While I tend to agree with sledge on his premise, I do feel that an objrctive discussion of commercialised sports including football is worthwhile.
The first problem is the malign influence of Rupert Murdoch. His injections of enormous cash into sport for the benefit of Sky TV and other channels he controls, has distorted the system.
This has resulted in sportsmen [sic] being paid obscene amounts of money. It has also distorted TV viewing, with the TV companies calling the shots re kick off times etc, so they suit the company schedules.
This influences youngsters in some cases by making them think that to become rich and famous, neither education or manners are a necessary adjunct to life. So they leave school early, or concentrate on sports to the exclusion of more mundane things like the three Rs. They can't all be superstars, so inevitably many become disillusioned and bored, and end up in bad company.
It has also put people off following sport because of its mercenary attitudes.
Then there is the situation where a British football team turns out for a match with not one Briton in the team. How does that foster sport in our own people? What it seems to do in most cases is, reduce the pool of good players when it comes to selecting a national side. If you don't bring on your own players, you don't have the choice!
Giok