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falling out of love with football


fenman

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As an old man born in the early 40's football has been a large part of my life as a player , manager and league management member  , frighteningly this amounts to nearly 60 years .

I've also enjoyed watching the professional game both live and televised .However in the last few years I've enjoyed the game particularly the professional game less and less to the point where I almost detest what it has become . Someone will say , quite rightly , that I needn't watch it but with 2 grandsons I suffer it for their sakes .

I believe that the Premiership and it's disgusting amounts of money generated has destroyed the sportsmanship and integrity that the game I grew up with . We have players cheating , feigning injury , haranguing officials to book or send a fellow player off , disputing just about every officials decision and behaving like spoilt children when not selected .

I think perhaps the final straw with me is this  farcical transfer window that operates into the first 2 months of the season .It seems that the transfer window has become cheap entertainment in it's own right with television companies devoting whole programmes to it .  How can clubs plan out their season and team selection , particularly in he Championship and below , when the big clubs are lurking in the background waiting to buy your best players or your manager 6 games into your season ?. How long will loyal fans support a club that  has no hope of progressing when their best players are bought up by big clubs ? Players greed ( in some cases ) and agents greed is destroying the game . There's more and more money thrown at an already  cash rich Premiership , more and more club's are exploiting loyal fans by fleecing them with their cheaply made ,  but expensive to buy replica kit's .

Finally , having watched some premiership games this season I've been bored , keeping possession is one thing but how long will people pay to watch the ball being passed up to the penalty area and back to goalkeeper and then back up to the penalty area . I watch all this and wonder what would Cliff Jones ,David Wagstaff or George Best made of all this ?                , I'm sure that they would have wanted to burst into the box and take people on rather than pass back . Different era I know and most of you won't know who these players were , but it was all about scoring goals and entertainment rather than money . 

Most of you I know will totally disagree with me I know , I'm not saying that my view is the right one  .  

Edited by fenman
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I couldn't agree with you more.  I watch and report on local football as well as watch as much as I can of the professional game on TV.  The amount of money going to foreign players and eventually out of the country is not good for the game.  At my advanced age I actually enjoy watching ECPL or SWPL games.  yes the standard as much lower and officiating has much to be desired but most of these guys are playing for the love of the game not money.  Players on £200K a week and more are just not worth that kind of obscene money.  But for some reason clubs are prepared to pay it.  Why ?   Yes we want to see the best playing at the highest level but when I watch teams like my favorite team Manchester United who have paid out millions look so ordinary against Swansea and deserved to lose. I look at Arsenal and it seems as if the whole exercise is to play tip tap football.  Chelsea are beginning to look like a team of has beens and Liverpool just have not got a clue. But the wage bills at these clubs are staggering. 

At local level someone comes in with some cash and we know they are going to win the trophies because they are buying them.  St Blazey had the dosh coming in for years yet as soon as the money stops where are they .  Bottom of the league.    The big question is will it ever change and the simple answer is a straight forward NO !!!!!!!!!!!!.    The transfer deadline is tomorrow and don't be surprised if a BILLION, yes a BILLION pounds will be spent in the transfer market.  Those type of monies are just not sustainable.  But will it end.  NOPE.  I am afraid we just have to get on with it whether we like it or not.  Even when we watch the games on TV.  What do we get - up to two hours of yaking and then analysing and re analysing over last weeks games and the current game.  It is mind boggling.  Honestly how many of you actually watch this drivel, fans just want to see the game, they are not interested in the drivel being spouted.  How many switch over at half time because they cannot stand listening to the claptrap being espoused by numptys.    We all love the game but is it killing itself.  Take local teams.  How many struggle week in and week out because someone nicks their best players for a fiver more than they can afford.  What ever happened to the days when playing for your local club was the be all and end all.  Not now.  Loyalty at local level has gone.  Even with committee members, once they get to old to continue or die off, who is replacing them.  It is a sad story all around but we just have to get on with it.   Come rain or shine we will still be daft enough to go out and support our local teams and then come back and watch the big boys strut their stuff on TV,     .             

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The successful Liverpool teams of 70s and 80s were always passing the ball back to the keeper from the back 4 and repeating it. That is the reason the backpass rule came in. If you don't like the ££ in the Prem, DON'T BUY SKY/BT SPORTS! It's "mugs" like us that generate the ££ cos if we didn't watch the sponsors and advertisers would keep their ££. There has always been ££ in football, the numbers just seem bigger now. Still nothing like watching it from the stands.

