GOOD OLD DAYS ???
Tuesday, 10 June 08, 12:34 PM · Comments(10)
Well, didn't euro 2008 burst into life last night. What a game and brilliant football from the Dutch....I’m feeling a big smug as I have them in the office sweepstake, but, no doubts that some fall-outs and bickering will put paid to their ( and my) chances....
Before the tournament i didn't feel any excitement ... was it because the Celtic nations didn't qualify, was it because there wasn't any nervousness and stress waiting on England to fcuk up?? No……you know what it is...it’s the same old same old...the same faces that we see week in week out from the comfort of my home and TV.
Now... when I was a lad, the first big tournament i remember was Argentina 1978. I remember the excitement as Scotland left from Hampden by helicopter; however, they were soon to return under armed guard and followed by Wullie Johnson who came back higher than he was the day he left in the Sikorsky…. I remember getting the new Scotland strip with the Umbro diamonds down the sleeve, shorts that just covered your you know what’s and the badge, WTF was that all about?, it was half as big as the shirt itself and left your nipples (all three of them) in tatters... We are on the march with ally's army…aye right. Do you know there were only 7,938 people at the Scotland Vs Iran match. Must have been a curfew in the Iranian and Scottish quarters of Cordoba that day...
I remember the
passion of the crowds at the Argentinean games and the ticker tape as the teams emerged, what a sight... Of course being the age i was, I wasn't aware of the political background and
fall-out as the finals were being played in Argentina. Further controversy
ensued as Argentina played all their first round games at night so they would know the score in the other group game and what was required. Followed by the game where they
tanked Peru 6-0 in suspicious circumstances and played silly buggers
before the final itself, so much so that the Dutch refused to attend any official functions to celebrate the event.
Zico, Kempess, Ardilles, Platini, Rossi, Zoff, Tardelli, Boniek, Rep, Hann, Cubillas, Rumminigge, Revillino to name a few that graced the final's - Cruyff refused to attend.....Think back and remember the excitement of seeing great players that you have read so much about playing for the first time.. Fantastic.
Zip forward to the year 2008......
Torres, Nasri, Hunntelar, Klose, Del Piero, Pirlo, Ronaldo, Deco, ect ect ect don’t get me wrong great players, great teams and hopefully a great tournament... But for me it’s a case of been there got the replica shirt and “official partner” prawn sandwich.
There are 368 players at this tournament and you can watch 57% of them play live on TV in the leagues of England, Italy, Spain, Germany and Holland week in week out. Another 19% can be viewed from teams in the Champions League and UEFA cup from leagues such as Portugal, Russia and Turkey. That's a staggering 76% of players - where is the unexpected new superstar??? there wont be one…we already know all about him and have signed him in Football Manager.
Now i have probably come across as a grumpy old man, a sentimental old fool who pines for the good old days...maybe that’s true (ask the wife) yet, one of my most enjoyable moments as a Celtic fan was not on live TV and it didn’t stop me celebrating like fcuk and jumping about like a looney.....There I was listening on a crackly MW radio (Christ i AM old) when Charlie Nicholas ( yes, I had the mullet) scored the winner in Amsterdam in 1983.....to take Celtic into the next round of the European Cup, yea, ok we got humped off Real Sociedad in the next round – don’t spoil it eh !!.
Has live TV 24/7 ruined football?? no...... Not quite yet, but, we have lost something special that will never be recovered.
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Fantastic post. I'll just disagree with you on something if I may. Has live TV 24/7 (with its dozens of matches per weekend if you include Argentinian league and Copa Libertadores, which I do watch by the way) ruined futbol? Absolutely. Less is more, in my opinion.
Hi and Welcome Daniel. Have to agree with you less is more. but its something we will have to live with.
If it's any consolation boh67, yer just a nipper compared tae me!
The first big game that I can remember that had me doing summensault was the '65 cup final against Dunfermline. I listened to it on the WIRELESS!
Live TV 24/7 is light years away from wall to wall wireless, that's true. And I also think we have lost some of the magic somewhere during the trek.
Still the magic returns when you are actually there in the stadium: no commentator, no replays, no half times experts.
You're left with your own opinions, emotions, and highlights. And those of the folk round about you,of course.
As an old mate of mine used to say "Sex is OK but it's nothing like the real thing".
Yeah, we used to wonder what he meant as well...
:o)
Hi six,
Good news about the age thing.. thought it was just me.....
65 Cup final...... I have seen the Pathe news footage. Very near broke my ankle while jumping about at work and listening on the radio for the 88 cup semi.
Mate of mine was in the forces and used to sit and stare at the TV screen waiting on teletex to update... fcuk we are sad.
Pathe news footage ... well thanks for that - feel a bit like Al Jolson now.
Of course, when we talk about "mates", you know that I know yer really only talking about yerself, right?
Cos that's what I think I was doing...
When I was talking about my mate, I thought that you knew that I knew that you knew that...
Yes, "sad" is a word that springs to mind.
:o)
10 Comments · Add yours
Argentina 1978?
You are auld. I remember the song though.
“We’re on the march wie Ally’s army, we are all going to Argentin…”
We did really believe that we were going to win the fucker. I remember the 1982 WC clearly. Dave Narey toepoke, Zico, Rossi and that semi final (watched in the red lion caravan park in Arbroath).
Yes, there is a sense of been there seen it done it.
But…..that can add to the excitement as we want to watch games as we know what the players can do.
Football manager (the devils spunk) means that we know what every player can do anyway.
Media has changed. Before you got yer stats from the Daily Record pulloot now you can get yer stats months before and you can watch Bundesliga 2nd Div games on the net if you want.
Embrace mate. I mean…no matter what the overkill the Dutch and the Spanish performances so far will live wie me.
Ps…love the banner
I know what you mean mate and realise that things wont go back to the way they were...but sometimes you lose wee things along the progress road... like TB, rickets lol
Red Lion caravan park, there is another blast from the past, I think everyone has stayed there at one time.
Missed the Spain game, late shift... its amazing how much blogging can get done on a late shift :-)
Thanks for contacting Joe, the new banner is the bollix
what's the phrase - familiarity breeds contempt