Following football is one of the greatest gifts that I have ever received. Sometimes that gift is like opening up a packet of socks on Christmas morning, the present promised so much but delivered little. On other times the gift brings you those games that have everything you could hope for. My heart is still recovering from the tension of a great A-League game between my team, the Brisbane Roar and the competition's most followed team, Melbourne Victory on Saturday night. When the final whistle blew I had a strange mix of elation and relief as we held on for a vital three points, winning 3-2. I hope that your team did not cause you too many heart issues this weekend! Now to this weekend's good, the bad and the downright ugly.
THE GOOD
Trailling by 10 points in La Liga to bitter rivals Real Madrid, Barcelona are by their lofty standards having a terrible season. Not so their talisman number 10, Lionel Messi. Twenty-seven goals in all competition games, forty-two thus far, is a tremendous effort and is only one dynamic in his incredible contribution to his football team. This has been no better illustrated than in Barcelona's 5-1 win over third placed Valencia earlier this morning. Four goals and an assist is an incredible return for the world player of the year. If you do not like the sublime fourth goal then you are a very hard task master indeed!
THE BAD
You dream of playing in an epic FA Cup match and you are given the chance playing against the historically mighty Liverpool FC. Your team scores 4 goals and somehow the dream is a nightmare as three of those goals are own goals. Even worse, you are credited with two of the own goals. Brighton's Liam Birdcutt will definitely not nominate red as his favorite color in my opinion after Brighton's 6-1 loss to Liverpool in the 5th round tie against Liverpool.
THE DOWNRIGHT UGLY
Owning a football club is often more a labour of love than a profitable venture. Many football clubs around the world have encountered financial and competitive problems throughout their history, so it would be vital that the owner loves the game. There is a whole plethora of dilemmas that this article could write about Gold Coast United but I will leave them up to their owner, Clive Palmer to best sum up his alleged feelings about his own club, the competition and the people who run the game (1).
I don't even like the game," he told The Sunday Mail.
"I think it's a hopeless game. Rugby league's a much better game."
"I think it's a hopeless game. Rugby league's a much better game."
"That's the reality of it. They can say what they like ... the A-League's a joke. I don't think I'll ever talk to Ben again in my life, to be honest."
What do you think? What were your weekend's the good, the bad, and the downright ugly?
(1) Monteverde, Marco, "Clive Palmer slams football, refuses to guarantee future of Gold Coast United", Brisbane Courier Mail, February 19, 2012.
