There’s kicking someone when they’re down, and then there’s doing it for no good reason.
Irish bookmaker Paddy Power, known for their often humorous antics, took an unfunny swing at sacked Manchester United manager David Moyes by erecting a statue of the Scotsman with a pained look on his face outside Anfield.
The stunt, which pokes fun at another man losing his job, does little more than appear as a cry for attention during the run-up to Liverpool’s match with Chelsea.
It comes at the expense of a man who gave Old Trafford his all for nine months despite ultimately not making a good fit.
In addition to kicking at a down Manchester United side who have had by far the most Premier League success of any English side, the stunt serves to diminish Liverpool’s scorching run to the top of the league table, seeming to point to United’s sudden fall as the reason the Reds are atop the league table.
EXCLUSIVE: We felt it was only right to pay tribute to a true Anfield legend. #MoyesFootballGenius pic.twitter.com/N0PtRaXEMa
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) April 27, 2014
The base of the statue reads “David Moyes. For services to Liverpool Football Club.”
Paddy Power have never been ones to back down from controversial stunts. In the past they’ve offered odds on touchy subjects such as the first species to go extinct due to the BP oil spill, the result of Oscar Pistorious’s murder trial, and the assassination of Barack Obama.
Arsenal striker Nicolas Bendtner was fined €100,000 ($138,000) when, during a Euro 2012 match between Denmark and Portugal, the Danish striker celebrated a goal by pulling down his pants to reveal Paddy Power underwear. The bookmaker paid his fine and began to sell replica underpants.
They’ve also run controversial advertising campaigns in the past, including one prior to last year’s Champions League final with a...well...pretty obvious sexual connotation.