I have considered writing this pots – I’m guessing there will be millions of blogs ‘discussing’ the German win in the World Cup Final on Sunday night. They deserved to win.
I did used to follow football – but have fallen out with it of late. When I was young (a long time ago) Brazil were a pleasure to watch. They played with skill and flair. They played fair and were an example to everyone watching. Even the kids like me.
But I do wonder what has happened? I heard on more than one occasion commentators and pundits expelling that cheating, in whatever form, is now part of the game. It’s accepted that diving, committing fouls and generally seeing what you can get away have become the norm.
On Sunday a punch in the face of Schweinsteiger from Aguero drew blood. Part of the game?
It seems that there are four officials on the pitch – but there seems to be a reluctance to stop the game. A reluctance to take action against such obvious cheating? I don’t understand why.
I do understand passion for winning. But at what cost? At the cost of it becoming undignified? Is cheating really necessary?
Perhaps football should take a leaf out the book of golf. Self marking is obvious and the height of sportsmanship are often seen on the tour… Here is an interesting story.
Brazil 81/82 was my team. I was Zico in the playground – my friends were Socrates, Falcao, Eder, Cerezo, Junior, Leandro etc. That team didn’t even make the semis, but is remembered more fondly by many of us than any subsequent World Cup winner – the last genuine example of ‘The Beautiful Game’. I can’t help feeling that if they’d beaten Paolo Rossi’s Italy – and gone on to win the tournament, football generally would have become a very different animal – with less emphasis on the cynical, ‘win-at-all-costs’ version of today – and more on skill and the joyful side of the game. As long as our memories are intact – and there’s video evidence, we can keep telling the other side of the story… Try these: http://vimeo.com/19025556 (Socrates interview),
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnoz4NuYMU8 (Brazil 82)
Rajiv, it seems to me that there is a grass root issue with the game. I was with the Rushcliffe Gymnastics Academy today. Injury is a part of what happens – it’s partially because they push their bodies. If they get injured they get up, dust themselves down and get back on with what they were doing (within reason!). But this isn’t true in Football – writing around is ‘part of the game’. That’s what I don’t understand!