Never did I think I would write about football and publish it in my blog. Nonetheless, do not expect to find any analysis here of how the Spanish selection played in the World Cup, or about the economic effects associated with football competitions, not to mention its social dimension in the sense of the modern version of ?bread and circuses??. However, because I like to take up the challenges posed by others, as has been witnessed here on other occasions, I am going to accept a suggestion made by Andres, the teacher in my English class.
Every day a conversation about football can be heard in the bar where I usually go to have a cup of coffee; even more, this topic is a good topic to stimulate a dynamic debate in English classes, allowing students to practice their speaking skills. In these instances, I generally stay silent because it is a theme I am not interested in at all.
My lack of interest is a weak point in the opinion of one of my friends. She argues that if you have a knowledge of football you can speak to everyone, wherever you are in the world. And she is right! When travelling around the world, if you say you are Spanish, right away someone names one of the two most famous Spanish football clubs. If your knowledge is broader, the conversation carries on; if not, there is nothing more to say. I must acknowledge that this is a universal theme; even in the most remote villages in the world that I have visited I could see children wearing football Jerseys belonging to the most famous clubs in the world.
My friend is interested in this topic and, as is also the case of my son, she is a supporter of one of the two clubs in our city. However, my son, who prefers basketball, is angered by the sports section in the news. According to him this section of the news is entitled incorrectly because the news is exclusively about football and they say nothing about other sports.
In a nutshell, I don?t care about football. This might be because I don?t understand the tactics which don?t move me, but it doesn?t even stir any feelings of patriotism within me which it seems to do in other people.
Dear readers, sorry if I have disappointed you because football is one of your passions; so, is there anyone who doesn?t care about football like me?
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Espa?ol
Hola, Gloria.
First and foremost, thanks for keeping this blog telling us about your experiences and thoughts on so many things every week. Although we do not turn up here very often, I?m sure more people than you think read your posts. Indeed.
Thanks also for striving to write the English version. You are a clear example of motivation which I long for my class regularly, mind you, my groups this year are excellent. You must go on as the C2 level in English is there waiting for you.
Regarding this post about football, thanks again for mentioning my name. If I brought about a topic with your point of view (mainly in English), goal attained. As for the idea that you pose, I understand that you overtly don?t like football at all. Understandable, deeply respectable and, besides, shared by many people. I will naturally not be advocating football like a buff (let alone in public 😉 ). However, just looking for some balance with your point of view, I?ll state my opinion on the positive (and not so positive) values granted by what you call ?deporte rey?.
As you say, it?s a handy topic to start to talk to someone or fill in some conversation gap (if you?re fed up with the weather). But, heads up! If you come across a fanatic, you must clearly set the limits of your opinion and move with extreme caution. It happens in class: in this city, apart from the usual taboo topics that shouldn?t be dealt with as they are personally sensitive (politics, sex and religion), I have to add local football (and also bullfighting recently, I must not forget that).
Besides, football gives many people that feeling known as sense of belonging. Many need to feel they belong to a more or less defined group, you know, the identifying traits, gregariousness and all that. That?s the reason for so many supporters of so many clubs (companies). But, mind you again, if the team of the small town is not relevant enough, then no sense of belonging to that team! They do not hesitate to spurn the team of their own town and they cry out they support one of those ?great? clubs from the very bottom of their heart and since the day they were born! Yes, hypocrisy, but this is nothing new, is it?
Finally, football has become a huge industry whose goal, as in almost every aspect of today?s society, is to make money. Therefore, heads up again! Supporters risk being manipulated and becoming the real product in the market and, even worse, they don?t realise.
Gloria, if you?ve read this lecture to this point, thanks again. Needless to say I will keep visiting your blog with great interest, so, please, go on writing your posts as the show must go on.
Have a fabulous summer holiday.
AS