BY PHIL LEE

In print | November 15, 2007

Football used to be a passionate sport. I’m not saying that it’s completely void of passion now, but the influx of money into domestic leagues worldwide has taken a toll on the “beautiful game.” Players, coaches and clubs ignore the age old concept of “keeping” contracts, electing instead to focus on the merits of breaching contracts, contingent on relative due diligence. These days, I long for the “good ole days,” when football was more about pride and passion than money and commerce. Last weekend, I got my wish, as football fans worldwide had the privilege of watching two of the world’s most passionate regional rivalries – the Tyne-Wear and Second City derbies. In the former, Newcastle boss “Big” Sam Allardyce fearlessly led his players into chaotic Tyne-hell, otherwise known as Sunderland’s Stadium of Light. Sunderland gaffer Roy Keane, or “Keano,” was cheered by 47,000 fans (from a total stadium capacity of 48,300) upon entry into the ground, a typically packed house for English football’s most passionate football rivalry. Prior to the match, Sunderland had not won any of its last five matches, while Newcastle had only salvaged a point from three matches. The scene was set for a morale-boosting Sunderland victory, with Keano galvanizing his troops in a press conference held right before the match. The actual match, however, offered mixed results, as the two sides tied 1-1. Danny Higginbotham opened the scoring with a header for Sunderland, sending the red and white army into dreamland. Its elation was short-lived, however, as James Milner equalized for the visitors with a fluke cross-turned-shot into the box. More than the results, though, I was delighted with the style of play exhibited on the field. Both sides played with great intensity, passion, and excitement, reinforcing the Tyne-Wear derby’s favorable reputation. Sure, the football played was not beautiful, per se, but it exhibited the soul of the “beautiful game.”

The Second City derby brought another heart-warming dose of passion to my nostalgic soul, as Aston Villa edged past Birmingham City two goals to one. Birmingham gaffer Steve Bruce was greeted by 26,500 fans (total stadium capacity of 30,000) at St. Andrews Park, with Martin O’Neill’s Villa enjoying a rougher entrance into the ground. The century-old regional rivalry between the two clubs promised to yield a great match. Entering the contest, Birmingham had been through a rough patch with four losses in the last five games, whereas Villa was coming off a two-win streak. Martin O’Neill’s youthful squad had been making ripples across the Premier League, evidenced by its eighth place position in the standings. Birmingham City, however, was the home side, and O’Neill acknowledged this through his cautious pre-match interview. Villa opened the scoring with an own goal from former defender and current Birmingham captain Liam Ridgewell, a touch of irony that shows the passionate and often unpredictable character of local derby matches. Mikael Forssell, an unlikely candidate for the equalizer, then brought Birmingham level with an unstoppable header into the top corner. The visitors, however, pulled off an impressive late coup through Gabriel Agbonlahor, the club’s local young star, who grew up a Villa fan, as he skimmed an Ashley Young cross into the net. The match exemplified all the positive characteristics of a derby match. The players, regardless of age, race or nationality, fought tooth-and-nail for victory in one of the most passionate contests I’ve had the privilege to watch all season. I saw passion and commitment reinstalled in football.

The “beautiful game” earned its nickname for a reason. Passionate regional rivalries help preserve the dying soul of football, in the face of increasing commercialization pressures. Watch one of the matches and see if you can identify the players’ “big hearts,” as Cantona would put it. Football is all about passion.

Phil is a senior. You can reach him at plee1@swarthmore.edu.

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