Festive Football - We Love It

[Cornish Piskie]

In England, there is something rather special about football at Christmas time. OK, so for a number of years there has been talk of a winter break, perhaps even over the holiday, but I believe this would be a disaster for the English game, which is wedded to the deeper rhythms of our winter rituals, that shared folk memory of holiday football as a sort of beano.... a spree, a communal release from the holiday routine – not to mention being a part of a more generalised fightback against Christmas itself. In many ways, football shouldn't belong at Christmas, but it does because it is a valuable addition to the holiday season.

There are various reasons for this enduring chemistry. Strange things happen at this time. The players suddenly seem more familial and pack-like. Goal celebrations become even more elaborate and well rehearsed than usual; manifestations of the holiday mood in the manner of a child who has found an unexpectedly wonderful new toy in his Xmas stocking. There will be scoreline oddities, not to mention season-saving moments of personal redemption for those whose performances have been less than glorious so far.

We loved a player like Mario Ballotelli who, strangely child-like, had a certain Christmas air about him at all times. Somehow, you couldn’t help feeling that he was the man most likely to play a match while wearing a Santa hat, or come off the bench late in the game carrying a sack of presents over his shoulder. During his behaviouraly erratic, yet crowd-fixingly stay at Manchester City he did the next best thing, scoring a walking pace hat-trick against Aston Villa just after Christmas with the almost embarrassed air of an awkward child playing Jingle Bells on the electronic keyboard his grandmother gave him for a present.

There seems to be a certain infrastructure to Christmas football. Although Christmas Day matches are history, the Boxing Day derby seems to be a thing of the past, and next day return fixtures are long gone, festive football still draws huge crowds, largely made up of fans willing to endure long journeys of three - lane gridlock on the motorways or grudgingly staffed rail networks, to attend away games.

Perhaps it's the basic notion of escape that underpins festive football, as it is an intrinsic part of Christmas that mostly, we want to somehow get the whole business over and done with as quickly as possible. Football gives us an escape…. An opportunity to get out of the house, breathe in the fresh, cold December air and forget about being trapped in the madhouse with over excited children and relatives that you don’t see at any other time of the year.

Football offers not just a means of escape from the bonds of ritual festivity but it is also a way of losing yourself in something larger. This is the deep soul of English football. Over the holiday season it will be our love of watching 22 pampered, multi-millionaire prima donnas kicking a ball around that provides the escape hatch and renews again our affection for the ability of these itinerant, unruly entertainers to usher in a new year with an affirmation of football’s unique place in each fan’s individual alternative world.

Come on, fess up.... we love it.

 

[Dirk]

I always envy you Brits for your festive christmas football. Unfortunately we do not have it at Germany. I don't know the reason for it anymore. I think first the winter break was introduced due to the weather back then and many match cancellatons due to the field unplayable. I remember the time when I was a kid that we really had some strong winters with heavy snow but nowadays it isn't anymore so extreme and we have more cancellations when the season starts again at the end of January, beginn of February. Then it was said it is good for the players when they can "regenerate"....but the reality is, they have free days over christmas and with the Beginn of January they are playing this crap indoor football tournaments where they can earn some bucks (or making friendlies) and they are training again at the Beginn of January. Some teams who had a good run before the winter break cooled down due to this winter break and never regained their good form (other were shite before the break and shite afterwards, I only say HSV ).
Anyway I don't like our winter break and how it is handled here. I would love to go to a match on Boxing Day (or as we say here: Zweiter Weihnachtsfeiertag) to see my HSV. In the last 30 years I watched some boxing day matches in UK , if time permits, mainly Wolves games (thanks to my cousin who is married to a british soldier who once was stationed in Germany, they are living in Wolverhampton and he's a diehard Wolves fan). It is always a special atmosphere during those matches and I really enjoyed it.

