The days of having an emotional investment in footballers are pretty much done. There’s a gaping disconnect between fans and the players, managers and club owners like never before. Understandably actually definitely; and rightly so.
Hunter Davies recently wrote two excellent pieces in his New Statesman column, examining the outmoded language of football; gently smirking at the working class expressions that are still common linguistic currency, in game doused in the sort of money many pop stars now dream of.
The phrase “loyal servant” may have contained a thread or two of truth in it when referring to some valiant chap in the 1950’s, who was trained by bellowing ex army PT instructors, played on a ploughed field, had woodbine and a cuppa (with a nip of gold watch in it) at half time for £20 a week.
But the modern footballer’s existence doesn’t even vaguely contain a shred of servitude.
As for loyalty, give me a break. The American comedian Cris Rock’s line, “A man is only as faithful as his options” sums up the situation perfectly.
Then there are the mechanics of player payment. “So and so’s new deal means that he is now earning £150,000 per week.”
If you say out loud, “The loyal servant was paid his weekly wage”, your mind may wander into Hovis bread commercial territory.
The strains of Dvořák’s New World Symphony rise as a humble, cloth capped man braves another 7 days of ardure, and is presented with a small square packet of pay that will allow him and his family to subsist for another 7 days.
In reality, a vacuous mutli-millionaire is halfway through roasting a minor in a hotel room with a team mate, when one of his phones beeps to acknowledge that his account has been credited.
I’m in the process of putting together a piece on the whole ENIC vs Archway business. In many parts, it will be a grim read.
At the risk of a spoiler alert – there have been threats ranging from good old fashioned hate language, to good old fashioned arson. The abuse is unpleasant and it is volleyed daily.
What we are witnessing here is a quite repulsive form of mutant tribalism. A “not in my name” moment if you like, for football fans.
I’m pleased to see that the poll put up a day or two ago went as suspected it might. Roughly, 56% wish Archway would clear off, 34% are interested in finding out more before making any decision, and 10% of you are simply humanitarian enough to wish Peter Josif and his family well. 56% vs 44% is barely a landslide.
Disconnected, but the question is, will normal service ever be resumed again?
