Modern Footballs Rubbish

[CarlingBlade]

having being a football fan (SUFC) since 1988 my view my be blurry eyed and I'm sure everything wasn't great back in the day, maybe it's an age thing cos I remember my old man saying how great the Currie, Woodward, Badger, Hockey, Coloughin (sp) era was, but I'm sure modern football has become a rather dull and pretty laborious spectical.

I love the club I support and find the match day experience almost addictive, away days can be a time to behold, regular faces from years gone and a newer element coming through, it's a great environment to be in.

HOWEVER........We're supporting a modern day footballer with little or no loyalty to our city or club, a job description which must include the word "mercenaries" within it as 99% are. I've experienced my life's highest and lowest points following the Blades (bar the birth of my kids) however the first round of the FA Cup (esp. the raise of Salford City) conjures up memories of how it used to be and what football at grass roots means to communities, surely that's what football is meant to be all about. I saw a tweet from Ryan Hindley that Hallams crowds are up 52% year on year, a coincidence that Swfc have increased admission fees to a level beyond the reach of some?

I suppose my question is am I (at 38yrs old) an ageing nostalgic fool or is there some underlying movement of disgruntled football purists and is modern football really rubbish?

 

[Isar]

What has changed is the money. Players, and this applies to all leagues can earn a lot more than they are worth. Once they sign the deal, all respect is gone ££££££££££ is all that matters.

Yes I am cynical, some "footballers" today are bleeding some clubs and fans.

 

[Piddie]

having being a football fan (SUFC) since 1988 my view my be blurry eyed and I'm sure everything wasn't great back in the day, maybe it's an age thing cos I remember my old man saying how great the Currie, Woodward, Badger, Hockey, Coloughin (sp) era was, but I'm sure modern football has become a rather dull and pretty laborious spectical.

I love the club I support and find the match day experience almost addictive, away days can be a time to behold, regular faces from years gone and a newer element coming through, it's a great environment to be in.

HOWEVER........We're supporting a modern day footballer with little or no loyalty to our city or club, a job description which must include the word "mercenaries" within it as 99% are. I've experienced my life's highest and lowest points following the Blades (bar the birth of my kids) however the first round of the FA Cup (esp. the raise of Salford City) conjures up memories of how it used to be and what football at grass roots means to communities, surely that's what football is meant to be all about. I saw a tweet from Ryan Hindley that Hallams crowds are up 52% year on year, a coincidence that Swfc have increased admission fees to a level beyond the reach of some?

I suppose my question is am I (at 38yrs old) an ageing nostalgic fool or is there some underlying movement of disgruntled football purists and is modern football really rubbish?

Couldn't agree more. Said exactly the same thing last night watching the Salford game. Enjoyed every minute of last night's game it was like the old days. Even our 12 year old loved the game with the crunching tackles and blood and guts football and he's only known the days of Premier League football.

I'm a similar age (41 so near enough) and outside of the Blades I no longer watch football on the telly as it's nothing like it used to be. Can't stand the premier league.

 

[Esablade]

It certainly is for us at the present time..hopefully Adkin's can sort it and make us more than competitive again...

UTB!

 

[Tyler Durden]

People who wish for football to rediscover its soul are often accused of nostalgia.

Well I'm 30, I never even saw a football match before the era of the Premiership and Sky, and yet I can STILL see that modern football is a bullshit construct which prioritises all the wrong things. A sanitised TV show of a business.

Opposition to modern football is an actual movement on the continent. Unfortunately however, it's the British mentality to mumble discontent rather than actively doing anything about it, so as long as that's the case, the powers that be will continue to have our pants down.

One positive development is the fact that non-league football is arguably more popular than ever now as a result.
Grassroots football has been pushed to the margins but it will never die as long as people are there to support it. Go and watch your non-league club whenever possible. I guarantee you will find it far more worthwhile than any shit televised on Sky or MOTD.

 

[boo radley]

I can see why a lot are disillusioned on here. However the premiership remains popular. The length of time away from the top and at this level seems to be clouding some judgements. You may be kidding yourself about how good non league is against the premiership and the cost associated. Also Saturday, whilst Worcester put up a reasonable fight (and they should have given how big the game was for them), there was so much more quality in The Blades and we are crap to watch at the moment.
As for these FA Cup games in earlier rounds, remember it is and always has been about smaller clubs having a go. You don't have to look too far back for the romance. Think us, Think Bradford. then think the drudger of the league and whilst I love the idea of supporting non league, I think the difference is you come away from that not being pissed off because it only cost you a fiver.
PS How many on here listen to the non league football show on radio 5?

