Giving up professional football

[BadFish]

I'm currently having that row, it certainly isn't a discussion, with soon to be 9 jnr Stat.

He wants to have a 'second team' in the premier league. I assume his sofa supporting mates in the playground have them.
I am refusing to entertain the idea.
The merest mention of it, or watching MotD before The Football League, results in a torrent of abuse from me.

'If you want to support Utd that fine, but you're never going to the Amex again'.
'lets go and take all your posters, stickers, and flags down from your bedroom'.
'Hand over your Albion kit'.
and so on.

Pretty awful parenting but this is more important than some wishy-washy horseshit about allowing your children to develop their own identity.

Have you considered the possibility that all you are doing is pushing him closer to the Premier League. I bet now it is forbidden it looks all the more glamorous and exciting. If all his mates have a team at school then there is probably a good chance he has already chosen but keeps it quiet. Nothing can compare to the thrill of watching live football with his dad and all the rest is just so he can fit in, in the playground at school. My guess is that if you let him explore the Prem and follow a team in it, he will come back to you and the Albion sooner and stronger.

He isn't changing, he isn't cheating on you or the Albion, he is just trying to enjoy the Premier League and fit in with his mates.

 

[Stat Brother]

I think stopping him watching MotD is going a bit far, and a bit childish. He's missing out on QUALITY football.

No you misunderstand.
He can't watch MoTD until we have all watched the Albion highlights first.

I must admit all my mates and I did this when we were at Priory in the very early 70s. At that time I think the idea of Brighton ever being in a similar league to Liverpool, Spurs, Man Utd etc seemed so remote; and we were quite young! Mine - for no other reason than I liked the name - was Tottenham Hotspur.

But we all grew out of it by the time we left. He will - be patient!

Oh yeah he is Albion through and through, I'm just 'making sure'!!!!

Have you considered the possibility that all you are doing is pushing him closer to the Premier League. I bet now it is forbidden it looks all the more glamorous and exciting. If all his mates have a team at school then there is probably a good chance he has already chosen but keeps it quiet. Nothing can compare to the thrill of watching live football with his dad and all the rest is just so he can fit in, in the playground at school. My guess is that if you let him explore the Prem and follow a team in it, he will come back to you and the Albion sooner and stronger.

He isn't changing, he isn't cheating on you or the Albion, he is just trying to enjoy the Premier League and fit in with his mates.

That's a very good summation, I need to know he bleeds blue and white before I'm going to allow any 'soft spots'. bad bad dad.

 

[Icy Gull]

No you misunderstand.
He can't watch MoTD until we have all watched the Albion highlights first.


Oh yeah he is Albion through and through, I'm just 'making sure'!!!!


That's a very good summation, I need to know he bleeds blue and white before I'm going to allow any 'soft spots'. bad bad dad.

Just be grateful you haven't had to instil some Albion allegiance as we slid down the leagues and ended up at Gillingham. I failed miserably. I have a son who looks out for Brighton scores but lives in London and is more interested in Arsenal and a daughter who now HATES football

 

[Albumen]

I'm currently having that row, it certainly isn't a discussion, with soon to be 9 jnr Stat.

He wants to have a 'second team' in the premier league. I assume his sofa supporting mates in the playground have them.
I am refusing to entertain the idea.
The merest mention of it, or watching MotD before The Football League, results in a torrent of abuse from me.

'If you want to support Utd that fine, but you're never going to the Amex again'.
'lets go and take all your posters, stickers, and flags down from your bedroom'.
'Hand over your Albion kit'.
and so on.

Pretty awful parenting but this is more important than some wishy-washy horseshit about allowing your children to develop their own identity.

hahaha

 

[Eksman]

Seeya!!!!!!

 

[Pavilionaire]

A lot of coaches around, all teaching the same thing, but good for the youngsters, saw a match recently and watched youngsters rolling around on the floor feigning injury etc in an attempt to get free kicks. Sometimes the wrong things filter down.

35 years ago my team was 'coached' by somebody's dad on a Saturday morning. Nowadays my 7-year old's village team has a relationship with Chelsea, so on Wednesday's he get Chelsea training at Ford, on Friday's there's all-weather pitch training with 2 adults and a teenager doing his FA Ref's coaching badge, and on Saturdays it's match day.

Last Friday we had a guest coach - a young bloke who is a trainee on the coaching staff of a League 1 club doing his final FA coaching badges.

I accept that not every youth team has a set-up like this, but I know of a few locally, and things seem much better than they used to be in my day.

 

[Trevor]

Apart from 1991 and the Playoffs.

That day against Colin's Notts County would be one of the most disappointing that I have seen - I think our financial troubles were well underway by then though