Football in general....anyone getting as bored as me??

[Dodger]

Going back to when I was 15 to 25 years old I couldn't get enough of football. I looked forward to Celtic games all week, and it was always planned out that I'd be in front of a TV for any Champions League or UEFA Cup game that ITV had to show. I'd save up my money to make sure I made all the Scotland home games, and I loved watching The Premiership. Now it all just seems so stale. Let's look at the competitions I've mentioned:

SPL - I know it's always been a predictable two horse race, but at least a few years back some of the other teams were decent. Now you can guarentee that whoever comes third will be utter pish. Also, the Old Firm used to dominate because they were pretty good sides, now the rest of the league have to settle for getting regularly pumped by two extremely mediocre sides.The Glasgow clubs teams are full of 3rd rate players who now regularly get pumped by 3rd rate European teams.... It's just all so pish poor.


Premiership - It's actually looking quite close this year, with Man United, City, Chelsea and maybe at a push Liverpool candidates for the title. However, I couldn't give a flying f**k who wins it, they're all such plastic clubs. Football is meant to be great because of the high emotions generated amongst the fans, whereas the Premiership's main market now is a bunch of gloryboys in Asia who's brand loyalty to football clubs is akin to ours with supermarkets. There's no atmosphere anymore, a Man United v Chelsea game may as well be Pepsi FC vs Coca Cola Athletic as far as I'm concerned.


Champions League - Same five or six teams stroll to the quarters every year, and then play the same fixtures as the year before to decide the winner........yawn.

Merely qualifying for this is considered more important than winning a domestic cup, what the hell is all that about? Then there's the Europa League, where even teams that win hee haw like Spurs turn up their nose at......an utterly pointless tournament.


Internationals - Still like seeing Scotland do well, but the team and management are extremely poor and don't set the blood pumping.

European Championships and World Cups still get me interested (despite us never qualifying) but when they actually start they seem to only ever have a maximum half a dozen games that are worth watching.

This part of football is now the one I look forward to the most,the watching my country bit I mean,but the fact of the matter is that my country will struggle to qualify for a finals again for a fair while in my opinion.


It just seems like football is designed to suit the same few big clubs in the world first and then the biggest teams in the other leagues after that. They've monopolised the game in terms of finances and support and the rest of us only exist to make up the numbers. What I'd give for football to be like it was 30 years ago.

Am I being a grumpy ***, or is it all actually just a bit pish?

 

[AuburnWarrior]

Dodger, my old pal, I've all but given up on football now.

I'll still follow my beloved Palace's results but my days of attending any games are long gone. It's far too expensive and I'd rather be playing golf.

I also can't abide the behaviour of the players. I tried to watch Match of the Day last Saturday - something that I used to love watching - but I had to switch off. Watching Barton and his antics made my blood boil. Fair enough, he was stood on - I'll accept that but then to claim that he'd been punched when he'd been pushed in the face was poor.

I'll add to that comment by saying that the cheating, conning and play acting make me sick. A player gets tackled and then rolls around on the floor acting as if, for want of a better saying, like he's been shot in the face. The pain etched on his face would mean that he'll be spending many weeks, maybe even months on the sidelines. And yet, miracles of miracles, he's up and running around within 30 seconds. Those physios are magicians!!

I also dispair at the financial troubles that most clubs seem to be in. Palace have had their own fair share of issues and I simply don't understand how it happens. Football clubs are businesses - the same as any other business. If you make £500,000 then you can spend no more than £500,000. If you do then you're going under - simple!! How can the likes of Charlton be £24,000,000 in debt??

The worry is that pretty much every club is in the financial mire and I wonder where it's all going. Unless a oil rich arab or a Russian oligarch takes you over, it's administration.

UEFA/FIFA appear powerless.

As I say, I love the game of football - in it's purest form it's one of the best games in the world. Unfortunately, those involved are slowly ruining it.

 

[Mattyboy]

AW - I am going on Saturday to the Blackpool match. Will give em a shout for you.
This is my first game since Norwich last season due to also preferring the fairways these days.
EAGLES!

 

[Region3]

I used to love football. Played as much as I could and watched as much as I could, but about 10 years ago I stopped caring.

Just got totally peed off with the constant cheating. When I played I wouldn't even appeal for a throw in if I knew I touched it last. I'm obviously very naive but they just sicken me and the only football I ever watch now is the World Cup or Euro's.

 

[AuburnWarrior]

AW - I am going on Saturday to the Blackpool match. Will give em a shout for you.
This is my first game since Norwich last season due to also preferring the fairways these days.
EAGLES!

I knew there was a reason I liked you!!

My last game was against Watford and they absolutely smashed us. They didn't play wonderful football, we just didn't put up any fight.

Another reason why I drifted away from football - I got fed up with seeing our so called 'golden generation' represent England and play with about 5% commitment!!

Golf from now on and forever....

 

[alnecosse]

Got to agree with most of the comments i seem to have lost all interest in football now as well i still retain my scotland membership but only as it gaurantees me tickets for the games, but now most of the international home games are midweek only one sat fixture of this campaign mid week games are a nightmare if you work and dont live in glasgow just making kick off can be an achievment bring back the sat internationals which were a good day out and you could be home before 1 in the morning and no work the next day.
Also for a Scotland team to play a poor czech side away from home and not even try to win game ie no strikers was disrespectful to all the supporters who payed serious money to go and support them and made Scottish football a bigger laughing stock than they already were if that was possible.

