Falling out of love with football?

[themanwhofellasleep]

Over the last few days I've heard lots of football fans talk about "the death of football" or how they are sick to death of the game. It's not just Spurs fans. Lots of football fans seem to be feeling very disillusioned by the game.

Now, I happen to think that the game is alive and well, but I understand their concerns. Personally, I feel an increasing sense of disconnection with Spurs and football in general. Part of this is due to our turnover with players. Irrespective of whether we've improved or not over the last few years, we've gone through a hell of a lot of players. And I find it hard to connect with a club when they players change as often as my underwear (about every six months). Just when I'm used to one set of players, they get shipped out and are replaced by another, newer, more glamorous set of players and I have to start again. And the players we have seem to increasingly players who know nothing about the club and its history. I don't think this is a problem just for Spurs - do you really think Robinho knows what it means to play for Man City? Their traditions and identity? I don't think so. Of course, as long as a player gives his all, who cares if they know about Dave McKay or Danny Blanchflower, but lots of clubs, Spurs included, now seem to bring in players, give them a run-out for a season and then replace them before the fans have gotten the chance to even hear them speak. Do we really think that Modric or Dos Santos grew up wanting to play for Spurs? Of course not. They just know that we're in London, have a decent manager and some money to spend. That's not their fault - I don't know much about teams in Spain or Croatia. But it's still disheartening to watch Berbatov being unveiled for Man Utd, knowing that he saw Spurs as nothing more than a stepping-stone to another club.

It's the same with managers. One of the reasons I loved Martin Jol was that he knew what Spurs were about. He seemed to be an actual fan, and he had a wonderful connection with the fans, and knew the history and traditions of the club. Newcastle fans loved Keegan not just because he nearly won them the league, but because he was "one of them". And the fans felt that he shared the ups and downs with them. Whereas I don't feel any sense of connection at all with Juande. He may or may not be a great manager, but I don't really think of him as Spurs, just as a man doing his job. If another team had come in for him instead of us, he'd be managing them instead.

With Man City, you get the impression that the owners would happily buy the entire Man Utd squad, hire Sir Alex as manager and get the team to play in red if they thought it would bring them success. Never mind that it would destroy the identity of the club and disenfranchise the fans.

In the last few years, we've seen Spurs do relatively well, just missing out on the CL and winning the Carling Cup. I should be happier than ever, but I'm not. I feel more cynical about Spurs now than I did 5 or 10 years ago. I feel quite disconnected for the team. Maybe it's just me, but it's not just about success - it's about identity; it's about knowing who you are cheering for, and knowing that the players and manager understand what it means to play for Spurs - the lows as well as the highs. But when I look at the team and the manager, all I see are professionals being paid to do their job. Maybe that should be enough. I'm not naive - I'd rather have a team of highly-paid, skillful footballers winning the league than a group of loyal, badge-kissing cloggers who can't play but will fight for the cause - and ending up getting relegated.

It's even worse looking at the England team. Has there ever been a time when the English public has felt more cynical and antagonistic about the national team? Does anyone even care whether we beat Andorra and Croatia? Nice though it is to see Jimmy Bullard in the squad, the rest of the players just seem like aloof millionaires more concerned with playing in the Champions League and appearing in Hello magazine than playing for the shirt. Look at Steven Gerrard: as soon as his team had successfully qualified for the Champions League, he chooses to have an operation that means he missed games for England. He could have had the operation over the summer, but that would have meant missing the CL qualifiers - you can see where his priorities lie. Can anyone really get excited cheering on Lampard, knowing that he held his club to ransom for £150,000 a week? Can anyone really love Ferdinand, knowing that he missed a drugs test, was suspended for months and then demanded a pay rise? Can anyone really embrace Capello, with his dire, functional brand of football and reliance on the same overpaid Champions League stars as ever?

Maybe it's just been a tough year. Maybe come May I'll be cheering on Spurs as they win the UEFA Cup and roaring for England as they win games with style. But at the moment it doesn't feel like that. I'm not saying that football is dead, or harking back to an age where players were underpaid and treated like cattle, I'm just feeling like I'm falling out of love with the game.

 

[Supersonic]

I feel exactly the same. Im getting totally disillusioned with football at the moment.

