Being a "fanboy"

[Dubai Blue]

Living over here, you get used to having to search hard for a proper football fan to have a half decent discussion with. A lot of people here have no real connection to a club and so typically just pick a big team like Barca, Madrid, Juventus, Man City etc. They tend not to have much of a well-rounded view of football and the history, legacies, tactics & overall experiences/emotions that comes with growing up and following a team that you truly connect with from an early age. I find that sort of "top line" football knowledge a bit boring and hard to really talk about for too long.

Now, I am not the one who decides what is a real football fan, but one thing that really makes me cringe is player fan boys.

Endless Facebook video montages about Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar...and now Salah, people having social profile photos of them (forums I understand!), phone covers, desktop backgrounds, constant discussions about being the G.O.A.T. and "why Messi is better that CR7" etc...and these are grown men doing this.

I understand idolizing players, but by doing so they are not supporting a club, just an individual in what is obviously a team sport. As a result they follow the player, severing their allegiances with a football club they "supported" and adopting a new one each time he transfers. Can you imagine doing that?

A player's career is far shorter than a football fans life-span, and to me it's just such a hollow way to enjoy football.

Anyways, it's just something that's been on my mind and has been heightened by the comparisons now each player is representing their national team. Anyone got any thoughts on this? Similar encounters?

I'll end with a very recent anaecdote...

I work for the ad agency for Chevrolet out here in Dubai. My senior client at Chevrolet is an Egyptian, and football fan. He was a Man U fan even prior to Chevrolet's sponsorship agreement that commenced in 2014. On the night of the CL final, I open up my Facebook feed to find him posting "Come on Liverpool". Bizzare to say the least.

 

[McBain]

Hows them Stadiums getting along?

 

[Dubai Blue]

Hows them Stadiums getting along?

In Dubai? I'd say slow to non-existent. Having said that probably more progress than our BMD.

 

[McBain]

In Dubai? I'd say slow to non-existent. Having said that probably more progress than our BMD.

You'll need stadiums if you want a World Cup mert.

 

[Dubai Blue]

You'll need stadiums if you want a World Cup mert.

Qatar will be the last one in Middle East for at least 12 years. By that point Ramadan will be during the winter...so maybe in 16-20 years....by which time I'll be elsewhere!

 

[McBain]

Qatar will be the last one in Middle East for at least 12 years. By that point Ramadan will be during the winter...so maybe in 16-20 years....by which time I'll be elsewhere!

You won't be sticking around in the big D? I don't know if I could go all day without eating. Ramadan must be torture in the afternoon when everyone's hungry, snappy and got bad breath from not eating.

 

[Dubai Blue]

Lol, we don't have to fast...just don't chomp on a cheeseburger in front of someone who is! Bars, restaurants, cafes are all open, they just cover the windows up.

Working hours are shortened by 2-3hrs a day and you get a 4 day weekend at the end of it.

Only thing I miss during Ramadan is live music, which they don't have in bars during the holy month.

Dubai ain't as strict as people think!

 

[Number_25]

Living over here, you get used to having to search hard for a proper football fan to have a half decent discussion with. A lot of people here have no real connection to a club and so typically just pick a big team like Barca, Madrid, Juventus, Man City etc. They tend not to have much of a well-rounded view of football and the history, legacies, tactics & overall experiences/emotions that comes with growing up and following a team that you truly connect with from an early age. I find that sort of "top line" football knowledge a bit boring and hard to really talk about for too long.

Now, I am not the one who decides what is a real football fan, but one thing that really makes me cringe is player fan boys.

Endless Facebook video montages about Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar...and now Salah, people having social profile photos of them (forums I understand!), phone covers, desktop backgrounds, constant discussions about being the G.O.A.T. and "why Messi is better that CR7" etc...and these are grown men doing this.

I understand idolizing players, but by doing so they are not supporting a club, just an individual in what is obviously a team sport. As a result they follow the player, severing their allegiances with a football club they "supported" and adopting a new one each time he transfers. Can you imagine doing that?

A player's career is far shorter than a football fans life-span, and to me it's just such a hollow way to enjoy football.

Anyways, it's just something that's been on my mind and has been heightened by the comparisons now each player is representing their national team. Anyone got any thoughts on this? Similar encounters?

I'll end with a very recent anaecdote...

