Where are we after almost a decade of this?

[Niall_Quinn]

Something happened during this recent International break, something that hasn't really happened before (in my case). I simply didn't notice (or care) there was no football (naturally I discounted the Internationals as football). I didn't watch England, couldn't care less whether they won, lost, drew, qualified. But more notably I'm not even remotely interested about the upcoming domestic match. Reading is it? I only know who the opponents are from visiting this forum. Saturday? Sunday? Monday? Don't know. Don't care. Won't be watching it and don't give a toss about the result.

This isn't some sulky rebellion. I genuinely couldn't care less. I have been enjoying the start of the new F1 season and that's more than enough for me. I loved Vettell and Webber almost killing each other to win even though they get paid millions. I don't miss the complacency of football at all.

Hopefully this isn't a growing old thing - don't think so, I think it's more to do with the fact football is boring and predictable as hell now. The quality is so low, the players so ordinary (apart from their extraordinary wages). Crooks own the teams. Sounds like the stars are all on dope too, hardly a surprise. Is there anything to like about this "sport" any more?

How about you? Does anyone actually care about this any more? I mean passionately or to the point where they leap up and down in the room or curse the ref's parents or cry all week about being cheated or all the usual stuff fans who give a fuck do?

[Syn]

Nah, of course it's not just you.

Interest (real interest - the jump and down type that you talk of) might've been slowly diminishing but selling Van Persie ended it. We had, on some level, accepted that many players didn't really care about the club - and I guess this has been an increasing trend in football over the last 15-20 years with more foreign players and less local products. But what really stung was a clear signal that the club itself don't care for non-monetary issues such as pride or tradition. I still watch games when I can - force of habit and it's something to have on in the background, but not one result - win or lose - has got much more than a 'meh' out of me.

[fakeyank]

I love the game. I could watch football all day so I am always excited about the game. Do I curse and cry over ref's decisions, fouls etc? Not anymore... I dont know if it has to do with age or more with how mediocre we have become. Mediocrity is something I can accept too but just the lack of passion really kills me. I have been an Arsenal fan since I can remember and I will always make an attempt to follow them, no matter how long the muppets in the boardroom or the muppet managing our club is there. There is a hope in me that some day something will change and I will watch this game and Arsenal till that happens (hopefully in my lifetime!) and then rejoice like the good old days.

[Marc Overmars]

My interest in the sport as a whole is as low as it's ever been, I mean, I'm not even going to cut myself if Spurs finish above us.

I live in hope that one day soon Wenget will go and we can look forward to something different at the club. Whether that will be positive change or negative remains to be seen, but at least it'll be something worth talking about, because currently we have fuck all to discuss that hasn't been spoken about a million times before.

[Kano]

the olympics almost killed football for me but as the season has progressed I’ve gotten back into it, enjoying as much as ever.

england and internationals in general can go fuck themselves but I still very much involved in this game and don’t see it changing.

i hate what's happening at the club but whilst i've given up my season ticket after 20 years, i still want to watch and engage with every game we play. it still matters to me.

[Özim]

I've totally lost interest as well, I know we're playing Reading but i'm in the "who cares camp" now, there's nothing exciting about it and I haven't missed our games during the International break, I'm just not that bothered about our fight for "4th place".

Nothing changes, noone wakes up and smells the coffee, everything is on replay every season, it's like watching the same program over and over again, after a while it no longer captures your interest.

We all know what's going to happen this summer right and where we will be this time next year?

[Cripps_orig]

I actually prefer internationals these days.

Lost interest in club football. Got rid of Sky around a year ago plus being at work means I don't watch Arsenal as much as I used to and I couldn't care less. I do go to games but that's on.y cos the season ticket has been paid for so its more having to go than wanting to go.

Don't care whether we win the 4th place trophy or not. The only real enjoyment from football I have got from football over the last few years is International Tournaments and Barca being Reals bitches. Enjoyed Chelsea humiliating those ****s last season more than anything Arsenal have done in years. It's a shame but Wenger has killed football for me

[LDG]

Symptomatic of pretty much everything in modern day pop culture.

Once money is the prime objective, as it is in many other pursuits, the quality reduces, the heart goes out of it, and it's all about appeal to the masses, and the dumb.

The club has disowned its identity and history. Part of that is down to the game as a whole, but it's also a decision made by the shareholders and backed by Wenger to put finance first above the game.

I follow it, yes. Because I've always followed it. I'll be happy at a win, pissed off at a loss, but I don't feel inclined to interupt my Saturday evening to watch MOTD. If I miss a match on TV, I don't feel as though I've let anyone down anymore.

The club has distanced itself from it's fanbase, and now it's fanbase will distance itself more and more from the club. Which ultimately will mean the club loses out, bar a lucky few who take their swag with them.

Fuck, I don't even know how the WUM's are able to build up an appetite for coming on here anymore. Their material is so dire now that nobody even reads their stuff, let alone bites.

[Xhaka Can’t]

I couldn't care less anymore.

But I haven't changed at all.

Arsenal did.

[Power n Glory]

Football just isn’t what it used to be and when you add in the dross we’re servicing up each year, it’s no surprise that we’re all feeling disheartened. We don’t even play good football anymore and it’s not entertaining to watch. It’s painful viewing and it’s to the point where I always end up asking why I’ve wasted a good few hours watching it. I sure as hell won’t go out of my way to pay to watch a game anymore and that’s a huge difference to how I felt when younger. I was never able to afford to go to games but now that I can I don’t bloody want to. I’m also reconsidering that Sky and EPSN subscription.

Football in general is suffering and it’s not what it used to be. Real Madrid and Barca have a monopoly on the world’s best players and it’s making things boring. The whole doped up superstar team is making things lopsided. All the best players are dotted around the same few clubs and if Real announce the signing of someone like Suarez, I have no interest in seeing how he plays there because I’m pretty sure he won’t have to work anywhere near as hard as he’s had to work at Liverpool. He won’t have to drop deep or into different positions as much because all the creativity will already be behind him and he might as well just wait for service. It’s bloody boring and you don’t get to see really talented players flourish. Have a bad season or pick up an injury and you’ll end up like Villa or Kaka…on the bench. Or you get played out of position like Cesc and Mascherano. It’s nowhere near as fun as it used to be. Or maybe Arsenal have just put a massive cloud over how I now view things?