In his weekly Everton FC piece, Michael Ball addresses the Premier League from a different perspective in the second section.
This season, the Premier League’s interactions with Everton have come under intense scrutiny, and with good reason.
Another thing that irritates me is that the league and the larger football community promote the grassroots game.
Merseyside has a wealth of exceptional talent, and it’s commonly known that the area produces athletes at all level of the professional game.
However, this is about far more than just giving kids the chance to advance in their sport; it’s also about facilitating access to the main goal of football, which is enjoyment.
It’s simple to lose sight of the fact that enjoying yourself is the primary goal of football. This season, Everton supporters have had to educate themselves on complex spending regulations and football finance in order to comprehend what is going on with their beloved team. This season, celebrations and meltdowns by supporters of all Premier League clubs have been cut short by frequently protracted VAR inspections, the reasons for which few, if any, of the spectators in the terraces are aware of in real time.
The game’s basic foundations have been stripped of all enjoyment. Speaking with local team managers, I learn that some of their teams have only played eight, nine, or ten games this season due to the facilities’ inability to handle the most expected of issues: the British weather. This winter has seen a lot of rainy weekends, which is bad for both the players and the coaches because they take up their free time. These kids aren’t getting the chance to go outside and play, express themselves, and have fun with the game we all love.
This has nothing to do with kids who are identified as gifted at a young age. Modern facilities are available for players to use at club academies in any weather. However, there ought to be more freely accessible, weather-resistant pitches available for everyone else. I visited the Netherlands once, and I was rather impressed with the services there. Since football is the national sport and the Premier League is the greatest in the world, more should be done to make football available to everyone for free.
Specialised pitches are more available than ever, but they are not free. A lot of families cannot afford to pay up to £130 per hour for some full-sized 4G pitches, especially in light of the current cost of living issue. I was fortunate to grow up at a time when there was a different culture. I played outside on the street with my neighbours not objecting since I used the “no ball games” sign as a goalpost. With the passage of time, a great number of playing fields have been enclosed or developed, leaving only specialised fields that are frequently out of reach for the general public.
I have been following local coach Kenny Saunders’s effort, since he has spent years advocating for increased financing for grassroots sports. There should be no need for his work anymore. Numerous groups, ranging from soccer teams to municipalities, have untapped potential. Among the most well-known is the Premier League, which is a wonderful game that ought to be accessible to all.
Be the first to comment