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Wednesday 30 April 2008

The League of Ordinary Gentlemen

26/04/2007

Good evening all! It's a warm Saturday evening here in Sabadell, Barcelona, and the tension is mounting as we await the Grand Prix tomorrow, to be held just round the corner at Montmeló, and look to Fernando Alonso to do the Spanish nation(s) proud against that nasty Hamilton of Albion. But Saturday evenings, of course, mean football night, these days another hotbed of controversy; well, not so much 'these days' as just another hotbed of controversy!

And they wouldn't be complete without it. What better way can there be to spend a couple of hours on a Saturday night than hurling abuse at the players of your own side? Because that, ladies and gentlemen, is the state of play these days in La Liga, so abysmal is the performance of the players in the top teams of this normally fabulous league. And there's one team in particular where it's all happening, sorry, not happening should I say: the club that is més que un club - do they still dare to call themselves that these days? - Barcelona C.F.

Yep, some of these over-paid prima donnas are sending Kleenex sales through the roof with their dire run, plus their lack of respect for each other and for their fans. I think it's one win in nine league games now. I've never been one to laugh at the misfortunes of others - you must have been a real shit to me if I do that, because life goes on - but I must confess to profound enjoyment of the disastrous season this club are having. Very much so, in fact. So many millions - invested in foreign players and yet it seems to be the local boys that save the club's skin, and that goes for Real Madrid too - and so little quality. On top of that, the rights to the Barcelona matches are sold to the Spanish satellite channel on pay-per-view TV, so fans are forced into a bar to see their idols play if they don't have satellite or can't afford a season ticket, although they may have scraped together some money for a shirt - and all to see them lose.

And now we're really starting to see the true colours of some of the players that are being paid millions to stick the ball in the back of the net. Deco, for instance, close to the start of the season had stated that if there was no silverware to speak of at the end of it then a move would be in order for him. And not so long ago, Eto'o also declared himself ready to up sticks if there was no glory on its way, to the club that offers the most money, he says with a laugh. Oh yes, there's also Ronaldinho, who, supposedly, is said to have signed for a move to AC Milan, after several weeks of sitting around on a nice cosy bench. Why don't they sign up more local lads instead - "Here you go son, here's €5,000 a month" and watch them take you to the Champion's League final.

So yes, I'm not Barcelona's greatest fan at the moment. In fact, I'm still sucking on sour grapes after Ronaldhino got sent off 20 minutes into the league game against Getafe in May of last year - at roughly 70 GBP per ticket. Quina vergonya!

But, like I said, life goes on. I think I've said enough for now. I'm off to buy some white handkerchiefs...