| Football - lost its sparkle? 10:08 - Nov 26 with 5311 views | Gloucs_R |
Maybe its my age but I am really bored of football these days.
From a ST holder and going to most games home and away in my 20's, I am now an apathetic middle aged man and cant be arsed any more.
When it comes to England, I couldnt tell you who most of them are and have zero interest at all.
QPR just feels a bit like Ground Hog day. This season I dont even get upset if we lose. I cant even be bothered to go and watch Gloucester City either.
I would rather watch other sports.
Anyone else gone through this? I feel like I need some Loft For Words therapy! |  |
| |  |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 10:18 - Nov 26 with 3626 views | Landshark |
Same, I only really watch QPR these days and that I have to sometimes force myself to watch. Before I was married I would watch all kinds of football and sports in general, now I am an apathetic middle aged man that can't be arsed with anything. |  | | |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 10:25 - Nov 26 with 3592 views | joe90 |
I'm with you on England. Really couldn't give a toss, unless it's the Euro's/WC, even then it's really only been under Southgate that I've got into it. Before then, last time I cared was Euro 96.
With QPR, all it takes is a win and I'm back in. No matter how crap we've been, I still love it when we win. Saturday was a perfect win.
I don't watch much other football, I really couldn't care for the generic football banter at work. Non of them watch football live or properly support a team. No interest in their views or the circus that surrounds modern football.
As far as sports goes, I've gotten more into cricket as I've got older.
It's good to have a mix of interests, can't be 100% football and it's okay to dip in and out of QPR. I went through a long period in my 20's of not going. I was more interested in going out, girlfriends etc, plus I didn't have the money. |  | | |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 11:04 - Nov 26 with 3469 views | Gloucs_R |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 10:25 - Nov 26 by joe90 |
I'm with you on England. Really couldn't give a toss, unless it's the Euro's/WC, even then it's really only been under Southgate that I've got into it. Before then, last time I cared was Euro 96.
With QPR, all it takes is a win and I'm back in. No matter how crap we've been, I still love it when we win. Saturday was a perfect win.
I don't watch much other football, I really couldn't care for the generic football banter at work. Non of them watch football live or properly support a team. No interest in their views or the circus that surrounds modern football.
As far as sports goes, I've gotten more into cricket as I've got older.
It's good to have a mix of interests, can't be 100% football and it's okay to dip in and out of QPR. I went through a long period in my 20's of not going. I was more interested in going out, girlfriends etc, plus I didn't have the money. |
Sorry Joe, that was meant to be an up vote not a down vote 😔
Even my middle aged fingers are letting me down 😄 | |
| |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 11:09 - Nov 26 with 3446 views | Clive_Anderson |
Yes football is very tedious these days, not just the matches themselves but everything else about it as well. A couple of Rangers games a year is my limit.
Don't care at all about England now, I don't know half the players and I didn't even bother watching them in the two euro finals.
Although I quite like the chaos of the Brazilian league, teams winning the title one year and then scrapping against relegation the next. [Post edited 26 Nov 11:09]
| | | |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 11:29 - Nov 26 with 3363 views | stevec |
Yep, only QPR and any areas of the championship that conflict with QPR, and that’s about it these
days.
Premier League, Champions League, Europa Cup, Euros, World Cup, they could all disappear tomorrow and I’d never miss them. In a complete turnaround, my favourite summers these days are odd numbers summers, that is, no football taking place (Covid accepted).
Basically, avoid everything that’s VAR related. So far, that hasn’t given me any dilemmas. |  | | |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 12:19 - Nov 26 with 3224 views | Juzzie |
Possibly an age thing but it's diminishing for me as well. it's completely over-saturated, over-hyped, over-expensive and so on and with so much money at stake it feels to me the authorities are so schit scared of making a mistake and the whole VAR thing is just becoming a farce.
It's as though they will do anything they possibly can NOT to award a goal (you know, the very object of the game) because giving a goal that shouldn't have been is more rife for complaint than not giving a goal that should be given.
I enjoy more watching my sons youth football, it's certainly more honest...for now.
Sorry but no one, and I mean no one, deserves to be 'earning' the sort of monies they get paid for kicking a bit of leather around. Yes, it's a short career (blah blah blah) but most normal people probably earn around £1.5m in their lifetime (and that's just based on average salary) yet you have the average PL footballer getting paid that in 6 months. Even as you go down the Leagues they'll still get paid £1.5m a lot, lot quicker than most of us mere mortals.
Every time there's a new TV deal the extra income is a great opportunity to be used to make tickets, merchandise, catering, tv subscriptions etc all more affordable but no, it just means it gets spent on giving a player yet more money they don't need as well as then increasing all the aforementioned prices even more so we just stand still.
