The Inevitable Football Topic

[Robert Vermaat]

What worries me, though, is that football has become something like a big bank: Too Big To Fail. It is no longer just an enjoyable game, but is taking over parts of society.

Agreed. Our natonal Soccer Union KNVB receives an enormous bonus from FIFA even for second place, which i think should go to the taxpayer - after all, it's by stressing that football is beneficial for emplymet and 'society' that local councils defend spending millions of taxpayer's money on failing clubs. Who are, after all, businesses that spend profits on investors, but who come knocking on the door of the bottomless pocket of local authorities when a) they need police protection for yet another 'high-risk match' and b) when they yet again prove to be bad at baklancing their books.

Building too expensive stadiums next to the slums and not allowing the poor living next to it to sell some souvenirs, is imperialism.

well, at least it's not as bad as people dying from hunger just 500 m from the stadiums, as one honorable member of this forum was overreacting.
Imperialism? I don't know if you can put it that strong - it's a matter of choice, probably influenced by the lure of maney or nationalism. But no-one forced SA to host this event, or penalised them if they would have decided not to. FIFA can be seen as imperialistic, but it does not force world championships on nations.

A nation that, on a day of collective mourning (Holland, Srebrenica) prefers football acts perversely.

yes, but it's a choice. We do not like to be reminded of Srebrenica, where we stood aside and led people be taken away, insted of making a sacrifice (or calling the attackers bluff). It hurts too much in the light of endless accusations we made towards people acting like this in WW2. Realising that you cannot live up to your ideals as a nation do not go well. So we rather watch sport.

And yet, it can be beautiful and it should be. But I do not know how we can get back to normalcy - enjoying a good match with friends.

Never. Put that out of your mind. Only when money is no longer an issue, and that will never happen again. Money rules the globe. :evil: