Tawdry razzmatazz

I agree. And the women's game is following right behind, making all the same mistakes.

Money will always 'talk', and lure.

That Bob Dylan line - "Money doesn't talk, it swears" !!

Over the years football has morphed from being a load of men getting much needed healthy exercise after a week at work, by kicking an inflated leather ball round a field, into the over-hyped money orientated enterprise it is now.

Although I think it was high time that women's football was given the recognition it deserved, I fear that it is heading in the same direction.

To Sarnia -I couldn't agree more. I'm all for footballers earning enough during a relatively short career but things have gone too far. Competition has all but gone from the English game with it now being almost a closed shop. As for the Americanisation of football, I see now that ITV now state "Player out & player in" When a substitution is made. Surely it is still "player off & player on"? The American s should stick to rounders -sorry baseball or their simplified version of rugby.

Agree with all the above! Trump is a buffoon (being as kind as I can be) the look on Cole Palmer’s face said it all - but I’m concerned at what will happen with the World Cup next year will supporters get visas to go to watch their teams? will they be safe?
I tend to watch Grass Roots football these days (grandsons all involved) it’s fun to watch and friendly atmosphere (most of the time😂) and is what the sport is (or should be) all about. The big money is definitely spoiling the game!

I remember back in the day football players lived in the same streets as the working class supporters. They travelled to work on the bus. Kids wore replicas shirts that didn’t cost a fortune.

If a woman was on the football terraces the men called out anyone who used bad language not like nowadays when the females swear just as much as the men.

Had a brother who was a professional. Couldn't stand it when younger, ate,travelled to games, slept football. It's definitely much much worse nowadays. All the sliding on knees, running to give hug, all for doing their job. Had hoped the women would be better but sadly no, they,too, are adopting the "look at me" habits. How many expert surgeons come out of a theatre sliding on their knees or go out into a hospital ward doing the "aren't I great" arm waving. And their salary isn't £250K a week as some footballers are if not more. You can tell I deplore football and what it's turned into.

Gone are the days when 'famous' footballers worked a normal job during the week and played footie at the weekend. Getting paid extra £5 when scoring in a big match. My late husband's Mum used to live in the same street as the Charlton brothers. My step dad used to play semi pro but I can't remember who for

Just give me money. That's what l want
Money makes the world go around.

Quotes from two well known tunes
Which some up not only football but nearly all elite kevel professional sports

I live in the Great Northern City. Where we have two veery well known teams

One has won nothing for years,plsy crap foitball but still attracts massive crowds of mugs from outside of the city and overseas.

Still trading on long gone past glories but run by very shrewd American owners who have fleeced it dry over the years. Merchandise is King

The other club makes money, but is owned and subsidised by a mega rich Sheik. And it does genuinely help the local community Plus, they do play workd class foitball. When in form!!!

As mentioned l think the Word Club Football Cup is just symptomatic of all so called elite sports relentless pursuit of building and expanding their empires. Whenever and wherever they can .

And yes. Womens Football has become a parody of the mens game. They even speak and talk like men

As for Trump He was just having a day out playing the Emperor!

You know what he's like

.🇺🇸⚽🎶👑💰👍

When are FIFA going to cap transfer fees and weekly wages. These and the footballers' bonus are pricing fans out of the game.

4allweknow

Had a brother who was a professional. Couldn't stand it when younger, ate,travelled to games, slept football. It's definitely much much worse nowadays. All the sliding on knees, running to give hug, all for doing their job. Had hoped the women would be better but sadly no, they,too, are adopting the "look at me" habits. How many expert surgeons come out of a theatre sliding on their knees or go out into a hospital ward doing the "aren't I great" arm waving. And their salary isn't £250K a week as some footballers are if not more. You can tell I deplore football and what it's turned into.

I agree it’s all OTT
What happened to the modest smile and the pat on the back?
It became kissy and huggy with players throwing themselves on the ground and appealing to the ref for the slightest reason.

75% of Premiership players are foreigners on huge wages, freezing out anyone English, or indeed British, who wants to play in the top flight. The clubs are often owned by foreign owners who see the clubs as a way of making billions. Then there are the ridiculous kick off times like 8pm on a Saturday that make it very difficult for fans to get back after a match( all to fulfill a multi billion television contract).
Football now is a money obsessed, overkilled bore, yet while people continue to spend a large chunk of their wages on Sky Sports and £90 on a shirt made in a sweatshop in Asia, it won't change. Many fans as well are completely oblivious to the fac t they're being used and exploited by club owners, the media and foreign players demanding 500 k a week.