 

[Dodger]

Got to agree with most of the comments i seem to have lost all interest in football now as well i still retain my scotland membership but only as it gaurantees me tickets for the games, but now most of the international home games are midweek only one sat fixture of this campaign mid week games are a nightmare if you work and dont live in glasgow just making kick off can be an achievment bring back the sat internationals which were a good day out and you could be home before 1 in the morning and no work the next day.
Also for a Scotland team to play a poor czech side away from home and not even try to win game ie no strikers was disrespectful to all the supporters who payed serious money to go and support them and made Scottish football a bigger laughing stock than they already were if that was possible.

I still wake up in a cold sweat re the Czech game......ten thousand pished Scots could see after 25 mins things were not working yet Avril couldn't!! It is just as well the beer and craic was good otherwise it would have been a hell of a bad trip.

With regards Saturdays,at least there are more now than 20 years ago when International games were rare on a weekend and only the Home Internationals were played then,I am sure 99% of qualifiers were midweek as I remember struggling to get up for school after a 2am finish!

 

[GB72]

I can agree with most of the points made. Clubs are becoming soleless entities, new stadium have lost the character and atmosphere, cheating is rife, players are mercenaries and behave like spoilt brats and the then you have Gary Neville saying that his international career was a waste of time and get the feeling that most of the others who pull on their National shirt feel the same way.

At least I still have my beloved rugby. Yes I hate the fact that you need connections and a small bank loan to get to Twickenham these days but the passion on the terraces at the Tigers is still there and £200 gets you a season ticket. The players remain grounded and approachable and more than happy to turn up to local events. you know what the punishment is if a Tigers player is suspended, they are made to work in the club shop on a Saturday afternoon or look after the mascots for the day. I went to one match a couple of years ago and was served by Lewis Moody in the shop, the England captain working a till on Saturday afternoon as penance for his ill discipline on the pitch.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Don't go to too many Fulham games anymore mainly due to the finances is. However it is still a stadium where there is a bit of feeling if not an atmosphere as such. Sadly I predict a long cold and hard winter in the PL for us

 

[bunkered]

Cmon dodger have you lost interest already, just wait a few months till you have a league decider against the hammer throwers, that get you going again.

 

[stevie_r]

Decent old fashioned football tomorrow night, Morton v st midden in the league cup at cappielow.

No big timers, £15 quid in, terracing, smoking permitted, decent cheap pies, good banter and a hostile atmosphere - can't wait!

 

[USER1999]

Count yourself lucky you don't support arsenal. Actually, no, you are still worse off supporting Celtic and Scotland. Sorry.

 

[stevie_r]

Count yourself lucky you don't support arsenal. Actually, no, you are still worse off supporting Celtic and Scotland. Sorry.

Who does?

 

[BluenoseGolfer]

I've kind of give up this year, my season ticket price has risen from £312(under 21) to 532, which is way too much, and I think to myself why would I pay almost double to go and watch that s***e.

I love Everton and always will, and it doens't mean i won't be as big of a fan (bitter ) but money constraints as I'm a student and go other financial concerns means I can't.

 

[BluenoseGolfer]

Oh, and it makes my blood boil how the big teams always get preferential treatment. Take Rooney last season for example with that elbow at Wigan, I know there are certain rules regarding if the ref seen it etc... but he got away with it with nothing, it was practically assault!

 

[Imurg]

Too much cheating - out and out blatant cheating - for my liking.
And it goes all the way through to schoolboy games.....

There's supposed to be another "Respect" thing going on isn't there..?
All I've heard this season so far is " the ref was wrong" "bad decision"

For the Love of Peat give it a rest.....

If they don't like the decisions the Ref makes then they should get off their arses, get qualified and try it themselves.

 

[johnboywalton]

Oh, and it makes my blood boil how the big teams always get preferential treatment. Take Rooney last season for example with that elbow at Wigan, I know there are certain rules regarding if the ref seen it etc... but he got away with it with nothing, it was practically assault!

I can`t believe a "Toffee" is having a go at Rooney But i remember the incident and i do totally agree with what you say!

 

[DaveM]

Yes bored to death now with football. I have been a ManU fan for the best part of 60yrs. Now I could not care less, if they win draw or lose.(Though they dont do much of the latter). I think in a funny way thats what makes it boring!

 

[Marko77]

I can't wait till the close of the transfer window then there might actually be some focus on the games rather than who's looking to sign who.

Players holding clubs to ransom is bad craic too. Luka Modric should have been playing for Spurs tonight instead Redknapp leaves him out cos 'his heads not right'. LM is under contract, he should be playing. I'd be looking to dock his wages. Fabregas all summer, if he didn't get his move and Wenger was thinking about playing him v Udinese - would Fabregas have played or would he sulk?

There was a time I'd support St Johnstone home and away but I'd have to be dragged kicking and screaming to go watch them now. Doesn't mean their not the first result I look out for.

 

[SS2]

Decent old fashioned football tomorrow night, Morton v st midden in the league cup at cappielow.

No big timers, £15 quid in, terracing, smoking permitted, decent cheap pies, good banter and a hostile atmosphere - can't wait!

Should be a good derby tonight. Hopefully the high-flying Saints will win but we might be too focussed on top 6 SPL this year (+Europe next year) and let the Soapdodgers sneak a win.