Losing Interest

[saint1977]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/10/10/premier-league-backing-away-plans-saturday-745pm-matches/

 

I look at this, and see what is wrong with the PL. Night games can really stiff supporters trying to get home. Is a crap non-traditional time, although I don't mind mid-week 745 KOs. But it is the no 1st or 2nd pick games being shown. ie little clubs are the ones going to be stuffed into these slots, while the Big 6 don't feature.

 

As I say, I am well aware of the nature of the beast, the appeal of one club over another, but to keep the integrity of the competition, all clubs should be treated equally and they just aren't.

 

The worst was 04/05. Not only did we go down and have to suffer Wigley/Harry but there could have only have been four or five (at the most) 3pm Saturday home games at most? Lots of Sunday and night games that season. Mind you, the defence was equally appalling in all of them. That said, we did at least look like - and did - score some goals with Crouch and Phillips.

[Whitey Grandad]

I recall that you were one of those who led the charge to hound poor Puel out last season. The goals have hardly been flying in since despite no European football and, after the Wolves reserves fiasco, no League Cup run either....

 

Lead the charge? I was one of them but by no means the leader.

 

I was of the view that European football should not have had an effect on our domestic performance.

 

I will make no judgment on this season's performances until I have actually been to a game. I would have expected the first 10 to 20 games to have been a learning process for a new manager.

 

Getting back to the thread, it's football as a whole that seems to have lost its passion. Pewrhaps I should go along to some lower division games.

Edited 11 October, 2017 by Whitey Grandad

[Whitey Grandad]

Is that the phrase for a friends Grandson?

 

"This is my frandson Terry, he is my friends grandson"

 

iPad, wannit.

[Saint_Jonny]

I am a season ticket holder that has missed one home game in 2017, West Ham at home in August. That means I have seen Saints score 4 goals at home in 2017.

 

Four. Goals. All. ****ing. Year.

 

Yeah, it's fair to say that i'm losing interest.

[whelk]

Not sure that's true, for many of us the game has just been totally sanitised, instead of a day at the football with your mates - a few beers, a laugh, a place to vent, etc. - we have a "matchday experience", over priced tickets (even with the campaign on away tickets), stewards that make us sit, music piped at full volume, unpredictable kick off times, players who at best you get a couple of seasons out of before their bank balance drags them somewhere else, stattos who turn a game that should be about surprise and artistry into one about numbers and spreadsheets...

 

Like many i know away games are the only thing that really keep the old buzz going, home games are almost an effort these days, and even when we were winning i know many who were falling out of love with the game.

 

Sad thing is i just can't see it coming back, maybe it is age, but i think it's more that football has completely turned into an "entertainment industry" for tv than anything else.

 

I get that but easy to get nostalgic over lots of things when you get to certain age. I don’t do anywhere near the number of always I used to and when I do often the most annoying thing of the day will be some of our fans.

 

Homes haven’t changed for me - still a few pints before game catch up with mates, have blind optimism of a victory. Time the walk to seconds before kick-off quick chat with the olds boys who sit near us and then support the team, slag the ref as always. My match day experience hasn’t changed much despite all that sh1te Twitter hashtag stuff. I feel untouched by the boll ocks but then if people watch SSN and listen to Talksport constantly then must inevitably get disillusioned.

Stand by it that a few wins will make us all feel better. Until some tw ats start singing VVD’s name and I will go off on one.

Not that I don’t get where you are coming from though.

[vectraman]

I am a season ticket holder that has missed one home game in 2017, West Ham at home in August. That means I have seen Saints score 4 goals at home in 2017.

 

Four. Goals. All. ****ing. Year.

 

Yeah, it's fair to say that i'm losing interest.

 

But we scored 3 against Leicester and Palace at home in 2017...! So by maths, that's 6...

[Kingsbridge Saint]

I posted elsewhere that I can't be bothered to stay up and watch Saturdays Saints v Newcastle game over here in Oz. The football we are dishing up at home is just terrible. How people pay to watch it is mind blowing. Saints til I die but there comes a point when enough is enough.

[benjii]

I posted elsewhere that I can't be bothered to stay up and watch Saturdays Saints v Newcastle game over here in Oz. The football we are dishing up at home is just terrible. How people pay to watch it is mind blowing. Saints til I die but there comes a point when enough is enough.