 

[Northyorksblade]

A fiver? You're kidding! Last time I looked £15 to watch Harrogate Town!!!

 

[Bartleby]

you're right, I think there has been a swing towards the non-league in some areas as people get sickened watching overpaid prima donnas. Thinking FC United etc

 

[Bartleby]

A fiver? You're kidding! Last time I looked £15 to watch Harrogate Town!!!

Really? Market forces I guess, lot of money in Harrogate

 

[boo radley]

A fiver? You're kidding! Last time I looked £15 to watch Harrogate Town!!!

That's because the free bottle of spring water isn't actually free.

 

[Jonboy60]

Yet all non league clubs( or most) thrive to get to the promised land.

 

[Bladesway]

having being a football fan (SUFC) since 1988 my view my be blurry eyed and I'm sure everything wasn't great back in the day, maybe it's an age thing cos I remember my old man saying how great the Currie, Woodward, Badger, Hockey, Coloughin (sp) era was, but I'm sure modern football has become a rather dull and pretty laborious spectical.

I love the club I support and find the match day experience almost addictive, away days can be a time to behold, regular faces from years gone and a newer element coming through, it's a great environment to be in.

HOWEVER........We're supporting a modern day footballer with little or no loyalty to our city or club, a job description which must include the word "mercenaries" within it as 99% are. I've experienced my life's highest and lowest points following the Blades (bar the birth of my kids) however the first round of the FA Cup (esp. the raise of Salford City) conjures up memories of how it used to be and what football at grass roots means to communities, surely that's what football is meant to be all about. I saw a tweet from Ryan Hindley that Hallams crowds are up 52% year on year, a coincidence that Swfc have increased admission fees to a level beyond the reach of some?

I suppose my question is am I (at 38yrs old) an ageing nostalgic fool or is there some underlying movement of disgruntled football purists and is modern football really rubbish?

When every match is the most important game ever, every kick monitored from 100 angles and punditted to death what do you expect. Football is drenched through every channel. You can watch a game from England, Scotland, France, Portugal, Australia and pretty much every other country you wish to mention, 24/7. Like anything it gets boring after a bit. After 20+ years you yearn for the occasional match where the teams weren't allowed to wear sponsored shirts during the game. Not sure it was better/worse but there was less of it so it felt like a gift rather than yet another 90 minutes of durge that will be replaced by another 90 minutes of durge along after the ad break.

Football is wank and I blame Sky and its subscribers for that.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

having being a football fan (SUFC) since 1988 my view my be blurry eyed and I'm sure everything wasn't great back in the day, maybe it's an age thing cos I remember my old man saying how great the Currie, Woodward, Badger, Hockey, Coloughin (sp) era was, but I'm sure modern football has become a rather dull and pretty laborious spectical.

I love the club I support and find the match day experience almost addictive, away days can be a time to behold, regular faces from years gone and a newer element coming through, it's a great environment to be in.

HOWEVER........We're supporting a modern day footballer with little or no loyalty to our city or club, a job description which must include the word "mercenaries" within it as 99% are. I've experienced my life's highest and lowest points following the Blades (bar the birth of my kids) however the first round of the FA Cup (esp. the raise of Salford City) conjures up memories of how it used to be and what football at grass roots means to communities, surely that's what football is meant to be all about. I saw a tweet from Ryan Hindley that Hallams crowds are up 52% year on year, a coincidence that Swfc have increased admission fees to a level beyond the reach of some?

I suppose my question is am I (at 38yrs old) an ageing nostalgic fool or is there some underlying movement of disgruntled football purists and is modern football really rubbish?

Welcome to the club.

They'll all be members eventually.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

I can see why a lot are disillusioned on here. However the premiership remains popular. The length of time away from the top and at this level seems to be clouding some judgements. You may be kidding yourself about how good non league is against the premiership and the cost associated. Also Saturday, whilst Worcester put up a reasonable fight (and they should have given how big the game was for them), there was so much more quality in The Blades and we are crap to watch at the moment.
As for these FA Cup games in earlier rounds, remember it is and always has been about smaller clubs having a go. You don't have to look too far back for the romance. Think us, Think Bradford. then think the drudger of the league and whilst I love the idea of supporting non league, I think the difference is you come away from that not being pissed off because it only cost you a fiver.
PS How many on here listen to the non league football show on radio 5?

Chatting to a QPR fan this morning whilst walking the dogs the other participant starts on about Chelsea losing again.
Now this other guy is not a footie fan and the two footie fans didn't really get involved in the conversation about Chelsea [sure Mr QPR gives as many fucks about Chelsea as I do but it paints a good picture in my mind about how the Prem is seen as something special when the non believers try to get involved.

