Football, the beautiful game, full of joy and laughter…or is it? Some things about football just grind our gears. Phil Hay can’t stand that darn vuvuzela, and George Caulkin just wants No 6 to stay put in defence. But let’s talk Premier League fans – ever notice how they can’t handle a single loss? Well, try being a Scunthorpe United fan, or the poor souls at Bury who got expelled from the EFL. And Wrexham, have you seen them lately? Moving on to Adam Hurrey and his one true pet peeve – players having to deal with a little bit of astro-turf on their corner kick run-ups. Get over it, my dude. And let’s not even talk about big club fans who mock smaller clubs’ attendance numbers, especially the ones in League One or Two. Have some respect, people! Adam Leventhal isn’t into players delaying penalty kicks, but who is? I mean, just take the damn shot already. And don’t even get Carl Anka started on foul throws. Really, we expect more from academy-trained players. Kids with “can I have your shirt?” banners are just downright entitled, but at least Luke Brown tried, even if the players didn’t give him the shirt off their back. Alex Kay-Jelski thinks clubs who think they have a certain way to play are ridiculous, but don’t we all have things we think are important in life? Let’s talk about those pesky corner kicks where the ball isn’t fully in the quadrant. It’s certainly bugging Daniel Taylor, even if it’s just a wee bit off. And can we talk about the ex-players turned coaches who wear those tapered tracksuit pants that look like they’re gonna bust a seam? Laura Williamson is not amused, my friends. The “he’s one of our own” chant that every club is copying is definitely overdone. But come on, people, can’t we at least try to come up with something new and creative? Jordan Halford can’t stand goalkeepers purposely wasting time, but when it comes to football today, is anyone surprised? George Caulkin can’t even stand the word “football” being used over soccer. Don’t be that guy, George. Leaving early from matches is never okay, except if you’re losing 5-0. Joey D’Urso’s friend learnt that lesson the hard way. But what really bugs Paul Tenorio is when players treat throw-ins like anything but passes. Keep the ball moving, players! Steph Yang thinks relying on refs to make certain calls is just plain wrong, especially in the NWSL. Amitai Winehouse thinks it’s ridiculous when fans claim their club always lose a lead. Oh, and the defenders who flop to the ground just really chap Felipe Cardenas’ hide. And don’t even get Joshua Kloke started on national anthems being played at soccer games. What is this, the Olympics? Pablo Maurer doesn’t get soccer clubs that keep rebranding in hopes of staying relevant. Pick a lane, people. Samuel Richardson has a whole list, including Daniel Levy who probably hasn’t sunk in with Spurs fans yet. At the end of the day, there’s always something to complain about in football, but let’s not forget to take a deep breath and just enjoy the game.
Serious News: nytimes