TV3's post-match analysis of the Celtic-Manchester City match the scene of a heated philospophical discussion.
Goalscorer Patrick Roberts was tugged back by City's Gael Clichy in the penalty area just before half-time. Roberts appealed for a penalty but surprisingly refused to flop to the ground like a tragic heroine.
The referee saw no reason to give a penalty. Nor did the endline official. Lustig gave the endline official the benefit of his opinion for which he received a yellow card.
The arch-pragmatists this evening were close to ticking off Roberts for a lack of street wisdom. Why didn't he hit the deck and demand the referee make a decision?
Utopian idealist Brian Kerr wasn't having that view at all. Why should Roberts feel he has to go down? He was fouled. You're effectively licensing diving if you go down that road.
Kerr spoke with the moral outrage of a passionate preacher. The pragmatist in this situation would smirk with the amused cynicism of a macchiavellian high-ranking civil servant. The way the world ought to be versus the way the world is.
Kevin Kilbane represented the pragmatists on the night but he'd never be one for flashing cynical smirks at folk.
