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Nope you're wrong. And you've also used a derogatory term for football. But alas I do like rugby too.
I hate football with a passion and always have. Baffled by its popularity but probably down to the fact that it's a simple game for the masses of simple people. I do love it when a big game is on in the evening which means it nice and quiet when I go out on the bike.
Soccer is shite and not worth knowing about. Rugby on the other hand
Most rugby fans I know don't even know club rugby exists, it's an excuse to watch their country in the 6 nations, that's about it.
Most footie fans are the opposite, all about their club, international break is a nuisance to them.
To think one game or it's folk are 'better'than the other is ignorance.
Baffled by its popularity but probably down to the fact that it’s a simple game for the masses of simple people.
It is also very tribal so appeals to a certain mindset and explains why racism is so common.
It is also very tribal so appeals to a certain mindset and explains why racism is so common.
100% this
I'm sure that there must have been a phycological study into the support sports teams and tribalism. I wouldn't be surprised if those of us that don't support teams are happier in smaller groups, more introvert etc.
Looking in from the out side it's a 'them and us society' that we as humans can't get away from. It does make me think what did we do 100yrs+ years ago when watching football (and national / international sports) wasnt a national hobby....
Used to like it in the 70's but now it seems like 90 minuets of blokes running around pretending to be hurt. The world cup has turned into a silly haircut competition.
A mate's daughter is in the welsh squad, watched a televised game, what a relief to see a game played without all the acting. It was football and not an episode of casualty complete with bad acting. Maybe it is because there is not all the money in their sport.
Another non-fan of Football here. I find it completely one-dimensional.
That said, I barely watch TV and I don’t follow TV sports. I prefer to do sport instead. I might watch the occasional Rugby International if it’s too grim outside for anything else, but I can’t recall the last time that happened. I don’t know or care who the celebrities du jour are.
I like bikes and boards. Many people don’t like those. I don’t care. Those people bore me.
You sound a tad one dimensional tbh
Never realised there ever was a stigma about not liking the business that is football. If it has ever come up in conversation, I've always said I don't follow it and know nothing about it and the conversation has changed to something else and that is is (might explain why I don't get invited back to parties, but I always thought that was due to my naked lap dancing routine).
I'm not a football fan. Used to be able to go to a lot of decent matches when young, due to family connections. And the spectacle is (was!) good. Now, not so much. I have no interest in the tribalism. To me it's just unnecessary - like religion is.
My wife is a fan of a particular team; we go tickets to see them at Chelsea once, and sat in the Chelsea end (20 years ago?). The women next to me was fine, chatting pleasantly until the visitors came out, and then the vituperation was amazing. For 45 mins. Then half time, and she was pleasant again, until the second half when the abuse started again. Why?
Similar watching the team at Reading once, except we were rightly sat in the visitors' end this time, and it was a visiting fan. It's just amazing.
I compare with rugby, when you can go and watch a premiership match, with no segregated seating, and a have a proper chat with the people next to you. So now, on Saturdays when I'm free (rare), and the team are at home (even rarer), I go and see the local rugby first team. They're maybe 7th league down, free to get in (council ground) and there's maybe 50 people watching. Couple of pints, right next to the action (as in move out of the way for a line out), and it's great. People like me (rather than professional athletes) out doing it for the enjoyment, rather than the money.
As for internationals - of any sport - I don't care who wins, as long as it's a good match
I think for most blokes its just a go to for conversation who do you support and so on. For years it sorta been drummed into guys to like football. Perfect example a bloke came to install our broadband / tv yesterday after he was done he tried to up sell me on skysports so I could watch the football, he was left dissipated when I said all I cared about was basketball and cycling.
Baffled by its popularity but probably down to the fact that it’s a simple game for the masses of simple people
This is more your ignorance and lack of understanding of the game by claiming its for "simple people." Also, to be totally honest makes you sound rather rude and extremely condescending. All sport is simple until you understand it all Gwin does is ride a bike down a hill nothing complicated, all Ronaldo does it put a ball in a goal. I could tell you how complex basketball is and talk about point forwards, match ups, 2/3 zones v man to man, but you main claim im overcomplicating a simple game.
