Losing Interest

[Saint Billy]

I was going to post this yesterday: something has been missing for me, it started last season, didn't have the urge to do the aways as much, found myself paying a lot less attention to the whole game and circus. And I was there League 1 ST's away at cold nights at Dons etc blah blah, I generally remember it as being a lot more fun than the Prem, more games, intense football with high scoring slip ups, the prem with its tedious media overhyping that goes along with it has just beaten me down.

 

The incredible buzzkill of the Internationals doesn't help. I find the whole reactionary attitudes of both supporters and the media just a complete ballache to listen to and it drags the whole thing down. If a team wins 4 games, the 'experts' then spend two weeks telling us that team is going to win the league... similarly with supporters who buy all the boloks.

 

It's as if memories are only a maximum of 3 weeks long in the prem circus and no proper rational thought can be placed behind it or intelligent analysis. This whole attitude of immediacy of success makes the whole thing unstable and stupid and it bleeds into the core of the game and its teams, bonkers managerial sackings, ridiculously expensive signings because X player has been good in 4 games, the international team being selected based on the combination of who the Media and pundits currently fancies rather than a season of form (Rashford clamourings at the moment for example).

 

The dodgy referreeing from before has become so much worse rather than better as if they are playing up to the whole thing and getting kicks out of 'the drama'. It's starting to feel at times like a WWE script both behind the scenes and on the field just so it can be called the most dramatic league in the world.

 

In short the whole thing has become a mad parody of itself.

 

 

This was what I was going to post yesterday, but right now I don't feel llike anything is missing because I'm just really fecking excited to finally attend my first live UEFA Cup game proper and for it to be at SMS with Saints. Long to smash one in, Van Dijk with a thunderous free kick and Austin to get a poachers special. 3-0 annhilation by Puel's warriors as the Diamond cuts through Sparta prague. COYR's

 

Yep, I agree with pretty much all of that.

[van Hanegem]

Sorry Steve, don't buy that argument. Other leagues haven't had the money but seem to have survived and modernised - say for example, the Dutch league.

 

The Dutch league is still having trouble with hooligans, we need a football law like there is in England to keep away the idiots but the Dutch authorities don't want it. So now the Feyenoord board decided to play ManU tonight in a half empty stadium with nets in front of the audience to prevent some ass**** throwing stuff on the pitch. It's a shame, especially as there are maybe 100 fools amongst an audience of 50.000...

 

On topic: I don't get it why a Saints fan would lose intrest because "we sell our best players each year" or "the PL is all about money, protecting the big clubs". In my opinion being a fan or supporter is not about the players, titles, cups, money or whatever, it's about the club which makes your heart tick. You can loathe the policy of the club, believe Puel is a stupid frog or hate the obscenity which comes along with all the money in the PL but to turn your back to the club believing there are better things to do on a saturday or sunday afternoon? In that case I guess you're not really a fan or supporter anymore.

[Greenridge]

Hehe, Zach !! Got my first couple of tattoo's off him just after I left school. He'd leave a note on the shop door and you'd have to go drag him, half cut, out of the Glebe before getting inked up for life ...... I can see the pitfalls to this modus operandi now but at the time it seemed like a great idea.

 

Anyway back on thread it's interesting to note that the general concensus is that money and business interests are ruining the game so to play devils advocate, I'd like to remind people how it was before the Prem was formed and Sky's involvement, as I've not seen it mentioned here.

 

Back in the 80's and start of the 90's English football was in a very dark place. Football hooliganism, a European competition ban, run down and unsafe stadiums, Heysel, Hillsborough, the Bradford fire, plummeting attendances. The game was run down and in a very sorry state. Something had to give. English football needed a big overhaul and these things cost money ... lots of it.

 

Cue Sky and foreign investment. Like it or not, massive investment was essential at the time and once it came it was here to stay

 

Sky's involvement put an end to hooliganism? They claim a lot of things but I'm not sure they can take the credit for that!

[New Forest Steve]

Sky's involvement put an end to hooliganism? They claim a lot of things but I'm not sure they can take the credit for that!

