Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

To really not care about football right now?

89 replies

Frangipanini · 02/05/2020 09:19

Obviously I care about support staff losing their jobs but I really DO NOT give a stuff about FIFA or massive salaries of football stars who refused to do their bit during this crisis. I am sick of seeing the reinstatement of football as headline news.

Surely, if there is every going to be a time to reset this joke of an industry it is now.

If they start up matches again I hope all these people who threw their toys out of the pram about pay cuts when other staff were furloughed, are shunned and booed on the pitch for years.

OP posts:

Dollywilde · 02/05/2020 14:09

Football is no different to religion, the beauty industry or gaming in the sense that while some people use it to perpetuate ill, for millions of people it gives them something to focus on and enjoy and provides meaning in their lives. I am a follower of two of the above and definitely not a follower of the other two but I can at least recognise that, while it might not be my bag, it means a lot to people and comments like ‘they should close the whole thing down’ aren’t helpful.

I have a friend who is a PA at a premier league club, doesn’t earn much at all, she’s been furloughed and is really worried for her job when this is all over. I have a friend who is a sports journalist, same situation.

People care about football. Just because you don’t doesn’t mean you can demand the media don’t focus on it. Just... don’t read those stories?

ViciousJackdaw · 02/05/2020 14:22

I'd just like to add that if your hatred of football is based on your DH slobbing out in front of it then it's not really football that's the problem...

DaisyGrabber2000 · 02/05/2020 14:29

Your comment is unfair. Lots of players and clubs do much to support the community usually (in normal times) and now. Much is done quietly and modestly so you don't hear about it.
As for the cut in wages, that was discussed. When you consider it's at 50% PAYE plus NI, it benefits the government for them to be paid!!

JediJim · 02/05/2020 14:30

I suppose football does feed the hospitality trade. Obviously lots of people work for the clubs ( not just players) . Transport and pubs/ bars all benefit from football and other sporting events.
Even tennis at Wimbledon pays lots of money into the local economy. Lots of hotels will lose out with Wimbledon and other tennis events being cancelled. Again, all part of the hospitality trade.

JediJim · 02/05/2020 14:31

Also don’t forget, the rich footballers pay lots of money in tax.

Saoirse7 · 02/05/2020 14:36

I think you are being unreasonable tbh. I see all over social media things like 'nurses should get what footballers earn' etc

It is comparing apples with oranges. Profession sports are a business, the taxpayer doesn't fund them, they receive a lot of their money based on demand - the demand is there for them and hence they are paid according to it. I do agree it is obscene some players are getting paid half a million a week. However, this is very much the minority, although no exactly hard, var the too player most footballers get paid much, much less. They also have a career span of approx 15 years. These footballers also pay their taxes unlike many politicians, a player on e.g. £100k would be paying at least £40k a week in tax. How many politicians move money to offshore accounts or fabricate offices or have family on the payroll?? The difference is WE pay for these expenses and extra benefits.

NHS staff etc getting paid more shouldn't be correlated with footballers. It should be correlated to the politicians and other for paid for by tax.

Footballers always get targeted, why don't boxers earning £8m a fight ever get questioned, or F1 drivers on millions per year?

There are hundreds of charity foundations up and down the country ran by footballers. From what I can see, footballers and football clubs do much more for the poor than the government has ever done.

The80sweregreat · 02/05/2020 15:04

Sport is a completely different kettle of fish compared to the nhs!
The nhs is publicly funded : can you imagine a nurse getting 100 k a week?

It's silly to think like this however much they are valued and over stretched and overworked. Completely unrealistic.

Plus the economy may be crashing at the moment but it would crash even more giving those kind of wages to every single person in the nhs!! A fair wage yes and pay rises : yes; but you can't compare the sport world to the nhs. Economics doesnt work like that.

PhilSwagielka · 02/05/2020 15:22

@JediJim Yep. Taking Everton as an example, there's a shitload of pubs and takeaways near Goodison Park - granted, the pubs have to close anyway but football is a huge source of income for them. Me, I don't go drinking before matches but other relatives of mine do. Same with the chippies and pubs around Old Trafford, as well as the various burger vans and hot dog sellers parked along the road.

PhilSwagielka · 02/05/2020 15:25

@Saoirse7 Do you think class has something to do with it? Football is, theoretically anyway, a working-class sport and has been for decades, even though a lot of fans are being priced out. Most players are from working-class backgrounds too.

blue25 · 02/05/2020 15:28

I love football, but I find the obsession with getting the season finished distasteful.

It highlights just how money focussed the whole thing is.

Truthpact · 02/05/2020 15:29

Guy at my work paid nearly 600 quid to watch “his team” in Europe but couldn’t afford to send his kids on school trip.

