As nice and simple as it may sound to improve football, to make it more exciting, more attractive and fairer. There are some gigantic hurdles to clear out of the way. The mere awareness of having recognised these and being able to present them to the reader in advance should already make a small contribution to overcoming them. It is, so to speak, obvious and understandable that all eyes and ears are initially wide shut (!). (“Eyes wide shut”; film with Tom Criuse).
The football is so big, nothing can be moved…
Every reader is sure: he already knows everything about football. There is nothing new he could learn. Full stop.
He has long since formed a firm opinion on everything, it is useless to listen, at the latest after the first half-sentence it is “his own turn”.
Everyone has their own solutions ready, which have to be presented loudly and convincingly long before others are listened to.
Everything that could be suggested to achieve the goals has already been discussed.
FIFA takes care of all ideas for improvement. There are committees set up specifically for this purpose, especially for the rules.
Although all the goals would be approved everywhere without much objection, scepticism prevails by far: “Yes to the goal, no to the attainability.”
Any change to something as gigantic as football, the world’s number one sport, could just as easily bring a reduction in following, in marketability. So conservative thinking and scepticism is at the forefront. It stays as it is, it stays as big as it is. Number one, that’s all you can do. Basta.
Betting and gambling is recognised as the surest way to ruin, especially in this country. The scepticism about this is so great that people don’t even think about the basic considerations, the betting market and how it works. One senses the danger of already having the seeds of gambling – and thus ruin – planted in one’s mind just by thinking about it. So: Hands off.
The predictability of football is impossible
Thinking in terms of probabilities is an unfamiliar and uneasy
Short remarks to set positive thinking on its way to overcoming:
Football is so big, nothing can be done about it….
o Nothing can be done? Every fan, spectator knows grievances, gets annoyed every day. Let’s tackle it in principle, to move something.
Every reader is sure: He already knows everything about football. There is nothing new he could learn. Full stop.
o The reader can only realise this misconception by reading. However, a few introductory sentences are certainly enough to overcome the threshold fear.
He has long since formed a fixed opinion on everything, useless to listen, at the latest after the first half-sentence “it’s his turn”.
o The fixed opinions exist, cause rebellion. The suggestion here: Set aside a few prejudices. Read on in a relaxed manner. After all, you are on your own at the moment.
Everyone has their own solutions, which have to be presented loudly and convincingly long before others are listened to.
o See above: Keep your own suggestions well sorted in the back of your mind, yet familiarise yourself with the ones you have made and vote on them.
Everything that could be given as suggestions for achieving the goals has already been discussed.
o Again, this does not apply. There is often enough and long enough discussion by the officials that misses the point.
FIFA takes care of all ideas for improvement. There are committees set up specifically for this, specifically for the rules.
o They exist, tests are also constantly carried out and improvements and feasibility are discussed. Nevertheless, the problems lie deeper. A change of level, so to speak. What do you do against fever? Take a fever-reducing remedy or fight the source of the illness? A matter of opinion?
Although all goals would be approved everywhere without major objections, scepticism prevails by far: “Yes to the goal, no to its attainability.
o The scepticism is understandable and appropriate. Wait for the effect of this work. The argument is coherent. It is achievable. And easily so.
Any change to something as gigantic as football, the world’s number one sport, could equally bring a reduction in following, in marketability. So conservative thinking and scepticism is at the forefront. It stays as it is, it stays as big as it is. Number 1, that’s all you can do. Basta.
o Actually, put like that, one of the main problems: Due to decades of supremacy, no serious attention is paid to the audience base, their interest. They don’t seem to need it, but at the same time they are sawing away at their own branches.
Betting and gambling is recognised as the surest way to ruin, especially in this country. The scepticism about this is so great that people do not even think about the basic considerations, the betting market and how it works. One senses the danger of already having the seeds of gambling – and thus ruin – planted in one’s mind just by thinking about it. So: Hands off.
o This scepticism is very special and very German. Today’s betting market is fair and correct. There is no guarantee of profit for anyone (except for the state, which has secured a monopoly here and wants to milk it for all it’s worth). Conversely, there is no loss guarantee either. Those who are good can hold on. For others, the following applies: other forms of entertainment also cost money. That is by no means ruin. By the way, people play anyway. Why not play fair?
The predictability of football is excluded
o It is not proven here that something can be exactly calculated, predicted, but to what extent something can be predicted. The possible statements, however, are only statements of probability, and….
Thinking in terms of probabilities is an unfamiliar and uncomfortable
o This is due to the understandable striving for certainty (“certain” is an event with probability 1 or 100%), in which a probability statement always seems immediately silly: “70%? Haha, so you say it’s coming or it’s not. I knew that before.” There is nevertheless a difference between 70% and 40%, which one is reluctant to accept at first, but somewhat more willing to accept after studying.
