25 Aug 2026 14:10:51
Is anyone else finding it harder and harder to actually care about modern football these days? Lately, it feels like the game we all grew up loving is being systematically stripped of everything that made it special.
Take what we have to watch on the pitch first. Possession based football has completely killed the excitement. It is just endless sideways and back passing, treating the ball like a hot potato while teams refuse to take any risks. A massive part of that is because real flair and individuality are being coached out of youngsters from a very early age. Academies want rigid, robotic systems instead of players who can beat a man and express themselves.
Off the pitch, the disconnect between players and fans is worse than ever. You look at modern players and most are multi millionaires who have zero connection to the local area. They care more about their social media branding and follower counts than the supporters who fork out hard earned cash to help pay their wages week in, week out.
Money has utterly ruined the game, turning what used to be a proud working class sport into a middle class playground. Traditional supporters are being priced out. According to a UK wide poll by Ipsos, 71 percent of fans who attended a live match feel that traditional supporters are being priced out of going to games. That same Ipsos survey revealed that 76 percent of match goers want a strict cap placed on ticket prices. Look at what happened when away fans got slapped with high ticket prices in our league, it is pure exploitation. In Scotland, this is an even bigger crisis because our clubs are so heavily reliant on gate receipts for survival, unlike leagues with massive television broadcast deals.
When you price out the working class, you sanitise the atmosphere. If the grounds lose the working class core that provides the noise and the colour, stadiums will become completely dead. At that point, what is even the point of going through the turnstiles when you can just sit at home and watch it on a screen?
Look at Germany as proof that it does not have to be this way. They protect the fans with affordable pricing structures and an incredible matchday experience that keeps clubs anchored to their local communities.
One practical solution to fix this issue in our own grounds would be setting aside at least one distinct section preferably terracing directly behind the goals, where season ticket prices are kept significantly lower and explicitly reserved for working class supporters, people on low incomes and young fans. Giving those who generate the passion a dedicated, affordable home inside the stadium would protect the soul of the matchday experience.
Instead, you look closer to home at our own board. Trying to get rid of the ultras and clamping down on supporter groups is going to completely rip the heart out of Celtic. The board are happy to take the colour, the noise, and the global reputation that a vibrant atmosphere brings, but they wage a petty campaign of harassment and stadium bans against the very people who generate it. Alienating the most vocal fans will leave Celtic Park feeling like a library.
Am I alone in feeling detached from modern football, or is anyone else getting sick of it as well?
25 Aug 2026 16:08:59
Had me with the first line.
25 Aug 2026 16:09:46
was sick of it a long time ago joe don't really watch football anymore apart from Celtic games. dnt really talk about football overall anymore mate.
tbh i think society as a whole has changed hate this digital world we live in now.
25 Aug 2026 16:34:59
I’ve felt the same way for a long time.
I love betting and watching American football now.
I don’t know all the rules but there’s plenty of touchdowns and excitement.
Watching football in comparison is boring with goalless draws and cheating diving players who can’t get to the byeline and cross a decent ball because wingers playing on their strong side has went out of the game ?♂️.
25 Aug 2026 16:37:35
I agree with most of what you said Joe, I very rarely watch football any more apart from Celtic games. For me the one thing that drastically needs to change is that referees are strong, like Cuillina was. There's far too much diving and cheating when players lose the ball and refs give fouls continually stopping the play, As far the fiasco you have at corner kicks now is ridiculous, Referees only have to start awarding penalties for pushing and pulling at forwards, it'll soon stop.
25 Aug 2026 16:48:39
Your quill feathes must be worn out Joe after writing that ?
I am going to call you Victorian dad from now on.
Joking aside, I can see where you are coming from. To an extent.
Players are now coached to play a certain way in a certain section of the pitch. They have specific responsibilities.
Young players are coached in one position through their careers which makes it difficult when they are asked to carry out a differing role.
Ye olde wingers, wee Jimmy etc al were coached to get the ball and just run at the defender, get past him and get the ball into the box.
Centre halfs were told that 'nobody gets past you right! '
I recall being told that and if I let someone past me, I got a kick up the a***.
It is all about patterns of play, areas of the pitch that players operate in and individual responsibility.
The money in the game had caused a lot of what the game has become, clubs are scared to lose rather than winning at all costs.
Risk taking has disappeared and players are so scared that they might lose the ball and the team lose a goal. They are then on the bench the next game.
I have read many times that MON wants his wingers to have a go at defenders and if they lose the ball, so what, they fight to get it back and go again.
However, how often have we watched our wingers over the last 18 months come inside or turn back.
I am sure they are not coached to do that and if they are that's a worry and if they are not, it demonstrates to me, a fear that they will be criticised.
Individual players have to play as part of the team and to a game plan.
Individuality is still there to a certain extent but it is being diluted for the team and the riches winning brings.
On the flip side, I look at the Barcelona academy. They occasionally produce a Yamal, a one off individual who is superb but they also produce dozens of technically excellent midfielders and defenders, who can entetain whilst carrying out their individual role in the team.
So is it the case that it is down to coaching and how young players are brought up. Have the clubs themselves made the decision on how their coaches will deliver their training.
Is it a case that top, top teams can afford to take risks while other clubs cannot risk being as cavalier as they would like, as it comes with the of losing access to all the riches that come with success.
25 Aug 2026 17:38:12
I’m lucky to have a season Tik Joe, it’s what allows my opinion to be mostly about football and my matchday experience (mostly winning ) blinds me from some of the other stuff around the club, I can say I just care about the results, celebrating goals, watching the players in that jersey because it’s true, is it anything like it used to be, no where near, that’s mostly to do with the age demographic around me at games and cost to attend, young people rely on parents introducing them and paying there way into adulthood then can keep going if it’s affordable, in today’s game probably not,
The monetisation of football is sickening, all aspects of it, our team has to compete so has to Monetise as well, as for giving a section away (why not ) but there still needs to be rules, apart from offering a certain amount of fan attend cheaper I don’t see what else it achieves,
I for one in terms of ultra groups would support cheaper season books due to what they bring to matchday.
25 Aug 2026 18:44:19
Fans are generally just treated as cash cows with prices on everything at to clubs going up year on year!
25 Aug 2026 20:59:15
You'll no care Joe. You don't watch us anymore. ?.
25 Aug 2026 21:03:53
Wee Joe - i'm a half glass full, always happy and you have just depressed me. Think you need a therapy pet or something. Take it easy and hope you get better.
25 Aug 2026 21:56:21
Didn’t get past the second line WJ - too much time in your hands.