Most rugby fans I know don’t even know club rugby exists, it’s an excuse to watch their country in the 6 nations, that’s about it.
Most footie fans are the opposite, all about their club, international break is a nuisance to them
True dat. I love watching Premiership and Champions League footy, but if no other game of international football were ever played again, I really couldn’t care less.
I always liked Fergies attitude to internationals, where all our potential ‘international’ players would develop niggling injuries the week before the international break, that would be miraculously cured in time for the resumption of premiership matches 🙂
As for Rugby (seeing as we’re dealing in sweeping generalisations and crude stereotypes) it seems to me that it’s watched by the type of people who were so recently outraged about Land of Hope and Glory at the proms, yet somehow consider their form of deeply unpleasant nationalism to be somehow superior to the ‘2 world wars and a world cup’ brigade. 😉
Six Nations to fill pubs with higher class of git
it’s a simple game for the masses of simple people
I have to baulk at that, that is condescending and even from my limited knowledge, plain wrong! Surprised at the legs this has grown. I started the thread to see if others had experienced open surprise at their not following the game. It was never meant to be anti football or a slight at the majority of people who love it. Maybe this has run its course and the mods might want to close it?
Baffled by its popularity but probably down to the fact that it’s a simple game for the masses of simple people
Simple? Yeah, right...
The level of skill and athleticism on display at the top level of football is truly staggering nowadays. It constantly evolves and is virtually unrecognisable from the game of twenty years ago.
You could start by watching a YouTube compilation of, say, Kevin De Bruyne free kicks and wonder how it is physically possible to make a ball swerve and dip like that.
Or Mo Salah skipping through defences, David Silva’s sublime one-touch layoffs or a raking, 80 yard, inch-perfect Cross field pass from Paul Pogba
One of the reasons billions of people around the globe absolutely love it
Soccer a derogatory term for football? Its a contraction of association football to distinguish it from all the other codes of football. Rugby football, Gaelic football, Australian rules football, american football etc etc
You know right well it’s called football in this and most other countries - Football Focus is not called Soccer Focus. Only non football fans and Americans call it soccer.
Only non football fans and Americans call it soccer.
And Irish people. And Australians. And Canadians. Also South Africans, Kiwis, Japanese, and I'm sure many others.
But yeah, sure. It's insulting to call it soccer and not at all insulting to completely disregard Gaelic Football, Aussie Rules Football, and all the other sports that are called Football.
A mate’s daughter is in the welsh squad, watched a televised game, what a relief to see a game played without all the acting. It was football and not an episode of casualty complete with bad acting.
This. The Women's World Cup was fantastic, how the Beautiful Game should be. Can't be arsed with men's football.
But yeah, sure. It’s insulting to call it soccer and not at all insulting to completely disregard Gaelic Football, Aussie Rules Football, and all the other sports that are called Football.
But all those other forms of ‘foot’ball involve mainly carrying the ball around, so technically could be more accurately referred to as ‘handball’.
Nobody who actually watches football calls it ‘soccer’. Nobody. 😛
But all those other forms of ‘foot’ball involve mainly carrying the ball around, so technically could be more accurately referred to as ‘handball’.
Nobody who actually watches football calls it ‘soccer’. Nobody. 😛
You should definitely explain that to all Irish people you meet. I'm sure they never get tired of having English people explain to them why they're wrong 🙂
I’m Irish. I have first cousins who play Gaelic. But as I am in England I call it football.
So there was I thinking the OP had started a thread about Gaelic Football, I've only just realised that it was about soccer all the time. He clearly should've been more explicit to avoid us all making that mistake.
Can you go talk about football somewhere else please? This thread is for non football fans to bitch about how we dislike football. Many thanks 😉
So there was I thinking the OP had started a thread about Gaelic Football
Lots of my mates played when we were young, none of them called it that, was known as the Gaa.
The level of skill and athleticism on display at the top level of football is truly staggering nowadays.
I have no interest in the game, but I can definitely appreciate this fact. There is some truly outstanding skill on display.