Thanks for taking the time to write this post, Cornish Piskie, especially nowadays in the "era of the one-liner" statements . I think I wrote it already earlier that you're a big asset for 1FF. It's a pleasure to read your posts. I hope others here appreciate it as much as I do and give you at least a like for your post and not only think: "tl;dr"

Ich wünsche dir und deiner Familie eine frohe Weihnacht
(Merry christmas to you and your family)

 

[Cornish Piskie]

Thank you Dirk, for those kind words, you old flatterer you..!! I very much enjoy putting my thoughts out there for all to read. I might ramble on a bit, but that's just me.

I love to read your insights into how football is played in Germany. Learning how things are done elsewhere has to be a good thing. It's an unfortunate part of being an island people that we're very insular and inward looking. Your very informative comments into how the winter break is treated in Germany should be a lesson to us all. It should make us mindful that no matter what the motivation for having a winter break here, clubs and players alike would surely see it as an opportunity to indulge in play-for-cash tournaments and then complain about the resultant league fixture congestion later in the season when they have to fit all those postponed matches in.

It's already been mooted in some places that the Premier League could be reduced by two clubs to allow for a winter break. As you can imagine that's not a very popular idea for the lesser clubs in the Premier League. They would be in the firing line to drop down to the Championship whereas the major clubs - who would also most likely be the ones to benefit financially - would be clearly immune to such a risk.

There was a time when football here was played on Christmas Day and the two teams concerned would then play each other in the return fixture on Boxing Day. When I commented on scoreline oddities, the holiday season would throw up results like the Christmas 1960 fixtures between Charlton Athletic (my club) and Plymouth Argyle. Charlton won the first match 6-4 at The Valley (home) and both teams then travelled on the same train to Plymouth for the return fixture the next day which was won 6-4 by Plymouth. The fans certainly got their money's worth in those days..!!

Have any other 1FF posters got any Christmas football stories to share..? Come on guys, your club must have done something, sometime.

Please keep your breadth of view into how the game is played on the continent (in general) and Germany (in particular),Dirk. I too like to read your input which often provides a different perspective on many things. You too are a great asset to this site.


Lowen Christmas dhe ty ha ollyour teylu
(Happy Christmas to you and your family - in Kernewek (the Celtic language of Cornwall))


Top man Pepe. Respect.

 

[Dirk]

Thank you Dirk, for those kind words, you old flatterer you..!!

yeah, that's me

There was a time when football here was played on Christmas Day and the two teams concerned would then play each other in the return fixture on Boxing Day. When I commented on scoreline oddities, the holiday season would throw up results like the Christmas 1960 fixtures between Charlton Athletic (my club) and Plymouth Argyle. Charlton won the first match 6-4 at The Valley (home) and both teams then travelled on the same train to Plymouth for the return fixture the next day which was won 6-4 by Plymouth. The fans certainly got their money's worth in those days..!!

Different times back then. The players weren't pampered like nowadays.

I too like to read your input which often provides a different perspective on many things.

..and may it only be that I am sometimes mixing german and english words (as in my above post where I always wrote "beginn" instead of "begin" . )

Nah, seriously: Thanks. ( for the christmas wishes, too.)

Top man Pepe. Respect.

I don't like him as a player but this is a class act. Kudos.

 

[mistermagic]

I'm going to be the mood-killer here and say that football shouldn't be played during the Christmas period. It's one of the reasons why Platini went to Italy and not England. To him, you spend the festive period with your family not training or playing games. It's a good point and I think us continental europeans are quite happy to sit back and watch the games but wouldn't wish to have non-stop football from August till May in our own country.
I honestly reckon the lack of a winter break is why world-class managers have a hard time adapting to the game. I reckon this wasn't the only problem for Guardiola last season but I reckon it bugs Klopp no-end. Managing players in late November/early December changes completely. You can't just tell them one last push and then you can go on vacation. You need to keep them motivated and manage their fitness levels for 10 months. Something you don't do anywhere else in the world. Fwiw, I reckon that's why Klopp rested Coutinho and Firmino in the Merseyside derby which resulted in a 1-1 draw which should have been a routine 2-0 win.

