Values are important in football. To quote from an earlier post that I wrote: “I believe that it’s good for managers, players and fans to be grounded in the world outside football, with family, friends and values that keep them from being crushed by what happens on the pitch.” Continue reading
Sometimes football seems very insignificant compared to more important things in life. It seems wrong to care about a game when so many people in the world are struggling just to exist. The news of people adrift on the Mediterranean Sea in flimsy, overcrowded boats makes me question why I spend so much time thinking about Birmingham City. I rationalise by telling myself that I can’t carry the problems of the whole world. I do what I can: I give to charities that tackle some of the problems and I vote in elections, trying to select the candidate who will do the most good or the least harm. Continue reading
My initial reaction to the timing of Birmingham City’s game against Rotherham was that I would rather it was on another day. I can’t remember ever going to a football game on Good Friday before and didn’t want to go to a game today. Continue reading
From comments I have heard and read about Wednesday’s game, it seems I am too easily pleased. All the other fans’ assessments ranged from not very entertaining to abysmal. So why did I quite enjoy it? I can think of several reasons. Continue reading
It was bound to happen sooner or later and it happened at Blackpool; Birmingham City lost. It wasn’t good to lose to a team adrift at the foot of the table but I wasn’t particularly worried that we lost to a team managed by Lee Clark. I don’t feel any animosity towards him. If we have to lose, I’d prefer to lose away. Given our abysmal home record last season, the team needs to play well at St Andrew’s in order to keep the home crowd’s support. The away supporters are more forgiving. Continue reading
For 90 plus minutes tomorrow, Blackpool will be our opposition and I won’t be wishing anything good for the team or its supporters. But at other times I have a great deal of sympathy for Blackpool supporters and players; they have had problems with owners too. So I like the idea of Birmingham and Blackpool players posing for a mixed squad photo before the game. This is in honour of Football Remembers Week, commemorating the 1914 Christmas Truce between British and German soldiers. From time to time it’s good to be reminded that football can bring people together as well as cause arguments. Continue reading