Sorry but I can’t share the enthusiasm of Sky Sports or, it seems, the majority of the English football watching public, for the return of the football season. Despite what may be a record 3 month break without the Premiership, the game’s return does nothing for me and, judging by United’s performance at the weekend, it’s a view shared by the European Champions.
If the opportunity to gain revenge is igniting the passions of our rivals with many already predicting a 10 point title romp for Scolari’s Chelsea and even (no sniggering now) a decent challenge from Liverpool (calm down). United, shorn of their best player through physical injury and self-inflicted mental strain following the Madrid shenanagins and the permanent loss of Carlos Queiroz, a man widely credited with United’s stellar 2007/8 season, seemed to start the season with one eye on past glories and a worrying injury list.
Not only that but the anticipated ‘Big Man Up Front’ signing we’ve needed since van Nistlerooy’s departure has still not materialised. Meanwhile the party following Moscow still continues in my head – I must have replayed John Terry’s miss about a thousand times as well as acting it out in the back garden for the benefit of the kids. It doesn’t get much funnier than that, it’s even funnier now the guy is captain of England!
Fortunately the way the fixtures have worked out means United have still got a good month before the serious action starts. Usually the clubs play 3 games in the first week, we don’t play our 3rd league match until mid-September, although it is ‘the big one’ against Liverpool at Anfield.
Perhaps by then I will have shaken off my ennui but for now the Olympics seems to be a far more important source of enjoyment. The success of the British team is supposed to be one in the eye for the London 2012 doubters, of which I am one. Leaving aside the questionable amount of money it will cost and the prospect of white elephant stadia left unused by the London public Beijing 2008 has made for fantastic viewing -China announcing their arrival as a superpower with verve.
Team GB’s success has been good to watch not least because it has had a strong Mancunian flavour as all the cyclists are based here. Indeed, if Manchester was a country on it’s own (a seperatist movement that has sadly failed to get off the ground) with it’s own national anthem (I’d probably go for Love Will Tear us Apart if I’m honest) then we’d be ahead of Italy on that medal table.
The attraction of the Olympics is that, unlike the football, none of these events seem to be a foregone conclusion. A favourite in any event can just fuck up on the day and that’s four years worth of mental and physical preparation down the drain.
Also, the character of each nation seems to be wrapped up in certain sports with the eastern Europeans excelling at burly events like wrestling and throwing things and the Asians more into events that demand accuracy and concentration. I know this may sound like racial stereotyping but there’s a grain of truth in it. Meanwhile we excel in equipment based sports like cycling, rowing and sailing. I mean, when is an African ever likely to compete at track cycling or rowing?
The great leveller is the athletics track, which is why a Gold there is worth three anywhere else. Hopefully by the time London hosts the games we’ll have a few more contenders out there – but all in all it’s been a great fortnight’s viewing.
