Football is still a stupid game
Sunday, 22. March 2009, 17:09:10
It's been waning for some years now but I had thought my interest this season in football had diminished beyond the point of no return. Then something like this happens and threatens to reel me back in.
If it weren't for the fact that number two son has really become interested in Spurs over the last year or two, I'd probably not bother to watch Match of the Day.
How has number two son's interest in Spurs come about, given that I spent the first dozen years of his life trying in vain to interest him in football? It's all down to Football Manager, the computer game, so far as I can tell.
Weird.
I have three boys and they've never been particularly interested in football, but I am probably judging them by my own obsessive interest which lasted from the time I could walk to about the time I finally gave up hope of making it as a professional footballer (round about the age of 34).
I can still vividly recall the time England achieved what probably still ranks as the luckiest of * 5-1 victories, against Germany in a World Cup qualifier. "Come in and watch this!" I said to my sons who were, inexplicably, playing out in the street on a warm summer's evening instead of quaking nervously all the way through an England international match. "You'll never see this again for as long as you live, England stuffing Germany at football."
Not in the slightest bit interested. No historical perspective, I suppose.
Unlike me. I watched the 1966 World Cup Final between England and West Germany in a cafe in Spain, where the English were outnumbered about three-to-one by the Germans, and the Spanish didn't seem too keen on us winning either. It was tough on a young kid when England went one-nil down and I had to go for a walk to relieve the pressure.
Not as bad as England-Poland 1973, of course, but I digress.
Remember that European Cup Final where Liverpool were 0-3 down at half-time and being embarrassed by a cocky and complacent AC Milan? The first five minutes of the second half convinced me something extraordinary was about to happen and so I called down the boys from their bedrooms. "Come and watch this! Liverpool are three-nil down at half time in the European Cup Final but they look well up for it in the second half. This could be the greatest comeback in the history of European football."
If only I had been a member of Betfair back then.
Not one of them came down to watch the match with me. Far too interested in MSN Messenger.
So, should I let Spurs back in my life? I'm probably going to have to, because number 2 son wants to start seeing a few live matches, and what's £70 spent on 2 hours of frustration, despair and tribulation in the company of 36,000 foul-mouthed deluded maniacs to a man of my means?
* England really should have been 0-2 down at half-time and buried.
If it weren't for the fact that number two son has really become interested in Spurs over the last year or two, I'd probably not bother to watch Match of the Day.
How has number two son's interest in Spurs come about, given that I spent the first dozen years of his life trying in vain to interest him in football? It's all down to Football Manager, the computer game, so far as I can tell.
Weird.
I have three boys and they've never been particularly interested in football, but I am probably judging them by my own obsessive interest which lasted from the time I could walk to about the time I finally gave up hope of making it as a professional footballer (round about the age of 34).
I can still vividly recall the time England achieved what probably still ranks as the luckiest of * 5-1 victories, against Germany in a World Cup qualifier. "Come in and watch this!" I said to my sons who were, inexplicably, playing out in the street on a warm summer's evening instead of quaking nervously all the way through an England international match. "You'll never see this again for as long as you live, England stuffing Germany at football."
Not in the slightest bit interested. No historical perspective, I suppose.
Unlike me. I watched the 1966 World Cup Final between England and West Germany in a cafe in Spain, where the English were outnumbered about three-to-one by the Germans, and the Spanish didn't seem too keen on us winning either. It was tough on a young kid when England went one-nil down and I had to go for a walk to relieve the pressure.
Not as bad as England-Poland 1973, of course, but I digress.
Remember that European Cup Final where Liverpool were 0-3 down at half-time and being embarrassed by a cocky and complacent AC Milan? The first five minutes of the second half convinced me something extraordinary was about to happen and so I called down the boys from their bedrooms. "Come and watch this! Liverpool are three-nil down at half time in the European Cup Final but they look well up for it in the second half. This could be the greatest comeback in the history of European football."
If only I had been a member of Betfair back then.
Not one of them came down to watch the match with me. Far too interested in MSN Messenger.
So, should I let Spurs back in my life? I'm probably going to have to, because number 2 son wants to start seeing a few live matches, and what's £70 spent on 2 hours of frustration, despair and tribulation in the company of 36,000 foul-mouthed deluded maniacs to a man of my means?
* England really should have been 0-2 down at half-time and buried.
WIDGETIZE
geoffchall # 26. March 2009, 09:41
So - did I want to drive 2-3 hours each way on my own, watch us fight out a goalless draw against Middlesborough? No - domestically anti-social, no-one to spark off and a bit like going to see a movie or go for a meal on your own, fine if you're used to it. Steph's enthusiasm is responsible for rekindling my own. Yes Dad gets to pay (and buy the meal and the fanzine, although he refuses to pay for the program), but it's great to go and hang out with her.
And I would have thought you would have seen it as your duty to infect the next generation. So choose the games selectively if you don't want to put him off. Of course once hooked, you'll find it'll be him dragging you. I knew this process was complete when in a classic line after a dismal 1-0 defeat to Bolton, Steph said "couldn't you have supported a decent team, Dad?" You might find the alternative is that he drifts and is influenced by peers and ends up an Arsenal fan (well they do play such pretty football....)
John # 7. April 2009, 12:32
I am looking forward to Spurs building their new ground when, hopefully, a 23k increase in capacity will encourage the club to bring ticket prices down to more realistic levels. I think only Chelsea charge more than Spurs among Premiership clubs.
I was talking to my brother the other day about "the old days" and how it was not that uncommon to go and see other teams play, not just the team you supported. West Ham were my local team and I used to see them several times a season and even joined in a few rousing choruses of "Harry, Harry Redknapp, Harry Redknapp on the wi-ing!".
One season I saw half a dozen Chelsea matches ("This Butch Wilkins lad looks promising" - how wrong we were!) and I think Mikey W. has dragged me along to Charlton once or twice. Wonder if that sort of thing still happens?
John