 

Sleep well.

[beancounter saint]

I posted elsewhere that I can't be bothered to stay up and watch Saturdays Saints v Newcastle game over here in Oz. The football we are dishing up at home is just terrible. How people pay to watch it is mind blowing. Saints til I die but there comes a point when enough is enough.

 

It's Sunday isn't it - or even Monday morning in Oz, even more reason to stay in bed!!

[Saint_Jonny]

But we scored 3 against Leicester and Palace at home in 2017...! So by maths, that's 6...

 

Oops. Those extra 2 goals just make everything fine and dandy!

[vectraman]

Oops. Those extra 2 goals just make everything fine and dandy!

 

Nope it doesn't make it alright - I'm with you, 10 goals this year at home (4 of them against West Ham!) is pizzle poor. Yet people wonder why the atmosphere is poor at St Marys...fans react to what they are seeing - you watch crap, you will react in a similar way methinks!

[Mallagroth]

The way I feel about watching Saints at the moment is about the same way I feel about watching England (and they seem to give similar displays). Rarely excited about watching it but continue to do so out of duty unless I have something else more important I can do. Season ticket footy used to be a big priority but will take it or leave it at the moment. At times recently it feels like an inconvenience that I've got to go sit in St Mary's for 90 mins on a Saturday. There is something very wrong when it was a highlight of my week for the previous eight years. The strangest thing is I'm not mourning it, it was great fun and now it is really not. To be honest I just feel a bit 'meh' about the whole thing now.

[Saint Billy]

The way I feel about watching Saints at the moment is about the same way I feel about watching England (and they seem to give similar displays). Rarely excited about watching it but continue to do so out of duty unless I have something else more important I can do. Season ticket footy used to be a big priority but will take it or leave it at the moment. At times recently it feels like an inconvenience that I've got to go sit in St Mary's for 90 mins on a Saturday. There is something very wrong when it was a highlight of my week for the previous eight years. The strangest thing is I'm not mourning it, it was great fun and now it is really not. To be honest I just feel a bit 'meh' about the whole thing now.

 

With you on that.

[SKD]

Biggest thing for me is that we've just had the international weekend and I haven't missed and I'm not looking forward to Sunday, to the point where I probably wont go.

[whelk]

What a loyal fan base we have. People who slag off day trippers saying they can’t be arsed. So it is purely being entertained that is the appeal. It’s through thick and thin FFS not abandon when a goal drought. Even some of the nil nils haven’t been too dire.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

What a loyal fan base we have. People who slag off day trippers saying they can’t be arsed. So it is purely being entertained that is the appeal. It’s through thick and thin FFS not abandon when a goal drought. Even some of the nil nils haven’t been too dire.

 

This is so true

[ericb]

What a loyal fan base we have. People who slag off day trippers saying they can’t be arsed. So it is purely being entertained that is the appeal. It’s through thick and thin FFS not abandon when a goal drought. Even some of the nil nils haven’t been too dire.

 

Tbf i'm not sure that's true, can't speak for everyone but i've been through thick and thin with Saints, relegations, terrible football, the Branfoot years, club almost going into admin. The complaints here that i read are less about football and more about the state of the modern game.

 

People aren't saying they want to walk away because of Saints, they're saying they want to walk away because the game is pretty f*cking sh*t for the fans, and only getting worse. Your point on day trippers is interesting too, as i'd say they're part of the problem. I know we have a few overseas fans but i'd honestly love overseas fans to leave the premier league/english football alone, they're part of the reason it's massively uncompetitive and part of the reason games are shifted for tv.

[Mallagroth]

Whelk you are right to some extent but unfortunately loyalty is bloody expensive for the average fan these days. In my own experience I may already have a ticket to every home game but it still costs more than that to attend a match and when the prospect is very likely to be continued drudgery with the possible odd exception, it becomes incredibly hard to remain motivated and passionate. When you buy any product you expect some sort of return, i'm definitely not asking to win but I'd like to be mildly entertained at a minimum, unfortunately our play style on the whole negates the competition, defensively we are fantastic but we also are unable to spark offensive attacks. When you add in the incessant disappointing backroom activity at the club, transfers out, messed up deals verging on embarrassing, dodgy PR clips and so on over the last few years it just starts to all take its toll. If someone asked me now whether I'd like us to carry on as we are and scrape mid-table or to tank and get relegated, I'd snap their hand off at the second option. Selfish perhaps but I'd rather fork out to watch Saints play real footy with passionate players rather than safe moneyball with egos who only turn up for the Sky premier fixtures. Each to their own though. I'd also suggest that 'goal drought' is rather underestimating the problem we appear to have up front, its pushing on a year now.

