The Times Sports Supplement on Saturday carried on its front an interesting mock-up photo of Harry Redknapp as England manager, wearing a jacket emblazoned on its left breast with a badge of the Three Lions & on its right the elaborately embroidered initials HR. Presumably a witty reference to Harry’s acknowledged skill as man manger, since the display of initials does not seem to be standard practice.
I wish I did not feel such a sense of impending tragedy in this story which is gripping the nation.
Although it does contain all the elements of the dilemmas & difficulties with which we are faced, at the same time it diverts attention away from discussion of the fundamental issues. We focus on who will win the Cup or who will insult whom, sometimes referring these decisions to judges in a properly constituted Court of Law, but always having an opinion of our own to contribute to the febrile, high volume discussions taking part on all available media.
Like arguing over how many angels can dance on the head of a pin while ignoring the larger – and real – forces at play: debt, unrealistically high wages, foreign ownership, mysterious financial dealings.
Perhaps it is just because ‘we’ don’t think we are actually paying for all this. After all, ‘we’ don’t go to the actual matches any more (can’t afford the ticket prices). We are the beneficiaries of fat cats in the prawn sandwich seats who do pay for rich mens toys.
Bread & circuses.