 

... not specifically what I said but I'm sure you know that

[OldNick]

And then let them go for free? That'll work f'sure.

obviously if you are talking just finance then it wont work ,but we now have 3 players on long contracts, do you want to bet that they wont see out four of the 6years? In theory we could keep them until they have 2 years left and still get your money. We all know though if they do well they will be off in the next summer or so

[ScepticalStan]

I think perversely, a large part of the issue has been the fact that the smaller clubs like Leicester (and Saints to a lesser extent) have overachieved and have done well, whilst the likes of United, Chelsea and Liverpool have had some of their worst periods in recent memory to the point that one can't really imagine any of them doing any worse ever again.

 

And despite this being the case, United can effortlessly plonk down £300Mn per transfer season and still attract the superstars as well as the hottest prospects in world football, Liverpool can still poach players from a team that had finished either above them or only one place below with total impunity, and Chelsea can nick the best player from the PL Champions even when they're down in 10th with no CL football on offer.

 

I think most of us realise that when it comes to surprises and football clubs over/underachieving, this is absolutely going to be as good as it gets. The fact, however, that it has now been clearly demonstrated that there is no permanency whatsoever to any of this - and that the big guns overall footballing 'status' will remain the same regardless of what they do, is what people are disappointed by.

 

Bottom line?

 

All the evidence suggests that we have indeed peaked. And that last season really is as good as it gets.

 

Does that make me support Saints less? No. Does it make me less excited by football in general? 'fraid so.

[Cartman]

I haven't got a problem with the money, players in the american leagues or top tennis and golf players make even more. The problem I have with football these days is that much of the money is going to a small number of elite clubs. Not only does this cartel hoard all the best players but worse still, they use their influence to fix the rules even more in the favour. Football is becoming less a competitive sport and more of a circus, obviously since a competitive sport has to be unpredictable and that is bad for making money.

FIFA are worse than just corrupt, they are incompetent. The big club cartel wrestling the power to rule the sport away from them doesn't do anyone any good, least of all FIFA. And yet FIFA could put an end to it if they got their act together. The big clubs in themselves don't have any real power, that power comes from TV money and corporate sponsorship, which they only get because the big name players play for them. The power lies with whoever gets the big name players to play for them, take them away and so does the money and power. So if FIFA were to create a world league played every week with all the top players contracted to FIFA to play exclusively for their national teams we would have a competitive sport at the elite level as well as a more level playing field at the club level. It will be more like it used to be with international football back at the pinnacle of the sport and clubs as local community assets. Fans in other countries would get to see their top players playing at home and a mediocre rich country couldn't just buy the best players from a better poorer country like clubs do now.

[eelpie]

I haven't got a problem with the money, players in the american leagues or top tennis and golf players make even more. The problem I have with football these days is that much of the money is going to a small number of elite clubs. Not only does this cartel hoard all the best players but worse still, they use their influence to fix the rules even more in the favour. Football is becoming less a competitive sport and more of a circus, obviously since a competitive sport has to be unpredictable and that is bad for making money.

FIFA are worse than just corrupt, they are incompetent. The big club cartel wrestling the power to rule the sport away from them doesn't do anyone any good, least of all FIFA. And yet FIFA could put an end to it if they got their act together. The big clubs in themselves don't have any real power, that power comes from TV money and corporate sponsorship, which they only get because the big name players play for them. The power lies with whoever gets the big name players to play for them, take them away and so does the money and power. So if FIFA were to create a world league played every week with all the top players contracted to FIFA to play exclusively for their national teams we would have a competitive sport at the elite level as well as a more level playing field at the club level. It will be more like it used to be with international football back at the pinnacle of the sport and clubs as local community assets. Fans in other countries would get to see their top players playing at home and a mediocre rich country couldn't just buy the best players from a better poorer country like clubs do now.

 

This

[Nordic Saint]

I love these European nights. What was that about losing interest?

[Miltonaggro]

I've lost interest in losing interest!

[East Kent Saint]

Deleted

Edited 16 September, 2016 by East Kent Saint
Turned into a rant ......

[angelman]

One of the other reasons I am losing a bit of interest is that the players aren't generally British, and few play for the senior side having worked their way up from the academy. Below is the starting XI from the British Isles (ie inc Eire) and in brackets the number that were in that club's academy even if they went away and then came back. I do think ML's ideal of half the team or whatever being from our own academy was very worthy, but I guess the game is different.

