Guy Unwise and Roo-ing It

-Comment-

In the same week as Wayne Rooney burns away national talent by smoking on his honeymoon, Colchester`s Jamie Guy, 20, is charged with drink-driving, his third offence inside a year. The explosive U`s striker does not need reminding, presumably, that his criminal record is now longer than his career-goal tally.

Although Guy and Rooney are guilty of different crimes, plainly, both players are young with a tendency for self-destruction. Neither needs reminding that others, like Joey Barton, George Best, and Paul Gascoine all have tragedies to tell about what happens when bad habits are not curbed.

But even scaling-down with Guy, a universal truth is that the nation`s credit-column of sympathy runs low for headline-getting sportsmen, readily received as spoilt brats living an ivory-tower lifestyle.

True, Guy didn`t ask to be plastered on the front page of two local newspapers last Friday but must accept his position as a potential role model to the young as reason enough for extra exposure. To his credit, Guy admitted that he would advise youngsters against copying his behaviour.

Actions must outdo words in Guy`s story, though, and soon, because the stylish hair-cut and pace that have made him an exciting substitute for Colchester until now are certainly expandable qualities.

Rooney`s catalogue of decent is tolerated because he happens to be the most talented Englishman of his generation. Guy has no such cushion and must graft to make Colchester`s first-team cut.

Manage that, and he will bypass the black-hole were pretenders wasting promise would usually fall off the radar. The only side the heart wills Guy`s name to appear on in future news-pages is the back.