Low Interest Rates
My interest in football has hit an all-time low. Charlton's soporific season hardly helped, but I increasingly find myself totally disinterested in even the supposed high-profile matches.I may drag myself to the pub for the FA Cup Final (fully a twenty yard walk), but I have a completely non-essential work commitment next Wednesday afternoon that I have unilaterally chosen not to cancel. It only took me a few seconds to realise that I couldn't care less who won the Champions League, and the chances of the game being a classic were negligible given that Chelsea were involved.
The media tried to lull us into believing that the 2007/08 Premiership campaign was one of the most exciting for many years. From my perspective however, it would only have been moderately interesting if the purist's favourites Arsenal had stayed in touch. The likes of Wayne Rooney or Ashley Cole are amongst the most repulsive people in the public domain, so what difference did it make to me which one was celebrating last Sunday?
During the past six seasons, only Everton (4th in 2004/5) and Newcastle (3rd in 2002/3) have dared to break into the top four. The relegation battle is inevitably more exciting meanwhile (read into that what you like), but once again the old adage about needing more than 40 points for safety was proved wrong yet again. In the past ten seasons, only West Ham (2002/3) and Bolton (1997/98) have gone down with a '4' in front of their name.
I can't be bothered to prove it, but I firmly believe English football is effectively insolvent. Its liabilities (contracted wages, debt etc..) exceeds its assets (stadia in crappy neighbourhoods, players it can only sell to other insolvent clubs etc..). The charade is explained on the same basis that the credit bubble was, until the world suddenly changed midway through last year. There'll always be a greater fool to buy the club from the present owners, until there isn't.
So not surprisingly perhaps (in light of my infrequent posts recently), I'll be taking a break from blogging for a while. Euro 2008 will be a showcase of the continent's finest talents, so naturally England will not be involved. News from The Valley meanwhile may be worthy of comment from time to time, but I've better things to do than prove how I knew Osei Sankofa wasn't good enough all along.
I'll write something when I feel suitably inspired (I'm tempted to hack into the club's email server for an end-of-season wrap-up for example), whilst I'll find the time to talk about my fascintating trip to the Gulf in due course. In the meantime, this is probably not the site to visit for 'instant updates' (the likes of Wyn Grant, Doctor Kish, and Dave Peeps perform this admirable task far better than I can).
Thanks for reading this season; I'll be back. Links to my most popular posts of the last few months are listed to the right.
posted by New York Addick @ 12:18 AM
8 comments
We shall miss you, hope your return soon.
Don't be gone too long NYA.
Have a nice break NYA. And if you should suddenly feel the creative juices starting to flow again, how about doing the odd "guest" piece for Doctor Kish? Only one condition: none of that financial mumbo jumbo PLEASE ;-)
Enjoy the break NYA. It has certainly been hard writing about Charlton from our perspectives. My blog has always had a broader base which gives me a more material to write about, even at risk of alientating some of my readers.
However I know the ideas will come again, and I look forward to your post on your Gulf trip.
struggling for motivation to renew season tkts here NYA...similar lack of interest in football generally, fed-up with the fickle crowd at the Valley these days, fewer members of the playing staff I feel I actually 'like' or identify with, even at the Valley while 'relatively' cheap it's still a lot of money etc.
On the positive side I quite like the Championship, hey, it's a competition that a good half to two thirds of the teams starting out actually think they can succeed in. Overall I'm hoping that Englands lack of participation in the summer provides a good break and I'll return (like Enland's players as it happens) refreshed by a couple of months of thinking about cricket etc.
I do fear for football as a whole tho. I can only see the top flight getting more and more sterile and once people start to turn away then just watch the money dry up. As you say,it only works while mugs are willing to pay for the 'prestige' factor.
First Frankie, now you, NYA - and CA off to new climes. What a tough season it's been for Charlton bloggers - unsurprisingly perhaps. We're lucky to have such a rich vein of blogs to check out still, but please come back soon - (including the financial mumbo jumbo!)
Have a good break!
NYA - I literally just recommended your blog to an English ex-pat today, telling him this was essential reading. Thanks for making me look like a fool. I can only hope that you will change your mind to appease me.
NYA - Thanks for the blogs during the season. I hope you feel refreshed enough to return for next season. I quite like the economics blogs. We live in very interesting times in the world economy and I enjoyed reading your comments.
Thanks again.