Now if they could only stop ****ing falling over and crying like babies when they get tapped on the shin 😉
Thanks to my dad telling me at birth I am an Everton fan.
Well not really a fan, but if I'm asked to say who I 'support' I've always said Everton. When I have to confess I couldn't name any member of the team or even who manager I get a look like I've pissed on Bobby Charlton's grave.
The sad thing is I do like a good game on the box if it's on in the pub but i don't care what teams are playing.
steveg
A stranger like a cabbie asking you what team you support is say “I dont know anything about you, you dont know anything about me, most people like football so that’s a safe bet, id like to have a conversation with you, let’s start here”
If you reply that you’re more of a rugby, cricket, motor racing, hamster porn kind of guy then you can start there instead.
Responding simply with “I dont like football” is a sort of socially awkward conversation killer, if you are shooting down football as a topic then suggest something else. It’s probably the awkwardness of I don’t like football as a response that you see make people act strange in response
I'm with blokeupthe road.
It's not "I hate football", it's "I don't follow..." and the inability of people to understand that and continue as if I actually said "Gosh I missed it and my life will be incomplete unless you spend 10 minutes telling me about people I have no idea who they are and rules I have no interest in".
"Did you see the match"
"I don't follow football... so no"
"Oh who do you support then"
"I don't follow football... so I don't support anyone"
"Yeah but you missed a real cracker of a game"
"Yeah but I'm not interested"
"Yeah the first half was a bit slow"
I’m Irish. I have first cousins who play Gaelic. But as I am in England I call it football.
And yet you say soccer is a derogatory term. I'm going to go out on a limb and assume you're not from Munster? If one of your countrymen from the south or west says 'soccer' do you pull them up for using a derogatory term?
So people are upset at the reaction they get when they say they don't like a sport, and then proceed to insult the sport, the players and the fans. 🤷♂️
And yet you say soccer is a derogatory term. I’m going to go out on a limb and assume you’re not from Munster? If one of your countrymen from the south or west says ‘soccer’ do you pull them up for using a derogatory term?
2 weeks ago in Kerry whilst out cycling I told the Munster rugby fan that it’s called football in England where I live and Germany where I work.
I'm the same op - just dont get it, never have! Even as a kid, i just didnt get it!
However, i have always excelled at individual sports so maybe my mind= isnt wired for team sports?! Who knows...
What i cant stand is grown men coming out with things like 'yeah, if we'd have done x' or 'if we had played y' or other (IMO other dickish comments) that make them sound like they know more about the game than a whole team of managers do! The 'we'd' thing as well, as if they're somehow involved. I just find it all a bit cringeworthy.
Another one, is if youve ever been in a pub when a game is on and when the final whistle goes i've seen some of the losing teams fans almost in tears and it genuinely spoils their day!! 🙂 I just want to say 'get a bloody grip of yourself!'
Each to their own i suppose....just not for me.
So people are upset at the reaction they get when they say they don’t like a sport, and then proceed to insult the sport, the players and the fans. 🤷♂️
Bit of a sweeping generalisation there.
Many people, me included, have said they feel uncomfortable when people assume they follow football. Some have made overly generalised insulting statements but I think most of us have given valid reasons about why we feel uncomfortable with the implication that the there is something wrong with you if you don't like football.
I haven't insulted anyone. However, it's undeniable that there is a lot of racism and homophobia in the game. Not as bad as it once was, when the reaction to someone admitting they didn't follow it would be met with "he must be queer".
2 weeks ago in Kerry whilst out cycling I told the Munster rugby fan that it’s called football in England where I live and Germany where I work.
But did you explain to him that soccer is a derogatory term?
The ‘we’d’ thing as well, as if they’re somehow involved.
the fans are very much involved in games and often have an effect on the games.
scotroutes
Subscriber
I haven’t insulted anyone. However, it’s undeniable that there is a lot of racism and homophobia in the game. Not as bad as it once was, when the reaction to someone admitting they didn’t follow it would be met with “he must be queer”.
fitba just reflects society, probably more so than other sports.
But did you explain to him that soccer is a derogatory term?
