Yesterday's referee in the Bradford City v. Wycombe Wanderers game was an absolute shocker. It was not that I am totally biased or that City lost, but he was just dreadfully inept and spoiled the game by becoming the centre of attraction. One wonders how referees like this remain on the league list.
I have often written to the Football Association about the poor standards of refereeing and have never received any honesty or openness in reply. The fact that the marks given to referees by clubs and assessors are not published says it all.
It is a popular saying amongst football supporters that the referee had a good game if you did not notice him. How often can we say that these days? It is a difficult, thankless task but I continue to fail to understand the lack of consistency between referees and within matches. Surely the Football Association should set consistent standards and educate their officials through regular video / DVD guidance in this high tech age? If they do, it is not apparent in the application of refereeing in matches.
Yesterday we had a player booked after a histrionic fall by a Wycombe player, giving a free kick and resulting in the only goal of the game. Shortly afterwards a Wycombe player committed a similar, if not worse foul, and was not booked. At times the referee seemed completely lacking in control of what was going on - restarting play with drop balls, when the ball had been put into touch to allow the trainer on. Goal kicks given when it should have been a corner.
Come on referees - get your act together and stop spoiling the spirit of football. This is meant to be entertainment, not carry on whistling.
Sunday, 30 September 2007
Great Expectations
The arrival of Stuart McCall as Bradford City's manager this summer has given rise to huge aspirations and expectations amongst City supporters. They have shown their total faith in Stuart by the purchase of a record number of season tickets (helped by the bargain price).
Stuart is a legend based on his two previous spells with the club that gave him his league debut in the early 1980s and his return in the late 1990s to help City's promotion to the Premier League. The legend status and popularity is based on his total commitment to the City cause and his never say die attitude.
His start as a manager has been patchy and there already seems to be criticism in the background. Whilst many perhaps expected City to stroll to promotion from Division 3 under Stuart, it is clear that City do need to do more than just turn up. Two defeats in two weeks by Hereford United and Wycombe Wanderers have shown that hard working, well organised teams without too much flair can win and out-think and outplay City without too much trouble.
It is still very early days in Stuart's managership and he must be given a chance to get the team playing to his pattern without a huge amount of resources being available. One hopes that whilst we are all desperate for some success, the fans will be patient and give Stuart a chance. There are some good players in the squad and some weaknesses but it is difficult to judge how much freedom or opportunity Stuart has or will have to change the squad in the short term. We must keep the faith.
Having watched City for nearly 50 years I think that my expectations are not as great as some other supporters. For about half of my time watching City, they have been in the two lower divisions of the Football League and I did not witness City playing in the old second division (now The Championship) until the 1985/86 season. The lower divisions seem to be our spiritual home despite the success of the late 1990s.
I desperately hope that Stuart will succeed and lead us forward to another period of relative success, but there is a real world out there and we need to be realistic and may need a season or two of mid table mediocrity before the next breakthrough - hopefully not?
Stuart is a legend based on his two previous spells with the club that gave him his league debut in the early 1980s and his return in the late 1990s to help City's promotion to the Premier League. The legend status and popularity is based on his total commitment to the City cause and his never say die attitude.
His start as a manager has been patchy and there already seems to be criticism in the background. Whilst many perhaps expected City to stroll to promotion from Division 3 under Stuart, it is clear that City do need to do more than just turn up. Two defeats in two weeks by Hereford United and Wycombe Wanderers have shown that hard working, well organised teams without too much flair can win and out-think and outplay City without too much trouble.
It is still very early days in Stuart's managership and he must be given a chance to get the team playing to his pattern without a huge amount of resources being available. One hopes that whilst we are all desperate for some success, the fans will be patient and give Stuart a chance. There are some good players in the squad and some weaknesses but it is difficult to judge how much freedom or opportunity Stuart has or will have to change the squad in the short term. We must keep the faith.
Having watched City for nearly 50 years I think that my expectations are not as great as some other supporters. For about half of my time watching City, they have been in the two lower divisions of the Football League and I did not witness City playing in the old second division (now The Championship) until the 1985/86 season. The lower divisions seem to be our spiritual home despite the success of the late 1990s.
I desperately hope that Stuart will succeed and lead us forward to another period of relative success, but there is a real world out there and we need to be realistic and may need a season or two of mid table mediocrity before the next breakthrough - hopefully not?
Sportsmanship
It was good to see Leicester City allowing Nottingham Forest to score unopposed in the replayed game, which had been previously abandoned due to a player being taken seriously ill. I wonder if this would have happened if it had been Manchester United and Liverpool or Arsenal and Tottenham Hotpsur playing? This gesture restores some faith in the largely cynical and money oriented modern game. Well done Leicester City!!
