Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Football News

I know I should try to say something intelligible about the big stories of the day - the fall of Lord Browne, the imminent departure of Blair and the failings of MI5 - but the first depresses, the second irritates and the third puzzles me so much that I would need to lie down for a day or two before emitting a post. But football, today, grabs me. I'm not talking about the worst football team in the world, nor last night's 'clash' between Liverpool and Chelsea - I just about got through 90 minutes by reading aloud my favourite passages from Evelyn Waugh's Scoop, but gave up when it went to extra time. No, football, for me, means Manchester City and it has been a great disappointment to discover that Sam Tyler in Life on Mars is a United supporter. Anyway, the big news is that City have taken the shocking step of suspending the footballer who talked sense, Joey Barton, merely because he seems to have duffed up Ousmane Dabo. Joey has, of course, got form, but I remain his most devoted fan. He is, I am sure, misunderstood. I am less keen, however, on the former Prime Minister of Thailand, who seems to want to buy City. City has always been an eccentric club but this seems an eccentricity too far. And, anyway, what would the serene, beaming Mr Shinawatra make of brawling Joey or 'Psycho' Pearce, not to mention the disappointment and suffering that afflicts everybody involved with City? Perhaps Buddhism will see him through; nevertheless, I feel I should write to him and explain.
Posted by Bryan Appleyard at 5:48 am

4 comments:

  1. AnonymousMay 02, 2007 8:16 am

    Well Bryan, you say this blog is about imaginary ideas. If football, for you, means Manchester City then this is an idea beyond the imagination of many. However, apart from talking sense, Barton is City's best player.

    Meanwhile the Rags are scaling the European heights in Northern Italy this evening. Milan has La Scala, we have the Embassy Club. Up the Reds!

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  2. BritMay 02, 2007 8:32 am

    Although "We got beat in the quarter-finals. I played like shit. Here's my book" is the best comment anybody made on England and the World Cup, I think we have to conclude on balance that Barton is not so much the Voice of the Common Man, as the Voice of the Nasty Little Vicious Thug Incapable of Existing Harmoniously with Other People or With the Knowledge of his Own Mediocrity.

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  3. AnonymousMay 02, 2007 8:34 am

    Weird? Weird? This would have been weird:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3906259.stm

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  4. AnonymousMay 02, 2007 6:23 pm

    It may have been boring to you, but life goes on in Petrona Towers. When "they" lose, it is not so great for the distaff side of the Petronae. I was busy online until that second half goal was disallowed, apparently not offside at all, so went to bed at that point. I personally was very relieved to hear the score this a.m., and look forward to some peaceful times until v Milan or the Old Enemy (Mrs MP's birthplace's team).
    (Actually, come to think of it, the birthplace of your team, too.)

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