Gary Andrews

There’s already been hundreds of articles on how social TV will change your world in 2012. I’ve no wish to write another one (other than to say come this time next year I’m sure we’ll be thinking of television somewhat differently). However, my interest was piqued by rumours of Google and Apple to bid for the broadcasting rights for the Premier League.

Having these companies potentially compete against Sky is a fascinating future, so, in a rare piece that might appeal to both football and technology fans, I’ve considered what could be quite a fragmented future for football broadcasting over at Pitch Invasion.

written by Gary \\ tags: Apple TV, Facebook, Google TV, Pitch Invasion, Premier League, Sky

I’m not generally a huge fan of cross-promoting football writing on here, as I know what all five readers really want is another fish pie recipe. I’ll make an exception for the last piece written for twofootedtackle though.

The title’s Why the Premier League has failed every one of the League’s 92 clubs. The content is exactly that. To me, it’s increasingly clear that the road the Premier League is currently going down is storing up a lot of problems, financially, not just for the 20 clubs in the top flight, but all the way down the league (and even into the non-league game as well).

The Premier League in itself isn’t intrinsically bad in my book, but the circumstances it has ended up creating will (and I use will instead of could here) lead a large number of club down the road to financial ruin, while simultaneously killing off any hope England will ever have of winning a major tournament.

I’m a naturally pessimistic person, but I don’t think the above is hyperbole.

And all the while, I – and many others I know – are getting increasingly disillusioned with the Premier League. A few people have asked me what my opinion has been on the Rooney saga over the last week and all I can muster is a ‘meh’. Frankly, I couldn’t really care less about where he goes or what he does. The finances behind Manchester United are much more interesting to me than a highly paid megastar throwing a strop for more money.

And all the time, the level of fandom seems to be getting more extreme (although I suppose that’s what the ultimate definition of a fanatic is). Any level of debate that contains just the slightest smidgen of nuance is drowned out by the clamour to blame it on the ref, the manager or one player, and often looking at it through some of the most one-eyed tinted glasses.

Any level of perceived criticism, no matter how balanced the piece, is leaped upon as an example of bias against the club or evidence that said writer is a closet fan of a rival team.

In truth, I’m finding myself skimming over a lot of Premier League writing and highlights without always taking in a huge level of detail. Many Premier League focused blogs, which are the worst examples of the above, have been culled from my RSS reader. I’m not even that bothered about missing Match Of The Day these days.

Even though my team has never had, and probably never will, have a hope in hell of reaching the Premier League, I’ve always followed it with a fair level of devotion, taking in twists and turns and tuning into most games that I could. This season is the first season I’ve not quite had the will to take much other than a passing notice.

I’m not quite sure if there’s any quick fix to pull in those like me (and I’ve spoken to a surprisingly large number) who are turning their back on England’s top flight, and even if there was, I wouldn’t trust the governing bodies to implement it properly.

I still love football. I still watch much more of the game than is probably healthy. But every time I watch the Premier League, my soul dies a little more.

written by Gary \\ tags: England football, football, Premier League

September 4th. Mark that date in your calendar. There’s no Premier League or Championship football that day due to the international break, while England play the night before.

A football free weekend, right? Wrong. There’s still hundreds of non-league matches being played up and down the country that day, and James Doe has come up with a fantastic idea to support them.

James has declared September 4th Non-League Day and is urging football fans who’d normally watch a higher league game that day to head to a non-league match and show their support for grassroots football.

It’s a fantastic campaign and one that’s so simple you wonder why it’s never been done before.

As somebody who got rather fond of non-league during Exeter’s time in the Conference and still watches the occasional non-league game, I think it’s a cracking idea.

It’s also a great way to reacquaint yourself with the real heart and soul of football, especially if you’re in any way disillusioned with Premier League football. Who knows, you may even get the non-league bug.

