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| Keep your eyes peeled for the 'aging star signing hypocrisy' later |
Clearly, this is not a fresh concept. As far back as the 1890s, people were moaning that certain clubs would buy the star players and pay them shadily under the counter. Arsenal built their first decent team in the 1920s on such an ethos. Even the Mighty 'Pool were accused of such grandstanding in their high flying days. Indeed, at the last match, my lad asked me 'Who is Stanley Matthews' and that set me off on a long, boring and frankly over complex explanation of the changing social and economic status of Blackpool as a whole, the maximum wage and the impact of package holidays and the way de-industrialisation has made cities like Manchester and Liverpool glamorous in a way they never were. I was trying to explain why Blackpool could have the world's best player then, but (Jerry Yates aside obviously) it seems unlikely we'll have a ballon d'or winner for a while at least.
I like Grealish. Or at least I did. I liked the romance of a lad who sounded like people sound in Aston, playing for the Villa. See also Wayne Rooney and Everton. Now he's gone to City, I don't really care. I'm old fashioned. Out of step. Legacy if you like. It would be great to see my team sign someone really good, but does that really compare to seeing a player come through the ranks, hearing about their development, watching them grow from promise and potential to being a matchwinner. I'm not sure it does. I am but a dinosaur.
With Messi, the same applies. I quite liked the homegrown thing. (ok, sort of homegrown) but now that's done with. What's weird is, I don't really have an opinion on him. He's a machine of a player. He scores loads but I never seem to thrill to him particularly. Ronaldo does stuff that defies physics whilst Messi just seems to score a lot. Put it this way. I've seen him play a bit and be really good because how can you not but I don't really remember it. That will probably have readers (ha! there's a presumption) spluttering and saying 'what about the goal against x or y?' 'what about the double hatrick he finished with a bicycle kick?' 'Who is this fucking idiot blogger?' 'Don't you even watch La Liga you parochial old fashioned bellend?'
Ok, I watch this and I do feel like deleting the article a bit.
Which is sort of the point. Certain players have become bigger than their clubs, bigger than the game. People follow them with a different mindset than I follow my team. People follow football wanting to see 'the best' do 'amazing things' - I am old fashioned in the sense that, of course, I like it when I see good stuff, but I follow with a kind of trudging acceptance that often it will be crap and those amazing things will happen occasionally. I don't really have time to watch La Liga, pay the bills and write a shitty blog ffs.
The sums of money paid for and to the elite players is insane. It's insane, until you understand that the elite clubs are literally playing a different game to the rest of us. People used to scoff at the brand first, football second policy of Real Madrid's galacticos, but that's the norm now for some of the world's biggest clubs. They work internationally and they need the names to attract the floating loyalties of the global fan. Real Madrid seems so early 2010s now. Get with the programme global soccer hipsters. Madrid? Fucking tinpot m8.
These clubs need names monetise their social media channels, their merchandise, their PPV TV ambitions. They need it to make their games a global event and satisfy their sponsors in the same way a film needs a known actor to float. Do City really need Grealish or, in football terms is a mid 30s player on his way down, the ideal investment? (Feel free to say 'oi, you moron, you literally mentioned Stanley fucking Matthews 4 paragraphs up, you utter muppet' if it helps.)
There is, by the very nature of football, a degree of hype about the quality of the elite player. Most, if not all of it is on pay TV. It is in the interests of the TV channels and associated media to tell you that these players are wonderful. Similarly, the clubs need to trumpet their investments as do all the associated brands. This is not to say Messi is not a wonderful player. You'd have to be idiotic not to see him as an all time great but the gap between the value of these players and 'the rest' is such, that you'd expect to see Grealish being able to literally fly or split the atom on the pitch. He's good. He's really good. Is he *that good?*
Ultimately, I don't know. I watch mostly football that isn't 'elite level' football, but what I do know is that over the years, I've seen some special talent that has given me more pleasure than Messi ever has. I mean, Messi is great, but I just don't really care. The precocious confidence and skill of Trevor Sinclair was apparent, long before *that* bicycle kick. The absolute class of Paul Simpson, his intelligence and measured crossing was an education to watch. The rapier like finish of Tony Ellis, the searing pace of Brett Ormerod. The frankly mind blowing Wes Hoolahan and the impossible daring fairy tale writing magic of Charlie Adam with his angelic caress of the ball that seemed so at odds with his lumbering gait. I could go on. Even Sullay fucking Kaikai. There. I said it.