The biggest issue for me is I simply cant afford to go to see games. I dont feel like a fan when I havent been able to go to a game for 3 seasons because I cant afford to spend 50quid per ticket on a day out that will quite likely result in disappointment anyway.

And I think most footballers are pricks.

AND, I feel like the club have totally lost their identity since Jol left. What ever happened to the young english signings transfer policy?

 

[van_Pommel]

I know what you mean, especially with England. I couldn't give a crap how they do, because I hate most of them. Lamps and Terry in particular. They dont understand what it is to play for their country anymore. I'd drop most of them personally, and play people like Bullard. If Lamps and Terry got dropped, they wouldnt be bothered because they're not representing their country anymore, they'd be bothered because if they're not in the squad it will harm their public image, and possibly their chances of a payrise.

 

[mil1lion]

I know whats you're saying. Not many people like change. Whether its their football team making changes, or a career change. But i for one feel a lot more connected to this Spurs team than the one we've had the past several years. I know that sounds strange because theres plenty of new faces. But i feel like we're finally a team now. There doesn't seem to be any disruptive influences left in the 1st team now. A lot of young hungry players. The only ones i'm still abit sceptical int his aspect is Kevin Prince-Boeteng and Hussam Ghaly. But neither figure in Ramos plans.

That for me sums Juande Ramos up really. A lot of fans will only see the football abilities of a player, without seeing how they are off the pitch. Thats a big thing for a football club. Thats why Juande Ramos is very specific about the type of player he takes on. Thats possibly why a player like Ghaly, who has undoubted good qualities, has been frozen out of Ramos' plans. The same could be asked of the omission of Kevin-Prince Boeteng, who has undoubted potential in midfield, but may not have the character off the field, to fit in with the team Juande is building.

That for me is what i have taken too about Juande Ramos. And even though he doesn't have quiete the bond of the fans that Martin Jol has. He knows how football should be played. Thats where Spurs and Juande are a match made in heaven. He loves to play attacking football. He believes in it, and would have it no other way. Its that sort of mentallity that made Bill Nic so popular (although i'm too young to have experienced his reign myself unfortunately) amongst our fans. So provided he keeps playing the 'Tottenham way' then he can keep his distance from the fans, but still be admired. Afterall, we have Gus Poyet to bond with the fans.

The key for me now is to keep Juande Ramos at the club for the long run. The reason for these changes is in large part, because of the continuous change of management. But provided we keep Juande at the club, there will be less arrivals in the upcoming transfer windows. And the fact that we continue to sign the best young Brittish talent, will help keep the identity of our club. With young players from across Europe added to the mix aswell, it gives our club a much wider appeal across the globe. But if you need an example of why we should keep faith that, despite the continuous changes to the playing staff, we can still sign players who want to live out their dream of playing for Spurs. Then live in hope that we signed Mr David Bentley. Lets hope more Bentley's pull up to WHL for years to come.

 

[klinsmannsbeetle]

Mate, I couldn't agree more.

I've been completely swept away by the Olympics, especially some of the smaller stories, like the Scottish guy who, after four years training, had an extreme reaction to a tooth abcess and ended up in hospital. He missed something like six or eight weeks of training - utterly crucial, obviously - but took the view that 'this is the Olympics. I've gotta turn up and do my best'. What did he do? Made the final and just missed out on a medal. It was pretty moving just seeing him interviewed afterwards. And then there was the weightlifter who won gold and was standing on the rostrum with his medal and a photograph. He was a huge man and was smiling in a kind of aching, desperate way. I could only guess at his ache when the commentator said that the picture was of his wife who had been killed in a car crash a couple of months earlier and to whom he'd promised a gold medal. Instantly I was on the verge of tears - because it was a human story, because it put every emotion we have into perspective. When I watched perhaps the greatest tennis match I've ever seen this summer, with Roger Federer desperately trying to hold onto his Wimbledon title and his world number one status against a sensational, irresistible Rafael Nadal and lose, yet still, moments later, pay Nadal great compliments I began to question my feelings about football, because I simply don't get that from watching or talking or thinking about this game anymore.

 

[Hoddle_Ledge]

I have totally, apart from Spurs of course, I haven't watched Match of the Day or anything like that for over a year, I just don't care anymore. I've watched every single Spurs game for as long as I can remember, as for the rest I couldn't give a crap.

