Harry Redknapp Blames Xbox For Poor English Footy

It's all Microsoft's fault, apparently

Posted by Staff
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Portsmouth FC's manager, Harry Redknapp, has blamed England's current ineptitude at The Beautiful Game on the Xbox.

In his column for (wait for it!) The Sun, Redknapp moans, "It may sound old and corny but when I was growing up, working class lads like me in the East End lived and breathed football. Now I rarely see a kickabout in the park. All I see are the dazzling lights of bedroom windows from the glare of TVs and computers. It seems football cannot compete with an Xbox."

We're sure he means games machines in general, and not just the Xbox. Or the 360, at the very least.

Redknapp is being hard done by, he reckons. "I'm fed up with managers being made scapegoats for the state of our domestic game", he whinges. "The English working class is turning its back on football - and that is not my fault."

No, Harry, it's Nick Bloody Hornby's fault.

Harry continues, "I do have a lot of foreign players at Portsmouth but believe me I'd love nothing more than to field a team of 11 so-called 'home-grown' lads born within the city limits. But it has become harder and harder to find enough kids of the kind of quality required to make the grade without buying an air ticket".

Of course! They don't have Xboxes outside Portsmouth (and Southsea)... blimey a whole new market for Microsoft!

Redknapp's solution? Go where they can't afford games consoles! Africa, to be more specific. "Maybe they have the hunger and drive that working class boys of England had 30 years ago but now is replaced by video game passion", he said.

So, the fact that Top-Flight players have given their names to video games since, well at least 1988 (Peter Beardsley Soccer) doesn't come into it? It all smacks of rank hypocrisy to SPOnG.

SPOnG feels that its weekly five-a-side matches have benefited from the endless hours we've spent sitting around, drinking beer, farting and playing PES. Tactics, innit?

Source: ITV.com

Comments

Darren Ward 11 Oct 2007 12:36
1/6
It's more down to the fact there aren't many places to play football anymore.
You used to be able to play on any school field or pretty much any piece of grass. The past few years we've always been moved from school fields by those not-policemen-but-think-they-are wardens. And you're lucky to find an open field anywhere.
ghoti 11 Oct 2007 12:41
2/6
It's more down to the fact that lazy parents have let the media convince them it's not safe for their children to play outside anymore. So rather than go out with their kids and keep an eye on them, they buy them a console and let them stay in all the time.
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Hugh 11 Oct 2007 12:51
3/6
This is the guy that has David James playing in goal. Don't forget that James blamed Tomb Raider and Sony Playstation for his poor performance 10 years ago. Sounds like Harry bought his kid (Jamie Redknapp) an Xbox and is now trying to cover up the fact that Jamie aint that good either.
YenRug 11 Oct 2007 13:09
4/6
The less interest in Football the better, I say. I look forward to the day when people say, "Football, what's that then?"

Yes, I loathe Football and I'm glad that videogames are pissing off a bunch of over paid leather kickers, or whatever else it is they make the balls out of now.
Joji 12 Oct 2007 03:27
5/6
Each to their own Yen.

Indeed, its a combination of school fields being sold off to build more houses (this same thing happened to two schools in my town) under pressure from the goverment, councils catering playing facilties for children under the age of ten, and to hell with kids after that age. Hey, don't worry teenage kids, just twiddle your thumbs outside of school and be good.

U.K County/City Councils hate spending money on kids, and then wonder why they act up half the time. Doh, its not rocket science. Such tight fisted ignorance is what's sowing the seeds of U.K society's breakdown. Its been going this way slowly, for atleast the last 15-20 years. Kids have now money. No money, equals no going bowling, ice skating or yes, playing footy. Signs saying 'No Playing Ball Games' are entrenched in almost any free piece of football worthy land, so the councils can watch the pretty grass grow evenly.

Fear of letting kids play outside has also fed into parents minds, as well as child obesity on the other side of the arguement. Paedos and rapists are on every corner, not. I still think, if martial arts were taught in schools, from an early age, there'd be less parental fear of letting kids be alone outside. This would also teach kids discipline and values, a lot currently lack. Hey, it works in the far east, so why not here?

For football to survive we need facilties to be open to kids to use freely, in spare time from eleven upwards. Because it costs money to g to a local leisure centre or gym, of course they'll stay in playing games. All I can suggest is for kids to get free passes for these kinds of places, at certain times. Keeping them occupied and engaged safely, in spare time will cut crime and gangs, be it 360 or football.

So Harry Redknapp, if you want to save football, get the government to get tighter on our boarders and illegal immigration. More people equals less living space, and less space for parks and playing fields for kids to play.

Tell Jamie Redknapp, to put down his console pad and play some football again too, lol. Why doesn't Jamie go round the country and do something positive to encourage playing football? He doesn't play pro anymore, so he's got time.

Just my two pence on it....
Earl 15 Oct 2007 15:56
6/6
But we do have lots of fat kids who rock at fifa 08 !!

Lets all worship at the altar of the tv
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