As the years and seasons go by, interest in the game expands. Football or soccer in some areas, has already beaten showbiz and now threatens to undo religions as many people have gone to the extents of ending their lives over a football game. Wasn't it after a Champions League semi at the Emirates last season that a Kenyan Arsenal fan hanged himself?
Back in the days, we got excited about the new season but never made any predictions as big as bets or anything like that. I mean we liked the game for its unpredictability.
Unfortunately, things have changed.
Football is a very easy game to understand, unlike baseball or cricket, etc. I mean everybody will know when a goal is scored whilst in cricket for instance, you'll have to wait until you see somebody with white lips scream.
As such, football is very easy to analyse. I'm sure many people would like to get on Match of The Day and give their own opinions. Unfortunately for the neutral, those opinions are more or less biased. For instance, even after Michael Ballack publicly admitted to fouling Evra, there are ABU pundits who suggest that it wasn't actually a foul.
The media attention has not helped.
Nowadays, you cannot go into a season before you hear your team's expected achievements. It's actually as though a script is being written and your team WILL perform accordingly with or without your belief. It's sad for many reasons;
1--Because the fans like the one who killed himself will more or less hang themselves earlier
2--Because football is more than just unpredictable.
I mean why then don't the FA hand the title to Chelsea are Liverpool in advance without us going through the entire nine months? Why doesn't the football be played in the transfer market---in that the team that signs the best players be given the title already?
This is my blog so let me give my personal view of how I go into every season.
I watch every club game at the start of the season until the new year because it's not until then that we can get a faint picture of how the final league table will be and who will win the honours come May.
You might be shocked by this but, aside the fact that i expect United to challenge and probably win the title, I also think that Arsenal can win the trophy next year--not just theoretically but practically! I also don't believe in this 'new league' called top three as I will not rule out the possibility of teams like Chelsea or Liverpool actually fighting for that fourth spot!
The beauty of football is that all this, despite looking unlikely could happen next season.
It's why I am gutted when United lose, but will not buy the rope! I call it having a 'biased open mind'. Have your expectations but again, expect anything.
If you go with such a mind into the season, then you will not be among the shallow minded fans who will be calling for the sacking of say Sir Alex Ferguson after a disappointing season.Labels: MANCHESTER UNITED