 

Chelsea 1(0) - 5(0) Liverpool

Hull 7(0) - 1(0) Arsenal

Man C 1(0) - 9(0) B'mouth

Leicester 4(0) - 9(0) Burnley

West Brom 8(0)- 3(1) West Ham

Everton 6(1) - 4(0) Boro

Watford 2(0) - 4(1) Man Utd

Palace 9(1) - 6(0) Stoke

Saints 5(0) - 2(0) Swansea

Spurs 4(1) - 3(1) Sunderland

[eurosaint]

One of the other reasons I am losing a bit of interest is that the players aren't generally British, and few play for the senior side having worked their way up from the academy. Below is the starting XI from the British Isles (ie inc Eire) and in brackets the number that were in that club's academy even if they went away and then came back. I do think ML's ideal of half the team or whatever being from our own academy was very worthy, but I guess the game is different.

 

Chelsea 1(0) - 5(0) Liverpool

Hull 7(0) - 1(0) Arsenal

Man C 1(0) - 9(0) B'mouth

Leicester 4(0) - 9(0) Burnley

West Brom 8(0)- 3(1) West Ham

Everton 6(1) - 4(0) Boro

Watford 2(0) - 4(1) Man Utd

Palace 9(1) - 6(0) Stoke

Saints 5(0) - 2(0) Swansea

Spurs 4(1) - 3(1) Sunderland

 

I make that 42% British, which is actually higher than I expected !

[Super_Uwe]

I haven't been to Saints' home games on a regular basis now for the past 10 years when I moved permanently away from the area.

 

Since we have been back in the Prem, I've only seen one home game in the League Cup a few seasons ago. I don't have any burning desire to go any more, mainly because it will cost me the best part of £80-100 to get a matchday ticket for a PL game, travel, food etc, not to mention the time travelling. I see Plymouth play a few times a season, but to be fair that costs me £20 or so and I travel with my in-laws. Also, a significant chunk of games in League Two are at 3pm on a Saturday which is much better for me personally. Of course it's great that Saints are in the Europa League this season, but that comes at a huge cost in terms of the fixture schedule which fans just have to suck up and deal with.

 

Maybe subconsciously as well, part of me can't be bothered to line the pockets of the club/players when there is so much money in football now? It's hard to say really. But I'll always follow Saints regardless of whether I actually go to the games or not.

[angelman]

I make that 42% British, which is actually higher than I expected !

 

Palace/West Brom surprised me having so many. I knew Burnley and Bournemouth did (inc Irish as they seem to be inc as Home Grown). But it's more the bigger teams. The league is set up so that basically those who spend the most, get the best squad and can pick and choose from across the world. Chelsea, Man C and Arsenal all starting with 1 each is pretty **** poor really. There was a good article saying that it's no longer the English game but a game played in England, and this sort of demonstrates the point. If a club has a problem area, ourselves included, they'll just go and drop scores of millions to rectify it. There is no working to make it better through your own endeavour, just go and buy a ready made solution. That's the reason I put the academy figure in brackets, which is the real shame. These clubs have these academies, yet seem to not be able to produce anyone of significant calibre. So while 42% of starters maybe British/Irish, 2.7% came through the academy and started for that teams first XI on Saturday.

[whelk]

Are all the lot losing interest giving Inter away a miss? Feeling very optimistic now and Puel will be our greatest ever manager.

[hughieslastminutegoal]

The Dutch league is still having trouble with hooligans, we need a football law like there is in England to keep away the idiots but the Dutch authorities don't want it. So now the Feyenoord board decided to play ManU tonight in a half empty stadium with nets in front of the audience to prevent some ass**** throwing stuff on the pitch. It's a shame, especially as there are maybe 100 fools amongst an audience of 50.000...

 

On topic: I don't get it why a Saints fan would lose intrest because "we sell our best players each year" or "the PL is all about money, protecting the big clubs". In my opinion being a fan or supporter is not about the players, titles, cups, money or whatever, it's about the club which makes your heart tick. You can loathe the policy of the club, believe Puel is a stupid frog or hate the obscenity which comes along with all the money in the PL but to turn your back to the club believing there are better things to do on a saturday or sunday afternoon? In that case I guess you're not really a fan or supporter anymore.

 

That is a religion - "I believe because I have faith" - "I am a supporter because I support my club". Your argument is circular.

 

You have said quite plainly that you support the club irrespective of what football has become, what the players, managers and club do.

Not only are you o.k. with paying through the nose for something you might not like, you are committing yourself to always doing so, because you are afraid to lose your faith.

 

That (like all religions) is the definition of irrationality.

