Opnot, not sure if you noticed, but I think the point of Mak's post was:
Big thanks to Manchester ATC
and
A big thanks to the controller manning Manchester radar yesterday around 1000Z
IMHO Mak isn't 'slagging off ATC', he's asking for an explanation, which is admirable. Even more so because he/she obviously didn't do it on frequency at the time, and we all know how crews' questions regarding our decisions sometimes come in the most inopportune moments!