...I really can't be doing with all these second and third kits these days. I'm not talking about whether or not you find them stylish - obviously that's a matter of personal taste, and I thought JK looked quite fetching in his lilac hoodie - I just mean that such a wide range of styles and a frequent turnover means they lack any sense of club identity. It's the same with all clubs - I have to look at the scorecard to remind myself of who I'm watching sometimes.
I tend to agree... but it brings the club money and so any club that doesn't do it is at a disadvantage financially. Honestly, I think any club like our own who has a solid colour shirt is at a little disadvantage. Our home shirts look pretty identical this year which might mean fewer home kits sold. Best we can do to differentiate home kit without ruining tradition and club identity is put pinstripes or white highlights. Barcelona by contrast has a lot of room to play (and has over the years) by finding different ways to combine their shirt colours. If you've got an old Barcelona shirt you stand out more. Which club is going to completely bastardise their traditions first by changing their home colours on a regular basis? You know it's only a matter of time, and once it becomes acceptable (it eventually will) it's going to become mainstream. Are you ready for us to have a green home kit one year?
At least a green one might carry memories of the old Adidas green kit - I liked that one. I understand it's a money-spinner, but as someone who constantly bemoans the fact that money-grubbing seems to take precedence over everything I feel I'm being consistent in my disapprobation. Football is drowning in ****ing money, and ordinary punters are already being royally ripped off just paying to watch, without being screwed further trying to keep up with it all. You don't have to buy one of course - and I never do - but there are people for whom these things are inexplicably important.
I agree, but unfortunately can't put the genie back in the lamp. I would much rather a familiar kit each year (they can still sell fanware in other colours) and a more coherent club identity but everyone is trying to outdo each other in income.
Probably intentionally looks like Minecraft. The teens and younger adults today (who I assume most shirts go to) all grew up on Minecraft.
And what the hell is that thing Man U are wearing? Web photos make it look quite green, but on the telly it looked almost black to me. It made it really difficult to hate on them because I couldn't relate to it as theirs.
Not too bothered tbh. As long as the home adheres to the basic rules, I think that's what gives us our identity. The second and third kits less so, and it's something different (sometimes nice, sometimes hideous). Is it money-grabbing? Possibly, but it's up to you whether you buy it or not.
There's no other reason. I've already said that you don't have to buy it, but pressure is put on parents when their kids want to keep up with their peers, and it can be desperately important for youngsters to conform. As for identity, you have plenty of obvious signals of that at home, if anything it's away where you want to keep reminding everyone else of who you are. Unless you're Man Utd, of course.
clubs are required to have a home and away strip to avoid clashes. they are not required to have a 3rd kit at all as far as I know.
Is there that much pressure to have the new away and third kits every season? I genuinely don't know. Home kits yeah, but how many kids care about the away and third kits?
