Football (or soccer if your a fuckwit).

I was brought up in a football loving household. When I first clapped eyes on the beautiful game I fell it love with it.

Since the birth of the premier league in the early 90's my love for the game has diminished with every season that passes.
No longer are players turning out each game for their love of the sport. Big money has led to bigger egos. In the not so distant past we had players who had character and a swagger about them, today's players are more like 100 metre sprinters who are taught footballing technique than the other way around.

Not so long since I read a story about a player in the 2nd tier of English football being mugged at knife point. Although it is sad when someone is mugged, when I heard what was stolen my blood boiled. The muggers got away with the players £20k Rolex, £5k's worth of jewellery, £200 in cash, they made their get away in the players £80k car. This is an average player, how the fuck can anyone justify paying someone who is average £20k a week? It makes my piss boil with anger.

The tipping point for me was when Wayne Rooney had a go at the England fans when coming off the pitch after a piss poor showing at the 2010 world cup. The average wage of the 23 man squad was £80k a week, Rooney is on £200k a week. If your getting paid 800 grand a month people who have been saving their money for years to watch you have not only the right to boo you if your shit, they have the right to ask for a refund. If I went to watch a band and they were moping around the stage looking disinterested I'd want my money back.

Things don't get any better the further down the leagues you go either. Last season i took my then 8 year old nephew to watch a game in the 4th tier of English football. With the tickets, program, hot dog and drinks I had spent the best part of £50. £50 to watch 2 shit teams kick a bag of wind about in a shit stadium.

Football was the sport of the working classes, but now it's the sport of millionaires.

But despite all that I still watch it ever week, need to know all the transfers news and buy the latest installment of the Football Manager series of PC games (of which I have been addicted to since Championship Manager 93).

Football, I hate you, but I bloody love you more.