I am very much looking forward to Boxing Day. Happy holidays everyone.

 

[Dirk]

I'm going to be the mood-killer here and say that football shouldn't be played during the Christmas period.

...I am very much looking forward to Boxing Day.

without watching football, of course, because football shouldn't be played in the christmas period?

It's one of the reasons why Platini went to Italy and not England.

Thank god for that. Can't stand this corrupt hypocrite, not even as a player. So I am glad he pissed off to the Serie A , a league I can't stand either

edit: Another reason why Platini didn't go to England could be that back in his playing days (pre Premier League era it was) the English First Division wasn't the main "target" for the European top stars of football (non UK players) . It was the Serie A (and the Spanish League) that were the most attractive, also moneywise, back then

I think us continental europeans are quite happy to sit back and watch the games but wouldn't wish to have non-stop football from August till May in our own country.

As I wrote before I would love it if we would have no winter break in the Bundesliga (and I am a continental european, too )

Happy holidays everyone.

and for you, my french friend. Wait a second ( * activating my long dormant school french ....wait.....)

Joyeuses fêtes de Noël (just for you, mm, I searched for the combinaton for the e-trémas on my german keyboard )

 

[mistermagic]

The point about Platini is that good players refused to play in England because they didn't get to go home and be with family for a reasonable amount of time during the Christmas period. I think we can all understand that.

Re your wish of a German winter break, do you honestly think that your national team would be as fresh as they are in the summer tournaments if German players didn't have a winter break? I also respect German football for saying nein to the useless League Cup. At least, the Pokal means something in Germany contrary to the Cup in England and the Coupe de France around here.

And thanks for the warm wishes and the effort on the translation. Has the German keyboard incorporated the £ sign yet? Couldn't find it back in the day...

 

[Cornish Piskie]

I can see the point that's being made regarding the winter break, but here it's more a question of culture than practicality.

We play football at Christmas. End of. Even our monumentally crass and stupid FA have managed to avoid making the blunder of imposing a winter break here. They've gotten away with selling the game out to Mammon, they've even sold the FA Cup..!!! These are utterly, utterly....... utterly.... clueless men. They couldn't pour piss out of a boot if the instructions were printed on the heel, and yet even they know that a winter break is something that nobody wants.

It may be a very valid point that Platini decided to go to Italy in order to get a winter break, but he was only one player and you don't change a system that has been in place for more than a hundred years and is not only accepted as the norm by native players, and is greatly loved by the fans who stump up their hard earned at the turnstiles, just to make one player happy.

You don't let the tail wag the dog.

I'm in no doubt you are also quite right about Jurgen Klopp being unhappy about the situation too, but I would point out that nobody forced him to come here. He knew the rules when he signed on the line and he's happy to take the money. Learn to live with it, Jurgen. Pep has.

Read my OP again. There is a very deeply ingrained cultural issue involved here and whether or not the England players would be a little fresher at next year's world up is also debatable. For a start, if we put a winter break in place, the top players wouldn't be able to spend it resting because their club owners would immediately jet them off to Dubai to play a series of very lucrative matches against an Oil Tycoon's All Star XI or to Saudi to play the Crown Prince's Superstars. Nobody would be playing with the children and their Christmas presents on Boxing Day, or snuggling close to wifey on the sofa while they watch the Sound of Music together.

I think I'm fairly typical of most English fans and I like football at Christmas.

As for German players being fresher at the world cup, well, that may or may not be true. But regardless of whether we had a winter break or not here, they'd probably beat England anyway. Well, perhaps not probably, let's say likely. Or very likely. Well, almost definitely, actually. Oh alright then, definitely.

 

[mistermagic]

I wasn't disagreeing with your points, CP just telling my side of the story and contributing to the debate.