[SonicBoom]

I posted elsewhere that I can't be bothered to stay up and watch Saturdays Saints v Newcastle game over here in Oz. The football we are dishing up at home is just terrible. How people pay to watch it is mind blowing. Saints til I die but there comes a point when enough is enough.

 

"Saints til I die but there comes a point when enough is enough"? Well ? Which is it ?

[Le Timmier]

"Saints til I die but there comes a point when enough is enough"? Well ? Which is it ?

 

You can quite feasibly support Saints til you die without sitting through all the turgid sh1te they're serving up at the moment

[OttawaSaint]

"Saints til I die but there comes a point when enough is enough"? Well ? Which is it ?

 

Maybe he's planning to die in his sleep.

[whelk]

Maybe he's planning to die in his sleep.

 

The best way go. Well beats being skinned alive by Afghan women.

[whelk]

Tbf i'm not sure that's true, can't speak for everyone but i've been through thick and thin with Saints, relegations, terrible football, the Branfoot years, club almost going into admin. The complaints here that i read are less about football and more about the state of the modern game.

 

People aren't saying they want to walk away because of Saints, they're saying they want to walk away because the game is pretty f*cking sh*t for the fans, and only getting worse. Your point on day trippers is interesting too, as i'd say they're part of the problem. I know we have a few overseas fans but i'd honestly love overseas fans to leave the premier league/english football alone, they're part of the reason it's massively uncompetitive and part of the reason games are shifted for tv.

 

It is no longer working man’s game and hasn’t been for years however still many a man’s release at the weekend. If it wasn’t for the camaraderie and the beers I’m not sure I’d rock up for every game though.

If we were winning and near top of table the buzz would still be huge for many.

[LeBizzier69]

it'd be nice if I felt even a couple of the players gave a sh1t about the club. Even if they were just good at pretending.

[hypochondriac]

it'd be nice if I felt even a couple of the players gave a sh1t about the club. Even if they were just good at pretending.

Jwp does but he's pants.

[iansums]

Well I have to say I’m losing interest to a certain extent. Although not a season ticket holder I go to nearly all the home games but this season I haven’t gone so often, partly for family reasons. The fact that the last seven games I haven’t seen Saints score a single goal doesn’t help, going on Sunday though so I hope that changes.

[Batman]

im losing interest, totally

dull football, dull manager for the 2nd year, and such bang average players hyped up by the club beyond their worth

[hackedoff]

The product is no longer worth the price, despite the fancy packaging it comes in.

[alehouseboys]

What with so many fans losing interest, it appears Kat's timing is impeccable with bailing out when she did.

[USA SaintsFan]

I don't often post on here, but thought I should express what I think. This attitude that the club doesn't deserve our support just due to a poor product on display is frankly ridiculous. Saints till I die is not just a phrase, but has meaning. When the club is struggling, shouldn't we offer more support? Isn't it at these times that our loyalty is what will make the difference?

 

I flew over to watch Saints from the states last year, spending a fair amount of money, and Saints lost all three matches. Regardless of the three horrible performances, still the best experience of my life. I obviously would have preferred us to pick up some points, it was that I got to see my club play in front of me, and that I got to spend 270 minutes singing my ****ing heart out, that was what mattered. The losses only fueled me to want to save up more, so that I can come over again, hopefully to witness improved results.

 

So why don't you all lucky enough to actually live in Southampton get to every match you can afford to go to, put your heart into the game, make SMS a true fortress, and maybe we can turn around this **** season.

[Pilchards]

I’m loving this dull football at the momem.

My home no goals accumulator is totalling up nicely.

Another blank on Sunday will bring me £450, lovely bubbly.

[alehouseboys]

This attitude that the club doesn't deserve our support just due to a poor product on display is frankly ridiculous.

