As an unashamed football (not soccer, dammit) fan, I must confess not to always having the highest regard for Sir Alex Ferguson, who will lead out his beloved Manchester United squad for his 1,000th match in charge as manager. He can be an irascible old fellow, and his carping about the decisions of referees is tiresome.
One cannot, however, doubt his passion for the game or his record of success in winning a hatful of trophies, including the European Champions League cup in 1999, as well as his careful and often fatherly nurturing of a raft of wonderful young players like Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, and of course David Beckham.
By the rapid hire-and-fire standards of modern football, Fergie’s longevity is a wonder to behold. He reigns above ManU with every bit as much pomp as that other great Scotsman to have managed United, Sir Matt Busby (the man who probably did more than any other mortal to create the great club that it is today).
And Ferguson’s tenure has coincided with football’s rise to unparalleled commercial success, and whether one is bored senseless by sport or an addict like yours truly, one cannot doubt that Ferguson and Manchester United have played a huge part in making football the successful enterprise it is now.
Count me among the bored senseless.
I cannot for the life of me see the point in paying a bunch of brain-dead cretins huge wodges of cash to kick a ball around a field for 90 minutes a week.
Still, no-one ever went broke overestimating the stupidity of people…
EG
Mostly I can’t stand football. Comes from being forced to play in nothing but a shirt and shorts in mud and driving sleet, when I was a child who barely understood the rules. Still sometimes, I can watch the pro games and it quits being just dull kick-kick-kick and becomes a quite interesting pattern of strategy with no motion wasted. I like watching those sorts of games.
I’m so confused. He says it’s a post about football and not soccer damn it, and then he starts talking about a soccer team.
– Josh
Pfffffffffftttttttttttttttttttt!!!
A Manchester United fan dies and goes to heaven. St Peter stops him at the gates
“Oi! No Man U fans!”
“What?” asks the bemused Man U fan,
“No Man U fans in heaven!” Says St Peter.
“But… But… I’ve been a good man” protests the football adherent.
“OK,” says St Peter,” let’s here it.
“Well, last month I gave £10 to the starving children in Africa.”
“H’m, OK” St. Peter concededs, “What else?”
“A few weeks back I gave £10 to the homeless”
“OK,” Peter says, “anything else?”
“Why, Yesterday I gave £10 to the blind.”
“Alright,” Peter says, “I’ll have a word with the boss.” and he hurries off. A little while later he comes back.
“OK, I’ve had a word with God and we’re in agreement. You can have your £30 back. Now piss off!”
Josh, I assume you are an American, hence your assumption that football is that dull sport played by guys wearing helmets and shoulder pads.
Euan, of course a lot of features of the game leave a lot to be desired, but millions get pleasure watching and playing the sport. Footie may not be your idea of fun but football is capable of generating great excitement and enjoyment for a lot of people. Don’t be such a grump.
Just to point out another widespread myth.
The word soccer originated in England.
The sport was formalized in the 1860’s by the Football Association. Later, schoolboys at The Rugby School, started a variation which they naturally called “Rugby”. But the boys called it “rugger”. Other boys who continued to play the sport according to the rules of the Football Association then called their game “soccer”.
Later, in the USA, rugby was modified into a new variation called “gridiron football”. In Ireland, there is “gaelic football”, and in Australia is “Austrailian Rules Football”.
Modern day British people seem to spend all their time whinging about and reacting to Americans, and thus ignorantly whinge about the American use of the word “soccer” that is actually as British as the sport itself.