[Patrick Bateman]

The Dutch league is still having trouble with hooligans, we need a football law like there is in England to keep away the idiots but the Dutch authorities don't want it. So now the Feyenoord board decided to play ManU tonight in a half empty stadium with nets in front of the audience to prevent some ass**** throwing stuff on the pitch. It's a shame, especially as there are maybe 100 fools amongst an audience of 50.000...

 

On topic: I don't get it why a Saints fan would lose intrest because "we sell our best players each year" or "the PL is all about money, protecting the big clubs". In my opinion being a fan or supporter is not about the players, titles, cups, money or whatever, it's about the club which makes your heart tick. You can loathe the policy of the club, believe Puel is a stupid frog or hate the obscenity which comes along with all the money in the PL but to turn your back to the club believing there are better things to do on a saturday or sunday afternoon? In that case I guess you're not really a fan or supporter anymore.

 

Appreciate what you're saying. Speaking for me only, I have lost interest in the 'premier league' and the ridiculous circus that goes with it. I love Saints and I don't care where we play or what we do (although a cup final would be lovely), but the whole circus around the premier league can do one.

 

Jose this, Pogba that, suck Klopp's klopp, Pep Pep Pep, Conte, Pep, Pep, Conte, Jose, Pogba. A little Wenger, but he's boring. Some team called Leicester? Pep Pep Pep Jose Pep Pep, Conte, Pogba, Old Trafford, Pep.

 

It's tedious.

[david in sweden]

One of the other reasons I am losing a bit of interest is that the players aren't generally British, and few play for the senior side having worked their way up from the academy. Below is the starting XI from the British Isles (ie inc Eire) and in brackets the number that were in that club's academy even if they went away and then came back. I do think ML's ideal of half the team or whatever being from our own academy was very worthy, but I guess the game is different.

 

Chelsea 1(0) - 5(0) Liverpool

Hull 7(0) - 1(0) Arsenal

Man C 1(0) - 9(0) B'mouth

Leicester 4(0) - 9(0) Burnley

West Brom 8(0)- 3(1) West Ham

Everton 6(1) - 4(0) Boro

Watford 2(0) - 4(1) Man Utd

Palace 9(1) - 6(0) Stoke

Saints 5(0) - 2(0) Swansea

Spurs 4(1) - 3(1) Sunderland

 

like " eurosaint " I'm somewhat impressed by those stats (42%)....but the original % figs. (issued last season) were meant to show the % of English players who get Prem. games (hence the lack of game time for players who are able to play in the International side)..

 

.....in which case (removing the Welsh, Scots and Irish/ N.I. players ......I suspect the % English would be much lower.

[mrfahaji]

That is a religion - "I believe because I have faith" - "I am a supporter because I support my club". Your argument is circular.

 

You have said quite plainly that you support the club irrespective of what football has become, what the players, managers and club do.

Not only are you o.k. with paying through the nose for something you might not like, you are committing yourself to always doing so, because you are afraid to lose your faith.

 

That (like all religions) is the definition of irrationality.

 

But isn't being a proper supporter somewhat irrational? I cheer on 11 people I have no personal connection with every week, while my blood boils and my weekend is ruined by events out of my control on a regular basis.

 

While there may be other factors to consider, such as being your hometown etc (and isn't that sort of pride pretty irrational too? Taking credit for where you were born or where you live?), if football supporting was a purely rational affair, we'd all be following Barcelona.

[hutch]

Appreciate what you're saying. Speaking for me only, I have lost interest in the 'premier league' and the ridiculous circus that goes with it. I love Saints and I don't care where we play or what we do (although a cup final would be lovely), but the whole circus around the premier league can do one.

 

Jose this, Pogba that, suck Klopp's klopp, Pep Pep Pep, Conte, Pep, Pep, Conte, Jose, Pogba. A little Wenger, but he's boring. Some team called Leicester? Pep Pep Pep Jose Pep Pep, Conte, Pogba, Old Trafford, Pep.

 

It's tedious.

Isn't that more a criticism of Sky coverage than the PL itself? I have definitely noticed that the less I watch Sky the more I enjoy football.

[Patrick Bateman]

Isn't that more a criticism of Sky coverage than the PL itself? I have definitely noticed that the less I watch Sky the more I enjoy football.