I've seen two proper games so far this year and I've already seen 3 players I really enjoyed. Players who had that little something. That magic. The 'x factor'
First up was Lewis Duncan. Who? Lewis Duncan. Ok. I'll explain. I watched Fraserburgh vs Cowdenbeath and this lad ran the show. Twisting turning, pointing for the ball at his feet in a tight spot, taking it, spinning through players and knocking a pass into space. Running, shooting. Going outside someone, then going inside next time. Curling passes to meet the runner. Taking the set pieces. He was a thrill. He's 19. He was released by Aberdeen. I'd never heard of him, but now, he's definitely seared deeper into my mind than Messi ever will be. No. Really. He is. No. Really. Honestly. I've just watched the highlights video. I still remember 90 minutes of him more than the last 17 years of Messi. Sorry. There's something that just doesn't register when a player gets to a certain level with me. Lewis Duncan might be rubbish every other week. I don't know. But in my head, he's magic.
Then there's the first Blackpool game I saw this season. Coventry had a proper class no 10. Callum O'Hare. I'd also never heard of him but I learn he's ex Villa. Released. Taking it on the half turn, skipping away, charging at the penalty box then offloading at the precise point that would throw the defence into the most chaos. Sometimes gliding across the box. Sometimes driving into it. All the time, balanced, comfortable in possession and even willing to try and overhead kick once that didn't quite come off. It would be incorrect to say I enjoyed his performance because frankly, I was hoping he'd get put in the stands sooner or later, but deep down, you can't help warming to someone who just seems to play with such an instinctive attacking flair.
Which brings me to my final player who, in my head alone, is more significant than Messi. The Pool's own Josh Bowler. Released by Everton. Fearless and fast, when he goes, he goes. No second thought, no checking back. Like a rabbit after a hare. Fast but not without skill. Feet a blur. How doesn't he fall over? Shimmying. Step over, blasting past his man. Everytime the ball comes to him, a little hum of 'what next' around the ground. A low cross, a delicious through ball weighted to perfection. A charge down and a run on goal. Something from nothing. A drive over the top. Head down, then head up again. Ready to go. I like this lad. He'll be good to watch this year. He'll do things.
Three players released. Three players signed for *nothing* by their clubs. Three players who can do the unexpected, can make a crowd purr their appreciation. Three players who probably won't be big TV draws or attract a multinational corporation to any of the clubs I've named. Three players, who in different ways, I don't honestly believe are a 100,000,000 times inferior to Messi or Grealish or anyone.
This is just the rambling of a middle aged man who doesn't like the way that clubs can buy success on the basis of being run by states and oligarchs. I think, to cope with that, it's good to appreciate that even the players in the 5th tier in Scotland are about a million times better than me. It's true Messi is a genius level player, but it's also true that Lewis Duncan's speared low free kick in the last minute (saved,) Callum O'Hare's brilliant, clever link play and Bowler's daring pitch length run will all live in my mind whilst I can't tell on Messi goal from the next.
I think that it's fitting to finish on the fact that about 4 weeks ago, I was walking home. I stopped for ten minutes to watch a park game. It was really good. There were about 5 goals in that short time. The football was a mix of calamity, skill and luck. I walked off after the fifth which was a beautiful arcing half volley from outside the box. You couldn't ask for a better goal. You couldn't ask for more. Two evenly matched teams, trying to win the game.
The sums of money paid for and to the elite players is insane. It's insane, until you understand that the elite clubs are literally playing a different game to the rest of us. People used to scoff at the brand first, football second policy of Real Madrid's galacticos, but that's the norm now for some of the world's biggest clubs. They work internationally and they need the names to attract the floating loyalties of the global fan. Real Madrid seems so early 2010s now. Get with the programme global soccer hipsters. Madrid? Fucking tinpot m8.
These clubs need names monetise their social media channels, their merchandise, their PPV TV ambitions. They need it to make their games a global event and satisfy their sponsors in the same way a film needs a known actor to float. Do City really need Grealish or, in football terms is a mid 30s player on his way down, the ideal investment? (Feel free to say 'oi, you moron, you literally mentioned Stanley fucking Matthews 4 paragraphs up, you utter muppet' if it helps.)
