Friday, July 06, 2007
Being neutral
I find it nigh on impossible to be neutral watching any game in the Premiership. My desire to watch a good game is far outweighed by my desire for the most advantageous result for my own team, Arsenal. In an ideal world Manchester United and Chelsea would stretch out 0-0 draws while Spurs would get just enough points to stay up but little more. I have over 30 years invested in The Arsenal and I'm pleased to say that while I have been away far too long I am still a misery guts when we perform poorly or results don't go our way. I hope I never lose that.
Following the Liga Indonesia and indeed the upcoming Asian Cup I can afford to be more magnaminous, I become a football lover. I 'follow' Persija because they're local and I now know a few people there. It helps having a couple of bars nearby. I don't however go off on one when they lose. I don't have an abiding hatred for Persib Bandung that their support has. I haven't given Indonesian football or Persija enough of myself to get wrapped up in the local footballing culture, I can afford to stand away from the fray, enjoy the fray but not carry it around for days after.
It will be the same with the Asian Cup. I'm not fussed who wins, I just want to see some football. My last live England international was Poland away in 1993, for years past I haven't even bothered watching them on TV so depressing it is, so predictable. But with the Asian Cup I can have a clean slate. I have no preconceptions, no biases. I've hardly seen any of the countries play. Australia in the late 80's against various visiting club sides. Thailand twice, South Korea and Indonesia once each. But with all my opinions are waiting to be formed. I'm looking forward to seeing new players put themselves in the shop window. I'm looking forward to a tournament that will do Asia proud.
I'm looking forward to rows and rows of empty seats.
Games featuring the host nations should be well attended. Ties featuring the 'bigger' nations like Australia, Japan and possibly South Korea should be well attended given the comparative wealth of those nations and the deeper traditions the game has there. There is a culture of people travelling together near and far for entertainment, for leisure, for mateship. A culture perhaps lackng in other participating nations.
Saudi Arabia are reported to have brought several hundred fans to Indonesia. Qatar are hiring thousands in Vietnam. But with the best will in the world can you imagine packed houses for Iran v Uzbekistan? Qatar v UAE is being held in Ho Chi Minh which has the smallest stadium but even with the hired help will the Vietnamese come out on force to see this game which could be meaningless when their own team is on TV as well? Oman v Iraq? Are the good folk of Palembang going to flock in their thousands to see Saudi v Bahrain while Indonesia play South Korea? This is not to trivialise the abilities of these nations, far from it. But football is about passion, tradition, glamour. These are elements that attract new supporters world wide and with those elements lacking or, just as important, perceived to be lacking then those rows of empty seats are going to look very ugly indeed.
Following the Liga Indonesia and indeed the upcoming Asian Cup I can afford to be more magnaminous, I become a football lover. I 'follow' Persija because they're local and I now know a few people there. It helps having a couple of bars nearby. I don't however go off on one when they lose. I don't have an abiding hatred for Persib Bandung that their support has. I haven't given Indonesian football or Persija enough of myself to get wrapped up in the local footballing culture, I can afford to stand away from the fray, enjoy the fray but not carry it around for days after.
It will be the same with the Asian Cup. I'm not fussed who wins, I just want to see some football. My last live England international was Poland away in 1993, for years past I haven't even bothered watching them on TV so depressing it is, so predictable. But with the Asian Cup I can have a clean slate. I have no preconceptions, no biases. I've hardly seen any of the countries play. Australia in the late 80's against various visiting club sides. Thailand twice, South Korea and Indonesia once each. But with all my opinions are waiting to be formed. I'm looking forward to seeing new players put themselves in the shop window. I'm looking forward to a tournament that will do Asia proud.
I'm looking forward to rows and rows of empty seats.
Games featuring the host nations should be well attended. Ties featuring the 'bigger' nations like Australia, Japan and possibly South Korea should be well attended given the comparative wealth of those nations and the deeper traditions the game has there. There is a culture of people travelling together near and far for entertainment, for leisure, for mateship. A culture perhaps lackng in other participating nations.
Saudi Arabia are reported to have brought several hundred fans to Indonesia. Qatar are hiring thousands in Vietnam. But with the best will in the world can you imagine packed houses for Iran v Uzbekistan? Qatar v UAE is being held in Ho Chi Minh which has the smallest stadium but even with the hired help will the Vietnamese come out on force to see this game which could be meaningless when their own team is on TV as well? Oman v Iraq? Are the good folk of Palembang going to flock in their thousands to see Saudi v Bahrain while Indonesia play South Korea? This is not to trivialise the abilities of these nations, far from it. But football is about passion, tradition, glamour. These are elements that attract new supporters world wide and with those elements lacking or, just as important, perceived to be lacking then those rows of empty seats are going to look very ugly indeed.
# posted by Me @ 3:20 PM 