I advised him that on his forthcoming business trip to England it would be better to call it football as football fans here do not use the the term soccer.
I advised him that on his forthcoming business trip to England it would be better to call it football as football fans here do not use the the term soccer.
But you didn't tell him it was a derogatory term?
If you want to change your mind now and say it's not a derogatory term and you were just trying to get one up on TJ that would be absolutely fine.
Most of us would appreciate the irony.
lovegoinguphills
Member
I hate football with a passion and always have. Baffled by its popularity but probably down to the fact that it’s a simple game for the masses of simple people.
The relative simplicity of the rules actually leads to an almost infinite variety of interpretation and freedom of expression.
I can understand why this alienates people, but to call the way the game is played and appreciated 'simple' shows a fundamental lack of understanding.
FWIW, I like and can appreciate most sports.
To deny oneself the pleasure to be had from watching or playing football smacks of elitism, snobbery and wilful ignorance.
“Did you see the match”
“I don’t follow football… so no”
“Oh who do you support then”
“I don’t follow football… so I don’t support anyone”
“Yeah but you missed a real cracker of a game”
“Yeah but I’m not interested”
“Yeah the first half was a bit slow”
Do you have any other made-up conversations to support your view?
The main thing that puts me off football is the whole shady ownership thing. It's just a very clear example of the fact that very very very rich, awful people have a lot of power and influence.
well the only thing that can be simpler than running and kicking a ball is running without a ball
the goal is to score goals, not an in depth analysis of the passing skills etc.
maybe they should have judges and 6.0 score cards? especially for all of those 0-0 games.
😉
personally I'd make the goal much bigger, scaled roughly based on the goalkeeper reach of a goalie from the early 20th century. when scores are more like 10-7 or similar to an international rugby score, then it might be interesting. 0-0 is not a close match. 7-6 or 10-9 would be.
To deny oneself the pleasure to be had from watching or playing football smacks of elitism, snobbery and wilful ignorance.
Not quite sure what to make of that statement, tbh.
It's almost like your comparing not following football to not following politics but with inverse snobbery.
Yes, football is vitally important to many people in society but I don't think not being interested in football says anything about you other than you don't like football.
Oh yeah, the one thing I really can't stand is 'analysis' of football. I don't mind listening to podcasts with people chatting about football but the post-match or half-time dissection of the action is truly painful.
And phone-ins and shows about the day's 'talking points'. Hmm maybe I don't like football after all!
If you haven't been the ones using the insulting terms on this thread then you have little reason to be pulling out that part of my post.
BruceWee
but I don’t think not being interested in football says anything about you other than you don’t like football.
I'd say that depends on whether you choose to attach oddball comments to your expression of dislike for the game.
That can say a lot. 😆
I grew up calling it soccer, football was rugby both in the family and at school. I struggle to believe that soccer is a derogatory term when the main bank roller of the game airs a programme called "Soccer Saturday".
It is a simple game - offside is the most complex rule - which makes it more accessible than other rule heavy sports. That doesn't mean it can't be intricate as well.
If you want to change your mind now and say it’s not a derogatory term and you were just trying to get one up on TJ that would be absolutely fine.
Thanks for the advice, I’ll stick to my orignal statement. Try finding some football fans and keep using the term soccer to them.
If you haven’t been the ones using the insulting terms on this thread then you have little reason to be pulling out that part of my post.
This thread was started by someone who is made to feel uncomfortable because they don't like football and it turns out there are many of us who feel the same.
Your post made it seem like we were all elitist snobs for not taking an interest in something we have no interest in.
If that wasn't your intention then fair enough but maybe next time try saying, 'So some people...' or better yet directly quote the people you're aiming your comments at. Otherwise it can seem like you're talking to all of us 🙂
I used to feel like the OP does. I haven't for the last 10 years or so though. I don't know if its just I've got older, care less or there are more people who don't care about football so I'm not seen as odd. But I think what I have come to realise is the person asking the question is trying to break the ice / make small talk / have some meaningless social interaction. They don't really care if you like football - they just don't want silence. Replying with "no I don't like football" is basically saying "no I think you are odd" and then passing the silence back to them. Open up, tell them what you actually like doing / were doing when the match was on...