Ironically, I can’t make it to any game that weekend due to a longstanding prior commitment, but if you’re in footballing limbo that day, pop down and support your local club.

You can follow James on Twitter (@non_league_day) or sign up to the campaign on Facebook. And if you fancy going to a game but aren’t sure where to head to, feel free to leave a comment here, along with your location (roughly), and I’d be happy to suggest a game for you.

written by Gary \\ tags: football, non-league day, non-league football, Premier League, September 4th

You know what? I can be complementary about Exeter’s rivals. Over at Soccerlens, I’ve done a bit of a ‘well done’ to Torquay for getting promotion [1] out of the Blue Square Premier. I’m actually quite happy to see them back in the league, and chuffed for their centre-half, Chris Todd. He’s one of the nicest men in football and has battled back against Leukaemia this year to become a Wembley winner.

Then there’s the twofootedtackle podcast, with myself, Chris Nee and Kate Clarke, where we pick our Premier League team of the year, predict who’ll drop down to the Championship, chat MLS, share tips for poaching eggs, and have a quick chinwag with Bobby Zamora.

And then the longer Pulitzer-winning [2] version of the interview with BZ can be found at Soccerlens.

[1] If this were Argyle it would, naturally, be a slightly different story. Assuming I even bothered to write it.

[2] May be a lie.

written by Gary Andrews \\ tags: Bobby Zamora, Chris Todd, football podcasts, Premier League, Torquay United

The twofootedtackle podcast three is now up. Chris and I were joined in the studio by Luton Town fan and general football obsessive Ben Shaw.

Unsurprisingly, Luton’s Johnstone Paint Trophy Final victory featured, alomg with a general chat about Luton’s ongoing woes. Continuing the woe theme, Southampton, Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Barry Ferguson and, erm, Ade Akinbiyi all featured in the discussion.

And Southampton are also the topic of this week’s Soccerlens. Sad times on the South Coast.

written by Gary Andrews \\ tags: Barry Ferguson, football podcast, Luton Town, Premier League, Soccerlens, Southampton

The first twofootedtackle podcast went live today, and a lot of the week has been spent preparing for it. Now that we’ve got the first one out of the way, it should get easier (I’m already working, mentally, two weeks in advance on them).

On this week’s pod, my partner in crime Chris Nee and I, along with my old friend, colleague and sports journalist John Stanton, discuss… *deep breath*

The Carlos Tevez saga, Champions League, MLS, the Premier League title race, England internationals, AFC Wimbledon, Tooting and Mitcham, the fall of Charlton Athletic, and our favourite football blog posts.

Phew.

That’s quite a bunch.

In all honesty, we could have probably gone on for another hour, but I think we’ve got it just about right. John was an excellent first guest and hopefully he’ll be back on the pod at some point. I cannot wait for next week’s recording.

And I’ve still found time to squeeze out a Soccerlens piece on Scarborough Athletic. They were formed from the ashes of Scarborough FC and they’ve just won their first promotion. Go Scarborough.

I also have stuff I want to write on here. This has been somewhat disrupted by only getting a bit over three hours sleep last night due to an accident with my contact lens and my eyeball that required a trip to A&E. Fun times.

written by Gary Andrews \\ tags: AFC Wimbledon, Carlos Tevez, Charlton Athletic, football, football podcast, Manchester United, MLS, podcasting, podcasts, Premier League, Scarborough Athletic, twofootedtackle

Over at Soccerlens, I lament the current state of football and try to give a few reasons why it’s gone a bit, well, wrong.

I’d also like to point out this was written before I went to Dagenham to watch Exeter play last night, which was one of those games that reminds you just why you love football.

Nonetheless, the sentiment of the article stands. I’m probably going to be chased from city to city with burning pitchforks, mind, as I’ve criticised most Premier League clubs. It’s not that I have anything against the clubs per se, it’s just part of a wider malaise.

written by Gary Andrews \\ tags: Kaka, money in football, Premier League, Soccerlens