 

TBF, in reality, this attitude is probably mostly limited to a few f*ckwits on football forums who don't actually ever go to games anyway. I usually come on to this forum after a match (give it a couple of days if we've lost) to have a read back through the match thread to see how 'fans' sat at home were reacting and it's always the same names whether it's home or away games. I realise a few live overseas but it's also obvious many don't and the most vocal wingy whoppers are just sat in their bedsits ranting at a keyboard. If they're losing interest then, well, every cloud...

[Heisenberg]

What with so many fans losing interest, it appears Kat's timing is impeccable with bailing out when she did.

 

I think Kat lost interest before the inheritance and that lack of TLC probably hasn't helped things.

 

Hoping "Nelly" will relight our fire with some inspirational Instagram posts and a few more large overseas loans.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

I think Kat lost interest before the inheritance and that lack of TLC probably hasn't helped things.

 

Hoping "Nelly" will relight our fire with some inspirational Instagram posts and a few more large overseas loans.

 

#givemeattention

[Nordic Saint]

What with so many fans losing interest, it appears Kat's timing is impeccable with bailing out when she did.

 

Fans are still selling out both our home and away games. But, 200 million more in her bank account plus still retaining a 20% share of the club certainly looks like a great deal for Kat.

[Micky]

Fans are still selling out both our home and away games. But, 200 million more in her bank account plus still retaining a 20% share of the club certainly looks like a great deal for Kat.

 

Yep - you're absolutely spot on. Congratulations are indeed in order. Well done Kat on playing a blinder, excellent business skills there, well deserved, very well done to you.

 

Or wasn't that the point you were trying to make?

[stknowle]

Lead the charge? I was one of them but by no means the leader.

 

I was of the view that European football should not have had an effect on our domestic performance.

 

I will make no judgment on this season's performances until I have actually been to a game. I would have expected the first 10 to 20 games to have been a learning process for a new manager.

 

Getting back to the thread, it's football as a whole that seems to have lost its passion. Pewrhaps I should go along to some lower division games.

 

Come on Whitey you were in there right at the head of the vanguard and you know it!!

[stknowle]

The way I feel about watching Saints at the moment is about the same way I feel about watching England (and they seem to give similar displays). Rarely excited about watching it but continue to do so out of duty unless I have something else more important I can do. Season ticket footy used to be a big priority but will take it or leave it at the moment. At times recently it feels like an inconvenience that I've got to go sit in St Mary's for 90 mins on a Saturday. There is something very wrong when it was a highlight of my week for the previous eight years. The strangest thing is I'm not mourning it, it was great fun and now it is really not. To be honest I just feel a bit 'meh' about the whole thing now.

 

Agree completely. The whole package just feels like its lapsed into an uninspiring malaise, like everyone's decided that this tedious one up front shyte is THE way and we cannot deviate from it no matter what, regardless of whether it actually works or entertains.

[aintforever]

it'd be nice if I felt even a couple of the players gave a sh1t about the club. Even if they were just good at pretending.

 

Think that's the main problem. There is only so many times you can stomach seeing a star player turn his back on the club before you get to the point where you realise they are all putting on a big pretence. What is the point in cheering on a player when you know deep down if he gets to a certain standard he's just gonna do all he can to get a move to a team you despise.

 

Shaw, Lovren, Lallana, Scheiderlin, Wanyama, Clyne, Mane, Pochetino, Koeman. What's the point in getting excited about anyone. In Virgil Van Dyke we actually have a player who most the fans don't just dislike but actually hate - I can't remember ever having that before.

[Plastic]

The way I feel about watching Saints at the moment is about the same way I feel about watching England

 

I can't watch England anymore. Think last w/c was the turning point, but it has been dire for quite some time. They just phone it in, or choke, not sure which, but It's awful.

I remember being so proud when we had 3 (or 4?) players in the England team, but they all convinced themselves they were better than saints, and buggered off to various other teams.

Playing for England is the football equivalent of Weinstein's casting couch, and I don't like seeing saints get fućked.

[cellone]

I can't watch England anymore. Think last w/c was the turning point, but it has been dire for quite some time. They just phone it in, or choke, not sure which, but It's awful.

I remember being so proud when we had 3 (or 4?) players in the England team, but they all convinced themselves they were better than saints, and buggered off to various other teams.

Playing for England is the football equivalent of Weinstein's casting couch, and I don't like seeing saints get fućked.

