Well I think that was part of it, as well. He didn't know when people were taking the pïss or how seriously because he wasn't as innately sensitive to the rhythms and cadences of English/Irish pïss taking. This would mean that a playful or friendly jibe would be manufactured by his paranoia into a deadly insult.
That's why I never called him out on any of it. Not cricket.
Wrong, of course, but there it is.
"Plenty of strikers can score goals," he said, gesturing to the famous old stands casting shadows around us.
"But a lot have found it difficult wearing the number 9 shirt for The Arsenal."