I'm falling out of love with football....

[swansvalleyjack]

There, I've said it out loud. Not just the Swans, but I rarely look forward to Match of the Day either.

It's a bit like Rugby which once I used to enjoy (a little bit ). The flair went with the likes of Shane Williams etc. I went with a rugby mate once to watch the Ospreys. Seeing a game outside a TV screen was so revealing. Defence was SO organized right across the pitch, no way through for even the quickest of players. What a bore fest.

So with the Swans - it's been a slow downwards slide for me (or should I say backwards and sideways slide !)

Not so much in the inevitable relegation in 2018, not so much Potter, not so much the start of Cooper with the COVID outbreak - but I think for me the Cooper side in 2021 culminating in the embarrassing play off final against Brentford. I was there and so underwhelmed with our style of play then..and the whole season.

Since then, it's increasingly been a drudge to watch - borne out by falling attendances and loss of season ticket holders. I'm still hanging in there - just - but each season gets more difficult. Sometimes I even think of leaving half time

I can't remember feeling like this in old Div 3/4 days. Some rubbish football at times of course, but is it this latest sideways/back/ sideways stuff which is the difference ?? Probably. Boring and turgid. Possession football at its worst.

(Of course there were the totally different lower Division days of Robbie and Curt; Jimmy and Leighton; Angel and Dyer; Trunds and Bodde; Leon and Ash. I'm not talking of those days in this thread)

Anyway, I watch our guys stopping at the final third .. the pass back. No attempt to beat a man, dribble, pace. Afraid. My mind - in the stands - drifts to Dyer and Angel in particular - 95% looking to go forward. Dyer and Dan James off the bench.. a buzz in the crowd.

The Premier League too is so safe and stale a lot of the time. Pep style cloned but often no players to do similar with quality.

Anyway, I'm drifting. But is it just me, in my Victor Meldrew mode, who doesn't like today's football ? Overall, not just the Swans.

Has the football in our second golden era spoilt things for us ?

Is it just me who has maybe rose coloured specs on who didn't quite regard the old Div 3/4 days (not Toshack, Martinez days) in the same low light as nowadays ? I can never quite remember being so bored then.

Football needs a reset of sorts. A start with long throw-ins and set pieces maybe. Why not. I love a bit of route 1 sometimes. Even put it in the mixer . Shoot more often. (And a bit more accurately) Try dribbling. (what's that I hear some youngsters saying). F**k the tippy tappy outside the opposition box. How about fast counter attack from our own half - can't recall the last time . And so on. Though if we get Hellberg with a 4-2-3-1 I'm happy to go with that sort of structure, as long as it's positive forward stuff.

Anyway, I've got it off my chest - but am I just getting too old and cynical . Were we all this bored back in the day ?

Ps. No AI contribution or structure here, as you can tell from my ramblings !!

 

[Ringwood]

A combination of saturated football coverage, add womens football and lack of success or entertainment all chips away at our appetite for the game, for me anyway. Chuck is the cost of tickets, fuel and food it becomes as expensive day out.

If was in hitting distance of Swansea i would get a ST.

Match of the day is a chore as is watching some prem teams on live games.

Maybe it's an age thing

 

[Swanjaxs]

I'm falling out of love with my calorie controlled diet plan

 

[Smurph]

I'm falling out of love with my calorie controlled diet plan

Keep it going or you'll never get in to your bikini in the summer.

 

[JackSomething]

You hit the nail on the head for me with this section:

Anyway, I watch our guys stopping at the final third .. the pass back. No attempt to beat a man, dribble, pace. Afraid. My mind - in the stands - drifts to Dyer and Angel in particular - 95% looking to go forward. Dyer and Dan James off the bench.. a buzz in the crowd.

Think of the players who have been most exciting to watch over the years, the likes of Bale, Messi, Ronaldo, Maradona, Best, etc. Even when it comes to the Swans, it's players like Sinclair, Michu, Bony, Leighton James, Dan James and on. Players who ran with the ball, attempted to dribble past players, would shoot from long distance, etc.