Thats just an example of a shit dad really though. That's not technically footballs fault.

1555CC · 02/05/2020 15:32

I'm with you OP. My boss went to the big Liverpool/Spain match in March

No he didn't. They've never played each other. Clubs do not play countries.

MakingASilkPurse · 02/05/2020 15:45

My mum is in the over 70 bracket and so will be in lockdown for a while yet by the looks of things, and she enjoys watching football. If they start it up again it will make the world of difference to her so I'm all in favour to be honest.

ViciousJackdaw · 02/05/2020 15:46

FFS, we all know that poster meant Athletico Madrid. If you're not a follower, you won't know all the names of the Spanish teams. No need to split hairs.

The80sweregreat · 02/05/2020 15:50

Football does tend to bring out the worst in people sometimes. I dread the Euros and world cups as it becomes a bit tribal on the playground and DV goes up too sadly :(

My brother came over at Christmas on a Saturday and was glued to the results on his phone every five minutes! His missing the footie.
It's not a sport I can see the appeal of but the revenue it brings in is amazing and this years Euros will be missed by many this year.

LetsGoFlyAKiteee · 02/05/2020 15:51

Even though Liverpool game against Atletico probanly was a mistake the same can be said for Spurs match in Germany. At the time guess most events hadnt started to be cancelled so much.

There just seems to be pressure to get it done. Even players have come out and said no in a way. Though in other countries teams where leagues have been ended are looking to take action so guess they're hoping to avoid that. If cancelled needs to be done the right way. Whatever that is.

Theukisgreatt · 02/05/2020 15:51

Football isn't just City and Liverpool, not just Aguero and Salah. Most clubs struggle at the best of times and this will finish off a few.

RunningNinja79 · 02/05/2020 15:56

DH and therefore DS supports a team currently at top of their league and looking for promotion for the first time in years (they always do well until Jan then lose it and end up in the play offs which they then lose too). They're happy for the season not to be restarted, but really hope the season isn't null and void.

My parents used to have season tickets for a club that was always up and down prem and championship leagues. They dont anymore due to their age and being a long day out (they dont live near the team - my dad grew up near there hence the supporting them), but they do enjoy watching the scores on a Saturday. They're bored now (esp my dad who loves ALL sports - cricket and football mainly) and would love something to do other than potter round the house doing F all. They both have said that they'd rather wait until we were ready than come back too early.

From a fan point of view I couldn't care less. I can really take or leave it, however from an economic point of view it would be a major boost for the UK. Some of our teams (Man UTD) have fans all around the world.

pussycatinboots · 02/05/2020 15:56

Phil
Tim Martin is a shitbag
nuff said!

topcat2014 · 02/05/2020 15:59

I pay nothing towards football as I don't have sky, therefore I don't have to be bothered one way or another which suits me

The80sweregreat · 02/05/2020 16:03

My brother signed up for BT sport again when there isn't it any sport on!
😀
They might put a few old matches on I guess? Luckily I live with three men and none of them like football.
I'll miss Wimbledon and the snooker this year though.

cacaca · 02/05/2020 16:09

Not all footballers are super rich. Even in leagues such as the premier league in Scotland (excluding Rangers and Celtic) some of these players as soon as they retire have to enter ‘the real world.’ They do not earn vast sums of money.

Saoirse7 · 02/05/2020 16:50

PhilSwagielka (love the name) I do agree it is a class thing. It annoys me when people like the OP say things like they should be ashamed for doing nothing etc. Many footballers have been very benevolent, Gary Neville, Marcus Rashford, Jordan Henderson, James Milner to name a few. Locally for me James McClean who is often cast as the panto villain has done so much for the local charities and NHS in this area, he ordered ten thousands pounds of PPE for our local hospital after the government failed to do so.

Matt Hancock is a prick, his slur on footballers was calculated and unfair. He never called out any of his hedge fund mates or big city bankers to have a wage cut. When asked if he would he refused but said he's work longer hours.... He is on twitter thanking national newspapers for sourcing PPE, the constant deflection of the responsibilities of this government is disgusting. The fact a 100 year old man had to raise £30m to SUBSIDISE the NHS as well as the crowdfunding is a disgrace. The NHS is not a charity, we have paid for this through our taxes. I know it is a pandemic, but the government did a trial of this in 2016 and it transpired the NHS would have been unable to cope, the government then continued with austerity measures for the next 4 years.

But yeah, blame the footballers

The80sweregreat · 02/05/2020 17:29

I agree that MPs not directly dealing with this crisis and not doing overtime should take a pay cut.
Even if it's for a month.

PubsClubsMinistryOfSound · 02/05/2020 17:33

You're nbu to be uninterested in whatever doesn't interest you, but much of the rest of your post is idiotic.

Flip

1 2 3 4