 

Yes and no - it's not just Sky is it? It's the BBC and every paper going. I read the Metro on my morning commute, which is supposed to be a UK-wide paper, Saints got a small paragraph about the cup match (compared to Jose, sorry, Man Utd's 2 pages) and barely any mention of the Europa League win. Also, did you know Hesketh scored with his right foot? They're so f**king ambivalent towards any clubs other than the usual suspects that they can't even be f**king bothered to watch the game/goals and get their facts right.

 

Yet, they'll dribble on for a page about Rooney or Zlatan or Jose. It's just ridiculous.

[The Cat]

Yes and no - it's not just Sky is it? It's the BBC and every paper going. I read the Metro on my morning commute, which is supposed to be a UK-wide paper, Saints got a small paragraph about the cup match (compared to Jose, sorry, Man Utd's 2 pages) and barely any mention of the Europa League win. Also, did you know Hesketh scored with his right foot? They're so f**king ambivalent towards any clubs other than the usual suspects that they can't even be f**king bothered to watch the game/goals and get their facts right.

 

Yet, they'll dribble on for a page about Rooney or Zlatan or Jose. It's just ridiculous.

 

Agree with all of this. Problem is they are all competing for viewers, listeners or clicks and as much as the other hundreds of clubs fans love their team they don't generate as much media traffic as the big 5 or 6 do.

 

For me the worst part is when a top club loses and the other team get a patronising mention like "didn't Southampton play well" at which point they move back to discussing what the big team did wrong.

[Chewy]

I think perversely, a large part of the issue has been the fact that the smaller clubs like Leicester (and Saints to a lesser extent) have overachieved and have done well, whilst the likes of United, Chelsea and Liverpool have had some of their worst periods in recent memory to the point that one can't really imagine any of them doing any worse ever again.

 

And despite this being the case, United can effortlessly plonk down £300Mn per transfer season and still attract the superstars as well as the hottest prospects in world football, Liverpool can still poach players from a team that had finished either above them or only one place below with total impunity, and Chelsea can nick the best player from the PL Champions even when they're down in 10th with no CL football on offer.

 

I think most of us realise that when it comes to surprises and football clubs over/underachieving, this is absolutely going to be as good as it gets. The fact, however, that it has now been clearly demonstrated that there is no permanency whatsoever to any of this - and that the big guns overall footballing 'status' will remain the same regardless of what they do, is what people are disappointed by.

 

Bottom line?

 

All the evidence suggests that we have indeed peaked. And that last season really is as good as it gets.

 

Does that make me support Saints less? No. Does it make me less excited by football in general? 'fraid so.

 

Really like this post. I would add that it gets worse when you look at it from a global, or at least European level. While we get frustrated at being a feeder team for Liverpool, the size of the premier league now means that the likes of Celtic and feyenoord are our feeder teams. Massive European cup winning clubs just serving as feeders for mid-sized provincial English clubs.

 

I remember the head of the pl gloating a couple of years back, saying how proud he was that burnley were now ranked as a richer club than Ajax. I guess it's his job to make the pl as successful as possible, but to me it just highlights where football has gone bonkers, and I really don't think it's healthy or sustainable.

 

But as you rightly said at the end, less excited but no less a fan.

[OttawaSaint]

Im gaining interest to be honest. Squad is now set, Europa games to come. Players starting to get the diamond. We get all the games here and ive found a channel that lets me watch MOTD the next day.

 

 

...and now I've gained even more interest. Loving the way our team played the last 3. Hopefully we can continue this and give the 'ammers a good licking on Sunday.

[notnowcato]

...and now I've gained even more interest. Loving the way our team played the last 3. Hopefully we can continue this and give the 'ammers a good licking on Sunday.

 

Well someone is going to be on the end of a smashing from us, it's brewing..

[Lighthouse]

The thread title reminded me of my cash ISA, which recently paid out a whopping £6.30 in annual interest. Any suggestions how I should spend it?

[OttawaSaint]

The thread title reminded me of my cash ISA, which recently paid out a whopping £6.30 in annual interest. Any suggestions how I should spend it?

 

ISA ISA BABY?

[angelman]

The thread title reminded me of my cash ISA, which recently paid out a whopping £6.30 in annual interest. Any suggestions how I should spend it?

 

LOL - waste of time. Now why not adjust things for inflation and see how you're doing. Put it all on red and see whether you can double it.

