Much as I value my readers and want to please them, today a warning is in order. You won’t like this.
As the broadcasters would say, the following article contains ideas some viewers may find disturbing.
One of the main things that distinguishes humans from other animals is self-awareness. We have a unique degree of consciousness about what we do and think, and a unique ability to reflect on it.
In fact, it’s not an optional extra; it’s part of our make-up. We shouldn’t wallow in introspection – but we shouldn’t resist it either. The unexamined life isn’t worth living, as Socrates (the Greek one rather than the Brazilian) said.
Yet when we become football fans, we enter a tacit agreement that we will resist it. Passion and partisanship become everything, reason and reflection are set aside.
I don’t set out to offend (except occasionally Chelsea and Watford fans). But let me make myself unpopular by bringing a dispassionate and non-partisan eye to some of the issues around our game and questioning some the things we frequently hear from City fans. In my view:
1. There is no prejudice against us on Match of the Day. When Norwich have brought a fresh and positive presence to the Premier League – as under Paul Lambert and in the early part of this season – MotD has given us prominence and credit. Praising us isn’t automatically patronising.
But we can’t have it both ways. In the last relegation season, our fans would lambast the team as negative and not worth watching, then complain bitterly when MotD put us on late and said (in a much milder form) something along the same lines.
2. Officials do not have it in for us. Yes, we’ve been on the rough end of some decisions, notably from Mr Hooper on opening day, but there is no systematic conspiracy against Norwich (or anyone else).
The fact is that fans of every club feel officials are against them, and they can cite a plethora of evidence for it. That’s because officials get things wrong – and will continue to get important things wrong as long as we withhold technological help from them – but we only remember the ones that went against us.
Believe it or not, officials try hard to be fair and consistent. We’re the ones who aren’t remotely fair or consistent. We’ll scream for a penalty to be given in our favour when, in exactly the same incident at the other end, we’d scream for it not to be given.
3. The England manager is not prejudiced against our players. Again, we’re betrayed by what we say to each other. It’s a common view among City fans that John Ruddy has now been short of his best form for 2-3 years. Yet we still rail when an England squad is announced without him. Quite simply – and I suspect John is honest enough to admit it – he’s not presently one of the three best English keepers.
Similarly, we know that Nathan Redmond is an unpolished diamond. Under Alex Neil he’s made exciting progress, but it should be understandable to us when a more experienced winger is picked for the main squad.
One rider on this point: I felt desperately sorry for John when he missed out on going to the last World Cup. A marginal decision that went cruelly against him, but I’m not convinced it was much to do with him playing at Norwich.
I could go on, and I’ll defend the points I’ve just made. But looking back to the beginning, I may have missed something important.
Do we feel less human when we’re involved in a football match? Of course not. Perhaps someone better versed in psychology can help us here, but it seems clear that we enjoy throwing off the shackles of rationality and the cool reflection encouraged by Socrates.
This ‘being human’ lark seems to be a bit complicated.
And another question. I like to think of myself as sensible and rational (except on the golf course), but do I practice what I preach? When we have a marginal penalty appeal, will I cast a calm and scornful glance over the agitation of my fellow fans and murmur ‘I don’t think so’?
Not a bit of it. I’ll be screaming with the best.
After all, I‘m only human.
While I don’t disagree with much of your article, I will take issue with you on the point of officials being “fair and consistent”. They do tend to favour the “big” clubs, a point made by Graeme Souness in a recent Sunday Times article, and he was speaking as a former manager of both “big” and “small” clubs (Liverpool and Middlesborough for example).
They are also not consistent, as a recent Chelsea game shows, when it was stated by BT’s resident refereeing expert, no less than Howard Webb, that a tackle which should have earned a booking didn’t result in one, because the player had already been booked. Webb agreed that this was OK, which shocked me, as I’d always thought of him as one of the best.
It seems that they are reluctant to make real game changing decisions, because it might “spoil the game for the viewers”.
Good thought provoking article Stewart. To add, is it ‘passion’ that causes normally some of our fans to boo the team during a game? No one in their right mind thinks that booing during a game helps the team they ‘love’, but a significant number of our fans do it. Verses Swansea, we had the cretins booing a substitution for goodness sake! I ask all fans to turn to any boo-ers they sit near and just ask them if they are actually at the game to support the team or not
I disagree with most of it,professional people who are associated with Premiership football do not want the club to do well, expect us to be relegated and expect the fans to expect the same.
How can you call the England Manager unbiased when he is not picking any of our players?
Holt’s exclusion was ridiculous, Ruddy,s was cruel and Redmond was England’s best player in the last U21 tournament – outplaying and outscoring full internationals like Harry Kane. He has a good scoring record this season but you know he will not get anywhere near the full squad.
Unpolished diamond? what more does he have to do?
The MOTD experts don’t know who most of our players are and are not interested either because they don’t expect to be talking about them next season. Lineker blasted McNally for getting rid of his mate Hughton although not by name, probably because he didn’t know it.
And this season a ref is blatantly biased and gets away with it, just like Fer’s perfectly legal goal v Cardiff was disallowed last time.
But it is only Norwich, so who is bothered? Well I am and you cannot persuade me to accept these things – remember 1985.
Stewart – you’ll be telling us next that Sepp Blatter is a deeply misunderstood soul and that Mick McCarthy is the saviour of the beautiful game?
I’m not sure why some get hung up on MOTD’s poor treatment (or not) of us. What do we care what fans of other clubs or grotesquely overpaid pundits think of us? Screw ’em.
Refs decisions will always be open to personal interpretation and controversy as sure as eggs is eggs. The vast majority will be split 50-50, with the notable exception of Jerome’s disallowed overhead for which derision of the decision was unanimous.
Roy Hodgson? His team picks are judged on performance on the big stage – so far they’ve been abysmal.
With no hint of paranoia on the terraces, things would probably be a tad dull?
Thanks as always for the comments – good (and suitably passionate) stuff.
Jim (1): I still contend there’s no conspiracy against Norwich specifically, but I take your points. It’s possible there’s some bias towards big clubs, perhaps from two causes: (i) the size of their crowds, and (ii) refs’ personal familiarity with their players.
And I’m with you about second yellow cards. As far as I know, the laws don’t change for someone when they’ve been cautioned.
llamaman (2) – don’t get me started on booing. Suffice to say I agree with you.
Giles (3) – we’ll have to differ! If Redmond’s decision-making was better – which I hope it will become – he’d be a regular starter for Norwich. Then we’d be in a better position to call for him to be in the national team.
Lineker actually blasted the timing of Hughton’s dismissal, with five games left. History suggests he had a point.
I could quote several instances (all since 1985) of Norwich getting away with penalties and goals that should have been given against us.
Cosmo (4) – the day I defend Blatter, send the men in white coats….
sounds like you are making excuses now- it reminds me of the scene from the film -The Jerk
“These cans are defective!”
good job we all don’t roll over.
Hello, Eddie? Mr Stobbart?
Need your help. Mmm? Yes a collection. Your largest lorry?
To be taken from Mr G Sterling?
What needs taking away?
A very large chip! 😉