Quote:
Originally Posted by irk
Football in general has become a big pile of homegnised shite. National teams don't have their own styles anymore. I remember watching the likes of Brazil and Holland back In the 70s and 80s when they were exciting and different. Every team could be any other team these days. The no hopers are so fit and physical they can turn a game into a defensive shitfest for 90 minutes.
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I think this is spot on, and a key factor in the changes in the sport from an entertainment perspective.
All the teams now look and play the same. Where's the creative spontaneity of the South Americans, the technical brilliance of the Dutch, the defensive industry of the Italians, the power, risk and madness of the Africans?
It's one of the reasons why I didn't really mind the Spanish. Lot's of people criticised them for being boring and stifling games, but at least they had an identity and recognisable style of play.
This stretches to club football, too. I remember the Champions League games in the 90s, and it was awesome to see how top clubs from other countries played; it was a proper clash of styles, and so entertaining. They're all the same now. Information overload everywhere, too. No mystery about players or clubs from faraway lands. I end up seeing more of football from £#%&!ing Spain every week than I do of football in England.