[angelman]

...and now I've gained even more interest. Loving the way our team played the last 3. Hopefully we can continue this and give the 'ammers a good licking on Sunday.

 

Gained more interest??? My interest in Saints has never waned, it's football where my interest is waning. That might not make sense to some, but I'm sure it will with others. I had to tell the postmaster the other day, that there really was little point talking to me about some PL game that had just happened as I really wasn't interested unless Saints were involved. And no point going into the oppositions problems either, as I only care about the opposition for 90 minutes. Of course you have to take some interest in the PL as it is the competition that we are taking part in. But all the games over hyped by Sky/BT that are being aired, I don't bother watching. I've given up on MotD as well, and watch the Saints bit on catch up (that is if we have won).

[Chewy]

The thread title reminded me of my cash ISA, which recently paid out a whopping £6.30 in annual interest. Any suggestions how I should spend it?

 

An overpriced bit of merchandising from the club shop or some over priced food at the stadium?

[OttawaSaint]

Gained more interest???

 

Yes, gaining interest in PL and Europa. Don't want this to become a Saints d1ck measuring contest. Not lost interest in Saints since I started supporting them in 1980 (lived near Andover at the time). We get all the live games in Canada but the analysis is pretty decent on NBC and TSN so they don't sicken us with the fawning over Klopp etc. I used to just tune in for Saints and then tune out again, but I am now watching some of the other games to see how we stack up against the other teams.

[angelman]

like " eurosaint " I'm somewhat impressed by those stats (42%)....but the original % figs. (issued last season) were meant to show the % of English players who get Prem. games (hence the lack of game time for players who are able to play in the International side)..

 

.....in which case (removing the Welsh, Scots and Irish/ N.I. players ......I suspect the % English would be much lower.

 

I'm sad and waiting for the w.e to start....

 

English, although many with dual nationality...

 

Chelsea 1(0) - 5(0) Liverpool > 1-5 - Cahill, Milner, Lallana, Clyne, Sturridge, Henderson

Hull 7(0) - 1(0) Arsenal > 3-1 - Livermore, Clucas, Huddlestone, Walcott

Man C 1(0) - 9(0) B'mouth > 1-8 v- Sterling, Cook, Francis, Daniels, Smith, Surman, Wishere, Stanislas, Ibe

Leicester 4(0) - 9(0) Burnley > 4-6 - Simpson, Drinkwater, Albrighton, Vardy, Heaton, Keane, Mee, Lowton, Marney, Gray

West Brom 8(0)- 3(1) West Ham > 3-2 - Foster, Galloway, Dawson, Noble, Antonio

Everton 6(1) - 4(0) Boro > 4-4 - Jagielka, Baines, Barkley, Barry, Gibson, Friend, Forshaw, Downing

Watford 2(0) - 4(1) Man Utd > 1-4 - Deeny, Smalling, Shaw, Rashford, Rooney

Palace 9(1) - 6(0) Stoke > 7-2 - Tomkins, Dann, Kelly, Ward, Punch, Townsend, Zaha, Shawcross, Johnson

Saints 5(0) - 2(0) Swansea > 3-2 - FF, Bertie, Redmond, Naughton, Cork

Spurs 4(1) - 3(1) Sunderland > 4-3 - Dier, Walker, Alli, Kane, Pickford, Cattermole, Defoe

 

Takes it down to 31%. TBH that's pretty **** really. Looking at top 10 from last season and that dips to 24.5% starters being English in Match Day 5. The top 6 from last season were 25.7% English. The 3 from the bottom 6 that weren't relegated (ie 15th-17th) + the 3 that came up, then they are almost twice the rate of the top 10 from last season, with 47% being English.

 

I used to love the national side (back probably in 1990 and 1996) but since then, I find that too has been "killed" off and is turgid.

[Lighthouse]

An overpriced bit of merchandising from the club shop or some over priced food at the stadium?

 

Might treat myself to 19% of one of those training tops, they look alright.

[hughieslastminutegoal]

But isn't being a proper supporter somewhat irrational? I cheer on 11 people I have no personal connection with every week, while my blood boils and my weekend is ruined by events out of my control on a regular basis.

 

While there may be other factors to consider, such as being your hometown etc (and isn't that sort of pride pretty irrational too? Taking credit for where you were born or where you live?), if football supporting was a purely rational affair, we'd all be following Barcelona.

 

If supporting football was a purely rational affair, I'm not sure anyone would be more than a mildly interested occasional observer.

