For The Love of The Game!

Why do we watch football? Over the years we have seen great moments, the greatest moments even.

We've stood together and have had that roller coaster ride from the kings of all club football to the low points and bad times and back again. Well some of way back at least.

Over time the game has changed and the attitude of football fans has changed with it and not for the better. The furious roar that greeted teams at Anfield has gone quiet, our ambitions have changed.

Ask the question League Cup or 4th? Ask the question FA Cup or 4th? And there's a debate to be had and the majority will go for that 4th spot. Why is that? Money of course, the Champions League is a prestigeous competition that is worth a lot of money for our club, it would be foolish to want the FA Cup over 4th spot because that means we can't get certain players in the Summer and we can't compete with the money clubs.

Those reasons make me sad, why do we as fans have to worry about the financial aspects of the game, years ago we simply were not in the know and just roared on the team to win each game, to win every competition and we did win and it was beautiful.

As fans we need to think again and start to love the game again do not worry about that extra cash, that sponsor, that kit deal or the clubs bottom line it's not our job. Our job is to live through the game to cheer to swear to feel every emotion, to kick every ball and win every header.

I love football and I love my club but feel that we as fans are getting lost in the money and need to step back from the edge and learn to love the game again.

 

What's 'fotball'...?

 

#twat

 

To argue against the cynical "CL = money" point:

Winning the FA/LC might mean just one big day out (final) and you might not even play any special teams on the way. The CL guarantees at least a few big games against teams you don't usually get to play.

Also, blame the FA. The CL has all kinds of build up for fans to enjoy. The FA and PL **** all over the domestic cups by playing them at stupid times and places and even having PL games on at the same time as the LC final.

 

You are right, the coverage and advertising of the Champions League draws you in as a fan and it's a great competition to be in no doubt about it. To finish fourth is important for the club and for the next season I just think that some fans are losing sight of what should be important to them.

I want Liverpool in the Champions League prefferably by winning the league or the competition itself but if given the choice of qualifying for the Champions league by finishing 4th or winning the FA Cup I'm going for the Cup, I refuse to think of the money aspects of the 4th spot or the potential of playing some games in Europe even. 4th is a bonus if we get it I don't want it to become a focus as a fan.

 

I'll probably get slaughtered for this, least you can't call me a glory fan though (although some of you predictably will now)...

The main reason I watch football is because I enjoy it. I would much rather watch a exciting team and win nothing that a dull side that wins something. Afterall, there are a minimum forty games a season whereas winning a trophy is between one and four days a year (no, I don't count the charity shield, super cup or world club cup although it is always nice to win them).

Getting CL brings more money and a greater possibility of signing better players which theoretically increases the likelihood of winning trophies in the future anyway, but it certainly increases the likelihood of us seeing more entertaining performances.

Winning the CL and now the EL too (since the winners get CL football) are different. I still want to be entertained but winning one of them at the expense of top four doesn't cost a place in the elite competition the following season.

 

On that point, I think that fans are enjoying it less because of it turning into a money driven sport and as fans we are buying into it and will have as many money based conversations as we do about the actual football.

I started this thread after something had been bugging me.

My lad travelled up to watch the Burnley game, it's the first time he's been in years as we simply cannot afford it (another point).

He was buzzing and really excited, he enjoyed the game to a point but was also quite sad. He explained that it was really quiet and that the Burnley fans did all the singing, the atmosphere was flat. I was quite angry about it and feel let down, what's going on? It used to be loud and a great atmosphere when I used to go regardless of the opposition.

My lad has always listened to my stories about football and visiting grounds and is very old school in his football thinking, something that I'm proud off but you could see he was quite sad about the his visit to Anfield and that hurts me.

 

Ideally I'd like both, but if I had to make a choice between top 4 and the FA Cup this season, I'd pick top 4.
The CL means more than just money, qualifying for it indicates that your team is competing at the highest level domestically. A consistent top 4 place is a better indicator of your club's quality than an occasional cup win.

 

I agree it is a better indicator of how we are doing as a club, Arsenal are a good example of that but they have also been laughed at for their lack of trophies over the last decade, they have a lovely new stadium and are well run.

Boring though isn't it?

 

I've been saying money is screwing up the game for years, but the response tends to be that I'm just a grumpy old git (true) who's out of touch with the reality of the modern game (not entirely true).

 

Surely laughing at Arsenal is more a case of football banter than a genuine criticism?
Having said that, once established in the top 4 consistently, you would want to improve on that and make a genuine challenge for the title. I'm not suggesting that we should be content to stagnate at any level.

 

It is ruining the game and the fact that as fans we are getting sucked into the money aspect of the game is very sad.

I want to focus on the team, the players and winning the next game. I don't care if we made a profit or a loss on a player or whether the new kit deal will make us millions that's for the money men behind the scenes to deal with.

 

It is and speak to most Arsenal fans and they are not particulary happy with the progress of the club, they seem let down that all this money has not translated them into winners but has just got them into a financially stable position and a Champions League spot every year.

The stability os nice to have and the ground is very pretty but as fans surely we want glory and cups, to win and win again.

 

Great thread

Interesting discussion point this one.

From a purely logically viewpoint you'd take 4th place, and the CL gravy train. As the money and prestige puts you ahead of your domestic rivals and therefore makes ongoing success more likely due to the increased revenues, leading to better signings etc etc.

However, as fans, it's a sad indictment on the modern game, that you'd take the "4th place trophy" and entry into a competition that it's unlikely you're going to win - purely because of the revenue it generates - as opposed to lifting the best domestic club cup on the planet.

So that raises the question is the pragmatism of wanting the gravy train ahead of the glory of winning an actual competition the right way for 'fans' to ever think?

 

There is genuine criticism at them always failing at the exact same point for the last 5 years (plus them always getting through the group because of seeding rather than any genuine competitiveness). Also the manner is usually because they do something absolutely stupid like concede in the last minute in the last game or get a stupid red card.

 

Football has shifted from a working class sport to a middle class sport and with it has gone the match day passion that we used to see. It's weird how one week, the ground is rocking and the next not.....perhaps some of this can be put down to not being in the hunt.....Anfield roared week after week last year when we were taking teams apart......the problem is not exclusive to us though. It's at every ground that i've been to......and the more expensive it gets, the less vocal it becomes.....you wouldn't want your neighbours seeing you sing out loud on TV after all would you

 

I've been pretty adamant that Id nesrly always take a trophy over 4th place.

But to go further, why is football about trophies? Football is an entertainment game, obviously far more enjoyable when winning and winning trophies but 99% of it watch it to pass the time and enjoy.

When life is done, does whether your team win 7 trophies or not really matter?

 

Sympathy post

 

It's not necessarily about winning trophies but that is what drives us as fans, winning game after game beating your rivals and the promise of the prize at the end that marks those triumphs.

Give me that road even if it ends in failure other than the false glory of 4th.

The heartbreaks are part of the game, when that prize turns out to be just out of reach but it's a journey and what football is all about.

I'd love to see the CL scrapped and taken back to the old format of the league winners going into a knockout competition.

 

Certain visitors to this board would have you believe reaching a final or being in a title race you don't eventually win is no different than being an also-ran. There's value in both the journey and the destination.