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

[Whaleoilbeefhooked]

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 !!

I feel exactly the same. I presume you are like me, not in the full flush of youth.
What’s wrong with the occasional long ball to a big man, and scoring from the knock down?
Or wingers taking it to the by line, and chipping it into the box ?
It doesn’t have to be 420 passes, (after playing it out from the keeper) then not having a shot at goal.
Remember 4-4-2 with wait for it, a partnership up front?
Some genius is going to reinvent what they think is a revolutionary new system. But it’s been there all the time.

 

[monmouth]

I feel exactly the same. I presume you are like me, not in the full flush of youth.
What’s wrong with the occasional long ball to a big man, and scoring from the knock down?
Or wingers taking it to the by line, and chipping it into the box ?
It doesn’t have to be 420 passes, (after playing it out from the keeper) then not having a shot at goal.
Remember 4-4-2 with wait for it, a partnership up front?
Some genius is going to reinvent what they think is a revolutionary new system. But it’s been there all the time.

In short, play like Wrexham? Or like Cardiff used to? And Wales when Heiffer’s up top, with Sorba slinging in 100 shit crosses for every good one.

No thanks. It can be fast and exciting without lumping it into channels. There aren’t just two options.

 

[Andrew - North Hill]

Your system v individualism is spot on.

Ditto my modern rugby v Shane Williams scenario.

Can't speak for rugby as I have zero interest, but certainly in football I blame the obsession with stats.

Stats can sometimes be useful, and of course they should be leveraged wherever possible to get an advantage, but they are also responsible for sucking the joy out of the game imo.

"Don't shoot from there, you'll only have an 11.7% chance of scoring"

"Don't dribble on the outside, only 7.46% of dribbles like that result in a goalscoring chance"

"Don't run into that space, it'll leave a gap, get back into position"

Etc etc etc yawn.

We need more coaches like Klopp in the game, who set their teams up to play full pelt, take risks and score goals, not to play slow, safe and win possession battles. Which is what too many teams do these days.

 

[SgorioFruit]

Do what I do, bin the boring drab swans off, find your local Welsh club and support them. I been watching Ammanford for about 7 years now. Proper football. Tackles and goals galore. Not watching three hundred back passes to the keeper and back four, only to throw away a 1 nil lead, and then everyone waits at the end to clap the swans off the pitch as if they’ve all worked very hard for the badge.

 

[swansvalleyjack]

In short, play like Wrexham? Or like Cardiff used to? And Wales when Heiffer’s up top, with Sorba slinging in 100 shit crosses for every good one.

No thanks. It can be fast and exciting without lumping it into channels. There aren’t just two options.

In fairness, Wellillbef****d did say OCCASIONAL
"What’s wrong with the occasional long ball to a big man, and scoring from the knock down?
Or wingers taking it to the by line, and chipping it into the box ?
It doesn’t have to be 420 passes, (after playing it out from the keeper) then not having a shot at goal"

Mix it up he says, and I agree

 

[swansvalleyjack]

Do what I do, bin the boring drab swans off, find your local Welsh club and support them. I been watching Ammanford for about 7 years now. Proper football. Tackles and goals galore. Not watching three hundred back passes to the keeper and back four, only to throw away a 1 nil lead, and then everyone waits at the end to clap the swans off the pitch as if they’ve all worked very hard for the badge.

I guess that's the sort of thing I was referring to when I asked the question ..were we so bored as now back in the old Div 3/4 days. Rubbish at times, frustrated..but I don't remember being so bored. The aim then 95% of the time was to GO FORWARD.

It's definitely this slow sideways/back/sideways system thing which is the difference.

And this sudden stopping in the last third, passing back etc brings a predicable groan from all around me, young and old.

The game is being f*****g ruined

 

[monmouth]

In fairness, Wellillbe f****Ed did say OCCASIONAL
"What’s wrong with the occasional long ball to a big man, and scoring from the knock down?
Or wingers taking it to the by line, and chipping it into the box ?
It doesn’t have to be 420 passes, (after playing it out from the keeper) then not having a shot at goal"

Mix it up he says, and I agree

Well mainly what’s wrong with it is we don’t have a big man

 

[Vetchonian]

Add VAR (and the TMO in rugby) where ages is spent analysing a borderline decision made by the ref stopping the game while replays are watched over and over agian thankfully that hasnt arrived in the Championship yet

 

[Andrew - North Hill]

were we so bored as now back in the old Div 3/4 days. Rubbish at times, frustrated..but I don't remember being so bored. The aim then 95% of the time was to GO FORWARD

100%, nailed it.

Yes, back then we were crap, but there was at least an honesty to the crapness - we're probably not going to score, but at least we'll try.

 

[Michu78]

I guess that's the sort of thing I was referring to when I asked the question ..were we so bored as now back in the old Div 3/4 days. Rubbish at times, frustrated..but I don't remember being so bored. The aim then 95% of the time was to GO FORWARD.

It's definitely this slow sideways/back/sideways system thing which is the difference.

And this sudden stopping in the last third, passing back etc brings a predicable groan from all around me, young and old.

The game is being f*****g ruined

If the next manager follows the same sideways/back/sideways system, I think it could be my last season following football in general. Rugby is already dead to me and the only sports I really enjoy now is the PDC darts and UFC.

I watched Wales earlier up until half time and then went onto Youtube and I couldn't be bothered to watch the second half and carried on with Youtube.

 

[Swanjaxs]

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

What will be will be kid. There's a fair bit of coin backing us now, much more than the last cowboys. (hedge funders ).
Perhaps this lot will turn out differently

 

[westside]

Women pundits/commentators do my head in. Even women doing the FA cup draw when it's men's football.

 

[Swanjaxs]

Women pundits/commentators do my head in. Even women doing the FA cup draw when it's men's football.

They should know thier place, stick to cooking and washing/drying clothes in my opinion! Leave our football alone i say!
Pesky women ...

 

[Moorlands]

Summed up my current feelings exactly.Mind you it's probably largely an age thing in my case as the novelty has to eventually wear off most things.

I think saturation of our game and many other sports is also a factor,but who am I to complain I expect I would have been thrilled to have it available in my day.

 

[Smurph]

They should know thier place, stick to cooking and washing/drying clothes in my opinion! Leave our football alone i say!
Pesky women ...

I blame Amazon. They have more time on their hands now everything can be delivered to the house and they don't have to go out shopping instead.

In all honestly it's 2025 and I can't believe people still think like this, let alone broadcast on the internet.