[Post edited 26 Nov 12:26]
|  | | |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 12:30 - Nov 26 with 3174 views | Gloucs_R |
Thanks for the responses so far. I thought I was going to get slated for posting this and I am glad its not just me.
Neither of my boys have any interest in football now, outside of QPR. They both prefer rugby, not a surprise due to where we live. But having coached up until last season, I became more disillusioned with football. Academies sucking up players from 6 years old, fake academies promising they can get your kids into real academies and parents behaviour on the side of the pitch was appalling sometimes.
Even non league now is full of failed players who think they are better than what they are.
Agree about the salaries, just mind blowing.
Sigh. Sorry, rant over. | |
| |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 12:40 - Nov 26 with 3121 views | kensalriser |
Football has become a massively overhyped, bloated monster, run at the top level by corrupt narcissists like Infantino. It's no surprise that old school fans are losing enthusiasm. |  |
| |
Login to get fewer ads
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 12:57 - Nov 26 with 3053 views | TwoHalves |
Who needs football when we’ve got LFW? [Post edited 26 Nov 13:37]
| | | |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 13:01 - Nov 26 with 3034 views | charmr |
Been involved in Football now for 25 years. I have my moments when I find the game so predictable and dull to watch. I coach my team like I want to play in that team or enjoy watching them and they love just playing. Opposition most weeks I play against are so uninspiring and unimaginative.
Creativity seems non existent in the game any more. Look what pep did to Grealish for example.
In and out of interest simply being uninspired to many times by the game these days. | | | |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 13:05 - Nov 26 with 3020 views | terryb |
In my 70's & I still watch football all the time!
Do I enjoy it as much as when I was younger? Certainly not as when I was a child & probably not as my under 40 self. That is possibly because I've learned to accept that matches can be poor (at times very poor) as is the way with any live entertainment. Is the football better than when I was younger? No. Is the football worse than when I was younger? No.
What is different for me, is that I don't feel downcast (or worse) when we lose or we play badly, but I still care. When did this change come about? I don't know, but it might have been when I first accepted that I suffered from depresssion (not Queens Park Rangers related) & it stopped being the be all & end all.
Family, football & playing Bridge is what keeps me going! | | | |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 13:07 - Nov 26 with 3010 views | ted_hendrix |
MOTD was like a religion to me once, I haven't watched It now for Years and Years, there was a discussion going on between Lineker and Shearer, It was mind blowingly boring I stood up switched the bloody television off and haven't watched MOTD since.
I've got a round trip of a good three hours plus to get to LR, I can't make It anymore though due to health reasons, not gonna go Into them though, my youngest Lad will always drive us but I'd be too unwell to sit In the ground for any length of time, I could walk out of the house for a few seconds then walk back In and all of a sudden I'd be gasping for breath, (I've. got Inhalers to deal with this).
I miss the craic at LR badly, always used to bump Into Lads from this MB and spend half time talking bollox.
When the vast amounts of money came Into the game, that's when football lost Its sparkle for me, I can't put Into words what I'm trying to say, I'm sure from memory I was sat In the away end at the madejski stadium and for 95 minutes we were subjected to two teams of footballers absolutely boring each other and us stupid fans to death, It was 0-0 at the end and as I was walking back to the car It started to rain and I remember thinking to myself WTFing hell am I doing?
I dunno what I think about watching England, one thing I do know England have a huge wealth of fantastically talented players, what a dream come true for whoever Manages them, talk about landing on your feet.
I'm one hell of a miserable bastard when QPR lose, no you don't get used to It.
I can't turn the clock back and start going again, having said all of that I can't wait for the game tonight so with that In mind No I don't think football has lost Its sparkle, but I do find the amount of money In football repulsive. |  |
| My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic. |
| |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 13:09 - Nov 26 with 2995 views | vanrrrr |
Concur with a lot of that , overall the businessification just rubs me the wrong way … and yet attendances are their highest since the 50s which surprised me ( paywall might be an issue here but in essence - across all leagues highest attendances for 70 years and in champo tickets sales up over 30% since 2013). … so the money men would say the sparkle is back.
https://www.thetimes.com/article/a7c3641f-c454-4a1e-a8c5-5b1224d468dd?shareToken
If it’s any consolation i suspect our parents were sitting around in the 70s complaining that the games gone . [Post edited 26 Nov 13:31]
| | | |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 13:14 - Nov 26 with 2965 views | TheChef |
I'll watch football if it's on just because I like watching football - but aside from QPR and major tournaments I won't go out of my way to watch a particular game. As mentioned the way the game is played these days is pretty dull for the most part.