 

[Teddy Klinsmann]

never agreed more with this thread. i've spoken to so many people about this over the past few days, its eating me up inside.

i'm sick of footballer ego's. i'm sick of passionless footballers who care more about the front pages than the back pages. i'm sick of sh1t players demanding weekly wages most of us won't earn in 5 years. i'm sick of footballers who think they rule the world and have a divine right to snub fans and supporters. i'm sick of rich owners. i'm sick of paying huges prices to see a game. i'm sick of being bombarded with marketing. i'm sick of badge kissing players demanding more money or else moving on. i'm sick of fans idolising players.

why do we pay footballers so much? why do we not pay teachers more, service men more, emergency services more?? this world has become ill divided and do you know what is worst thing - we are the problem. we as fans feed the ego's. pay the wages. idolise the players. we crave the superstars. we crave the succcess at all costs.

i would rather go do the park and watch two pub teams scrap it out on a saturday morning. as crap as it may be; there would be hunger and desire and passion. there are no tv cameras, no fancy strips, nobody singing, nobody selling me programmes, credit cards, tv subscriptions, holidays, cars...it would just be football and me.

i feel i could rant about this all day - but i'll stop! have to go and earn an honest wage!

 

[Fordy]

I think i fall out of love with football a little bit more every year. i really had to think hard about renewing my ticket this year, i did, but im sure thats because i enjoy the social side of it so much!
its hard to actually enjoy it anymore, every club seems to think they have a devine right to be successful and managers are sacked even if they achieve what 15 years ago would have been a good season. the players dont really give a shit despite earning ridiculous amounts of money, look at England, i used to love watching them but they couldnt give a toss.

Bring back the days of Gazza and waddle who used to play to the crowd and have a rapport with us fans.
Its getting to the stage where they dont need us fans anymore.

 

[SpurSince57]

I know what you mean. It's pretty staggering to realise that we have only one player left from the squad Fruitini started out with just four years ago; can Michael Dawson really be our second longest-serving player? Yes, he can. In four years we've signed over 60 players, some of whom were here barely long enough to find their lockers. That's aside from the five managers and three sporting directors since ENIC took over. And for all that we've improved the quality of the squad immeasurably in that time, you'd like a little time to catch your breath.

And I know what you mean about Ramos, too. You could see yourself having a great night in the pub with Martin, but not with Juande (not that I could imagine having a great night in the pub with Glen or Fruitini either). I suppose he has a personality somewhere, but he's quite scarily remote. Thank fuck for Gus reminding us that there is actually at least one human being running the show. Otherwise we might as well have a Dalek on the touchline.

 

[johnmc]

You have made some good points there. Football I think is on the road to ruin, through greed. It will probably take a good few years to come about, but the fan base is slowly eroding. The young fans are priced out of the game. Even the older fans are being squeezed dry. It's only a matter of time before we get a break away European league with no Promotion or relegation. That will be the start of the accelaration into the dark ages. The money men are moving in and the cash cow has to be fed. Shame really as it's a wonderful game.

 

[onthetwo]

TOTALLY AGREE - We need a Europe-wide salary cap, and a return to the old 'quotas' on non-UK players. I think Platini is trying to push this through. If it doesnt happen then our national game could go the way of the WWF (some might say that the diving is already remininscent!). Football needs to clean up its act in a number of ways or it will lose its appeal and i think the oil and media barrons dont realise it.

 

[oshaun]

I agree it does seem to be going that way. One other problem I have is the expectation of teams and supporters more nowadays. With nearly every team, if you have a slow start then managers face serious speculation about their jobs. Can sets of fans be happy with their team being mid-table while the media shouts about them getting into the top 4 at the beginning of every season? With each season that passes the intensity surrounding games and whole seasons increases. The feel of football is definately changing.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

The key for me now is to keep Juande Ramos at the club for the long run.

Absolutely :up:

I haven't watched Match of the Day or anything like that for over a year, I just don't care anymore. I've watched every single Spurs game for as long as I can remember, as for the rest I couldn't give a crap.

Same here. And if I do watch a game on't tellybox i'd rather watch a Championship game than a Premier League one any day.

 

[DC_Boy]

HI A&C - did you get my PM?

