Ya know, I enjoy football in pretty much the nerdiest ways possible. I self-taught football finance regs; have written extensively about the political, legal, and financial sides of football. I’ll also spend hours watching and learning tactical breakdowns of individual matches or managerial stylings. Everyday on my drive to work, I’ll consume some kind of informative football content. I’ve read more football books than I can count— from comedic works, to biographies, to legal hornbooks, to books that could be (and have been) used to teach college classes.
Simply put, I am the guy who finds entertainment in the shit that many others find incredibly dry.
But when I’m watching a match, I still want a goal-fest. During those 90 minutes, I can appreciate the tactical chess matches; I can understand the political or social backdrops.
But, those things all go out the window— replaced by pure elation, anger, dispare, or straight-up hatred— when a shot flies into the top corner; or when tempers get fiery.
Enjoying the “dull” shit doesn’t mean you have to pretend the exciting shit is of less value. Possessing a deeper-than-average understanding of the sport, doesn’t mean you have to enact some faux superiority complex which relegates entertainment (for its own sake) to being of less importance than your own understanding.
Fucking watch the goals fly in. Watch the celebrations. Partake in the emotionality of a sport that is the world’s most popular— specifically because it plays to your emotions.
It’s more fun that way.
I hope Collyer, Flether(s), and/or Amass get some solid game time this season. We need to lean on La Carrington more, they don’t all have to be world beaters like Mainoo but it has always been a source or reliable squad players