In yesterday's Irish Times, Andrew Fifield lamented the relative dearth of quality films about football. And he's right: when compared to Field of Dreams, The Full Nine Yards, even Friday Night Lights, football can't really compete with traditional American sports. The Firm, Green Street, Bend It Like Beckham, each one worse than the next. The Damned United, he argues, is just about the only decent film about football. And still, he's right.
Only he forgot one, an all-time classic in my household. There's Only One Jimmy Grimble has everything you want in a family film: high farce, Manchester City, adversity overcome, dreams realised and Robert Carlyle. And, more than most films about football, it feels rather authentic. If you haven't seen it already, you should.
As far as football news goes, I tend to read the Guardian. The other day they quoted Noel Gallagher saying something to the effect that, before the billionaires rolled it to Eastlands, Man City were everybody's favourite team. No more, though. Now, City are just another potential scalp.
Today, after a chasing the England defender tirelessly and, it seems, illegally, City have signed Joleon Lescott, adding yet more fuel to the fire. Fantasy Football should be left to the supporters, say many. Keep it off the pitch.
What irks me, as a City fan, is when these sort of reactions come from Chelsea, Man United, Blackburn, Liverpool or even Aston Villa fans. "Oh, you're buying your way to glory," some refrain. Sure we are, but isn't that exactly what their teams have done, if only in a (sometimes) slightly less brazen, and possibly less successful, manner.
Chelsea built their team from scratch when Abramovich took over in 2003. United have consistently splashed out on £30 million players over the last 5 or 10 years. Blackburn bought their way to Premiership success in 1995, when Alan Walker flooded the club with cash. Liverpool have spent overall £200 million since Rafa Benitez took over. And even Aston Villa have used relative clout in the transfer market to have the team pushing for a top four spot.
Some might say it's disgraceful that money can buy success in the best football league in the world, but it's a sad fact that, by buying into the whole spectacle, by watching Sky Sports and eagerly reading about the latest big money signings, by partipating in football betting, we are all responsible for the corporatisation of football. I personally think money has made football enormously entertaining. It's the reason the Premier League is the best in the world. Let's just be thankful, I think, that the money is attracted the league we all follow closest.
Man City let their fans sit biting their nails for the the lion's share of the game, scoring early once again and, instead of putting the game to bed, let it stay up late to jump around near the good china. Being a City fan this season might be more enjoyable, but it certainly doesn't look like it will be more relaxing than before.
City 1 - 0 Wolves
Just as Liverpool answered their critics midweek by crushing Stoke, Man United have silenced the naysayers this afternoon by scoring 5 away to Wigan - and all within the space of forty-five minutes. Always a man to rise the occasion, Michael Owen scored when it mattered most to put United 4-0 up in the 85th minute.
Wigan 0 - 5 United.
True, I say this as a City fan. But I say it with a level, impartial head. I think we've wasted a lot of our money this summer, buying Class B players at Class A prices. But at only £12 million, Barry is a Class A player for a Class B price. Pittance, really, when you consider we spent almost £20 million on Brazilian flop Jo, whose name spelt backwards seems to almost make OG.
Gareth Barry has consistently proved himself to be one of the best five midfielders in the Premiership, and will provide the leadership that City, I had feared, would sorely lack. An absolute certainty for any Fantasy Football Leagues this season, that's for sure.
While we're on the subject, why not join the Fantasy League over at Football Corner, and be in with a chance of winning a prize.
The only problem with that, as I see it, is that City have spent the summer looking to sign some big money defenders, and they just don't seem to be able to find any of them available. So, if Everton got rid of Lescott, how do the fans imagine they would find it easier to find another big money defender?
That said, I think that at this stage, with the player now having requested a transfer, Everton have little option but to let the star centre-back go.
After a long and, I confess, unannounced recess for the summer, An Educated Right Foot returns just in time for the start of the season. Chelsea won the Community Shield last weekend, and already, we have scores of column inches arguing to and fro about refereeing inconsistencies. Add at An Educated Right Foot to your list of daily visits to read our balanced analysis on the controversies that will no doubt unfold this season.
For the record, I think Chelsea let themselves down, and not for the first time, by not kicking the ball out of play, especially considering the tournament it took place in, the virtual friendly that is the Communitee Shield.
Check back all this week to read our predictions for the new season, and our take on the signings and sightings of the summer.
