Do you still enjoy watching/following football?

[SuperRash]

This came up in a convo between a friend and I and he was saying that football has become a hard watch at times, mostly because of VAR, but he also had a bitch about football as a whole and how City haven’t been punished into oblivion for the 115 charges yet.

The fact Newcastle have just come along with their dirty money as well isn’t helping!

He’s not even a United fan, so it isn’t just about how crap we are!

For me, my enjoyment of football has waned because you cannot even celebrate a goal anymore because there is bound to be a VAR check and something flagged up! It seems to be a rare occurrence where a goal is 100% fine!

I will always watch football but the spectacle itself has gone way down for me.

Interested to hear others thoughts.

 

[RichH2016]

I watch now now than I did a couple of years ago. My other half quite enjoys it. But being honest it’s more background noise. It’s an easy thing to put on without needing to do much thinking.

 

[IDFD]

I think the question should be changed. Do you enjoy watching top level football? I don't actually think it's just VAR that's the problem it's the poor officiating in general and the inconsistency. It was just a lot easier to accept these decisions when it was a ref and 2 linesman getting one look. It's the entitlement of the players. It's so far removed now to even what it was in the early 90's. But yeah I used to not miss a game if it was on TV. Not just United but any football I could get my hands on. Now if it happens to be on I may watch but I don't turn down plans because there is a Barca vs Madrid game on shortly. Also there is just so much more the market is saturated. Football is on every evening catching a live game isn't what it was. We can watch 16 different games on Champions League midweek. It's like F1, you used to have to watch a race there were 11 a season and each was a spectable. Now there is 23 a season and you can't dedicate yourself to watching all of them and none of them feel as special as it did when the seasons were shorter and the waits between the races longer.

But I'm actually enjoying football more than in probably 8/9 years when I stopped going often but it's due to the National League. Going to stadiums i've not visited before and enjoying the game how it was supposed to be. I've been to 14 games this season so far and expect it'll be 35+ by the end of the season. Off to Gateshead this weekend and buzzing for it.

 

[O-Dog]

VAR has definitely killed a lot of the enjoyment. The ridiculous amounts of money doesn't help either. For me, the game is losing/has lost its soul.

 

[Mr C]

The City thing is a huge problem.

Newcastle haven't been spraying loads of money about, they seem to be doing it right. Forget about the Saudi human rights bit for a mo, I don't mind new owners coming in and doing things properly, looking after fans etc.

City just got away with darn right cheating.

I think there are just too many unlikeable people in football these days. Earning way too much money

VAR i wouldn't mind so much, if they could get it right, but there is too much controversy.

 

[jsp]

I still enjoy watching the games but it isn't as enjoyable as it was and to be honest I care a lot less about Utd now than I did not because we don't win anymore but the way the club conducts itself is a disgrace.

I only really commit to watching Utd games these days because that's the addiction I just can't kick other games I don't feel the need to watch them. I'll tune in if I'm not doing anything else and there's nothing else on but I don't go out of my way to watch it.

The money the players get doesn't really bother me it is what it is and to be honest if anyone is going to get that money it should be them as they are the stars but their needs to be a lot more done to protect the fans as clubs don't need more money and it's all take take take with them.

In fact they should all be forced to drop the word club from their title as they are no longer clubs they are private companies owned by private individuals the word club is misleading.

They also need to stop adding more and more games it dilutes the quality the number of games top players are playing is ridiculous and fans are getting short changed in lots of games because of that.

 

[SuperRash]

I think the question should be changed. Do you enjoy watching top level football? I don't actually think it's just VAR that's the problem it's the poor officiating in general and the inconsistency. It was just a lot easier to accept these decisions when it was a ref and 2 linesman getting one look. It's the entitlement of the players. It's so far removed now to even what it was in the early 90's. But yeah I used to not miss a game if it was on TV. Not just United but any football I could get my hands on. Now if it happens to be on I may watch but I don't turn down plans because there is a Barca vs Madrid game on shortly. Also there is just so much more the market is saturated. Football is on every evening catching a live game isn't what it was. We can watch 16 different games on Champions League midweek. It's like F1, you used to have to watch a race there were 11 a season and each was a spectable. Now there is 23 a season and you can't dedicate yourself to watching all of them and none of them feel as special as it did when the seasons were shorter and the waits between the races longer.

But I'm actually enjoying football more than in probably 8/9 years when I stopped going often but it's due to the National League. Going to stadiums i've not visited before and enjoying the game how it was supposed to be. I've been to 14 games this season so far and expect it'll be 35+ by the end of the season. Off to Gateshead this weekend and buzzing for it.

Yeah I think VAR as a concept is a sound one but it’s the grey areas involved in the system and the users who are using it. It’s just not a good system right now and takes away that joy of football. I think the length of time it takes is also an issue and it’s a bit of a charade when the ref goes over to the monitor because 99% of the time the decision will be changed, so what’s the point?

I definitely don’t watch as much football as I did. I never miss a United match if it’s on the tv but I can very much take or leave any other games. If it’s on and there isn’t anything else to do then I’ll watch it. I used to enjoy watching the big games that didn’t involve United but even that has waned.

I think watching football at a lower level probably would ignite my love for it again I reckon. It would be going back to the old school reality of football. Decisions can go against you but I can take human errors but I cannot take technological errors when it’s supposed to help the game.