I do enjoy watching The Big Match Revisited and how the game used to be played, even though the pitches were mudheaps there was a lot of skill and entertainment on display. Wingers, crosses, shots from distance!! The game now has been Pep'd to death sadly. |  |
| |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 13:17 - Nov 26 with 2943 views | BrianMcCarthy |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 13:07 - Nov 26 by ted_hendrix |
MOTD was like a religion to me once, I haven't watched It now for Years and Years, there was a discussion going on between Lineker and Shearer, It was mind blowingly boring I stood up switched the bloody television off and haven't watched MOTD since.
I've got a round trip of a good three hours plus to get to LR, I can't make It anymore though due to health reasons, not gonna go Into them though, my youngest Lad will always drive us but I'd be too unwell to sit In the ground for any length of time, I could walk out of the house for a few seconds then walk back In and all of a sudden I'd be gasping for breath, (I've. got Inhalers to deal with this).
I miss the craic at LR badly, always used to bump Into Lads from this MB and spend half time talking bollox.
When the vast amounts of money came Into the game, that's when football lost Its sparkle for me, I can't put Into words what I'm trying to say, I'm sure from memory I was sat In the away end at the madejski stadium and for 95 minutes we were subjected to two teams of footballers absolutely boring each other and us stupid fans to death, It was 0-0 at the end and as I was walking back to the car It started to rain and I remember thinking to myself WTFing hell am I doing?
I dunno what I think about watching England, one thing I do know England have a huge wealth of fantastically talented players, what a dream come true for whoever Manages them, talk about landing on your feet.
I'm one hell of a miserable bastard when QPR lose, no you don't get used to It.
I can't turn the clock back and start going again, having said all of that I can't wait for the game tonight so with that In mind No I don't think football has lost Its sparkle, but I do find the amount of money In football repulsive. |
Sorry to hear your news, Ted.
Wishing you all the best. You're a warrior. |  |
| |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 13:23 - Nov 26 with 2913 views | Gloucs_R |
You just reminded me, I watched Football Focus a couple of weeks back. Jeez, what happened there? It was awful.
I miss the old days of Saint and Greavise on a Saturday morning (loved those two) and then turning over to see whatever the show was called back then on BBC1!
Italian Football on Channel 4 felt like an exotic treat and I still have a soft spot for Samdoria for no other reason that I adopted them back then. Goooooaaaaalllll Lazio......
Italia 90.....oh my god, the music, the tournament, the games.....
Everything now hidden behind a £50 a month subscription. | |
| |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 13:38 - Nov 26 with 2825 views | Juzzie |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 12:30 - Nov 26 by Gloucs_R |
Thanks for the responses so far. I thought I was going to get slated for posting this and I am glad its not just me.
Neither of my boys have any interest in football now, outside of QPR. They both prefer rugby, not a surprise due to where we live. But having coached up until last season, I became more disillusioned with football. Academies sucking up players from 6 years old, fake academies promising they can get your kids into real academies and parents behaviour on the side of the pitch was appalling sometimes.
Even non league now is full of failed players who think they are better than what they are.
Agree about the salaries, just mind blowing.
Sigh. Sorry, rant over. |
"Academies sucking up players from 6 years old, fake academies promising they can get your kids into real academies ......."
I was talking about this with one of the other parents just this week. He (and me) is getting sick of having it rammed down our throats to join the local 'Star Player' club. "It'll be really good for their development blah blah blah". Fk off, they're kids. It's just meant to be fun on a weekend.
Of course, it's just a money making scheme at £70+ a month (plus probably all sorts of extra costs on top) and these kids all think they're going to be the next Messi/Ronaldo and all swank around in their club branded duvet-coats like they're the dogs bollox when in a few years time they'll be told they're not good enough and "thanks for the £thousands your parents have just spent".
[Post edited 26 Nov 13:46]
| | | |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 13:44 - Nov 26 with 2769 views | derbyhoop |
The biggest issue with modern football all stems from the development of the PL. Wages have gone through the roof. VAR, Ridiculously inflated ticket prices at top level. Games shifted so that fans have to be on a war planning footing in order to physically attend many games.
I feel completely detached from most of the PL, rarely watch MOTD, or England games. I'll still be at LR, on those rare occasions that I can get there. Most of the criticisms applied above do not affect, to the same level, in the Championship and below. |  |
| "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the Earth all one's lifetime." (Mark Twain)
Find me on twitter @derbyhoop and now on Bluesky |
| |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 14:13 - Nov 26 with 2660 views | nick_hammersmith |
100% on this.
Don't watch International football, unless its the knock out stage of a tournament.
Struggle to make it through a MOTD.
