When I think about football the same thoughts come to mind. Basically it was better in my day. I had a real enthusiasm for all types of football. Magazines were bought, TV and videos watched, stickers swapped and programmes collected. We had great idols; Rush, Dalglish, Platini, Van Basten, Maradona and Van den Hauwe. When Wales played abroad the quality of the broadcasts wasn't always great but at least it looked like it was coming from a faraway place, as in Moldova during the mid 1990s. Everything was great with football.
I realised that something had changed when I watched another DVD, this time about Liverpool. I found I had lost my enthusiasm, I didn't feel the same. I started to question myself, was this just due to growing up? Possibly. Had I become cynical? Definitely and this is not just due to developing analytical skills. What's become of my beautiful game?
Something has robbed me of my old feelings for football. Most of the football on TV now just seems like a non-descript mass, what's so special about watching a game live from Europe any more? It should be but for it's not. I've even fallen asleep during recent UEFA cup finals.
I'd like to accuse the following of killing my enthusiasm for football at the top level. The Players, The Media and Fans in North Wales
Firstly the Players, where do you start.? Take the case of one player that nearly crashed his car because he was furious that he was only offered a derisory £55,000 a week. You can also take the case of another player at the same club, he got a signing on fee of seven figures and a weekly wage five times that of a teacher's annual wage yet claims not to be able to afford a house. You don't need to add anything here do you? I suppose that they do their job in the media glare and realistically who would turn down that money? Well players should, don't they have a social conscience? Would it really be a hardship to get by on £1000 a week?
However footballers aren't really the problem, I'm just older and I can see the warts more clearly now, besides they are better at football than me. At least if the players are paid well it ends up in the pockets of those that help create the wealth. If it wasn't for the players there'd be no clubs and therefore no way for carpet baggers to make a killing. More importantly who is partly responsible for this glut of money in the Premiership? The Media.
Ah the Media, where would football be without it? It probably wouldn't be the same. Football fans have always relied on the media to find out about results and their club's fortunes. Firstly Newspapers, then radio and newsreels, followed by terrestrial TV, Satelite TV and the Internet. While they still perform this essential and benign function certain areas of the media have dulled my enthusiasm for the "Whole New Ball Game" (C. Sky Sports 1992). Sky has changed football, it provided the money for clubs to devolop their ground, to meet the criteria for the Taylor Report, through its TV deal. While this may be welcomed in some quarters Sky and other media has had other more neagtive effects recently.
Firstly, the ubiquity of football has given me sensory overload. I can't watch many matches on TV as my attention wanders, even during Liverpool games. As I go to so many games the feeling watching matches this way is totally artificial, I don't know why people shout at the screen. Also magazines that aren't normally interested in football (Porn for cowards; "Nuts" and "Zoo", celebrity magazines and women's glossies) are taking an interest in football, aren't we allowed time off? Do we have to constantly prove that we are men? Why is football now cool?
Secondly, the style of coverage is too sensational. If I hear terms like "Grand Slam Sunday" (When the "big four" in the Premiership played each other.) much longer then I will probably have to seek out anger management. It seems that nothing can be allowed to pass on Sky without it being sensationalised. "Quick get to the pub, so you can catch the next thrilling installment from the "Greatest League in the World" - Portmouth Vs Watford" Why it's enough to get your pulse racing isn't it? Unfortunately this attitude is prevalent in the media in general now, next time the world cup is on feel the hype.
Thirdly, the cynical way in which the media treats fans. We are told in adverts that the Murdoch "paper" The Sun is the best place for football, this is shorthand for "We are the football fan's friend". They say this despite the fact that nearly 18 years ago they claimed Football fans were relieving dead victims of their valuables and urinating on rescue workers at Hillsborough. Are we gullible?
Now the Fans in North Wales. I realised again on Tuesday night whilst watching Liverpool in the Pub (I know, my first mistake) that most people that claim to like football in North Wales are actually very annoying. You have to sit there and listen to the drivel emanating from their mouths as they seem to think they know something about football. Instructions and criticism are bellowed at the screen in frustration. I don't think that they realise that it's easier to see space on the pitch from a camera position rather than on the pitch.
The criticism would be unbelievable if you didn't actually hear it spoken, the utter absurdity of someone watching a match in a pub and calling a professional player shit should be obvious but it isn't to these people. If the players weren't any good why are they playing professionally? More importantly, why are you watching it in a pub instead of being on the TV? If football is so easy then why isn't everyone a professional?
These pseudo fans get my goat. (Pseudo fans look like football fans, try to sound like football fans but are pale imitations, Coke Vs Diet Coke if you will) They seem to think that buying a replica shirt, reading the tabloids or their porn for cowards is enough to turn them into a football fan. Just because you spend your Saturdays watching Jeff Stelling on Sky doesn't mean that you're a football expert. It becomes quite clear from their loud (they're never anything else) conversations at the bar that they know bugger all apart from what they've gleaned out of the "papers" they read. When you talk about football with people that actually go to games the difference is immediately noticeable, they tend to know what they're talking about.
These pseudo fans seem to hang around in packs shouting out "humorous" comments like "Go on ______ lad" and indulge in other uber-male posturing. These twats are only interested in football because that's what geezers are interested in and not to be interested in football means you're less than male. I wish they'd fuck off. Those bloody radio phone-ins have a lot to answer for.
My biggest gripe with these people is their refusal to consider coming to watch matches in North Wales. They'd rather watch "real" football in the pub with their mates. Mind you they do come out if there's a big game, fair dos to 'em, they're just doing their bit. Twats like this cause clubs to try and survive on minimal incomes, the effects are seen in Wrexham.
All has not been lost, my passion for football remains but it is directed locally to Bangor City. I can honestly say that it's more fulfilling, a bigger laugh and you get to meet nicer people. Contrast this with the Premiership; Liverpool couldn't give a toss if never turned up again as they're would be 30 Irish people just waiting to fill my space.
That's why I accuse the players, the media and the fans in North Wales of killing my enthusiasm for top level football. You can keep your soccer-tainment as far as I'm concerned.