In the case of West Ham for example, taking up the Olympic stadium as a home ground shows just how little the club owners care about supporters.

They just want the TV money, and pay lip service to their supporters.

[hutch]

But West Ham's owners have made an awful lot of money out of paying lip service over the years.

[way down south]

I was never too interested in other pl teams and their yearly spend of 100s of millions, its all just numbers on screens for us anyway but, its almost like some lame soap opera tho, some big club spends obscene amounts of money one summer, they get some primadonnas with over inflated egos, season starts, primadonnas rumored to have their egos bruised, primadonnas go on a rant on live TV, big club underachieve, rinse and repeat next season.

 

teams like us who were successful that season get a fraction of the coverage to get our facts reported, no more, no less.

[Turkish]

Yes and no - it's not just Sky is it? It's the BBC and every paper going. I read the Metro on my morning commute, which is supposed to be a UK-wide paper, Saints got a small paragraph about the cup match (compared to Jose, sorry, Man Utd's 2 pages) and barely any mention of the Europa League win. Also, did you know Hesketh scored with his right foot? They're so f**king ambivalent towards any clubs other than the usual suspects that they can't even be f**king bothered to watch the game/goals and get their facts right.

 

Yet, they'll dribble on for a page about Rooney or Zlatan or Jose. It's just ridiculous.

 

It's it boring day after day hearing about what Jose has said, what Pep thinks of it all and look at Jurgen wearing a Beatles t-shirt, what a guy!

 

I see how the cup draw was hailed as Jose v Pepe round 2 FFS.

 

The celebrity manager thing is certainly one of the most boring things about modern football.

[whelk]

There is only so much people can say about the game. And everyone has heard what people like Wenger have said. When it was Ferguson it was everywhere 'prettiest wife' etc. New faces like Pep and Klopp bound to give hacks far more angles on their pieces. Same in boxing though hyping before the fight although who wouldn't hate Mourinho.

 

Whatever people say we all like and need the big clubs to create the news. I do get that some people seem to like Saints rather than football itself but I must say I find that odd.

[whelk]

And challenge any hack to get a sensationalist story, or anything of interest out of a Puel press conference.

[Colinjb]

I've grown bored of the tabloid sideshow that is the premier league, it's immediate reward, high stakes sensationalist nonsense. Sky Sports no longer interests me like it did, frankly I couldn't care less about Man Utd's latest crisis or whether Joe Hart and Adam Lallana use some kind of shampoo brand.

 

I have not however lost interest in Saints. I still revel in us doing well, love seeing academy lads come through, enjoy seeing how we may rebuild every year. Still get the same buzz when we score, the same hollow annoyance when we conceded. The upcoming trip to Milan is something that feels so special.

 

Just could do without the sensationalist, vulgar and unpragmatic circus that circles around us.

[van Hanegem]

That is a religion - "I believe because I have faith" - "I am a supporter because I support my club". Your argument is circular.

 

You have said quite plainly that you support the club irrespective of what football has become, what the players, managers and club do.

Not only are you o.k. with paying through the nose for something you might not like, you are committing yourself to always doing so, because you are afraid to lose your faith.

 

That's not what I said at all, that's something you make of it. I can understand why there are former United fans who turned their back to their once favourite club. When some filthy rich Asian or Arab takes over the Saints and let them play in purple with gold outfits renaming the club the Soton Surfers then I would lose intrest myself too. But that's not the case with the Saints, isn't it?

[van Hanegem]

Appreciate what you're saying. Speaking for me only, I have lost interest in the 'premier league' and the ridiculous circus that goes with it. I love Saints and I don't care where we play or what we do (although a cup final would be lovely), but the whole circus around the premier league can do one.

 

Jose this, Pogba that, suck Klopp's klopp, Pep Pep Pep, Conte, Pep, Pep, Conte, Jose, Pogba. A little Wenger, but he's boring. Some team called Leicester? Pep Pep Pep Jose Pep Pep, Conte, Pogba, Old Trafford, Pep.

 

It's tedious.

 

It's the same with me Patrick, I'm all for the "big" clubs leaving the PL to join a super league with the Barcelona's of this world. It could mean that all the bullsh*t is taken away from the PL.

