The title of this piece is taken from the headline of an article in the Irish Independent, a paper which is actually one of my favourites.
The reason why it is one of my favourites is simple: the brilliant Dion Fanning - a journalist who proves just how bad Martin Samuel really is - is their leading football writer.
Fanning's stuff is always top notch and his analysis of the English Premiership shames half of the writers on this side of the Irish Sea.
But for the life of me I can't work out how the following article, complete with the outright offensive headline shown above, can make it into such a well regarded newspaper:

"Is there anything more tedious than a Scouser? The most obnoxious city in Europe is also the most smug, self-congratulatory and paranoid - actually, it's a bit like Cork with even more annoying accents.
"But after the recent debacle in Greece, it seems like their famous fans are finally getting their comeuppance.
"After complaining that the Greek police were heavy handed and that UEFA were picking on them, the sport's governing body have issued a dossier detailing the misbehaviour of the Liverpool fans.
"As UEFA's spokesman, William Gaillard puts it: 'What other set of fans steal tickets from their fellow supporters or out of the hands of children?'
"And how have Liverpool's politicians reacted to the fact that UEFA now brands their fans as the worst in Europe?
"'UEFA is dragging Liverpool's name through the mud to deflect attention from themselves,' says Scouse council leader Warren Bradley. 'Big governing bodies like UEFA always look for scapegoats and never accept any blame.'
"Scapegoats? Refusal to accept blame? Something Scousers know all about."
How about stereotypes, something the Irish know all about?
The article was written by a columnist by the name of Ian O'Doherty. Never heard of him? Well the truth is you're never likely to because his feeble attempts at being controversial have only succeeded in turning him into a legend in his own mirror.
At a newspaper full of journalistic giants, O'Doherty is a pygmy. Playing the role of Ireland's own Richard Littlejohn to Fanning's Hugh McIlvanney.
He is totally insignificant and has to try and rise above his own inconsequential existence by spitting out bile masquerading as critique.
I could point out the factual inaccuracies of this column, starting with the fact that Michel Platini has pointed out that Liverpool fans are by no means Europe, but why bother.
But a point to his employers (his boss is actually Dion Fanning's dad, Aengus, who should definitely know what makes a good journalist) - UEFA is considering taking action against its own spokesman, William Gaillard, for his totally unfounded slurs against Liverpool fans; are you considering doing the same to Mr O'Doherty?

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