Not sure if this is the right part but i am having a premier league rant!
Over the last few years, hearing bits the last few days, then watching the game last night i realised how rubbish football the sport has come compared to the 'brand' it now is.
When Sanchez fell over as though he had been shot in the first few minutes, i found it embarrassing, a fully grown man, quite well built, has the slightest of hands on him and he is rolling round and then complaining, if that would of been one of my mates i would like to of think we would tell him how pathetic it is, if it had been me who did it i would question if i should even been playing a contact sport.
From then on there were all the Arsenal dramatics, somebody farts near them and they go down in horrific pain, then its followed by routine of the appeals to the ref and the moaning, the looks of why them? Its not just Arsenal but fedup of seeing such drama queens in football now.
Then after the game, you have Dermot Gallagher been questioned again about the penalty, at half time he said it was, what happened in the second half to make Sky think he may change his mind and revisit the subject again and discuss it again i dont know but they did. However Dermot then proceeded to say that the ref would go back to his coaches, he would visit his support network and all analysis would take place to ensure this didnt happen again! What the hell does that mean? Yes by all means review his position but a support network, all analysis? He made a bad decision wont be the first, wont be the last, nobody died, yet Sky take it so serious!
I may be old school but the constant punditry and analysis with football now just does my head in, i wanted to hear what Pulis said so watched til then (i dont normally, turn off after a game) but to hear the drivel that is just time filling is madness, thats all it is is time filling.
Sky now have 'the debate' every night, watched one just to see what its about and its pointless, spending an hour talking about stuff that happened days ago that has already been discussed to death. BBC is even in on it now, i dont mind football focus, a short one off programme once a week and MOTD for the goals but now there is premier league review show, the premier league show, MOTD3, MOTD extra, its just football overkill, i dont watch 90% of them but still does my head in!
And last week there is now serious talk of apparently scrapping the caravan cup or whatever its called, or maybe making it a under 23 tournament?! Yes the initial rounds are a bit poor but come the later stages grounds get fuller and as a fan, Albion have the chance to win 2 things - the league cup and FA Cup, that is my driving factor for having a season ticket, to hopefully one day see us win a trophy, its not to make the numbers up and finish 10th in the league. Its because the big boys dont want the cup anymore apparently, and if the league cup goes the FA Cup would probably follow in years to come.
When i first got into football i loved playing and watching it, it felt i was doing something professionals did, now i feel its like a different sport, in fact its more of a brand than a sport and just dont see it changing, with all the TV money coming in it will just get more airtime to fill chatting drivel, i expect within the next few years there will be a show to follow 'the debate' called the 'the mass debate' which is quite fitting (think i can get away with that?!)
Why not put more stuff and live action on about grassroots football, womens football, non league football, something than the working man can connect too, i know our money doesnt mean much to the premier league but i do really hope that it does just go bump and start again.
My cousin started going to watch Stourbridge a few years back )after he fell out of love with premier league football) and he loves it, he still watches the Albion (the irony i know, watches us on tv when he hates it) and goes the odd game each season, but to be fair it certainly has got his buzz back for football again. I am not sure if i could give up my season ticket but do like the idea of seeing a bit more 'proper' football so may start following a non league club, problem is i dont think you can just pick a team to support can you!?
