You might not see it, but football is art imitating life. In a 90 minute game, those that can appreciate it find hundreds of different emotions in every pass, every tackle, every shot, every save; but it’s not a sport for everyone, in the same way that Picasso’s art is not for everyone, or a simple pop song is not for everyone. Football is as much about the plays in between as it is about the scoreline at the end of the game. A game that ends 4-3 can be one of the worst games you’ve ever seen, or a game that ends 0-0 can be one of the best games you’ve ever seen. It’s all in how you see it.
Football is my sport, the one that I’ve played and watched since my older brother told me to stop playing netball because I was bad at it and I’d probably be better at soccer. I know this sport better than any girl probably should, and I’m okay with that.
In two days time the 2010 World Cup starts in South Africa, and I’m gearing myself up to deal with a month of people who know nothing about my sport – and that bag me out for my love of it – pretending that they know everything there is to know about football. It’s the one problem with the Australian national team now having an easier qualification route; we’re more likely to qualify, and I’m therefore more likely to have to deal with nuff nuffs who like to think that one month of watching football every four years means that they know the sport. Here’s my advice to you: you don’t.
This all makes me sound like I’m not open to other people embracing the sport, which believe me, is far from the truth. I love seeing friends of mine suddenly realise how captivating the sport is, I just can’t handle people who would barely be able to tell me the offside rule trying to tell me how someone is a horrible player, or how bad a shot on goal was when it wasn’t even a shot. Football is a sport that brings people together and tears them apart, and the next month or so is definitely going to prove that.
