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Your unpopular football opinion?

RIMB said:
I have 'supported' an afl team since I was a little bloke in Victoria and found a sports page blowing round in my backyard showing a player with the same name as me.

My brother and sister chose different teams just because we were siblings.

Same for NRL when we moved to Stynkney - we each picked a different team on nothing at all other than we were in 'friendly' competition with each other.

Didn't live near any of them.

Sometimes you just pick a team and if you move you switch to your new team. Sometimes you pick a team and it goes belly up. Sometimes you pick a team and it stays with you.

When Cosmos went belly up I lost interest in the NSL and in football for awhile. Moving to Qld and having the aleague start caught me up again.
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Yep, there's always some funny stories that I enjoy when it comes to things like this.

There was this girl I went to school with, I think they originally lived in country Victoria before moving to Griffith, so they were AFL mad. The whole family supports Carlton (at least up until that point). They all moved to Griffith when the older brother (a couple years above the girl) was around that age of being introduced to sports, so their parents asked him "What team do you like?" His response was: "The blue team!" Naturally, they thought Carlton, but he actually meant Cronulla Sharks - so their next visit to see their grandparents, their grandfather took them shopping to buy their first footy jumpers, so found the boy a nice Carlton jersey. But, then they hit a snag... the girl wanted one too, and the only jersey they had small enough to actually fit her, was an Essendon Bombers one.

To this day the boy still supports Cronulla (and Carlton, of course), and the girl Essendon.
Muz said:
So back in the day when players actually came from the area they played for that made more sense. Now, as Jerry Seinfeld said, you're cheering for clothing.

11 mercenaries from all over the world and not a single local. They aren't 'representing' anyone from an area. They're not 'fighting' for you. They're there because someone paid them more money than someone else. They couldn't care less about you or the town and they'll piss off the minute someone offers them more cash.

It must have been something in the 50s or 60s to support a team in your town where you could run into the players at the pub or at work and then they went out and battled on the weekend for their hometown.

It's why people get so excited when a local lad makes the team.
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Bingo. I think that's a big reason why, ok I follow Chelsea (only because I saw Zola as a kid and immediately fell in love), but I've really done it from a distance recently. I'd rather actively follow and support the clubs that I've got an actual affinity for (like those in the NPL + A-League, and the two clubs where my family originated from in Italy in Serie C and the highest Sicilian regional league)
 
Muz said:
So back in the day when players actually came from the area they played for that made more sense. Now, as Jerry Seinfeld said, you're cheering for clothing.

11 mercenaries from all over the world and not a single local. They aren't 'representing' anyone from an area. They're not 'fighting' for you. They're there because someone paid them more money than someone else. They couldn't care less about you or the town and they'll piss off the minute someone offers them more cash.

It must have been something in the 50s or 60s to support a team in your town where you could run into the players at the pub or at work and then they went out and battled on the weekend for their hometown.

It's why people get so excited when a local lad makes the team.
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The jersey still represents a place.
 
LFC said:
takes all types doesn't it....just to expand from my perspective.
I'm maturing and the way I see things can be totally opposite to the person next to me - who's right who's wrong, does it matter having to make sense of today ? back in the dark ages sure would have been very out of the box.
I get the outlook from way way back when most had no idea what went on away from their local surrounds and naturally you get behind your local clubs and your NT.
RIMB expressed what ticked his and fam's outlook, who's to judge thats how they enjoy their sport passion.
I've followed APIA even Marconi + SU since a kid due to Cro/Italian Dad Mum full blooded Italian.
I keep tabs on Genoa/Sporting Recco Mums town, Dads HNK Rijeka home town, then he influenced me onto the Milans/Juve teams due to fav players - the connection is the blood whats to be judged I don't live there.
Same applies to the countless portugese born elsewhere never set foot in Lisbon but would be right behind Portugal or Benfica let alone CR7 who isn't a mainlander as well.
Our limited TV viewing in the '70's here (in bloody black and white) a major highlight as a young teen was Ch2 The Big Match hosted by legendary Brian Moore.
We saw no other EU football really but for results in the paper.
Hence my gravitation towards LFC those halycon days be it league to Cups wins etc, they were the main game alot, Clemence/Keegan/Toshack/KK/Heighway etc - and BIG night for us back then was the FACup finals live, obviously the English influence in this country many many got behind Div1 Clubs, hence why so so many kits you see at games over the last 50yrs give or take.
By the way your Greek/Aussie mates outlook sure is an unusual one but what ticked their box's.
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No real reason. Probably easiest league to access back in the 90s and early 00s. Picked Liverpool due to Gerrard.

Don't get me wrong, I've watched teams, religiously at times, due to players/ coaches but once that relationship ended, I wouldn't call myself a supporter.
 
theFOOTBALLlover said:
No real reason. Probably easiest league to access back in the 90s and early 00s. Picked Liverpool due to Gerrard.

