Well I'm not saying that's the mechanics of how it works in each case - I'm more saying it's how the mindset of fans towards players in general has turned over time, so no I don't think it's "who does he think he is", I think it's a consequence of fans not seeing players as 'one of us' - and even local lads can be included in that. If we've elevated professional footballers to superstar status - showered them with riches and placed them on a pedestal far above mortal man then when they don't perform like superstars we'll mercilessly cast them down again. It's not right or fair but it is a mirror of exactly what our media does to players - remember England players getting crucified in the press before Euro 96 - the dentists chair incident etc, then hailed as heroes after the Netherlands game. The press raise up footballers as gods and then vilify them and with social media we've learned to be our own press. The superstar lifestyles just make it easier to distance ourselves from them so we can idolise or castigate them without a normal level of objectiveness and decency we would normally apply to our fellow human beings.