"Did you see the match at the weekend?" --> "No I don't like football"
v's
"Did you see the match at the weekend?" --> "No I was mountain-biking with some mates in the cairngorms". Which can inevitably reposition the conversation to something you are interested in.
Occassionally you still get someone who persists with, "Oh so which team do you support". I can usually kill that conversation off with "I grew up in Glasgow, football teams are so entrenched in religious bigotry there that I just keep out of it". [Which also gives the questioner another chance to move the conversation on to Glasgow (or indeed the ridiculousness of Christian Sectarian rivalry)!]. If they keep going after that, then they have no interest in you - and its best to just ask them some questions about the club they support; the ridiculous salaries they get paid etc.
But I think what I have come to realise is the person asking the question is trying to break the ice / make small talk / have some meaningless social interaction. They don’t really care if you like football
bingo!
Thanks for the advice, I’ll stick to my orignal statement. Try finding some football fans and keep using the term soccer to them.
We're still waiting to hear what happened when you chastised the Munster fan for calling football by a derogatory term. Is he still laughing?
When you say 'find some football fans', I assume you don't mean my football fan friends from Cork? They don't seem to mind if I call it football or soccer.
I think what you mean is 'find some English football fans' who will most likely get very insulted because I'm using an Americanism for 'their' game and everyone knows that Americans are ignorant. The irony that they will have no idea that some of their closest neighbours also call it soccer will most likely be completely lost on them.
Weren’t Soccer AM and Soccer Saturday a thing in the UK? A quick Google also shows that the etymology of the word is also more than likely English. How is it derogatory?
The first regular BBC show was called Soccer Special. That was in the 1950's and, of course, language changes over time. I mean, just look at Mountain Biking...
How is it derogatory?
It isn't.
This thread is amazing.
Someone drew an analogy with religion a few pages back and it's bang on the money. In some people's heads you're not allowed to not like it, as evidenced by several posters asserting with no grasp of irony that us not learning a bit about something they're into is us being selfish, thus directly proving the OP's point. Here's a radical suggestion: why not find something to talk about that you both might be interested in?
Football's for perverts.
There. I've said it.
But all those other forms of ‘foot’ball involve mainly carrying the ball around, so technically could be more accurately referred to as ‘handball’.
The "foot" in football in all its various guises comes from the fact that it's played on foot (as opposed to, say, horseback), it's nothing to do with kicking or carrying anything.
Nobody who actually watches football calls it ‘soccer’. Nobody
Shedloads of people call it soccer, every single American for a start. You may scoff at that but I was in the states a couple years back and I was astonished at how popular it's become in recent years. They were routinely airing British football matches in sports bars in Chicago. Of course, if you asked anyone who their local "football" team was you'd 100% be told the Bears...
Do you have any other made-up conversations to support your view?
Can't possibly have happened, right? Wrong, it's happened to me too, multiple times. The fact that quite a few posters don't believe this is even possible is again simply evidence of the problem.
"Did you see the game last night?"
"What game?"
"Blackburn vs Burnley."
"Sorry, no, I don't follow football."
"Oh, right, OK." Then proceeds to talk at me about football for 20 minutes.
It's rare but it definitely happens. Sorry. And the other various parries suggested simply don't work, we've tried. Anyone whose opening sentence involves the word "game" or "team" with no other qualifier as to what they're talking about absolutely will not be dissuaded by you attempting to change the subject. Something as vague as "I missed it as I was out" is implicit agreement that you want to listen to their post-match deconstruction rather than have your goddamn lunch in peace.
And yes, I get it, especially when meeting new people for the first time. As Binners said, anything that's widely popular is a perfectly understandable small-talk opener. But not once do I recall being asked if I'm into football, it's always something like "what team do you support?" (and then get met with confusion when I answer "Manchester Storm").
Tell a lie, I was once asked if I was into football, at work one lunchtime. I replied in the negative and he replied "no, nor do I" and then still talked at me about last night's game for the next quarter of an hour. Even when I repeated, "as I said, I don't follow it" he carried on. Weird.