Don't get me wrong, I've watched teams, religiously at times, due to players/ coaches but once that relationship ended, I wouldn't call myself a supporter.
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They picked very very well :)

Agree re the relationship outlook - again thats for some, my eldest son for eg and as you know portugese mum, he followed CR7 at United, once gone he dumped them related and liked other X players at Spurs and to date.
 
theFOOTBALLlover said:
No real reason. Probably easiest league to access back in the 90s and early 00s. Picked Liverpool due to Gerrard.

Don't get me wrong, I've watched teams, religiously at times, due to players/ coaches but once that relationship ended, I wouldn't call myself a supporter.
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Im with you here.... I have a club I support in most leagues around the world.... I picked Liverpool because of family preferences and influence as a kid, plus admired Rush and Barnes, Beardsley, Macca.... on and on.... IMHO its fine being a "supporter" of a club you dont hva ties to no problem at all with anyone supporting any club for any reason ... I find it more enjoyable to love my local, not everyone thinks the same though...
 
Monoethnic Social Club said:
Im with you here.... I have a club I support in most leagues around the world.... I picked Liverpool because of family preferences and influence as a kid, plus admired Rush and Barnes, Beardsley, Macca.... on and on.... IMHO its fine being a "supporter" of a club you dont hva ties to no problem at all with anyone supporting any club for any reason ... I find it more enjoyable to love my local, not everyone thinks the same though...
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locally is pretty damn obvious they at our door step but I luv them all just as much thats my take.
Not having a go might I add if you read it that way.
 
Monoethnic Social Club said:
HAHAHAHA Not at all, just a sly dig at @Muz who was complaining about getting the wrong number on his Roos top in the other thread........
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Was just playing around hahaha.

I still need to provide my full kit collection on here for everyone... I think I'm not getting any more until the end of the season/pre-WC (depends if Italy qualifies I guess)
 
LFC said:
locally is pretty damn obvious they at our door step but I luv them all just as much thats my take.
Not having a go might I add if you read it that way.
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No mate, no offence taken.... Im trying to say that I think EVERYONE can support whoever they want... I do...

I love Liverpool and Panathinaikos as you know, watch most of the games, buy the merch and follow as best I can from the other end of the world but (and this is just for me) that is a tiny fraction of my love for South Melbourne.... But I don't think someone putting Liverpool in the same spot as I put South is a Eurosnob or whatever, I think supporting a football club with heart and soul is a personal matter and everyone is free to choose.

Your boy being a Manure supporter (even if for a brief time) however.?... hmm bloke I don't know how I can forgive that one..... hahahahahaah
 
theFOOTBALLlover said:
My unpopular opinion is that people should only support clubs where they live/ originate from.
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I'm not against this opinion, but it's also a hard one to be ardent about.

My own story for example, growing up in Harare; if it was only to support my local team, then I'd have no EPL team. The EPL would not be as big as it is if not for globalisation. In saying that, some of that globalisation is also ruining the game.
 
theFOOTBALLlover said:
My unpopular opinion is that people should only support clubs where they live/ originate from.
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I tend to agree a bit. I was brought up in Middlesbrough in England. I've supported them since I was about 5 or 6 years old.

Not a particularly glamorous part of the world and not a particularly glamorous or successful football club mind but it gets under your skin if you support a team that identifies with your cultural background....

Having said that I am an avid football watcher and have cemented an interest in a lot of different clubs and leagues. Particularly in mainland Europe.

Variety is the spice of life and for me that includes football!
 
NicCarBel said:
All these examples valid to me I think.

My favourite one I've heard is (I think it might even have been Robbie Farrah-Wheelbarrah or Jarryd Hayne) who support Liverpool, because when they were younger and saw it on TV, they thought it was 'their' Liverpool (eg, Sydney Liverpool)
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As a kid I thought the Richmond afl team was way out West Sydney way.
 
Monoethnic Social Club said:
No mate, no offence taken.... Im trying to say that I think EVERYONE can support whoever they want... I do...

I love Liverpool and Panathinaikos as you know, watch most of the games, buy the merch and follow as best I can from the other end of the world but (and this is just for me) that is a tiny fraction of my love for South Melbourne.... But I don't think someone putting Liverpool in the same spot as I put South is a Eurosnob or whatever, I think supporting a football club with heart and soul is a personal matter and everyone is free to choose.

Your boy being a Manure supporter (even if for a brief time) however.?... hmm bloke I don't know how I can forgive that one..... hahahahahaah
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you can't believe the internal ansgt and struggle I was in through that period - plus I had to really tread lightly due that my better half is from CR7's island and some relos know his fam ! you know typical small island syndrome hahaha
I had to stomach some crap I tell you and I do remind him about backing manure for kicks.
Least he went to spurs and I've had the high ground since lol........
No2 son followed his Dad god bless him :)

Yer re supporting, who cares, if your invested good luck to you no matter how many and where.
 
Or you could just move to where your team is like I partly did with Hannover.

There are so many reasons people get on board with a club. I know someone born in Barnsley who supports Preston. As a kid he just didn't like where he was and Preston did enough to entice him.
 
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