularly post 2016 which seemed to normalise racism and all that comes with it.

As a Spurs fan, I have no problem with neither the keepie uppies or the tackle. Had someone in Nottingham done the same I probably would've cheered if Richarlison fouled him, but I wouldn't want to punish the Nottingham player either.

This 25 mins keepie uppies of HITC Sevens is absolute GOLD. By the way, can you do the sucess current years of Vietnam football?

Strongly agree with your general point but the video was perhaps a little too long :) Watching the old school players vent their toxic views around this has been nauseating to say the least. Glad someone has come out to represent those of us with a different view on this.

Outstanding analysis. Quality, depth, and great bits of humor as always. Alfie is the best football journalist on the internet, change my mind

I thought Richarlison's keepie-uppies was more a flippant reaction to being stuck on the bench and coming on in the 85th minute than any sort of showboating on his part.

If you cannot stop a player within the rules of the game from dribbling, then its your fault. You are not a good enough player, and your team isnt good enough. To then create a false narrative that in a competitive sports match that using learned skills like dribbling is disrespectful....just beyond the pale. The fact is, if a player waste time dribbling because they have a lead, its because the opposition are getting beaten by a superior opponent or tactic. If they need to break rules, fouling players that do that, then they just show how crap they are as a player and how poor the team spirit it. No fight to win, just petulant personal animus because "you are making me look bad cry cry cry".

Great take on this and I love your stuff. You are 100 percent right and this shouldn't be so frowned upon. Let them express themselves.

Great video! Love the thorough and thoughtful take. More like this, please 👏👏👏👏👏

Breathe of fresh air. Brilliant content as always. Beautifully delivered as well.

Foden:*delibretly wasting time by faking an injury* Pundits:what a smart player playing with Atletico nevers Richarlison: *does kick ups while his team leads* Pundits:we don't do that in our nation

He's Brazilian, they show a bit of flare and live for football. Not like English players, kane, maguire etc, lumping the ball about

Some very amusing references in there & some amazing photos. Good stuff.

Alfie, you really are one of the most sane not just football channel, but just as a football fan out there. I've watched your vids for about 2-3 years and I've never been bored because of your content. Your way of keeping the humanity in football feels like a dying breed as people would rather watch someone try and break someone's leg than watch actual football. I'm all in for a hard challenge, I really am. But just don't do it with the intention of breaking someone else's legs.

If Richalison was Ronaldinho or Neymar that move would have been praised 😑

Of course showboating should be encouraged. It makes the game more entertaining. While doing those keepie-uppies, the ball was still in open play so any forest player could have attempted a fair tackle to try and take the ball from him so I don't see the problem. As for it being disrespectful, it simply just isn't. People probably considered the Cryuff turn "showboating" and "disrespect" when Cryuff started doing it. Now it's a core skill taught to every academy prospect 🤷‍♂️

Alfie, wow, hats off Man! Your objective point of view is sooo priceless. It, unfortunately , becomes a real rarity these days. I do not agree with you on all issues that you talk about in your videos, but here - you're more than spot on. You're quality bloke. Respect!

This video should be taught in your schools. you blended the culutre, the class and the history beautifully.

It's not a perfect comparison but it brings to mind when a basketball player scores in the dying seconds when up by a fair few points. The other team starts pushing and shoving, whining about the 'code' or some crap. Basically, if you don't like it, you should have played better

As a brazilian, I'm here to congratulate you on a absurdly reasonable and well thought out response. It may seem absurd, but pundits here are not much different from England about showboating and defend the aggressors way more than the ones actually playing the sport as it's intended, in fact, what keeps the flair and creativity alive is the fact football is played a lot as a kid game, without much rules nor coaches and referees on absurd fields and "balls" (like playing with a smashed up can of soda during school break).

sensational video, alfie. imagine not liking football but still watching it every single week

Been watching you for years now, this is my favourite of your videos

The Queen's meme aged poorly...

An XI of if Scandinavia banded together and how well they'd do in major tournaments

You regularly persuade me to your point of view, but I never expected this channel to make me a better person! Love it!

😂 very enjoyable. You’re rants are so skilfully assembled I can only stand back and admire the beauty 😂 on the subject of diving/ conning refs I always think of winking Mickey Thomas and how Brian Moore and the crowd lap up his antics back in the seventies.

this is a slippery slope, I'm also a baseball fan and the "Unwritten rules" of baseball are literally the worst part of the game

There is, or was a similar thing in (ice)hockey, over the last couple of years. Because it used to be a super rough sport, and fans and pundits were proud of that. So any form of expression was oftentimes criticized as bad for the game, and people (rightly) claimed that it wouldn’t have happened before. But the skill took over, and now people welcome it. So I guess it will just take a bit longer for football, but you’ll get there

Cheers for making this. I giggled and the greater point is one I've been making for a while but much less eloquently and digestibly. Keep it up.

