Before players had to shake hands at the start of a match I can remember players running out with passion onto the pitch. Giving a sense of excitement and action. It's all too routine with players just casually strolling out the tunnel. I've had enough of this pretentious handshake respect bullshit!
The City players ran out with some purpose but the body language of the Donny players told a whole different story, they were beat before we started.
Been doing it all this season at home, then the captain goes back to get the mascot. Handshaking won't stop as it's part of the respect campaign.
Total agreement about City running out. Somehow it stirs the emotions much better than the organised walk out so long may it continue. As for the handshake, I can take it or leave it. I don't think it adds anything to the players respect for each other.
Entrances make an impression, when England went to the Millennium stadium 2013 needing to just keep the score to a low defeat. The Welsh pumped up the entrance to create a fear into the young English side, even hardened English rugby playing friends said to me that day, the Welsh put the fear into them by the entrance that the players won't cope.
I agree. The teams leaving the tunnel and entering the playing area should be almost gladiatorial, like it used to be in fact ! But like a lot of things in life, football has become too sanitised and nice.
I couldn't care less about the handshake, and personally I don't think the players care all that much about it either. It's a total non-event. In that vein, I don't see why people would really want to get rid of it. It does absolutely nothing. It benefits no one, and it hurts no one.
