Well, enough has been said about the footballing world. The players, the managers, the clubs, UEFA, FIFA et all... It's time to talk about the more important contributors to the sport - The supporters.
Warning : This might NOT please many people...
Undoubtedly, the supporters of a football club/country are the most important ingredients to making football what it is today, and what it will be tomorrow. We all know that. But this post is not about that.
A decade ago, not many people I knew, even considered Chelsea as their club to support, to watch, to pay to watch.Then, Mr. Abramovic arrived and shortly thereafter, Mr. Mourinho arrived. Needless to say, many good players arrived and not surprisingly, Chelsea started winning titles(NOT by playing the best football at most times). Suddenly, there were a whole barrage of people supporting Chelsea. People who knew zilch about football were supporting Chelsea left, right and center. People even switched their support from their own club to Chelsea. Is this what you call a "Die-Hard" supporter? Is not a supporter responsible to support a club through the best and worst of times?
I am not saying, people should not watch the football, admire it etc. Hey I am a Liverpool fan and I admire the way Manchester United play at times(Again, I am a football fan first, then a Liverpool fan). But never in a million years would I "yap" about the football United play oreven think of being an United fan.
These people are definitely contributors to the football world (what with the merchandise, tickets et all). But are such people really good for the world watching football? More importantly, are such people really needed for the watching world?
You may be intrigued by the timing of this post, but, it might just be the right timing after all. What with the Manchester City explosion going on.
P.S. I hope you get the subtle pun in the title.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Welcome All
As the name of our blog suggests we’ll try our best to be ahead of our peers and present to you our views about clubs, matches and our predictions before the kick off. We started of this blog in the blogspot but would shift this to another site wherein we would have a web page of our own.Your suggestions are always welcomed and we would like you to post them in our first post 'So We Kick Off'.
13 comments:
I guess most the Leeds Utd supporters moved to chel$ki.
Atleast the overseas fans have to start supporting some other club if they have to keep their interest in club football alive.(you cant blame them) you cant watch your club play...if it goes to Tier2.
so, now that NewCastle has managed to go to C'ship...i guess all the overseas magpies would end up becoming ManCity supporters. :P
Interesting, you said if the football world needs glory hunting fans, what would improve without them ?
The huge chunk of the operating profit of a club comes from their marketing and merchandising activities, hence the pre-season tours to Asia, States, South Africa and Australia.
The clubs don't mind fans changing allegiances as long as they are getting big bucks from that.
I get what you are saying, one just can't stand the fans who change their allegiances though they are supporters of your club but one knows they are not the real fans anyway.
Interesting because the fans that go to terraces regularly charge the same accusation against overseas fans even if they are die-hard.
@ tarun
I know a Leeds supporter who still follows the club through LUTV.
I am back guys
With a shot right on target, my view about the supporters especially ailing from Asia or any other region other than England do not have a bragging rights as the flag barriers of their respective clubs they follow. ( o boy my sentence is so long).
All the Manu fans around the world were a result of humongous marketing carried out by epl and their respective clubs.
It is well know Manu were tremendously successful around this time and stole the march towards gaining significant overseas supporters.
Although one might have born and brought up in Manchester , its human tendency to support well supported club than some local pub club.
Its no wonder that one( overseas fan who is starting off) might support Aston villa considering their recent performances rather than Blackburn ( 1 epl title).
@Duffu, dead on...I absolutely accept when a guy(just starting out in football) supports Aston Villa after a game or so...Now the point is, after a year or so, he gets to know the true worth of Aston Villa and he gets to know that they are not in the same league as some of the better sides...Now what should he do?
@Redviv, as you rightly pointed out, the clubs don't seem to care as long the dough keeps coming in...But this is about the fans...Fans mind when other fans change alliances...I also mind when fans of a club rave about their club just because they are a fan of that club...Well, what do you do in such a case?
@both, Switch alliances or continue supporting his "first" club? What would you prefer...
@Tej, Would you change your support from Arsenal to Hull City if Arsenal get relegated?
@vivek
dude...dont ask me such questions. You know what I would do...and moreover...Arsenal would never get relegated. Has never got relegated from 1919.
@ Duffu
I think the question is directed towards the loyalty of a fan, not his choice of his support to a club.
As you rightly pointed out and Pisciotta as well that a person who has started to follow the game off later might support Villa and there is nothing wrong with that, is there ?
His allegiance to a club will come under the microscope when he sees Villa not winning anything for another 3 years.
@Tej, I dont know what you would do...Come out and say it...
@RedViv, Spot on...Damned if he does and damned if he doesnt?
@All, I have another question...
Is it ok if a person switches his support due to the transfer of a player? Is it ok to be a fan of a player only or should he be a fan of a club first?
I would say a fan of just one player and not of a club probably reflects on that person's footballing knowledge.
After all a player is made by his team mates around him and if he is playing bloody good , there must be players around him supporting him to do his stuff.
Le Tissier comes to the mind, a very good player in a mediocre team. But he was a lazy player and his team mates did the running for him.
As far as remaining loyal towards ones club is his/her choice.
I know some of my friends who switched alliances for that matter.
The question about my loyalty does not arise at all.
With all the publicity generated due to money and transfers, Mancity's fan base is certainly on rise.
Only future will be able to answer how successful will they be on the pitch ?
Man U Fan: I love Man U man.
Me: Yeah? What's Ronaldo's number?
Man U Fan: Uh... 23?
@RedViv...totally agree...but wouldnt a fan of "football" rather than a club or a player reflect that person's footballing knowledge?
@Duffu...Dont worry, no one is questioning your loyalty...Just questioning when your loyalty changes :P
@Krishna...I know where you'r coming from...That was also one of the things I wanted to point out...
Post a Comment