[Albion] lower case

[attila]

I wrote this poem at the beginning of the World Cup finals in Qatar. Seems fitting to share it again today as it comes to an end. If you have watched and enjoyed, no criticism from me. Your choice. We didn’t ask for this. It’s just how I feel.

I’ve had a wonderful few weeks glorying in the grass roots of the game at Whitehawk and Worthing - just a shame we couldn’t save Southwick FC, my truly local team, but we did our best.

And it isn’t just Qatar for me. It’s the whole thing. The fact that Brighton have a player in the World Cup final is incredible. The fact that many corporate plastic modern football commentators and their armchair replica shirt disciples are effectively saying ‘Why?’ and ‘He’ll be gone straight afterwards’ is why I am sick of what ‘top level’ football has become.

Skill, cleverness, inventiveness can simply be bought. So can a bright, shiny, superficially multicultural but actually brutal World Cup. And here comes the transfer window.

I can’t wait for Charlton away in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday. That’s my sort of a game.

lower case

you don’t have to not watch
i keep saying to myself
it’s not your fault
not our fault
not the players’ fault
not the game’s fault
modern football did it
we didn’t
you’re not letting anyone down
if you watch it
and the World Cup
has been a big thing for you
ever since it had a willie
but this isn’t a World Cup
it’s a world cup
lower case
wrong place
out of season
for one reason…..

money

 

[Brok]

every word true.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Kind of works as a rewording of ‘Freedom’ by Wham.

 

[GloryDays]

It will be very amusing if Ale Mac scores the winner in the WC final.

The football god will be furious. Like when we beat Leicester 5-1.

 

[attila]

Love it

 

[hart's shirt]

...a bright, shiny, superficially multicultural...World Cup.

"This was the first edition of the tournament to be held in the Middle East – in itself a hugely welcome development. It tilted football’s centre of gravity away from Europe and towards the global south in exhilarating fashion. For the first time, all five African sides competing won at least one game. The fans of Ghana, Senegal and Cameroon – along with their Argentinian and Welsh counterparts – were stars in their own right, filling stadiums and Doha’s new metro with marvellous colour and noise. And then there was Morocco. The first African and Arab team to reach a World Cup semi-final were both a revelation and a source of continental and cultural pride. The Atlas Lions were passionately backed in cafes and squares from Dakar to Gaza. The sight of the Moroccan winger Sofiane Boufal dancing with his mother on the pitch, after the team’s quarter-final victory against Portugal, moved millions."

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/dec/16/the-guardian-view-on-the-qatar-world-cup-great-tournament-wrong-place

There was nothing "superficially multicultural" about this World Cup. Both of today's finalists were beaten by African and Arab teams.

They and others, especially Morocco, have brought authentic colour and energy to global football on the biggest stage.

As an Albion fan, it's been tremendous to have our players representing teams from 4 continents.

The tournament's been a welcome distraction from myopic navel-gazing European football.

It's been a very much a World Cup in upper case, with the emphasis on 'World'.

And I've unashamedly loved every minute.

 

[KZNSeagull]

I have been avoiding the build-up to the games as I cannot stand them but, other than the opening day, have the BBC or ITV been talking about the many issues surrounding this world cup or have they just been talking bollocks about the football?

 

[drew]

It will be very amusing if Ale Mac scores the winner in the WC final.

The football god will be furious. Like when we beat Leicester 5-1.

Or 5-2 even!

 

[drew]

I'll be watching.

 

[AmexRuislip]

I have been avoiding the build-up to the games as I cannot stand them but, other than the opening day, have the BBC or ITV been talking about the many issues surrounding this world cup or have they just been talking bollocks about the football?

Well the BBC have quite rightly shuffled the opening ceremony onto iplayer.
There point IMO as a middle finger to FIFA.
ITV will more than likely shove numerous adverts over it.

 

[GloryDays]

Or 5-2 even!

Ofc. Lol. Or 6-2 even. What even are goals?