 

[Dirk]

It may be a very valid point that Platini decided to go to Italy in order to get a winter break, but he was only one player and you don't change a system that has been in place for more than a hundred years and is not only accepted as the norm by native players, and is greatly loved by the fans who stump up their hard earned at the turnstiles, just to make one player happy.

It may be valid for Platini that this was one reason why he went to Italy's Serie A (being the land of his grandparents could be another and the warmer climate and .....) but I doubt it's the main reason for the other european top players in the 80's. Come on, in the 80's the top players went to Italy's Serie A (and the Spanish League) because they could earn the most bucks. The English First Division was back then a top league too but not attractive money wise for the top stars of European Football. Unthinkable that Lothar Matthäus, Andy Brehme etc would join an english club, they didn't even think about it. In the 80's it was mainly Italy for the German Top Stars...later with the introduction of the Premier League and more money available in it this changed. Suddenly players like Klinsmann (formerly playing in Italy too) went over to England.
Nowadays the english Premier League is the league with the most foreign players in Europe (at least I think so) and they all have to play over the festive period.

As for German players being fresher at the world cup, well, that may or may not be true.

Why should they be less fresh when we would have no winter break. The amount of matches (34 in the Bundesliga, the lowest of the top leagues) would still be the same (and for those involved in Europe it wouldn't change anything either) and the season would end sooner then. As I wrote before one of the main reasons for a winter break was the bad weather back then with many matches cancelled. But this isn't anymore valid, more matches are now cancelled when the season starts again and shitty weather in End January/February and then you have to find another free space in the already full schedule (if the clubs are still involved in european action or Cup)

And we have (and had) enough players who are playing in the Premier League, even in 2014 when we won the World Cup . Did they moan about playing over the festive period? I don't think so, they are professionals and they knew it before they signed for an english club.

And thanks for the warm wishes and the effort on the translation. Has the German keyboard incorporated the £ sign yet? Couldn't find it back in the day...

You're welcome. My french is very rusty now, happens when you don't use it. The £ Sign isn't available on the german keyboard, only the US $ sign. I have to use [ALT]156 for the £. (The same for the french ë ([ALT]137), although we have our "Umlaute" ä,ö,ü of course, but we have no "e-Umlaut" in the german language (maybe because the french use it )

 

[mistermagic]

Why should they be less fresh when we would have no winter break. The amount of matches (34 in the Bundesliga, the lowest of the top leagues) would still be the same (and for those involved in Europe it wouldn't change anything either) and the season would end sooner then. As I wrote before one of the main reasons for a winter break was the bad weather back then with many matches cancelled. But this isn't anymore valid, more matches are now cancelled when the season starts again and shitty weather in End January/February and then you have to find another free space in the already full schedule (if the clubs are still involved in european action or Cup)

And we have (and had) enough players who are playing in the Premier League, even in 2014 when we won the World Cup . Did they moan about playing over the festive period? I don't think so, they are professionals and they knew it before they signed for an english club.

1) I already explained further up how having a winter break is beneficial from a psychological standpoint and easier to manage for managers that are used to it (Klopp). I think you understand quite clearly that players who are well rested are more motivated than players that aren't.
2) Mertesacker, Podolski and Özil don't make the German national team win the World Cup in Brazil I'm afraid.

 

[Dirk]

1) I think you understand quite clearly that players who are well rested are more motivated than players that aren't.

and I already explained that having no winter break wouldn't mean that players aren't well rested at a tournament like the World Cup or Euro (that's what you asked me) because 1) there are not more matches to be played and 2) the season would end 4 weeks earlier in April. Players could have holidays and begin well rested the training for the tournament.

I think we should leave this. You like the winter break and I don't. Let's agree to this.

2) Mertesacker, Podolski and Özil don't make the German national team win the World Cup in Brazil I'm afraid.