[angelman]

I wonder how much of this is actually down to BT? What was supposed to be beneficial to the supporter - an extraordinary claim seeing as 2 subs were now needed to watch what Sky/ITV used to provide!! - and the need for Sky and BT to chase the customer.

 

There is a certain obvious mutual inclusiveness with Saints and the PL (at present), but I do dislike the PL but love Saints. Want them to win EVERY game whether it be U18/23 or PL, EFL, FAC, EL or anything else. Of course winning against the biggest teams is more fun, but in all honesty, the Championship is by far the best league. You ask anyone who is going to finish top 6, and you'll get a myriad of answers with I suspect NUFC and Norwich being the most common of the 6. But the other 4? Who knows? The standard, while not the best, is more than good enough to be entertaining. So good quality, evenly matched league. What's not to like about that? Unfortunately I doubt it will remain so for too long, as the parachute payments will make it uncompetitive.

[van Hanegem]

Really like this post. I would add that it gets worse when you look at it from a global, or at least European level. While we get frustrated at being a feeder team for Liverpool, the size of the premier league now means that the likes of Celtic and feyenoord are our feeder teams. Massive European cup winning clubs just serving as feeders for mid-sized provincial English clubs.

 

I remember the head of the pl gloating a couple of years back, saying how proud he was that burnley were now ranked as a richer club than Ajax. I guess it's his job to make the pl as successful as possible, but to me it just highlights where football has gone bonkers, and I really don't think it's healthy or sustainable.

 

But as you rightly said at the end, less excited but no less a fan.

 

As a Feyenoord fan for nearly 50 years I know what you mean. From the golden years in the seventees when Feyenoord was one of the big clubs in Europe to the current status of feeder for richer clubs abroad, it's been quite a journey. Like many people say in de Kuip: "you're not a Feyenoord fan for your own pleasure..."

Nevertheless it's still feels great to be part of the club, even when idiots like Mark Wotte (after he screwed things up in Rotterdam he left for Southampton...) are in charge or when you lose with 10-0 at PSV or can't compete with archrival Ajax, you still feel excited when Feyenoord plays. We do not matter anymore when it comes to European football as Feyenoord is not able to compete with the big clubs but that's something easily to accept, just as it is nearly impossible for the Saints to compete with the big clubs in the PL.

 

Nowadays Feyenoord (and Ajax and PSV) loses 15 and 16 year old talents to the academies of Manchester and Chelsea because they and their parents are getting so much money they will never have to work again. I guess 98% of them won't ever make it in the PL as they don't get enough playing time at the right level but there's nothing to be done about that. Well, maybe the brexit will fix this... The result of all this is that the level of the Dutch League isn't that great anymore and sometimes you have to laugh about the many mistakes but does that matter to the average fan? I don't think so and to be honest there are still enough games to be seen which are more attractive than games in the PL. But that's probably because I'm Dutch and grew up with Dutch football and it's clubs.

 

Anyway, just meant to say that it doesn't matter that things are changed and that a once massive club like Feyenoord is marginalised. I guess you can call it love although that sounds a bit cheesy.

[The9]

I disengaged with the media cobblers years ago, never watch any of it, ffwd through all the stuff between the goals on MotD, don't watch SSN during Transfer Windows and barely care about the Champions League other than who is dropping into the Europa. I'll watch anything mentioning Saints though. I'm happy with that.

[Poolesaint]

Are you still losing interest!! [emoji15][emoji23]

 

 

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[Mallagroth]

Are you still losing interest!! [emoji15][emoji23]

 

 

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If you actually read the thread on the whole it isn't about just saints and their performances, it's about the longer term decay of the football match day and league, and the instinctive reaction of supporters to either be depressed In a moment or go big time Charlie after an individual win without taking into consideration the overall picture of monetary corruption and media hyperbole. But chufty badge for you for being a demo case of the positive end of the spectrum.

[angelman]

If you actually read the thread on the whole it isn't about just saints and their performances, it's about the longer term decay of the football match day and league, and the instinctive reaction of supporters to either be depressed In a moment or go big time Charlie after an individual win without taking into consideration the overall picture of monetary corruption and media hyperbole. But chufty badge for you for being a demo case of the positive end of the spectrum.

 

This.

 

Nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing Saints win (at any level). I take a certain schadenfreude with us beating WHU, as they also epitomise what's wrong with PL. It's a PL thing that a lot rail against.

[Poolesaint]

Oh dear someone's a bit *****ly....

 

 

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