A Tale of Two Cities
I have been trying to read Charles Dickens "A Tale of Two Cities" recently.
It struck me that the opening lines were prophetic writing about the fortunes of Bradford City, written in 1859:
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way...."
It struck me that the opening lines were prophetic writing about the fortunes of Bradford City, written in 1859:
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way...."
Monday, 24 September 2007
A Sense of Perspective
Bill Shankly is reputed to have made the famous statement that "Football is not a matter of life and death, it is more important than that". As a totally committed football supporter to a lower division club, for most of my life, I can recognise what Bill meant. However, in recent times, I have perhaps become a bit disenchanted and disillusioned with football and mainly with the hype around the Premier League.
I still want to see Bradford City win and am passionate about their fortunes, which remain fairly uncertain after another defeat on Saturday. If we cannot beat a pub team like Hereford United, one wonders what the future holds? Football remains a roller coaster ride for most football supporters with the occassional, ephemeral smell of success usually snatched away before it can be fully enjoyed. A few wins and then normal service is resumed and back to doom and gloom and depression. If you win you watch Match of the Day and read the football columns in the Sunday paper avidly. If you lose you don't watch Match of the Day and don't buy a paper. I cannot remember when I last watched Match of the Day!
However back to Bill. On Saturday my second grandson was born and, as with the first one, it gave me a huge feeling of well being and hope and optimism for the future. I was very emotional at 6.15 a.m. on Saturday morning when I got the text bringing me the good news and could hardly get the words out to tell my good lady wife. Saturday's defeat at Hereford was largely irrelevant as we went to the hospital to see our new grandson.
You were right in principle Bill, but you also need to maintain a sense of perspective. Looking forward to playing football and feeding the ducks with my grandson on a Sunday afternoon rather than watching those overpaid, play acting, pretentious wallies in the Premier League.
I still want to see Bradford City win and am passionate about their fortunes, which remain fairly uncertain after another defeat on Saturday. If we cannot beat a pub team like Hereford United, one wonders what the future holds? Football remains a roller coaster ride for most football supporters with the occassional, ephemeral smell of success usually snatched away before it can be fully enjoyed. A few wins and then normal service is resumed and back to doom and gloom and depression. If you win you watch Match of the Day and read the football columns in the Sunday paper avidly. If you lose you don't watch Match of the Day and don't buy a paper. I cannot remember when I last watched Match of the Day!
However back to Bill. On Saturday my second grandson was born and, as with the first one, it gave me a huge feeling of well being and hope and optimism for the future. I was very emotional at 6.15 a.m. on Saturday morning when I got the text bringing me the good news and could hardly get the words out to tell my good lady wife. Saturday's defeat at Hereford was largely irrelevant as we went to the hospital to see our new grandson.
You were right in principle Bill, but you also need to maintain a sense of perspective. Looking forward to playing football and feeding the ducks with my grandson on a Sunday afternoon rather than watching those overpaid, play acting, pretentious wallies in the Premier League.
Thursday, 20 September 2007
Winning Ways
A few weeks ago I posted a blog which questioned whether Bradford City would ever win again. Since then City have won three games - two at home and one away. Life seems a lot better than it did back then. There seems to be a new confidence in the team and although the first half on Saturday against Peterborough was not brilliant, we at least seem to be showing Stuart McCall's work ethic on the pitch.
It is amazing how football can impact on your life. Last season's relegation performance was dreadful. In fact for a couple of seasons we have been pretty dire and for the first time in fifty years of going to watch City I found myself drifting into deep thoughts about anything but football at the games. Staring into space and watching pigeons flying around seemed infitely more interesting than watching the dross.
The boredom was intense and the lack of any confidence in the ability to win was quite startling. This carried over to the beginning of this season, but the signs are that, whilst there is work to do, we are heading in the right direction. Just as well, as we do not want to end up in the Blue Square Conference. Optimism rules. Onwards and upwards.
It is amazing how football can impact on your life. Last season's relegation performance was dreadful. In fact for a couple of seasons we have been pretty dire and for the first time in fifty years of going to watch City I found myself drifting into deep thoughts about anything but football at the games. Staring into space and watching pigeons flying around seemed infitely more interesting than watching the dross.
The boredom was intense and the lack of any confidence in the ability to win was quite startling. This carried over to the beginning of this season, but the signs are that, whilst there is work to do, we are heading in the right direction. Just as well, as we do not want to end up in the Blue Square Conference. Optimism rules. Onwards and upwards.
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