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STRENGTH TO STRENGTH 24-10-06
Udayan Mukherjee
Have you stopped EIOing and grinning like a nut job yet? No, me neither. Why should we, we've just beaten the Newcastle for the first time since about 1434. It feels good, doesn't it?
Derby days against the Skunks give us something extra to get excited about, a chance to get one over on those who say we are the third biggest team in the region. It is also a chance to experience an atmosphere slightly more charged with electricity than your average 'I can hear a pin drop' atmosphere of your mundane Premiership game in this era of homogenised football.
The term homogenised is not completely accurate in describing the game we love, as there remains a seedy underbelly, a murky underworld of bungs. On the field, cheating prevails among even the most talented sportsmen and what's more, seems to be encouraged by the top class managers.
Joey Barton, even though he is a disagreeable so and so, got fined for baring his arse at Everton fans for about two seconds, while the practice of falling about as if you're been shot by a sniper rifle seems perfectly OK.
I know that Juninho, back in the day, got free kicks out of meaningless and weak tackles, but that was because he was a dwarf, and referees were protecting him. When a 6"4' muscular giant falls onto the floor like a sack of shit when so much as breathed on, you know that something's wrong.
At the risk of sounding like a disagreeable and particularly grumpy old fart, it used to be a game where players could get stuck in, a game where flailing around to cheat your fellow professionals was not accepted, and where celebrating goals with the punters was not a finable offence.
Honestly if you are the type that actually gets incited by the likes of Joey Barton, or Gary "I don't realise that I have a really, really, really, really, really, really, shit moustache" Neville, then you need your head examined. New rule: If you're that unbelievably stupid then you shouldn't be allowed to have kids. Full stop.
Morons who shouldn't be allowed to have children brings me back to the Geordies who attended the Riverside on Sunday, of whom there was a significantly lower number in attendance due to the not-exactly-heinous crime of persistent standing.
The time has surely come for football to return to at least having parts of a stadium, where one is allowed to stand if they so wish. The reason that the clubs will give to repel this argument is one of safety, but surely jumping around like a barmpot after scoring is much less dangerous than standing during open play? The former happens anyway, so what is the problem?
The view of those who choose to sit will not be affected if there are clearly designated areas where persistent standing is allowed. It's only an idea, but something like this will allow football to return to the visceral, passionate experience it used to be before the suits really spoiled it.
Although through the passage of the last few paragraphs I have painted a picture of apathy towards the modern game, the result against the Geordies must surely go a long way to blowing aside the feeling of foreboding that existed as recently as a week ago.
Two wins in a row is a huge step towards consistency, and we must carry this on into the next game against Manchester Citeh, a team struggling for form. If we can beat them, then surely the remaining doubters will be placated, and this team can go from strength to strength.
Up the Boro
That's all folks.
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