Does anyone actually enjoy football

As 606 is nearing the end of its sell by date I just thought I would ask the question.

I know I love it when City win, I know I'm pleased when teams near city lose.

But what about the actual game of football? Is it only enjoyable if you have a team to support or can anyone actually sit through a match and say, regardless of whose playing, how it affectes "their" team etc that was a cracking game of football.

Im not actually convinced they can with proffesional football. I'm not sure ingrained rivalries and self interest can be sidelined, blue or red goggles or even green and yellow ones can be taken off when the whistle blows. I mean I've applauded teams off at maine road over the past god knows how many years and enjoyed the football as well but I'm not sure I could ever watch a match nowadays and be taken away to a place were the football replaces the tribal atmosphere.

Shame really.

There aren't many matches I can watch as a 'neutral' as there's always a reason I prefer one of the teams playing to win.

However I can enjoy some matches as a neutral, such as last years Championship play-off final whch Blackpool won. Cracking game.

A lot of the lower league matches can be entertaining, League 1/2 even BSP, as I dont have much bias with teams at that level.

Unfortunately, most of the overseas and/or UEFA games in which I have no favourite tend to be drab affairs! Porto V Braga last week springs to mind.

For me at least the internet and television has spoiled things a bit. Take today as an example... We had Stevenage v. Torquay in the League 2 Play-Off Final.

Not that long ago I would've been glued to the screen for this but with all the live streamings available on the net nowadays and with Barca-Utd. tonight as well I didn't really focus on it and really there's too much football available to us in this day and age too.

It could be that we are also emotionally drained after the season City have had, especially the last few games.

Yaya's got it spot on there. With saturation coverage of football these days I rarely watch any game in which City haven't got an interest. The only time I really watch games as a neutral is during the World Cup or the Euros.

Yeah spot on lads, it used to be a treat having a live game on the telly. I watch a lot of games now where i want both teams to lose, but i still enjoy a lot of games, just not as much as i used too.

I hardly ever watch games on the telly as I go to the majority of city games and rarely watch other teams on the telly.
Last night however....
We were invited to a party last night by one of the wifes friends and all we knew was it was to be a " themed party"
Turned out the theme was "the day the double died" and the house was decked out in Barcelona gear and all the food/ drink was Spanish,it was quite a posh do with a champagne reception with Queens Barcelona continually played in the background.Ended up shitfaced,top night

But do you all make excuses to favour a team. Take AV against Everton. I should be neutral, both teams can play attractive football BUT I find myself making excuses to support Villa because of Moyes and his digs at City.

Its a bit like looking at a photo of a mother and child, if its not your wife and child you say, awww thats nice but if its your own wife and child your immediately emmotionally involved.

Has that Emotion become a craving while watching soccer rather than just appreciating the beautiful game for what it is?

Yeah same here, I rarely watch non-city games. I'll watch united when they are losing! or any other game that the result is of importance to us. Not really a football mad peson but watch all city games... I prefer to play... I do appreciate a side like Barca though..

I do enjoy a good game of football when the outcome is of no importance to City, such as the CC playoff final on Monday. Swansea, at three-nil up, almost got done by a massive comeback by Reading and was a pretty entertaining game. Unfortunately, it only seems to be the lower divisions that do this for me, most of the PL games are quite turgid affairs.