I first got wind of a storm brewing through hearing phrases like "it's just pure greed", "it's all about money" "it's disgusting and selfish" made on the news in connection with the word "football", and then as I listened, I realised that these comments were being made in connection with the announcement that the top English clubs and some European ones were intending to form a new exclusive "super league". Of course my heart sank as I knew then and there that Perth St Johnstone would never be part of this exalted club. But apart from my moment of despond, as I listened, my confusion grew at the clamour of protest and indignation against this idea. You see, I thought it was always about the money. Vast sums paid to managers and players at the top of their game. Rapid sackings of managers not, and the disposal of players who were beginning to lose their edge. Moreover the fanatical, sometimes hysterical behaviour of some fans has never made sense to me, as has a fan base in places far removed from the teams' own homes.
Having listened now for over a whole 24 hour period to this issue dominating the news I am frankly none the wiser. The proposal it seemed to me was for this "super league" to play midweek, thus not interfering with week-end fixtures. The fact that the league would be exclusive seemed no different from many institutions which we tolerate and even admire at the moment. Exclusivity is always conditional on something, whether it's money, status, celebrity, intelligence, performance, talent or cultural background. Eton may have some free places for sure, but basically it's an exclusive educational club. We've just been mourning the death of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, the late member of one of the most excusive clubs in the world, the British Monarchy, closely tied to that other exclusive club, the British aristocracy. I don't hear too many cries of condemnation for those. Even to be a republican is slightly off mainstream. You can be sure that any club facing financial disaster will quickly lose its status as a valued member of the "super league" . But everyone is jumping on the bandwagon of criticism and hostility towards this move. Apparently it's going to ruin "the pyramid system" which is how players move up the ladder, as well as clubs which aspire to joining leagues above them. I get the fact that they might not be able to aspire to the "super league" but they still could be playing against the top teams in the premiere league, since these teams had intended to stay there too. Quite frankly the whole mad scene of professional football has become a demented pack of people and institutions scrambling after hideously large amounts of money involving things as mean as changes of strips often enough to bankrupt the average fan family, never mind the ticket prices.
Mind you, you could just call me jealous. I vividly remember becoming rapidly bored watching live football, so that my attention would wander, usually just as that goal was being scored. I used to feel like I had just wasted my 1/6d (if had paid it that is, and not wandered in through the big exit gates when they opened 20 minutes before full time!) I like the abbreviated, edited showings we get on telly. The amount of time they save by just giving you the entertaining bits suits me just fine. Perhaps there is a place for something like "Cricket 20/20" in the beautiful game......"Goals plenty plenty" or some such version of the game. Now that might get my vote.