Then you wonder why the conversation needs to be shut down with no uncertainty, you've only yourselves to blame. Remember that "fan" is short for "fanatic" and it's no more true than for some football supporters. As with any demographic they may well be a minority and not representative of the whole, but they're out there walking amongst us and they're an immeasurably tedious boil on the bottom of humanity.
And the other various parries suggested simply don’t work, we’ve tried.
The "Football's for perverts" one works a treat. Be prepared to defend your stance though.
References to grown men with perms kissing each other and having a big bath together will assist in this regard, I've found.
They don't like it and won't ask again.
You've got to choose your audience though. With relative strangers asking "did you see the game last night?" I'd politely say "sorry, I don't follow football." In the office with my peers they'd be more likely to get "I'd rather eat my own spleen."
I used to enjoy playing football but was never interested in watching a game. Then as I've gotten older I find it a struggle to understand fan mentality (violence and hatrid) and how someone can be so passionate about something you're not directly involved with, whether they're watching in a stadium or the comfort of their own living room.
Here’s a radical suggestion: why not find something to talk about that you both might be interested in?
Whoa there! That’s an absurd suggestion. I made the same point back in the good ol’ days of page 2 and in response I had somebody suggesting they felt pity for me and my football bereft life. Another suggested studying the sports pages in order to learn a new language (soccerish?)and therefore better myself. Next will be threats of eternal damnation. I’ll take a copy of The Watchtower over this any day of the week.
I think if this thread proves anything, it’s that people who don’t like football are actually a bit odd. Especially the ones who insist on calling it soccer.
In fact, they’re all deviants and perverts
*adds a number of names to ‘the list’*
What if I don’t like football, but do like Greggs? Do I make the list?
I can’t be expected to deal with that kind of dilemma. I doubt even god could
Maybe we should ask Gary Linekar? 😃
You wouldn’t catch a Rugby team doing this (runs and hides in the bike forum)
Cougar
Shedloads of people call it soccer, every single American for a start. You may scoff at that but I was in the states a couple years back and I was astonished at how popular it’s become in recent years.
Thing is about Soccer though, it's just odd to hear it called that outwith a few named sports shows, so if you do you'll get viewed as an American, and nobody in their right mind has any respect for an Americans opinion on fitba.
So it's not viewed as derogatory by football fans, it's more just a big red beacon above your head which labels you as clueless. And rightly so!
The other reason is if you're Irish and a big Gaa fan, but basically about 3 people in Britain know that the Irish call it Soccer anyhow (and only 1 of them know that they Gaa even exists ). So even if they are trying to be derogatory, nobody understands that they are anyhow. 😆
Not sure anyone posted this yet, but the thread obviously needs it
Cougar
Subscriber
But all those other forms of ‘foot’ball involve mainly carrying the ball around, so technically could be more accurately referred to as ‘handball’.The “foot” in football in all its various guises comes from the fact that it’s played on foot (as opposed to, say, horseback), it’s nothing to do with kicking or carrying anything.
Are they not both originated from the same or similar sources? Canny mind the history, but did the 2 sports not just diverge many moons ago. So technically rugby is football, it's just called rugby cause that's where the modern day rules originated (just guessing on that last point.)?
Must admit though, I still don't understand rugby. 😆 the 7s seem a bit easier to understand, and a more interesting game.
I suggest that if you only like rugby, well technically you are a football fan, you just like a perverted version of the game. So get off yer high horse! 😆
So technically rugby is football,
I think the last word on that has to go to our nations sage, Liam Gallagher. For some bizarre reason, he was having the birth of rugby explained to him during an interview. It was explained that during a game of football at Rugby school, somebody picked up the ball and ran with it and rugby was thus created
His reply...
“Yeah, well if that’d been at our school, someone would have *ed the *!”
Wise words indeed
😆
I don't like Marmite either.
Canny mind the history, but did the 2 sports not just diverge many moons ago.
Football / soccer is fully "association football."
Rugby is fully "rugby football."
The longer forms have fallen into disuse is all.
