With the Crapello comments now firmly winging their way around the networks and message boards, is it right for this age old debate about the 'English culture of drinking' to once again be brought up?
Do we agree that the modern thinking of pasta and mineral water is the way forward, or do we have any dinosaurs that think a good old night on the piss with your mates/workmates creates bonding and team spirit?
Which camp are the Not606 lads pitching their tents in today?
For the record, I still think there is room for both (nee fence sitting there then Lol) because both have their merits. I remember only too well when British clubs ruled Europe and there were some massive drinking cultures at every club then. I have no problem with players getting twatted after games and during the week, so long as they perform on a Saturday. Mickey Gray was infamous in Sunderland for his big drinking exploits (amongst other things cough....cough) but he NEVER failed to give anything less than 100% during the match and it didn’t bother me at all. Does anyone remember in the 70’s and 80’s in particular, copious amounts of drink was part and parcel of the game and yet our clubs still beat all the pasta eating, mineral water slurping Johnny foreigners with ease.
I think the continentals (Europeans) are paranoid about alcohol and this is from countries like Italy and France who drip feed their toddlers on the grapes? I have travelled around Europe in my life and can honestly say the Dutch, Germans and French in particular can drink like ****ing fishes as good as any Englishman I have ever met but they don’t get the Dutch disease/German disease thrust at them.
Maybe it would do some of them (players) the world of good to go out and get pissed sometimes, so long as it is not at the expense of others and this is where it gets a bit grey to be honest. The problem the modern footballer has, is the craving for constant VIP status and the 'do you know who I am' syndrome of 'do you know how much I earn'? Footballers of 30 years ago went out and got pissed in the local pub or club, away from the spotlight. Theses days it’s a high profile yacht or private island and it gets too much public attention.
I guess I would be of the opinion that these young men have to be allowed to go out and sow their seed and drink their fill, otherwise you are going to have characterless morons playing for you and teams that look that way too. When I was in my late teens and most of my 20's I would shag a warm scarf and drink until the sun came up. It’s what young men and women do and we shouldn’t expect our footballers to be any different - in moderation and without incident. A little bit of the old world and the new world would be my management style.
Can those two things be achievable in the modern game? I'm not so sure unfortunately but I’m happy to remain a bit of a dinosaur in these debates.
Do we agree that the modern thinking of pasta and mineral water is the way forward, or do we have any dinosaurs that think a good old night on the piss with your mates/workmates creates bonding and team spirit?
Which camp are the Not606 lads pitching their tents in today?
For the record, I still think there is room for both (nee fence sitting there then Lol) because both have their merits. I remember only too well when British clubs ruled Europe and there were some massive drinking cultures at every club then. I have no problem with players getting twatted after games and during the week, so long as they perform on a Saturday. Mickey Gray was infamous in Sunderland for his big drinking exploits (amongst other things cough....cough) but he NEVER failed to give anything less than 100% during the match and it didn’t bother me at all. Does anyone remember in the 70’s and 80’s in particular, copious amounts of drink was part and parcel of the game and yet our clubs still beat all the pasta eating, mineral water slurping Johnny foreigners with ease.
I think the continentals (Europeans) are paranoid about alcohol and this is from countries like Italy and France who drip feed their toddlers on the grapes? I have travelled around Europe in my life and can honestly say the Dutch, Germans and French in particular can drink like ****ing fishes as good as any Englishman I have ever met but they don’t get the Dutch disease/German disease thrust at them.
Maybe it would do some of them (players) the world of good to go out and get pissed sometimes, so long as it is not at the expense of others and this is where it gets a bit grey to be honest. The problem the modern footballer has, is the craving for constant VIP status and the 'do you know who I am' syndrome of 'do you know how much I earn'? Footballers of 30 years ago went out and got pissed in the local pub or club, away from the spotlight. Theses days it’s a high profile yacht or private island and it gets too much public attention.
I guess I would be of the opinion that these young men have to be allowed to go out and sow their seed and drink their fill, otherwise you are going to have characterless morons playing for you and teams that look that way too. When I was in my late teens and most of my 20's I would shag a warm scarf and drink until the sun came up. It’s what young men and women do and we shouldn’t expect our footballers to be any different - in moderation and without incident. A little bit of the old world and the new world would be my management style.
Can those two things be achievable in the modern game? I'm not so sure unfortunately but I’m happy to remain a bit of a dinosaur in these debates.