At least QPR this year were harking back to a Gerry Francis direct style which made it a bit more exciting to watch! |  | | |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 14:55 - Nov 26 with 2566 views | TwoHalves |
Time to revive Danny Baker’s 1991 series ‘The Game’, featuring Sunday pub sides from the 4th Division of some obscure east London league? Maybe not. | | | |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 15:58 - Nov 26 with 2431 views | Pdog |
Totally get that and have been thinking the same for a while now.
The PL/CL have turned into an overly commercialised hype machine paying out ludicrous wages, and for what? Another rendition of Everton vs Tottenham. Oh yes please, hype it up some more. They’ve only played each other 50+ times since I left school, with probably another x20 coming in the next ten years. Give me another.
And so in May Liverpool win the PL, time of their lives, champions of England, dreams come true… but don’t enjoy it for too long lads. We start again in August and it’s all forgotten. Wheels gotta keep turning. You’ll be booing them off and sacking the manager by Nov.
Most teams have zero identity now anyway, just random players there for cash with no affinity to the club or fans. Just for fun I looked up Wolves’ last lineup: back 5 of Tchatchoua, Agbadou, Krejcí, Toti Gomes and Møller Wolfe. Not a clue. I bet they can’t wait to finish a tough week’s work to pay £51 to see the new lad from Hellas Verona on £65k a week, who’ll down tools by March when his agent starts pimping him out to anyone not in a relegation scrap.
I think age has something to do with it haha
Anyway enough of that, QPR tonight. Come on you R’s. |  | | |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 16:19 - Nov 26 with 2369 views | Gloucs_R |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 14:55 - Nov 26 by TwoHalves |
Time to revive Danny Baker’s 1991 series ‘The Game’, featuring Sunday pub sides from the 4th Division of some obscure east London league? Maybe not. |
I used to tape that!!
Talking of tapes who used to look forward to their Christmas present of a VHS QPR season review? | |
| |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 16:22 - Nov 26 with 2348 views | themodfather |
i still want the best for qpr but football? it sucks, it is there for the big clubs to get richer as they create their new leagues to suit them, tv is screwing the fans , they want a spectacle for viewers but don't stand, don't drink and don't chant , bans for very little , yes violence and nowty stuff but too many for very little.
if you want sky news sports, they pay little attention to games outside the prem league , may give scores but little analysis or it's own show, despite being one of the biggest in the world?
one game that sticks out for me as a game we were screwed was away at Man Ure , the one where young got crippled by derry, you know, young was off side out side the box but derry got a red and they got a penalty!!!! then stewards dragging qpr fans down the stairs endlessly util we complained to met police observers who finally took a steward away. day ruined by awful ref and stewards yet we paid 1100s to get there, tickets etc. stick it. i select games now and many are red button. | | | |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 16:28 - Nov 26 with 2321 views | Clive_Anderson |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 16:22 - Nov 26 by themodfather |
i still want the best for qpr but football? it sucks, it is there for the big clubs to get richer as they create their new leagues to suit them, tv is screwing the fans , they want a spectacle for viewers but don't stand, don't drink and don't chant , bans for very little , yes violence and nowty stuff but too many for very little.
if you want sky news sports, they pay little attention to games outside the prem league , may give scores but little analysis or it's own show, despite being one of the biggest in the world?
one game that sticks out for me as a game we were screwed was away at Man Ure , the one where young got crippled by derry, you know, young was off side out side the box but derry got a red and they got a penalty!!!! then stewards dragging qpr fans down the stairs endlessly util we complained to met police observers who finally took a steward away. day ruined by awful ref and stewards yet we paid 1100s to get there, tickets etc. stick it. i select games now and many are red button. |
The worst part of the Derry sending off was the referee reviewing panel afterwards upholding the decision! | | | |
| Football - lost its sparkle? on 18:16 - Nov 26 with 2157 views | numptydumpty |
Interesting debate.
Am older middle age now but as a kid and as a twenty something was very invested in all things QPR and those periods coincided with our greatest ever team in the 70s, and our best times in the modern game in the late 80s to mid 90s.
My weekend was ruined if we lost. And if we played badly, anger would rise a few notches !!
I think due to other circumstances naturally developing in life, i still am invested in all things QPR, but I question my own sanity at a dreadful home reverse, where all we have achieved is a few passes between the central defenders and our goalkeeper.
Yes, money is beyond ridiculous. Lucky lads to being born to play in this era, as players gone by, had similar incomes to many fans and hence why I think fans better understood and related to the players of the 70s and 80s and before.
I do watch England, but most games are either incredibly dull, or its at a tournament and my nerves mean I can't enjoy the games at all.
Have always been interested in other sports etc, but I think football, like all sports, is always evolving, but if I was 22, I would probably say its brilliant today, as I did myself when I was actually 22 myself.... [Post edited 26 Nov 18:18]
|  |
| |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