Ah, from Wikipedia:
<< The rules of association football were codified in England by FA in 1863 and the name association football was coined to distinguish the game from the other forms of football played at the time, specifically rugby football. >>
The entry for Rugby gives a history going back to the 1100s. The TL;DR version is that football and rugby were both formalised into two rulesets in the late 1800s, before then it was I suppose a bit like playing pool in several different pubs, you'd play to whatever house rules they'd come up with.
rugby is football. Its the rugby code of football - one of many codes of football.
As in the RFU - Rugby Football Union
and how someone can be so passionate about something you’re not directly involved with, whether they’re watching in a stadium or the comfort of their own living room.
its a very odd thing and hard to explain. I am like this about Edinburgh rugby. I can actually get the shakes from adrenaline while watching a game - Scotland as well of course.
When in a stadium that is a big crowd you also get the crowd effects of the shared emotion - like at concerts, big church events or any sort of mass gathering you get a shared and amplified emotion. When you hear 50 000 people singing flower of Scotland even tho you know its a made up dirge its still powerful on the emotions
I made the same point back in the good ol’ days of page 2 and in response I had somebody suggesting they felt pity for me and my football bereft life.
It was [checks thread] page 3, and I expressed pity as you suggested you couldn't be arsed to find out about something other people find interesting, which suggests you're a bit narrow minded...
and how someone can be so passionate about something you’re not directly involved with, whether they’re watching in a stadium or the comfort of their own living room
are you actually in possession of a soul?Have you even a passing appreciation of history or culture?
It’s no coincidence that most successful football clubs are from the birthplaces of the industrial revolution. All the ‘big’ teams started as teams representing mills and factories in the towns and Cities. Just check out what these clubs call themselves (ie: Arsenal - the Gunners). Their histories are deeply rooted in these communities. This has been passed down through generations in working class communities which didn’t have a right lot of other stuff to get excited about. This explains the rivalry between say Manchester and Liverpool, but also the absolutely rabid rivalries between teams like Blackburn and Burnley
It’s called ‘the national game’ for very deep-seated historical and cultural reasons. A failure to appreciate that is just wilful ignorance IMHO, which there seems to be a lot of on this thread, with a healthy dollop of snobbery thrown in.
In the unlikely event that you fancied educating yourself about aspects of this then you could do far worse than read this...
It just refers to the northern clubs, but it’s a great read and puts the clubs histories in context with where they’re from, and the industries that made those communities
It was [checks thread] page 3, and I expressed pity as you suggested you couldn’t be arsed to find out about something other people find interesting, which suggests you’re a bit narrow minded…
No it really doesn’t as other people have also expressed. It’s not that I can’t be arsed, it’s that I don’t give a shit about football. Why should I make time to look in to a game that I have zero interest in? That would just be weird and the fact you think it isn’t and actually feel pity for me is the real issue here. Not everyone likes or wants to discuss football.
Imagine being raised in the U.K. to call it “soccer.” What kind of weird upbringing would that be?!
I don’t really get what Bruce and Caher are disagreeing about? I grew up calling it soccer, because in Ireland “football” was Gaelic Football, and it still very much is. Shortly after coming to live here, I just adjusted to calling it football. Jesus wept though, most of this thread is just weird. I’m relieved sometimes that I just kinda like most sport, some more than others for sure, and obviously, “motorsport” is an oxymoron 😉 but I can understand nerdsters that don’t get on with sport struggling with the blanket coverage it, especially football, gets sometimes. It must feel suffocating for them. Never have I followed somebody else’s comment of “I don’t really follow football” with further comments about the games at the weekend.
What I also don’t get is people who love a specific code of football - like binners for example, and plenty of the people on the rugby threads who can do nothing except disparage the sport that they don’t follow. I like both rugby and football equally, and have a side interest in American Football which waxes and wains. I have little interest in cricket and tease mates that love it, but having tried a go at batting against a good bowler, can appreciate the skill and speed of reaction involved. The bloke nearly killed me, despite me thinking an upbringing of hurling would give me an eye for hitting a moving ball with a stick. I’m not about to follow it, but disparage it? Not a chance.
Golfers can **** right off though. 😂