The Misery of Football (1995) - F.A. Kicker

Postface to the October 2011 edition of THE MISERY OF FOOTBALL by F.A. KICKER

When that document was written in 1995, after the Eric Cantona kicking affair, football wages in the English Premier League were on average £10 to 27 grand for top players. Things have gone ballistic since then. Some top players -or reputedly so- can now gross up to £200 grand a week and even refuse to train as in the case of Tevez. What is also true is that top media “conscious” players can also gross more dosh by endorsing products. They can probably double their wages. Speak of inflation!

But what these players do is much more valuable than just the money they earn, they project an image, a reality of success and opportunity. If they can make it big, so can you! That is the message of the medium, and many have lapped it up.

Top clubs are thus owned by big capital and in some case oligarchs.

To win is the order of the day. Any manager who fails to deliver victories is thus replaced. The same goes for players. Turnover must be maintained. IF YOU WANT MORE DETAILS ABOUT ALL THIS read Capital (vol. 1/2/3/) by Karl Marx. No wonder Stalin said : “Man , the most precious capital”. Not exactly what Marx had in mind. As for Lenin, he tried to read Capital, but he did not go far..In fact he introduced taylorism in Russia.

One day people will play football for fun, but it won’t happen until the commodity-value society is abolished. Until then people will remain spectators or professional players!

The other side of football is to canalise people’s anger, frustrations which are growing these days, unto a harmless parochial avenue, or let’s say an impasse. As long as people identify themselves with their club, their town, they will not ask any deep questions about this world which is ruled by the capital automaton. Even bosses of football clubs are ruled by its logic and the same goes for all professional players and spectators also.

Panem et circences (bread and circuses).

The Roman empire took 400 years to collapse, how long will this system take?

This document is dedicated to my grandfather who played for Tottenham Hotspur in 1897 and my great-uncle (his brother) who played for Glasgow Rangers in 1906/07/08 and many English teams like Reading.

Written by F.A. KICKER on the 30 of October 2011.

Libcom note: text above from https://enemiesofutopia.wordpress.com/2011/11/04/the-misery-of-football-an-update-2/