One of my favorite videos of yours!

As a Forest fan I had no real problem with the keepy uppies nor Johnsons reaction. If you are good enough to do it fair play, but it is as all the other cases of showboating he mentioned it is also about sending a message that "you aren't good enough to stop me" so therefore it is asking for a response. He got one. The end.

People condoning the foul for "showboating" make a clear lack of adult-level reasoning apparent.

Great video man, I learnt quite a bit as well very educational

Great video with a very nice social commentary to go with it.

Keep-Ups aren't the same as a step-over or Rabona, not in this case anyway. Rabona's and step-overs are done to gain some sort of an advantage within the game, Richarlison's keep-ups were simply just done to do them. If he was attacking Forest and the opportunity came to do keep-ups over and around players Ronaldinho-esque, then everyone would be saying "Wow he's playing like Ronaldinho" and would be on his side if he got clattered.

While I agree with the take on the situation, your attributing the reaction to a British mentality I do not (although the proporionality might be telling). This is a conflict that has been going on for a long time and in many if not most footballing regions, Brazil being no exception.

Really great video and incredible insight, I don’t watch talk shows so I just saw it and thought it was funny as to do that

Phenomenal video and perspective

Anyone notice at 0:28 he said being "DEADly serious" then showed a picture of the queen...

I don’t like Spurs or Richarlison at all but completely agree with everything said in this video - the overreaction to this has been INSANE.

Great video, 100% agree, both on this incident and the more general points

This is my favorite video of yours I've watched so far

I agree with Alfie on this, but I disagree with his way of describing the incident referring to Richarlison's showboating as 'doing keepy-uppies' and to Johnson's tackle as 'kicking someone down'. Both of those actions need to be seen in the context of a football match. While Johnson was technically 'kicking someone down' it was still just a tackle, one of the most common occurances in football, whilst juggling the ball in the middle of a game is very much not a common occurrance, and is pretty much objectively seen as a way of humiliating your opponent. Still, I don't think Richarlison did anything wrong, and I agree that 'showboating' is a natural part of the game and adds to entertainment value. I also don't think Johnson did anything particularly wrong by performing what I would describe as a 'hard challenge' on Richarlison.

Flair and technique are assets and tools footballers possess and must be permitted to employ in the game, showboating or not. Anyone who uses violence in retaliation should be subject to VAR, red carding and banning depending on the gravity of the altercation. Yes, showboating is silly, but often dribblers are assaulted with impunity and if that’s the route you seek, I recommend Rugby or Hockey instead.

American here: this video also reminds me of the discourse around the unwritten rules of baseball. People forget that these are games meant for entertainment.

Couldn't agree more. Thank you!

0:28 aged well

I agree I see nothing wrong with it, similarly with arsenal whenever they celebrate they get instantly shut down for over celebrating, for me this stuff makes the game exciting and differs from the robotic respect all the time. While I believe everyone needs respect, this adds to the game.

Wow, you really loaded your gun on this one - and I think it might be your best work yet. Your takes were brilliantly hilarious and at the same time disturbingly serious, and I think you nailed it 100%. Well done!

You changed my mind on this topic. At first, when I saw the clip of the keepy uppies I thought 'yeah, well deserved, should've been more respectful'. But I think you are right, that way of thinking shows a bigger problem connected to anger control

I hope that Richarlison keeps it up! He’s going to be a great signing for us!

I dont get it. So when teams are ahead they should pass the ball to the opponents instead of doing things to try to hold up play and wind down time?

Brilliant video! Expertly explained as usual

Thank you Alfie, I thought I might have been going mad there. Best vid yet and that’s saying something 👍

This kind of socio-political analysis is exactly why this channel is so good 😂

What's the big deal about this it's a skill within football perfectly legal the things people get upset with these days never ceases to amaze me.

Linking three keppie-uppies to Margaret Thatcher is brilliant, you’re a man of my own heart ❤️

Love this, love the passion and love the calling out of the football dinosaurs dragging down the beautiful game.

Great video! But as a brazilian I have to come in here to tell you that going after players showboating isn't even an English only thing, over here in Brazil there's lots of examples of fights breaking out from players showboating, one famous example I remember from way back and you can find it if u search, "Edilson Corinthians v Palmeiras" where Edilson after scoring a championship winner, starts showboating and starts a huge fight, because both teams are big rivals and doing it in a final...well you can see the problem.

Is he (potentially) hurting anyone? Nope Does he get any unfair advantage? I don't think so Then it shouldn't be a problem

This is one of the greatest videos you've ever done, at least top 5.

Let’s not forget Hoddle and Spurs’ reaction after a preseason game in South Africa, against Orlando Pirates 🏴‍☠️

0:27 Well that aged well

hot take: physically assaulting people is bad actually

Great video. Agree with all the points you’ve made.

If we didn't allow showboating, we'd never have gotten to see Ronaldinho play. Who wants to live in that world? Not me.