Yes. Podolski was already "over the hill" and made it only to the World Cup because he's always a team player and good for the team spirit, that's right.
Mertesacker was replaced by Jerome Boateng who made it into the world class during this tournament. But at least he was substituted in the 7-1 win against Brazil and made his final appearance for the Mannschaft in the 120th minute of the final for...Mesut Özil.

Özil didn't play a good tournament that's right but he was so important for Bundestrainer Löw that he played 120 minutes in the final. Because he's the kind of player who can make the difference with one genius moment. OK he hadn't it in the final but I wouldn't say that this was because he plays in the Premier League and he had no winter break .

 

[mistermagic]

I don't think I'd like the season ending in April like in the English lower leagues. I like a couple of games in May especially before a tournament.
Again, I don't particularly like the winter break, I just think it's good for the players. They're human after all.

 

[Cornish Piskie]

I wasn't disagreeing with your points, CP just telling my side of the story and contributing to the debate.

And I greatly appreciate your points which I quite agree are valid and well made.

But I do like a good debate and to argue my corner. Please don't take anything personally and please don't be put off from commenting. It's all good, vigorous discussion. I look forward to hearing more from you on other subjects.

Mind you...... you wouldn't have liked me when I was involved in various activist groups back in my student days. You wouldn't have liked me at all.... That was when it was all sooooooooooo serious. It's a good thing that we can do this kind of discussion in a civil manner

 

[Abertawe]

The government should pass laws the christmas/new year games have to be derbies as much as possible. As for winter break - rejig the FA Cup so PL & Champ only enter in the 4th round - maybe finish the season a week later and that'll allow for a two week recovery after the hectic christmas schedule. The issue at the moment is their is no recovery after the brutal christmas schedule - they carry on business as usual into January till May - two week interval rest would do wonders.

 

[Cornish Piskie]

You've been around longer than I have Aber and can probably remember the days when the league programme was 42 matches long (not the present 38), with FA Cup ties that could go to two or three replays (with extra time). There were no penalty shoot outs to wind a tie up. Ties were played to a conclusion *. At the end of the season came the Home Internationals - three matches in a week. Clubs didn't have huge squads to allow rotation and there was only one substitute allowed in any match. Many matches were played on pitches that were strength sapping bogs and medical treatment for on-field injuries was rudimentary to say the least - a quick sponge down with cold water and it was "get on your feet lad, and carry on." The league programme was more frequently affected by adverse weather which often meant severe fixture congestion towards the end of season for many teams.

And yet...... players got on with it. The games weren't any less physically demanding and players had far less protection from referees than they get now. When I see players drop to the floor, writhing in mock agony at the slightest touch, I sometimes wonder that if any of todays players ever had to take a tackle from Ron "Chopper" Harris or Norman Hunter, they wouldn't have had to fake anything.

Players didn't have the legion of fitness coaches, dieticians, medical specialists or personal toenail clippers that today's players have and seem to take for granted. Teams didn't spend half an hour stretching and warming before coming out to play. A five minute kick-in sufficed. Actually, the warm up is something that I consider to be a good thing, but I also wonder if sometimes players are over-prepared but that's a topic for another day.

To the best of my findings to date, the question of a winter break in England was never raised seriously. In fact, the mere mention of it was derided as "soft". And you might like to consider that it was during this time that England's presumably worn out, jaded players put in their best performances in the world cup.

I'd welcome any reminiscences you may have of that time, and tell me why it is that, if a winter break wasn't considered necessary when football was much more physically demanding and didn't have all the benefits that players enjoy today, why is it so necessary now..?





* I read that in a period of a little over three weeks, the FA Cup Semi Final between Arsenal and Liverpool in 1980 went to three replays, two of which had extra time and in the middle of all this, both clubs still had to play league fixtures and Arsenal also played out a two-leg European Cup Winners Cup Semi Final against Juventus..!!

It may be interesting to find out how many of the Arsenal players played in every one of those matches.