As a side point the QPR fan arrived back last night from 3 weeks hols in Thailand and started the conversation this morning with 'I think Sherwood will get the job'
It really looked like a kick in the bollocks judging the look on his face when I told him he needs to get his old Warnock posters up the bedroom wall again when he gets home.

 

[jt64]

Rarely watch the Premier League, then again I rarely watch TV full stop nowadays unless there's darts on, I might watch the odd game if it's a huge match, or if it'll at least not be awful and it's a 4pm Sunday as I usually meet people for a beer after the game anyway, but I'm not going out of my way to watch Spurs/Villa on a Monday night. Frankly I've watched more German games this year, at least they have atmosphere

 

[awblade]

I'm only 25 and can only agree with the OP.

I was thinking this at the game yesterday. Our fist team is full of primadonnas. I can not even understand how or why!? As most of them are not very good players, and without the enthusiasm and effort that they need to be showing they will never make it to the next level. Instead of that, they will only go backwards as they prance about o the pitch seeming to think they are above needing to try, not just against Worcester, but week in/week out against general league 1 teams.

Three players I was impressed with yesterday as I could see they were actually trying throughout the game, JCR, Baxter and Scougall, when he came on.

This thread can be linked with 3/4 others from the past couple of weeks too. I would say I fear for the players, from the crowd; but I give as little shit about them, as they do about us.

 

[blade too long]

I can see why a lot are disillusioned on here. However the premiership remains popular. The length of time away from the top and at this level seems to be clouding

no its the sanitised , package were forced to watch
X factor is popular , its still shit

the fan of the seventies and eighties were a different animal ,we didnt have social media and enjoyed the game at a more basic level
now its criticised in great detail, over analysed and expectancy is built up to much
We used to only analyse games on saturdays ,immediately before and shortly after , so went into games less prepared to be critical , each game was given a chance to breathe
now a daily conflict of opinions means agendas are decided before every game, expectations truly over blown in many cases

Social media fans , plastics are what generate sky numbers,
our very own beliebers , if Sky tells them its the best league in the world these mugs suck it up
despite it being over coached ,money structured, what you pay is where you finish , same old same old year in year out

what chance man city and arsenal not being in the cl positions, non existant

nb

if you say 5 or 6 is an age where you understand going to football , it means piggy fans under 21 have never seen a top flight match live, its now 5665 days since their last prem match , Massive number that

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

I sympathise with the OP. I find it very difficult to relate to any modern day footballers including those at our own club. Increasing financial rewards for achieving nothing and the modern culture that goes along side it have shaped a sport that barely resembles what it used to be. Various parties saw the opportunity to make a lot of money, they saw the way the world was going with increased levels of disposable income and the demand for satellite television. They saw the market for it.

It will only change when paying punters stop going to games but more importantly, when they stop paying to watch it on television. I've said it before.....while there is a paying market football will not go back to how it was. Anyone who pays for their ticket or their satellite subscription fee is accountable for what the sport is now and hence has no right to complain about it. It has shaped the financial inequality and the fortunes of our own club.

I haven't been to a game in over two months and no longer pay for sky etc. Instead I spend the money on going to see alternative sports and its been a refreshing change. More importantly I'm doing it because I love football and refuse to be accountable for what it is anymore.

 

[mosbolad]

Our fist team is full of primadonnas

Crikey Awblade! I didn't realise we'd got one of those!!! I had to look up the term and was really rather surprised and somewhat shocked!

 

[vorpal blade]

I have 'liked' a number of the disillusioned posts above but I do think that the technical standard of football now is the best its ever been.

At premiership level there are skillful players throughout most teams whereas when I started watching, there were one or two per team. This is coupled with - and to an extent the result of - fitness levels far in excess of what footballers acheived back in the 1970s. So the game is faster, with nippier passing and more capable players generally.

But I also agree that saturation TV coverage has made it a circus, the 'professionalism' of millionaire players has made it dishonest from top to bottom.

We used to mock the wrestling shown on ITV on Saturdays, though it was covered on "World of Sport" it wasn't a sport, it was a stage managed ballet, its results as rigged as a North Korean General Election. In other words it was a lie, but football is almost as bad now.

Everyone at the top levels of football seems to lie all the time. Wenger claims blindness, Mourinho lies complusively so hides his ever open mouth behind the palm of his hand while he utters oathes in Portuguese, Gerrard plummets to earth like a shot soldier in Gilbert and Sullivan AmDram and when the ball goes out of play, its always everyone's throw-in; the hands go up to claim it like a class of gifted 8-year-olds at prep. school working out an easy sum.

