Nothing upsets me more than British ex-pats whining about how better things are back home, all the while living and earning a dollar in this fine land.
I read their asinine drivel on Twitter frequently, and I just want to wind up and let them have a blast of “then go the hell back home then!” Seriously, it does my head in! That being said, as the Christmas period approaches, I do need to whine a little myself, and respond to those over here complaining about the number of matches in English football over Christmas.
Just. Stop. It. Is. Wonderful!
Boxing Day programming alert: Watch Burnley vs Liverpool on the four main Sportsnet channels at 9:30 am ET, Leicester City vs Tottenham on Sportsnet ONE at 9:30 am ET, Crystal Palace vs Southampton on Sportsnet World, and Arsenal vs Queens Park Rangers on the four main Sportsnet channels at noon ET. || Also, watch Sunderland vs Hull City at 9:30 am ET online at Sportsnet World NOW || Broadcast schedule
I am not one to use tradition as a crutch, but when it comes to five matches in 12 days, it really is something absolutely unique to British football, and sets it apart from elsewhere in Europe where traditionally the festive period is devoid of anything involving 22 men chasing a ball around a field.
Is such a schedule good for the players? Of course not. There is probably a reason why British teams, including national sides, often struggle late in seasons—or early in World Cups and Euros. The footballers are knackered, and could really have done with a few weeks off, but that should not be a criticism of all these games crammed into a short amount of time.
In fact, I am all for the Premier League taking a winter break like the majority of top European leagues. Bring an end to the action after the New Year’s day games—let’s go football free for a couple of weeks, just do not mess with Christmas!
(While we’re at it, here’s how it works: you make up for those lost weeks by playing more mid-week games, and bury the League Cup. That’ll free up some matchdays.)
Be honest, it makes you feel all fuzzy when you wake up on Boxing Day, or on Dec. 28th, and realize, “Hey, there’s some footy on TV this morning.”
New Year’s Day? Yes please, I’ll have some of that as I nurse a crushing hangover! (Editor’s note: James, you’re hosting Sportsnet’s coverage on Jan. 1, starting with Stoke City vs Manchester United at 7:30 am ET).
Damn. So I won’t be hung over, but even though this crazy schedule is destroying my New Years Eve, I still love it. I just love it.
Perhaps I have a greater appreciation for it because I experienced it firsthand growing up in England, but really that is just an excuse where there doesn’t need to be one. Football to me should be played in dreary, wet and cold conditions. It is what gives the sport its soul, and that bleeds through to my TV set all these thousands of kilometres away over Christmas—there is something so comforting about it all, it just works.
So, please stop sympathizing with the players—this time of the year is for the fans. Now more than ever we are made to pay increased ticket prices, and we are disengaged more and more from our heroes. But for a week or so over Christmas we get our game all to ourselves. It’s cozy, we can give it a nice big hug and it gives us a nice big hug back… so… stop your whining.
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