One thing is for sure, it’s a sentiment felt by millions of people all around the world, the gravity of which has been no stronger than recently, the dreaded off season.
This period varies from country to country, but basically it lasts about three months, and this is simply three months too many. While it provides players with a more than necessary rest, it results in certain side effects for fans.
These include: an unhealthy increase of time spent trawling the internet in the hope of discovering some football related revelation, an obsessive level of speculation as to how their team will be different in the coming season, even if the truth is hardly at all (Arsenal fans), and last but not least, reading, watching, pondering or doing something else.
Thankfully, this year, and this time next year, we only have to endure two months of this.
This year, we owe the extra month of top quality football to the concluded Confederations Cup, and next year it will be the big one, the World Cup in Brazil.
It has been called “top quality” football, because watching pre-season games really falls under the category of these aforementioned side effects. As we long for our football fix however, we realise that, taking in the broader picture, what is really less than three months, is not the end of the world… It starts again today!
The English Premier League that is, with the German Bundesliga having kicked off last weekend. And what a season it promises to be.
It is times of change in Manchester, where the great Sir Alex Ferguson has put an end to 17-years of misery (for supporters of any other club than Manchester United) – his unrivaled career in management with Manchester United, with whom he won 13 league titles.
This, in stark contrast to the other side of Manchester, where now, former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini finds himself jobless after one trophy-less season, after delivering the club their first league title in 44 years. But such is the madness of modern football.
Speaking of madness, or at least perceived madness, with Sir Alex’s watch having finally stopped ticking, Arsène Wenger is now the league’s longest serving manager. The Arsenal boss is still holding out on any big money move for the player or two or three, who, in my opinion, could make them genuine title contenders. The three rumoured options who could do this are Ashley Williams (Swansea), Luis Gustavo (Bayern Munich) and the most talked about, Luis Suarez (Liverpool).
This seems to be the case across the EPL though, apart from City, who appear determined to get straight back to winning ways, with the signings of midfielder Fernandinho (£35 million), winger Jesús Navas (£17 million), and forwards Álvaro Negredo and Stevan Jovetic (each £22 million).
As mentioned before though, the biggest EPL transfer stories have been the non-events. Suarez, who has looked certain to leave for a while, is still at Liverpool. And while Chelsea and Tottenham have perhaps taken the biggest steps to improve their squads, this has been in a less headline-grabbing fashion.
Wayne Rooney remains at United, despite the returning Chelsea manager José Mourinho blatantly outlining his intent to sign the 27-year-old, which could prove a masterstroke even if the deal does not go through.
As for Tottenham, the acquisitions of Brazil midfielder Paulinho and Spain striker Roberto Soldado are excellent additions. However, their best bit of business is keeping hold of Gareth Bale, who is hotly sought after by Real Madrid. He is the player most capable of single-handedly winning a match, currently playing in the EPL, and by holding on to him, Tottenham could well challenge for the title.
Following the return of José Mourinho to Chelsea, many consider them favourites, and one can see why. With Sir Alex retired, though no doubt still influential at United, and new City boss Manuel Pellegrini being entirely new to English football, despite their impressive squads, there is a question of stability.
This is something Arsenal have buckets of, but so much so that their squad is unlikely to improve to be considered as contenders.
Therefore, so the logic says Chelsea, with the squad and a man in charge who has been there and done that for his current employers and fans.
Everyone will just have to wait and see though, but not for long now, it’s football time!
HOMEWORK FOR FOOTBALL FANS –
A Timeline of the Madness of Modern Football:
http://talksport.com/magazine/features/130730/10-previous-world-record-football-transfers-gareth-bale-next-202692
Eli talks to the great Tim Vickery and uncovers why, for me, this issue of stability makes international football more special than modern club football:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qya3B4-7mgE
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