Even if the results aren't ???????????? everything else is a con-trick, that is why I hardly watch premier-league football and why I said I like the comments previously posted on this thread.

 

[HighfieldBlade]

Yet all non league clubs( or most) thrive to get to the promised land.

And there's the rub.
It's a safe bet that these clubs have aspirations to progress up the footballing pyramid rather than remain non-league.

 

[HillmortonBlade]

And there's the rub.
It's a safe bet that these clubs have aspirations to progress up the footballing pyramid rather than remain non-league.

Maybe therein lies an issue... the whole point of football is to win, win matches, win derbies, win divisions. And work the path up to the top league. And then once over that hurdle, what's the prize? mid table. I'm not saying that any team other than the obvious contenders can't win a title (thank you Leicester to illustrate that point) but the truth is that it is highly unlikely, to the extent where even the most naive fan won't expect it.

So maybe the holy grail of Premier League, is in fact an empty vessel. And as such, will shake the motivation of the faithful football following.

I try to not let the football ruin my day out, occasionally successfully.

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

Maybe therein lies an issue... the whole point of football is to win, win matches, win derbies, win divisions. And work the path up to the top league. And then once over that hurdle, what's the prize? mid table. I'm not saying that any team other than the obvious contenders can't win a title (thank you Leicester to illustrate that point) but the truth is that it is highly unlikely, to the extent where even the most naive fan won't expect it.

So maybe the holy grail of Premier League, is in fact an empty vessel. And as such, will shake the motivation of the faithful football following.

I try to not let the football ruin my day out, occasionally successfully.

Keep saying it but we're all wasting our time and when I say "we" I'm talking about the supporters of at least 80 clubs.

It's a closed shop now and frankly I see no point in playing/supporting unless it's with aspirations to win and be the best. No one expects it to be easy but it should be realistically possible, otherwise where is the sense of competition? Where's the carrot?

The most laughable thing is that the masses still go, still pay and are happy aspiring to be seasoned fodder for the top 6 clubs. No thanks.

 

[JJ Sefton]

A pal of mine was doing some charity work in Africa about eight years back. There was a big hall in the village which showed Premier League games beamed onto a bedsheet hung at the end of the hall. The hall sold out. Those Africans thought it was great.

So while people talk about opposition to modern football, lets remember that there is plenty of support for it as well, those African kids being one small part of it.

 

[boo radley]

no its the sanitised , package were forced to watch
X factor is popular , its still shit

the fan of the seventies and eighties were a different animal ,we didnt have social media and enjoyed the game at a more basic level
now its criticised in great detail, over analysed and expectancy is built up to much
We used to only analyse games on saturdays ,immediately before and shortly after , so went into games less prepared to be critical , each game was given a chance to breathe

Yeah like it was great when you had a chance to get beaten up everyweek and you had a great chance of getting splashed with piss because people would take a slash anywhere or puked on by some fat drunken bloke. You talking about that basic level? Maybe the chance that you'd get hauled in by plod because he didn't like you smiling? perhaps it was the laugh or frustration you got when your striker was lining up what you knew was the perfect shot only to see the ball jump on the big sod of turf left from the last challenge, or stick in the mud before it got to him? Ah the mud was always greener. If you don't want the Analysis turn it off. I Do. It seems a lot want it though. For example when a rumour about us having links with a certain player happens on here, loads know all about said player and it is rare that I know owt about a possible incomer. So these people must read loads of football stuff.

 

[Bartleby]

Our fist team is full of primadonnas. I can not even understand how or why!? As most of them are not very good players, and without the enthusiasm and effort that they need to be showing they will never make it to the next level. I

Adkins has said as much in his interview - "they're at this level for a reason". I remember a few years ago it being said that we had too many journeymen who knew they would not cut it at the level above and so had no motivation to get promoted. Might also explain why they can get geed up for cup runs.

 

[boo radley]

Keep saying it but we're all wasting our time and when I say "we" I'm talking about the supporters of at least 80 clubs.

It's a closed shop now and frankly I see no point in playing/supporting unless it's with aspirations to win and be the best. No one expects it to be easy but it should be realistically possible, otherwise where is the sense of competition? Where's the carrot?

The most laughable thing is that the masses still go, still pay and are happy aspiring to be seasoned fodder for the top 6 clubs. No thanks.