Similar for me. Watching Rickie represent LFC with Adam already convinced was one of my most deflating moments in my football following life. I just remember RL Telling all how fantastic it was to be at LFC (hadn't kicked a fkn ball for them at that point) and playing for England with AL clinging to his shoulder like some twt. It was the run up that screwed me up. I was so proud of the players for making the squad, proud of Saint's for producing them and just proud to be a Saint's fan. That moment meant more than the cup finals.

[Poolesaint]

TBF, in reality, this attitude is probably mostly limited to a few f*ckwits on football forums who don't actually ever go to games anyway. I usually come on to this forum after a match (give it a couple of days if we've lost) to have a read back through the match thread to see how 'fans' sat at home were reacting and it's always the same names whether it's home or away games. I realise a few live overseas but it's also obvious many don't and the most vocal wingy whoppers are just sat in their bedsits ranting at a keyboard. If they're losing interest then, well, every cloud...

 

Certainly does seem to be the usual suspects who are on here constantly straight after the game proving they prefer to watch the games at home rather than going and getting behind the team(or moan like f##k) at st marys.

 

 

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[hypochondriac]

Certainly does seem to be the usual suspects who are on here constantly straight after the game proving they prefer to watch the games at home rather than going and getting behind the team(or moan like f##k) at st marys.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You realise it's possible to write posts from a phone even if you have gone to a game?

[Whitey Grandad]

Come on Whitey you were in there right at the head of the vanguard and you know it!!

 

Vanguard means out in front, taking a lead. I freely admit that I wanted Puel to go but that doesn't mean that I instigated a movement. My posts are almost always reactive and I will respond to comments made by others.

[stknowle]

Vanguard means out in front, taking a lead. I freely admit that I wanted Puel to go but that doesn't mean that I instigated a movement. My posts are almost always reactive and I will respond to comments made by others.

 

To be clear I was joking, should've put a winky smiler on it. I wanted him out too, but the idea that anyone on here could "lead the charge to hound poor Puel out" is fairly ridiculous.

[cellone]

Certainly does seem to be the usual suspects who are on here constantly straight after the game proving they prefer to watch the games at home rather than going and getting behind the team(or moan like f##k) at st marys.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Haha and a few of us may have had life changing injuries and have found it easier to watch at home rather than the one taxi, two trains plus what now seems like a long walk x2. Not to mention the change in finances due to said injury.

 

By all means have a crack at the moaners but being a smug **** about those that don't make it to the game is one of the most childish moans on this site. Some of us are just plain jealous of those that can. Does it mean our opinions are worthless? Does it fk. Do we miss out on aspects of the game? Of course it we do.

 

I miss the Back From The Game Thread. Loved the reports and ratings when I couldn't make it.

 

Kind Regards

Cell stuck at home One.

[Poolesaint]

You realise it's possible to write posts from a phone even if you have gone to a game?

 

I do realise that funnily enough but is that you’re first thought while coming out of the ground? I also know that not everyone can make all the games(me included) but you can tell from some people on here just don’t ever go.

 

 

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[miserableoldgit]

For what it is worth I have been watching Saints for 60 years. I have had a ST for over 40 years...but....I fell out of love with football some years ago. I never watch it on tv unless Saints are involved. I have no interest in the Champions League. I haven't watched an England game for years. The whole thing is just too money orientated. I watch Saints and continue buying my ST because it has been a way of life for too many years. My favourite sports are Rugby and Speedway where generally people take part for the love of what they do.....not purely for the money and fame. They put their lives and health on the line for the sport.....

 

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[mrfahaji]

It dawned on me today how little I care about the Premier League. Didn’t even bother to check the scores. There’s not one thing that it has brought it to a head, but I think the incessant barrage of top-6 only coverage coupled with the influence of agents and push for the big clubs to get even more money, with no apparent desire to introduce anything to help the competitiveness of the league.

 

I obviously don’t want Saints to get relegated to be in it, but a glance to the Championship suggests it is a much more interesting and exciting division.

 

Saints’ struggles may of course compound these feelings, but I’ll be there tomorrow nonetheless!

[Whitey Grandad]

To be clear I was joking, should've put a winky smiler on it. I wanted him out too, but the idea that anyone on here could "lead the charge to hound poor Puel out" is fairly ridiculous.

 

Fair dos.

 

Tomorrow is my first game of the season. I won't be satisfied with less than a three goal win.