I work for the ad agency for Chevrolet out here in Dubai. My senior client at Chevrolet is an Egyptian, and football fan. He was a Man U fan even prior to Chevrolet's sponsorship agreement that commenced in 2014. On the night of the CL final, I open up my Facebook feed to find him posting "Come on Liverpool". Bizzare to say the least.

When I lived in Saudi Arabia a couple years back I saw a old-ish man wearing a Man City shirt. We were both waiting for the bus to take us into Jeddah, so I asked him about it.

He started off by saying that he had been supporting them for decades, but was surprised to find that they played for many years in the second division. It was when he said he doesn't know who Paulo Wanchope was did his plasticity really shine.

I don't get it.

 

[aazak]

When I lived in Saudi Arabia a couple years back I saw a old-ish man wearing a Man City shirt. We were both waiting for the bus to take us into Jeddah, so I asked him about it.

He started off by saying that he had been supporting them for decades, but was surprised to find that they played for many years in the second division. It was when he said he doesn't know who Paulo Wanchope was did his plasticity really shine.

I don't get it.

Don't know how you did it - live there that is. Mate of mine has been in Riyadh for 8 years and his day to day life sounds worse than most prisons.

 

[Dubai Blue]

When I lived in Saudi Arabia a couple years back I saw a old-ish man wearing a Man City shirt. We were both waiting for the bus to take us into Jeddah, so I asked him about it.

He started off by saying that he had been supporting them for decades, but was surprised to find that they played for many years in the second division. It was when he said he doesn't know who Paulo Wanchope was did his plasticity really shine.

I don't get it.

Had an intern at work, first thing I said to him was "do you like football?". After telling me he did I then asked "what team do you support?" To which he replied, "Well, I like Man City, but my brother supports United so I sometimes follow them too."

He didn't last long.

 

[Brisan123]

Lol, we don't have to fast...just don't chomp on a cheeseburger in front of someone who is! Bars, restaurants, cafes are all open, they just cover the windows up.

Working hours are shortened by 2-3hrs a day and you get a 4 day weekend at the end of it.

Only thing I miss during Ramadan is live music, which they don't have in bars during the holy month.

Dubai ain't as strict as people think!

Genuine question
The missus has this thing about going to Dubai.
We only got married last year so it was out before that.
What’s the story on alcohol bars live music etc

 

[Big Fat Sam]

Genuine question
The missus has this thing about going to Dubai.
We only got married last year so it was out before that.
What’s the story on alcohol bars live music etc

As long as you show her plenty of affection in public you'll be sound la.

 

[Brisan123]

As long as you show her plenty of affection in public you'll be sound la.

FFS I don’t even do that at home.

 

[Dubai Blue]

Genuine question
The missus has this thing about going to Dubai.
We only got married last year so it was out before that.
What’s the story on alcohol bars live music etc

Mate, honestly, you don't even realise you're in a muslim country most of the time. It's catered for westerners with a nod to local traditions. Tons of bars, loads of live music, even buying booze to keep in the house is simple.

Ramadan is the only time you'll feel it but it's so much less strict than it was even 7 years ago when I arrived. See my earlier comment on that.

Anyone slagging this place off has either had a one-off bad experience and generalized it for the region of "middle east" or read too much Daily Mail.

If you want any specific examples of "what is xyz like?" DM me.

Honestly, great standard of living and the only downside is having to stay inside a bit more in the summer when it's getting 40°C+ and not seeing Everton live...then again away days in Europe are much cheaper cos they don't hike the prices up for people flying in from Dubai!

 

[Brisan123]

Mate, honestly, you don't even realise you're in a muslim country most of the time. It's catered for westerners with a nod to local traditions. Tons of bars, loads of live music, even buying booze to keep in the house is simple.

Ramadan is the only time you'll feel it but it's so much less strict than it was even 7 years ago when I arrived. See my earlier comment on that.

Anyone slagging this place off has either had a one-off bad experience and generalized it for the region of "middle east" or read too much Daily Mail.

If you want any specific examples of "what is xyz like?" DM me.

Honestly, great standard of living and the only downside is having to stay inside a bit more in the summer when it's getting 40°C+ and not seeing Everton live...then again away days in Europe are much cheaper cos they don't hike the prices up for people flying in from Dubai!

So a beach holiday with bikinis and shorts and a decent meal with a few pints and a bit of live music is possible ?? Once I’m not watching over my shoulder for the moral police day and night I’ll be happy