Currently the system rules all and individualism is frowned upon. Haaland is probably one of the best footballers in the world, but is he exciting to watch? Rodri won the Ballon d'Or last year, a defensive midfielder.

You could see it in the Wales game tonight. No matter how average our players were, this was professional footballers playing in some of the top leagues in the world against a team with a lot of part-time footballers. Yet there was almost no attempts by our players to take them on, instead it was pass around them. It's noticeable that our best moments came when James and Thomas actually did attempt to beat their man.

I hope the pendulum eventually swings back the other way because it is pretty dismal at the moment.

 

[Andrew - North Hill]

Has the football in our second golden era spoilt things for us ?

Really enjoyed your post. Resonated with me greatly. In fact at half time during the Wales match I texted a WhatsApp group I'm on saying more or less exactly the same thing, about being bored with sideways and backwards football.

To pounce on the bit I've highlighted above, I don't think it's spoilt things, not for me anyway. I enjoyed the Potter season. I'd have been quite happy for us to carry on down that path. But since then it's just been horrible, generic, tedious stuff. Slightly different takes under each coach, but ultimately all painful to watch in their own way, all devoid of entertainment value.

In short - no, you're not alone!

 

[Swanjaxs]

Keep it going or you'll never get in to your bikini in the summer.

At this rate my bumbag won't go around me either kid

 

[Frankie Burrows Cap]

There, I've said it out loud. Not just the Swans, but I rarely look forward to Match of the Day either.

It's a bit like Rugby which once I used to enjoy (a little bit ). The flair went with the likes of Shane Williams etc. I went with a rugby mate once to watch the Ospreys. Seeing a game outside a TV screen was so revealing. Defence was SO organized right across the pitch, no way through for even the quickest of players. What a bore fest.

So with the Swans - it's been a slow downwards slide for me (or should I say backwards and sideways slide !)

Not so much in the inevitable relegation in 2018, not so much Potter, not so much the start of Cooper with the COVID outbreak - but I think for me the Cooper side in 2021 culminating in the embarrassing play off final against Brentford. I was there and so underwhelmed with our style of play then..and the whole season.

Since then, it's increasingly been a drudge to watch - borne out by falling attendances and loss of season ticket holders. I'm still hanging in there - just - but each season gets more difficult. Sometimes I even think of leaving half time

I can't remember feeling like this in old Div 3/4 days. Some rubbish football at times of course, but is it this latest sideways/back/ sideways stuff which is the difference ?? Probably. Boring and turgid. Possession football at its worst.

(Of course there were the totally different lower Division days of Robbie and Curt; Jimmy and Leighton; Angel and Dyer; Trunds and Bodde; Leon and Ash. I'm not talking of those days in this thread)

Anyway, I watch our guys stopping at the final third .. the pass back. No attempt to beat a man, dribble, pace. Afraid. My mind - in the stands - drifts to Dyer and Angel in particular - 95% looking to go forward. Dyer and Dan James off the bench.. a buzz in the crowd.

The Premier League too is so safe and stale a lot of the time. Pep style cloned but often no players to do similar with quality.

Anyway, I'm drifting. But is it just me, in my Victor Meldrew mode, who doesn't like today's football ? Overall, not just the Swans.

Has the football in our second golden era spoilt things for us ?

Is it just me who has maybe rose coloured specs on who didn't quite regard the old Div 3/4 days (not Toshack, Martinez days) in the same low light as nowadays ? I can never quite remember being so bored then.

Football needs a reset of sorts. A start with long throw-ins and set pieces maybe. Why not. I love a bit of route 1 sometimes. Even put it in the mixer . Shoot more often. (And a bit more accurately) Try dribbling. (what's that I hear some youngsters saying). F**k the tippy tappy outside the opposition box. How about fast counter attack from our own half - can't recall the last time . And so on. Though if we get Hellberg with a 4-2-3-1 I'm happy to go with that sort of structure, as long as it's positive forward stuff.

Anyway, I've got it off my chest - but am I just getting too old and cynical . Were we all this bored back in the day ?

Ps. No AI contribution or structure here, as you can tell from my ramblings !!

Don’t disagree with a lot of what you’ve written but I do think it’s partly down to age and life priorities.

