[Football] Falling out of love...

[gripper stebson]

Please do excuse the slightly self indulgent thread.

Firstly I understand that once we all get back in the ground it may all change, but this morning I have felt something new... I feel I may be starting to fall out of love with football a bit.

I've been at it now for 35 years but VAR, and the months long wait to win games, is killing it for me. I got to the end of the match last night and barely registered any irritation at all... this is very unusual! Just switched the tele over and watched something else.

I think the main reason is that we go to football (or watch it on TV for now) for that moment we score a goal. That impossible to describe ten second buzz you get that non football fans can't possibly understand. Well, thanks to VAR, that's gone now... and with it, a fair chunk of my enthusiasm.

I hope it returns.

God I sound like a miserable git!

Would be interested to know if I'm alone.

 

[Denis]

No, I’m afraid I feel like that too. I was secretly relieved to find that I was priority 4 again.

 

[Notters]

Lot's of things nibble away at the enjoyment to be honest. The biggest one for me by far was the removal of terraces. But you can add ticket prices, out of town stadiums etc. to the mix as well.

(Moving to Leeds didn't exactly help either )

 

[Greg Bobkin]

I completely get where you're coming from, Gripper. Many won't agree, but for me football is just a small part of life and I can't get too hung up about it win, lose or draw. The past year has taught me what's important – family, health – and if I didn't know that watching 22 players kick a ball around a pitch was merely just another source of entertainment before, I certainly do now.

That doesn't mean I don't love the club, the players and watching the games. But once it's over, I'll move on, not dwell on it and think forward to the next one – hence my 'one game at a time' approach to results, form or general performances. VAR has certainly changed football and probably for the worse. There is still the ambiguity of decisions and debates over whether they were right or wrong – all you've got now is a bit more clarity in some situations, but a different person to blame in others.

My advice? Make the most of it when you're watching – either live or in front of the TV – and live your life as you would do the rest of the time. It IS only a game...

 

[gripper stebson]

Lot's of things nibble away at the enjoyment to be honest. The biggest one for me by far was the removal of terraces. But you can add ticket prices, out of town stadiums etc. to the mix as well.

(Moving to Leeds didn't exactly help either )

Maybe it's just us fans 'of a certain generation' who are feeling it.

Saying that I we went down to watch Newhaven at the weekend. Entertaining 2-2 draw, great laugh, couple of pints and some chips, and when a goal is scored its just a goal. No f**king about for 5 minutes afterwards.

So maybe it's the Premier League I am growing tired of.

 

[Chicken Run]

Please do excuse the slightly self indulgent thread.

Firstly I understand that once we all get back in the ground it may all change, but this morning I have felt something new... I feel I may be starting to fall out of love with football a bit.

I've been at it now for 35 years but VAR, and the months long wait to win games, is killing it for me. I got to the end of the match last night and barely registered any irritation at all... this is very unusual! Just switched the tele over and watched something else.

I think the main reason is that we go to football (or watch it on TV for now) for that moment we score a goal. That impossible to describe ten second buzz you get that non football fans can't possibly understand. Well, thanks to VAR, that's gone now... and with it, a fair chunk of my enthusiasm.

I hope it returns.

God I sound like a miserable git!

Would be interested to know if I'm alone.

Well I’ll state for the record that last night has really pissed me off, I just laugh now at the missed chances in frying goal, we should have won that last night, last time Southampton won on a Monday night was in 2002, fans back at the ground off the back of a good performance against the champions, Lamptey back!! Wtf.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I had a 5 year break when I fell out of love with football in the mid 1990's.

Going past Withdean on the train when evening games were on rekindled that love though and I soon got back into it.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Not football as a whole. Just the PL version. VAR, diving, refs not booking players for diving, pundits favouring the top teams, stupid kick off times (that one is more for when fans are fully back in grounds).The list goes on. VAR is the most significant though. Try a lower or non league game and you may rediscover your love of football as it is supposed to be.

 

[Change at Barnham]

I always feel like that after we lose and wonder why I load myself with a sackful of unhappiness that I could easily choose to avoid.
VAR has certainly spoiled things and also Covid restrictions.
But when we start winning and get to safety I'll be feeling differently.

I must admit that I've enjoyed watching Bognor with mates more than watching Brighton struggle.
However I know that the team will improve, crowds will return, and we will be able to travel freely again.

 

[Mackenzie]

The way Sky Walker-Peters took off after gently brushing against Solly near the penalty area was truly something to behold. The absolute ridiculousness of his action double downed with Mr Magoo’ s decision at Bletchley Park (headquarters of the evil V.A.R) or wherever the secret lair happens to be just about finished me off (and not in a good way) last night.

