Position of Power

Mad late on this, but the problems with Blogger yesterday mean this is the first chance I've got to post on this.  Would have been part of yesterday's paper-round-up, but while I've written off the rest of that, this story still deserves a mention.
It's David Gill suggesting that we're unfairly treated by the FA:

"I do genuinely believe there have been some poorish decisions that, in my opinion, wouldn't necessarily have hit other clubs," Gill said.

I've said it before, and I'll no doubt say it again, that FA policy - their stated policy- is to treat us harsher than others.  Here's where I've said it before, and the relevant quote -

Sources at the FA have confirmed, however, that Ferguson was warned following his punishment for criticising referee Alan Wiley in October 2009 that “greater profile carries greater responsibility” – a clear reference to the Scot’s belief that United are victims of heavier punishment than others.

Perhaps they'd watched Spiderman 3 before this, but either way it's on record - the FA treat us differently.
What surprises me in this story is that the major talking point is Gill's comments, when to me, the shocking thing in this article (which stems from quotes from a book by Steve Bartram on last season), is the casual way John O'Shea talks about Rooney holding the club to ransom:

John O'Shea recounts in the book how the players reacted to a team-mate questioning whether the other players were good enough to challenge for trophies.
"It transpired it was just an interesting technique of getting a new deal," O'Shea said. "I think Wayne, if he could turn back the clock, might do things a bit differently, but both parties were happy in the end.
"He came [into the Carrington dressing room after signing his new deal] and apologised to everyone. He said he'd done what he had to do, basically, and he was sorry if he had offended anybody. Obviously there were a few comments that will stay in the dressing room. They were quite smart and funny, but all friendly."

Whether the quote from John O'Shea is tongue-in-cheek, which it seems to be, the telling bit seems  to be the way Rooney just shrugs his shoulders, "just what I had to do..." hold the club to ransom - "just what I had to do" - wring a few more pieces of silver from us, "just what I had to do..." And I'd all but forgiven him as well...
Yet it seems we're all so immune to this type of thing from footballers that the thing rates nothing but a passing mention in an article that concentrates on telling us what we all already know, that the FA treat us differently.  I guess the fact that Rooney is such a mercenary falls into the same category of the bleeding-obvious...
Shame.