Football is still the most important part of the unimportant things in my life but as with anything it should never get in the way of the two most important things - health and happiness.

 

[Smurph]

Have you tried a lasso?

 

[swansvalleyjack]

Football is still the most important part of the unimportant things in my life but as with anything it should never get in the way of the two most important things - health and happiness.

Yes you're right. Health in particular. Though I used to be happy going to games, so there football and happiness can work in tandem

 

[Swanjaxs]

When Hellboy puts pen to paper, your love for football will come back. He'll get us a playoff spot, minimum. Trust the process.

 

[swansvalleyjack]

Currently the system rules all and individualism is frowned upon.

I hope the pendulum eventually swings back the other way because it is pretty dismal at the moment.

Your system v individualism is spot on.

Ditto my modern rugby v Shane Williams scenario.

 

[swansvalleyjack]

When Hellboy puts pen to paper, your love for football will come back. He'll get us a playoff spot, minimum. Trust the process.

It's the hope that kills. But I'll take your optimism

 

[Longlostjack]

There, I've said it out loud. Not just the Swans, but I rarely look forward to Match of the Day either.

It's a bit like Rugby which once I used to enjoy (a little bit ). The flair went with the likes of Shane Williams etc. I went with a rugby mate once to watch the Ospreys. Seeing a game outside a TV screen was so revealing. Defence was SO organized right across the pitch, no way through for even the quickest of players. What a bore fest.

So with the Swans - it's been a slow downwards slide for me (or should I say backwards and sideways slide !)

Not so much in the inevitable relegation in 2018, not so much Potter, not so much the start of Cooper with the COVID outbreak - but I think for me the Cooper side in 2021 culminating in the embarrassing play off final against Brentford. I was there and so underwhelmed with our style of play then..and the whole season.

Since then, it's increasingly been a drudge to watch - borne out by falling attendances and loss of season ticket holders. I'm still hanging in there - just - but each season gets more difficult. Sometimes I even think of leaving half time

I can't remember feeling like this in old Div 3/4 days. Some rubbish football at times of course, but is it this latest sideways/back/ sideways stuff which is the difference ?? Probably. Boring and turgid. Possession football at its worst.

(Of course there were the totally different lower Division days of Robbie and Curt; Jimmy and Leighton; Angel and Dyer; Trunds and Bodde; Leon and Ash. I'm not talking of those days in this thread)

Anyway, I watch our guys stopping at the final third .. the pass back. No attempt to beat a man, dribble, pace. Afraid. My mind - in the stands - drifts to Dyer and Angel in particular - 95% looking to go forward. Dyer and Dan James off the bench.. a buzz in the crowd.

The Premier League too is so safe and stale a lot of the time. Pep style cloned but often no players to do similar with quality.

Anyway, I'm drifting. But is it just me, in my Victor Meldrew mode, who doesn't like today's football ? Overall, not just the Swans.

Has the football in our second golden era spoilt things for us ?

Is it just me who has maybe rose coloured specs on who didn't quite regard the old Div 3/4 days (not Toshack, Martinez days) in the same low light as nowadays ? I can never quite remember being so bored then.

Football needs a reset of sorts. A start with long throw-ins and set pieces maybe. Why not. I love a bit of route 1 sometimes. Even put it in the mixer . Shoot more often. (And a bit more accurately) Try dribbling. (what's that I hear some youngsters saying). F**k the tippy tappy outside the opposition box. How about fast counter attack from our own half - can't recall the last time . And so on. Though if we get Hellberg with a 4-2-3-1 I'm happy to go with that sort of structure, as long as it's positive forward stuff.

Anyway, I've got it off my chest - but am I just getting too old and cynical . Were we all this bored back in the day ?

Ps. No AI contribution or structure here, as you can tell from my ramblings !!

Money money money mate.

 

[monmouth]

When Hellboy puts pen to paper, your love for football will come back. He'll get us a playoff spot, minimum. Trust the process.

Your pronunciation will be closer than most. It’ll be pronounced (by his mum if no one else), Hellbury

Greta Thunberg, is Toonbury
Bjorn Borg is Bory