There is, by the very nature of football, a degree of hype about the quality of the elite player. Most, if not all of it is on pay TV. It is in the interests of the TV channels and associated media to tell you that these players are wonderful. Similarly, the clubs need to trumpet their investments as do all the associated brands. This is not to say Messi is not a wonderful player. You'd have to be idiotic not to see him as an all time great but the gap between the value of these players and 'the rest' is such, that you'd expect to see Grealish being able to literally fly or split the atom on the pitch. He's good. He's really good. Is he *that good?*
 |
| I had this poster! |
Ultimately, I don't know. I watch mostly football that isn't 'elite level' football, but what I do know is that over the years, I've seen some special talent that has given me more pleasure than Messi ever has. I mean, Messi is great, but I just don't really care. The precocious confidence and skill of Trevor Sinclair was apparent, long before *that* bicycle kick. The absolute class of Paul Simpson, his intelligence and measured crossing was an education to watch. The rapier like finish of Tony Ellis, the searing pace of Brett Ormerod. The frankly mind blowing Wes Hoolahan and the impossible daring fairy tale writing magic of Charlie Adam with his angelic caress of the ball that seemed so at odds with his lumbering gait. I could go on. Even Sullay fucking Kaikai. There. I said it.
I've seen two proper games so far this year and I've already seen 3 players I really enjoyed. Players who had that little something. That magic. The 'x factor'
First up was Lewis Duncan. Who? Lewis Duncan. Ok. I'll explain. I watched Fraserburgh vs Cowdenbeath and this lad ran the show. Twisting turning, pointing for the ball at his feet in a tight spot, taking it, spinning through players and knocking a pass into space. Running, shooting. Going outside someone, then going inside next time. Curling passes to meet the runner. Taking the set pieces. He was a thrill. He's 19. He was released by Aberdeen. I'd never heard of him, but now, he's definitely seared deeper into my mind than Messi ever will be. No. Really. He is. No. Really. Honestly. I've just watched the highlights video. I still remember 90 minutes of him more than the last 17 years of Messi. Sorry. There's something that just doesn't register when a player gets to a certain level with me. Lewis Duncan might be rubbish every other week. I don't know. But in my head, he's magic.
 |
| You don't really need Qatar when you've got a butchers behind you. Free meat for the meat raffle in the social club. Sorted. |
Then there's the first Blackpool game I saw this season. Coventry had a proper class no 10. Callum O'Hare. I'd also never heard of him but I learn he's ex Villa. Released. Taking it on the half turn, skipping away, charging at the penalty box then offloading at the precise point that would throw the defence into the most chaos. Sometimes gliding across the box. Sometimes driving into it. All the time, balanced, comfortable in possession and even willing to try and overhead kick once that didn't quite come off. It would be incorrect to say I enjoyed his performance because frankly, I was hoping he'd get put in the stands sooner or later, but deep down, you can't help warming to someone who just seems to play with such an instinctive attacking flair.
Which brings me to my final player who, in my head alone, is more significant than Messi. The Pool's own Josh Bowler. Released by Everton. Fearless and fast, when he goes, he goes. No second thought, no checking back. Like a rabbit after a hare. Fast but not without skill. Feet a blur. How doesn't he fall over? Shimmying. Step over, blasting past his man. Everytime the ball comes to him, a little hum of 'what next' around the ground. A low cross, a delicious through ball weighted to perfection. A charge down and a run on goal. Something from nothing. A drive over the top. Head down, then head up again. Ready to go. I like this lad. He'll be good to watch this year. He'll do things.
Three players released. Three players signed for *nothing* by their clubs. Three players who can do the unexpected, can make a crowd purr their appreciation. Three players who probably won't be big TV draws or attract a multinational corporation to any of the clubs I've named. Three players, who in different ways, I don't honestly believe are a 100,000,000 times inferior to Messi or Grealish or anyone.
This is just the rambling of a middle aged man who doesn't like the way that clubs can buy success on the basis of being run by states and oligarchs. I think, to cope with that, it's good to appreciate that even the players in the 5th tier in Scotland are about a million times better than me. It's true Messi is a genius level player, but it's also true that Lewis Duncan's speared low free kick in the last minute (saved,) Callum O'Hare's brilliant, clever link play and Bowler's daring pitch length run will all live in my mind whilst I can't tell on Messi goal from the next.
I think that it's fitting to finish on the fact that about 4 weeks ago, I was walking home. I stopped for ten minutes to watch a park game. It was really good. There were about 5 goals in that short time. The football was a mix of calamity, skill and luck. I walked off after the fifth which was a beautiful arcing half volley from outside the box. You couldn't ask for a better goal. You couldn't ask for more. Two evenly matched teams, trying to win the game.
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| A park. A comedy goal. A brilliant goal. All good. |
It's still football. No matter what you spend.
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