Some Little Football Talk

Let's talk football. Talking football doesn't hurt, so its best that we do it.

I must say that this post has been prompted by one guy who told me to write about football. A Manchester United die hard (just like my dad and my lady who also happen to be Bullets FC fans locally).

I ideally follow football but not as attentively as some of my soccerhead friends do which at times makes me wonder whether all the trouble that we go through because of football is really worth it.

If you were to ask me as to whether I like football, it will not be a straightforward answer. I like football but I have an outlook that is very different from the people who are considered as the greats when it comes to following football, be it at home or school.

It is not strange that people do not even know that I follow football. Half of the people do not even know that I am a Chelsea fan and it is probably because I hardly show up for matches. People do not know which team I support in the TNM Super League because I got none (after the sad relegation of my beloved Zomba United).

Anyway. Too much of personal stuff. Truth of the matter is that I too have my share of football. Truth of the matter is that I have a favorite in all the major leagues and much as I might not show up for soccer matches in the TV lounges, I follow every single match one my lovely Live Scores app. I am a busy man, anyway.

I started seriously following football in 2010. That was the time when I could watch back to back matches for 10 hours without blinking. Good old times. It is probably coming to college that got me weaned because of limited time. People usually do not watch the games I like anyway, because I prefer La Liga to the EPL.

The thing I have noted to be the difference between the typical soccer fan is that they follow too much of the football action of the pitch. Wanna know what I mean? People are always looking at who is on the bench and who is not. Who is injured and who the club wants to buy. Who should have played and who should have been substituted. Who is on top of the log table and who is the contender for the too four. To be honest, much as those things have a bearing on my soccer habits, I should say that they do not matter much. To me what matters is the action there and then. If Schkodran Mustafi (Google the name) is dribling and passes to Alavaro Negredo who scores, to me that's it. Whether that puts anyone in the Europa or Champions League is the story for the nerds. I don't think too much about that. To me there is not much of football outside of those 90 minutes or so.

Jerseys. Another difference between me and the typical. The normal supported would have a couple of jerseys for their team. They usually have the home and away kit and renew them every season to stay up to date. I feel like that is abit unnecessary. Perdoname. I don't have a Chelsea jersey (my excuse being that they are not my first love) but I got an old Valencia kit. The sort of jersey they used when they were in Korea for a preseason tour. Anyway. That was my best shot because those jerseys are hard to find. The other thing is that you can find me in a rival team's jersey. I mean, when I have a reason to put one on and find one, why should I not? I am flexible.

Now I want to talk about the big one and this is about the reaction that we get from football results. I am the sort of person who shouts to the extent of losing my voice whenever my team wins, just like any other Jim and Jack (Richmonds?). The difference with me is that I don't shed a tear like anyone else when my team loses. I mean, why should I when it is only football?

This is what will take us to the main point of the post. I think people in this world are letting football take too much of their lives that it is making them lose focus for a good 90% of their weekend which is too much for me. Don't judge. This is an opinion which came from one head which is mine.

In my view football is a distraction and for those of you who associate the word distraction with negativity, think twice. I can't manage to live without my distractions, so some football becomes necessary at one point or the other. I just make it a point that I enjoy it not the other way round.

There is always emotion associated with the beautiful game but I think it is good to filter. As a positive thinker, I think it is good to have some selective attachment to a team. When it wins it is good to shout on top of your voice until everyone hates you. When it loses, however, its not worth the trouble to use your energy... well; waste your energy, being worried about the team. I do not mean you should disown the team, but its possible to live with the loss of the team and not be depressed. I am a Chelsea fan this season, and I am a Dortmund fan who lived through last season. My local team, Zomba United, got relegated 3 seasons ago and I still miss the services of ESCOM FC in the league, so I know what I am talking about. Zapansi pompano izi.

Having said what I said, no people should hate each other or fight because of football played in a country we will probably never have a chance to visit. There is not rational explanation for that. Dzombe limenero litheretu. I mean.. It simply doesn't make sense. You are not exempted from this if you are wa Maule, Nyerere, Bankers or a Tigers fan (if those do exist).

Lastly, there are costs associated with football fanaticism. By this I am not talking about gate fees or the money we pay for DSTV and what not. Neither am I talking about the money we use to buy jerseys (which become too heavy when our teams lose). I am talking about the sort of thing called betting. Some of you have lost too much cash (where too much shall mean any sum above K100) in the name of your belief in Arsenal or whatever team you support. For who? For what? For where? For when? Again, not a wise thing to do.

Too much ranting in one post but to sum it up, football is good and that is why someone decided to call it the beautiful game. What he meant by that (he probably didn't know he meant that) was that you should be happy when your team wins but you should not get depressed when it loses. That is the point, otherwise whoever made football was doing it for happiness and not sorrow. Let's be happy with soccer, otherwise some of these expesense, financial and emotional alike, that are made in the name of soccer are not worth the trouble.

By the way, the Champions League is about to start. Enjoy it, if you watch that sort of thing.

Some pastor has said watching football is a sin, by the way, so you might want to follow my philosophy as a way of moving away from football little by little.

Flames woyeeeee!

Note: The author supports Chelsea in the EPL, Borrussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, Valencia in the La Liga and Juventus in the Serie A. He currently has no team in the TNM Super League.