Been trying to make this point in some other threads, where points are being made about how there is a lack of understanding of supporters wants or needs but as you say if they keep just turning up and paying nowt will change and there is no mass will in supporters to change it.

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

My view: mixed opinions (fence-sitting bastard that I am...).

Football itself is great, always has been, always will be. I'm still fascinated with it (every aspect of it), & no doubt I will be till the day I die.

Even so. Can't stand the "vulture capitalism" nature of football these days, the difference between obscene wealth at the top of the game & the scenario that Northampton's players are currently facing at the other end of the scale. Hate the fact that the dominance of capital means a Derby or a Forest can't possibly win the league in this day & age. And detest the inflated admission prices which price out whole sections of society from watching football at its upper echelons, live, on a regular basis. The media tail wagging the football dog is unhealthy in the extreme. And the fact that the footballing authorities (from FIFA down to the FA) are in thrall to the money men rather that representative of football fans is an ongoing tragedy.

But...

Despite this, there's a million & one reasons why football, even in this day & age, remains the majestic beast it always was. Couldn't do without SUFC (indeed, over recent years, I've returned to my teenage/young man's obsession with the club), despite the lowly position, despite the inbuilt tendency of the club to frustrate, to disappoint, & to puncture dreams - it is what it is, but it's a source of great pride supporting this magnificent club still: that'll never change, whatever the situation. Football at this level is better than it's ever been, technically - same goes for the two divisions above (the influx of foreign players & coaches at prem level being the motive force). Football's available online whenever you want to watch it, allowing for the opportunity to watch even pretty obscure games. Non-league football's as compelling as ever, as evidenced by the early rounds of the still wonderful FA Cup. Football statistics are available instantly online: a boon for stattos like me. Social media (like this) allow for extended discussion of minutiae, even for those cast adrift on other shores. German football remains a beacon, both on the pitch (technical excellence combined with desire & passion) & off it (pricing structures, administration of the game, great modern stadia, great support). Despite the wall-to-wall football on TV, on terrestrial we've now just gone back to the Saturday (& Sunday) dose of MOTD: no bad thing.

So, lots of bad. But the good overrides it. Football wins.

 

[Kentblade]

having being a football fan (SUFC) since 1988 my view my be blurry eyed and I'm sure everything wasn't great back in the day, maybe it's an age thing cos I remember my old man saying how great the Currie, Woodward, Badger, Hockey, Coloughin (sp) era was, but I'm sure modern football has become a rather dull and pretty laborious spectical.

I love the club I support and find the match day experience almost addictive, away days can be a time to behold, regular faces from years gone and a newer element coming through, it's a great environment to be in.

HOWEVER........We're supporting a modern day footballer with little or no loyalty to our city or club, a job description which must include the word "mercenaries" within it as 99% are. I've experienced my life's highest and lowest points following the Blades (bar the birth of my kids) however the first round of the FA Cup (esp. the raise of Salford City) conjures up memories of how it used to be and what football at grass roots means to communities, surely that's what football is meant to be all about. I saw a tweet from Ryan Hindley that Hallams crowds are up 52% year on year, a coincidence that Swfc have increased admission fees to a level beyond the reach of some?

I suppose my question is am I (at 38yrs old) an ageing nostalgic fool or is there some underlying movement of disgruntled football purists and is modern football really rubbish?

Hi Carling

I can confirm that Currie, Woodward, Badger, Hockey, Colquhoun were better than any players at the lane, certainly since we dropped into this division.
One could add Hagan, Jones, Birchenall, plus numerous others, I could go on with a very large list, Deane, Hodgkinson come to mind.
I f you feel like you do re current football then you might understand what I think going back to my first games in 1946.

There is a cup tie going on some 2 miles away, Maidstone v Yeovil, I have it on their own radio station, HT 0-0 Yeovil down to 10 since first 5 minutes.

Lowest goals conceded anywhere nationally 7 all season.
Ground holds some 3000, certainly great atmosphere around the club.

If the blades continue in this division I shall get a season ticket for next season, has to be better than listening to Blades.

It Maidstone win I would not fancy our chances here if we drew them next round.
We did draw Maidstone many years ago winning 1-0 at the lane.

Remember it well as we took a friend with us to the lane who supported Stones and we had red and white and yellow and black on display in the cars rear window.

Your kids must be growing up now.

UTB

 

[JohnDenver]

We did draw Maidstone many years ago winning 1-0 at the lane.

That's one of my earliest Blades memories. Not because I went, but because I remember my dad saying:

"There might be a shock a Bramall Lane this weekend. United might win a game."

Took me a while to figure out the humour...