Back on topic a lot of fans give themselves unnecessary grief - they'll dismiss as midtable mediocrity a 10th place finish - when that is 10th out of a 100 professional clubs - and literally 100s more of fairly decent clubs

10th is at the very apex of our national game and indeed is our historical average for post-war football - a very successful period incidentally in our history overall

we win a major trophy beating a multi-million pound team - one of the 10 best club teams in the world and people talk about a 'minor trophy' it's only the carling Cup etc


if you can't enjoy waht we've acheived over the past 3 years that's up to you - probably football disillusion is setting in for you -nowt wrong with that - it's a ridiculous obssession - I'm just hooked though

 

[Chimbo!]

Totally agree with your article. Football is becoming more and more detached from reality and it was summed up by Carragher; on talksport yesterday he was quoted from his new book as saying "I was never in love with playing for England... people who come to watch England games know little about football..." And then he has the cheek to say something similar to this, people in Liverpool find it difficult to get jobs because it has been made the cultural capital of Europe and foreigners take the jobs that scouses would have gotten. What an absolute disgrace, as first of all he has no idea if that is true and secondly what does he have to say about Liverpool FC effectively being run, managed and played for by foreigners, he does not complain about that.

Footballers have inflated egos and an inflated sense of importance and it shocks me that Carragher, a player who appears as a genuine beacon of how a footballer should behave and what football should be like is in actual fact like the rest of them. Our problem is we can not identify with these overpaid individuals.

 

[SpurSince57]

I'm afraid it's a long time since the players joined the fans for a beer or two in the B&H or the Corner Pin after the game.

 

[rsmith]

I think this photo ( from http://www.arabianbusiness.com/529580-abu-dhabi-seals-deal-for-manchester-city?ln=en) sums it up. Can any Citeh fan put his hand on his heart and say he's happy with with what's happening. Rather than FM being like real football, it's getting the the way around.

 

[Bronno]

That is one of the best pieces I've read on here in some time. Pretty much sums up how I feel about it. Particularly the England team. I sometimes wonder if other nations understand how little we care about them at the moment, and I've often found myself laughing at our failures and cheering on the opposition. I can't seem to will people like Ashley Cole on to win.

 

[Azrael]

I think there are fundemental problems in the game at the moment, at least in English football. To briefly summarise I am concerned about the following:-

1) The CL split. Clubs who compete for the top four space have now joined a different league. They buy and sell players in a world the clubs in the rest of the PL table can't. It's creating a bigger and bigger devide. Some people have said Man City will blow this open. They are kidding themselve if they think that is the case. Man City will knock one of the current top four out of the elite and that will be the only difference.

2) Chelsea and Man U billionaire takeovers. These clubs are now like Tesco and Sainsbury's to the rest of us as small corner shops. It just isn't possible to compete with corporate giants and, in essense, that is what these clubs have become.

3) Transfer fees and salary. Berbs was a good example. £10.9m and then £30.75m, just two years later? £32m for Robiniho? Ronaldo at, at least, £50m? £200k a week in salary? It's silly. Nobody can compete with that sort of money but the very richest clubs.

4) The power of the media. Sometimes I'm convinced that the media partially forces transfers to happen.

5) The uselessness of the PL and FA. WHy have rules if they are not in force?

6) Biased TV deals. It simply isn't right that televised matches mainly concentrate on the top four teams.

7) The culture of managerial sackings and resignations. It's ridiculous that managers spend so little time at clubs these days. I have no respect for impatient chairmen and equally for managers who chicken out because the job is tough (I'm looking at you Curbs).

As for the England team, that's the effect of the "success at any price" philisophy in the PL these days that concentrates more on trophies and money making than it does in developing players, hence poor quality home growns.

 

[Azrael]

I think this photo ( from http://www.arabianbusiness.com/529580-abu-dhabi-seals-deal-for-manchester-city?ln=en) sums it up. Can any Citeh fan put his hand on his heart and say he's happy with with what's happening. Rather than FM being like real football, it's getting the the way around.

Of course the City fans are happy and don't be foolish enough to think otherwise. They have a realistic chance of winning trophies over Man U now and if we had been taken over by them I know plenty of people on here would be happy at the prospect of finally being able to kick Arsenal's arses.