I think the word is “incredulous”.

Anyway Sheffield United next week.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I really find it difficult to believe there won’t be a serious overhaul of VAR for next season. It cant be allowed to be so intrusive that it pretty much dominates most games now.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Hard to stay fully loved-up with the game during a pandemic when we can't go to football. This is what it must feel like to follow one of The Big Six on telly in normal times

 

[LamieRobertson]

Hoarse today after shouting at officials so much ..after 52 years of going that hasn’t changed

 

[neilbard]

Please do excuse the slightly self indulgent thread.

Firstly I understand that once we all get back in the ground it may all change, but this morning I have felt something new... I feel I may be starting to fall out of love with football a bit.

I've been at it now for 35 years but VAR, and the months long wait to win games, is killing it for me. I got to the end of the match last night and barely registered any irritation at all... this is very unusual! Just switched the tele over and watched something else.

I think the main reason is that we go to football (or watch it on TV for now) for that moment we score a goal. That impossible to describe ten second buzz you get that non football fans can't possibly understand. Well, thanks to VAR, that's gone now... and with it, a fair chunk of my enthusiasm.

I hope it returns.

God I sound like a miserable git!

Would be interested to know if I'm alone.

Yep, hardly raised an eyebrow as the final whistle blew, more pissed off the next day for some reason.

I dislike the Premier League now, and VAR certainly hasn't improved it..

 

[Thunder Bolt]

VAR, dramatics from cheating divers, referees being overridden by some unknown bloke in an office miles away, not being able to celebrate a goal because somebody's fingernail was offside, and general Covid situation makes me want to give it all up. Last season it was only meeting mates at the game which kept me going and I can't even do that at the moment.
It is stale, it is boring and there is no enjoyment.

 

[Klaas]

I completely get where you're coming from, Gripper. Many won't agree, but for me football is just a small part of life and I can't get too hung up about it win, lose or draw. The past year has taught me what's important – family, health – and if I didn't know that watching 22 players kick a ball around a pitch was merely just another source of entertainment before, I certainly do now.

That doesn't mean I don't love the club, the players and watching the games. But once it's over, I'll move on, not dwell on it and think forward to the next one – hence my 'one game at a time' approach to results, form or general performances. VAR has certainly changed football and probably for the worse. There is still the ambiguity of decisions and debates over whether they were right or wrong – all you've got now is a bit more clarity in some situations, but a different person to blame in others.

My advice? Make the most of it when you're watching – either live or in front of the TV – and live your life as you would do the rest of the time. It IS only a game...

Agree with this. My interest has slowly waned over the the last decade. Used to watch the premier league when we weren't in it, England and Spain games, read about football, and of course us. Put a lot of that down to real life, the good stuff and the bad, really putting football in to perspective, but also I find the Premier league and the get to 40 points to stay up campaign dull.
Weirdly, when we were promoted, I did feel a little empty. Like the journey was over.

Anyway, still there for the 90 minutes of action.

 

[Monkey Man]

It's been a year of putting lots of things into perspective. Football seemed very marginal for a long time but I got into it again once it came back and we had that good run. And I'm really excited to see players like Lamptey, White, Lallana and Welbeck and what they bring to our squad.

But there's only so much energy available to get passionate about watching a game of football, either on the telly all the time, or as part of a tiny crowd in a big stadium. And since the club won't resolve a little local difficulty with our family's three season tickets (long and boring story, separate thread) I'm unlikely to be back at the Amex any time soon. So who knows when the spark will get reignited?

Shame really because it's been part of my life for so long now, and I was happy that my wife and kids got into it too.

 

[vagabond]

VAR does rankle. No question it needs to be implemented better. Let’s hope they do, I’m sure it’s in everyone’s interest, fans, players, managers, clubs to get it right.

In the meantime it sucks, but I think it’ll improve.

The only part of elite football that really gets me down is the cheating aspect. It’s actually been quite galling for me to learn since being promoted, how many top players cheat, dive, and so cynically as well.

Kane’s a good example. Big fan of him as a player, but really not anymore when you see first hand the blatant cheating and dangerous play he gets away with every game. His clattering into an injury prone Lallana so he can win one of his shitty free kicks almost single handedly makes me hate fooball.

 

[HAILSHAM SEAGULL]

Totally agree, VAR has ruined the beautiful game. I said after last nights buffoonery that I would rather be in the Championship than the Preier League, there is no VAR.
Its not the style of football or the fact that we are struggling, its the idiotic administrators that are pissing me off so much.

 

[Dunk&Disorderly]

The Premier League or the FA has to realise that VAR is killing the game and in turn, will kill their profits, as people will just switch off or not bother. I have faith it will be eliminated at some point.