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Good post fenman  TV at saturation point you can watch football 24 hours a day 7 days a week  . pundits  some are good like Gary Neville or really bad like Michael Owen  BT sport please get rid he is so boring 

Maybe this section should be renamed for us "grumpy old men",,,lol,,,yes I am over 60 !!,,, When the TV pundits come on, its time to put the kettle on !!  All I hear is the keeper should have saved that,, the forward should have scored,, the rest of the team should have been somewhere other than where they were !! Of coarse,,, all these ex players, never ever made a mistake !!

While im having a moan, is there an epidemic  of sickness in players on the pitch, where is seems the norm that they all have the urge to have to clear the contents of throats !!!

Ill say no more, matron is here with my cocoa !!

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Good post fenman  TV at saturation point you can watch football 24 hours a day 7 days a week  . pundits  some are good like Gary Neville or really bad like Michael Owen  BT sport please get rid he is so boring 

Maybe this section should be renamed for us "grumpy old men",,,lol,,,yes I am over 60 !!,,, When the TV pundits come on, its time to put the kettle on !!  All I hear is the keeper should have saved that,, the forward should have scored,, the rest of the team should have been somewhere other than where they were !! Of coarse,,, all these ex players, never ever made a mistake !!

While im having a moan, is there an epidemic  of sickness in players on the pitch, where is seems the norm that they all have the urge to have to clear the contents of throats !!!

Ill say no more, matron is here with my cocoa !!

Why do you think my name is what it is....think about it LOL

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Wow nearly fell asleep granted your points are worthy but flipping heck gents 2015 monies mad in football players dive on floors watched by kids who call refs names and do it themselves live with it or don't watch it . Will it change no chance , do we want it to change , well I'd like to go back to kicking lumps out of players in my opinion it wasn't for a fight it was the shirt you were proud to wear, but it will never return and things I'm sure will eventually one day go pop until then watch the footy. ??

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I daresay I am one of the older ones on here and can remember back to leather studs and magazines tucked down the socks. I abhor the pretty boy game we now have and can't be bothered to try to listen to the parade of non - English speaking managers and players put in front of our screens.

We could do with a real resurgence of grass-roots football, supposedly being promoted by the inept F.A.and its local branch offices,but in talk only.

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Good point from the last two writers.  I don't think anyone listens to the pre match, half time and post claptrap comments espoused by former players who cannot get a job in the real world.  And yes ex-chairman, I to remember playing with thick woolen socks and huge shin pads that were made out of bamboo shoots.  The one thing we had then which has long gone is the respect for the officials.  I am often on here complaining about how officials at the top seem somehow oblivious to what is happening but at our level people and I mean from the dugouts seem to spend all their energy hurling abuse at the officials for every decision made.  Some of these guys need to take happy pills and calm down.   The question the game has to answer is WHY !!!!!! is the drop off of support and indeed young players leaving the game.   I was at the St Dominick v Torpoint Athletic game on Saturday and there wasn't even enough support to cover two hands.  And yet that club has to pay for the referee.      I came back to watch Saltash play Exmouth in the FA Vase yet there were more fans watching I assume a Duchy game or youth game outside.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I dont think I will ever fall out of love with football.

Been in love with it from the very first time I kicked a football.

Think as you get older,football is like a fine wine,if you pick the right one.Happy days.

Must admit,I still get a massive buzz,travelling away to watch Tottenham and Truro.

Its not just about 90 minutes of football,its the whole social match day event.

Still in love.

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Wow nearly fell asleep granted your points are worthy but flipping heck gents 2015 monies mad in football players dive on floors watched by kids who call refs names and do it themselves live with it or don't watch it . Will it change no chance , do we want it to change , well I'd like to go back to kicking lumps out of players in my opinion it wasn't for a fight it was the shirt you were proud to wear, but it will never return and things I'm sure will eventually one day go pop until then watch the footy. ??

Sorry MARKSY but I don't agree. We don't have to adopt an attitude of 'it will never change'. If enough people that really don't like these changes have the will to challenge the powers that be with determination, things can be changed. Currently FIFA have been found wanting on their honesty, and Blatter and Co are facing criminal charges. The whole system is under the microscope and a clear out is on the cards. Too much money is destroying the game and this will have to come to an end. Keep the faith - rotten apples and the love of money will not win the day. Corruption and bad practice, cheating and violence can and will be defeated. It simply has to be challenged and not weakly accepted with a shrug of the shoulders. 

I'm sure you've heard the old adage - evil will triumph, when good men do nothing - it's true ! 

Keith b valid points but it won't change . Not in your lifetime buddy?  The money men will keep it pouring in end of . And the game will get worse before better. 

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