The 16th of March 2010, the 22nd minute at Stamford Bridge John Terry plays a lovely, chipped ball over to an overlapping Ashley Cole. Cole takes it over his shoulder onto his left, six yards out he chops it back before stabbing it through into the Sunderland net, 3-0. That day Chelsea won 7-2. They would go on to win the league by beating Wigan 8-0 on the final day of the season. But on the cold West London afternoon in mid-winter, me and my Dad were there, three rows from the front, shouting for our Blues (we were visible on the reverse angle on MOTD). I still have the ticket.
Football, to me, is romantic. Whilst in the past few years I have been falling out of touch with the game, (my fantasy team is lucky if I even glance at them post November) it is still a game that never ceases to capture my imagination, my awe and bring about emotions that I usually don’t display. It’s made me cry, laugh and scream in elation, usually that’s over the course of one match. I remember feeling dejected after Chelsea’s first leg loss to Napoli in 2012. Three months later that same team made me cry with joy and jump hug and squeeze my Dad when Drogba, my hero, scored the Champions League winning penalty with his final kick for Chelsea (he returned two years later but shush). I remember being gob smacked when Hal Robson-Kanu Cruyff turned the entirety of the Belgium out of the Euros (a goal that SHOULD be talked about more). I remember laughing to myself when Zlatan went full Zlatan against England.
Football is about the underdog, it’s about the fight that cannot be won, the fight that should not even be fought. It’s about the upsets; Wales 3-1 Belgium (Euro 2016 Quarterfinals), Greece winning the Euros; the semi-pro New Zealand side holding World Champions Italy to 1-1; and Liverpool coming back from 3-0 half time to win the 2005 Champions League. Without these the sport is nothing, if the same team wins every time it becomes monotonous. I want to see Chelsea play Bradford in the FA Cup (and lose 4-2 like we once did). I want to see Dortmund score two injury time goals against Malaga before going on to the final. I want that romance, that lack of surety and clarity that any result is a given, that any game is a write off or a loss until the final minute. The “European Super League” destroys that romance, that spirit and any ounce of love I have left for the game.
This move signed off by owners and chair people, drags football towards franchisement, towards Americanised sporting norms. Football is tribal and partisan which, whilst sometimes can be taken out of hand, is part of what makes the game what it is. When your sports teams are franchises or brands, they no longer have that soul, they no longer stand for something. Manchester United, hated because of their periods of dominance but will always fight and play with that level of cocksureness that makes you want to dislike them (like every good pantomime villain). Every team stands for something and plays a role withing the stage play that is club football. It’s not the best role to have but Arsenal play the perennial fourth place to perfection. They are not too low down that they are low hanging fruit when it comes to piss takes, but not strong enough to challenge the title race, they are just, Arsenal.
When Chelsea beat Porto in this year’s Champions League quarters the BT sports commentary team pointed out that Chelsea have only faced their semi-finals opponents, Real Madrid three times before. A two-legged affair in 1971’s edition of the Cups Winners’ Cup (my opinion is if there’s a new competition it should be the rebirth of that, but that’s for another day), and in the UEFA Super Cup of 1998. Three times! This makes the upcoming match so much more tantalising, so much more special. Chelsea Vs Real Madrid is a money match, it’s a match that sponsors will pay top dollar to have their name associated with but if you have that match EVERY. SINGLE. SEASON. It just becomes another Everton vs Palace, don’t get me wrong, there’s a place for it in football but these matches, between the elite teams, should be rare, once in a blue moon, something to be excited for. Something to make me and my dad who are both casual, at best, football fans want to sit down, chat crap about and watch. Ring fencing elite football would drive fans like us away.
Despite Chelsea’s U-turn just 48 hours later I believe that just for attempting this the clubs should be made an example of, they have brought the game into disrepute. I hope the FA give Chelsea’s place in the FA cup Final to Southampton, they deserve it more than us at this point. I hope that UEFA ban the twelve clubs from continental football for the next few years. Give me West Ham Vs Real Betis next season please.
I cannot tell where this story will end up or ever try to go but this is just the beginning. A beginning that has led me to question whether I give up on football all together or try to pull off Claret and Blue.
Rhys Ash Powell 