The main problem with the thesis principle
In the book, a few striking and sometimes provocative theses about football are to be put forward and these are to be gradually examined, motivated and well justified. Background: fix grievances, make football better, fairer, more attractive. More goals, more action, more excitement, more fun, more fans is roughly the formula.
The biggest hurdle to be overcome in order to accept this entire text should first be brought to the point at this point. However, as soon as you have jumped over this gigantic hurdle and entrust yourself to the thought and put your skepticism aside for a moment, puzzle piece follows puzzle piece, tesserae into tesserae, and in the end results in an absolutely coherent overall picture.
The problem – and thus quasi main thesis number 1 – is to get the reader to read. Because the observed reflex – which is probably already taking effect at this point – is this: everyone has either already heard any thesis about football or it must be wrong. This is without alternative. Nevertheless, strangely enough, everyone who is confronted with such a thesis already has their own, very firm opinion about it, which must be conveyed immediately, preferably before the other person has finished speaking. There is basically nothing to shake about that own view either. In this respect, it is unnecessary to pursue the thesis principle mentioned further here.
Just to pick out an example where you can check this built-in reflex in a kind of self-test at this point, just one word should be noted here: video evidence.
Writing this down, you actually feel directly how all the things mentioned are taking hold. “I’ve heard everything before, you don’t have to speak any further. This, that, that, no matter what you say now; but if you want my opinion on that…”
If you’ve made it to this point, perhaps gaining a tiny bit of persuasion: the video evidence is mentioned only in passing, if at all. He is, so to speak, completely irrelevant (which would be a separate view, and thus related to the anticipated reader reaction).
