Cod Almighty | Diary

Hopes for the draw gone for a Burton

29 November 2022

Trentside Diary writes: I thought I should take one for the team, just in case you didn't feel able, and watched the draw for the FA Cup third round. I'm old enough, I should know better. Fifteen minutes in and they were still prattling on about something and I'd given up and was reading a book.

I've got very good at tuning out football prattle on the television. I wonder why one of the sport channels that show a lot of games don't offer the option to watch with stadium noise only and no commentator or pundit. Wouldn't it be bliss? Like under covid rules when there was no crowd so you could opt to have fake noise if you wanted it. They are probably worried that we would all switch off certain ones and it would get embarrassing. Big money doesn't want that level of feedback. If the commentators are particularly annoying, we do mute the television but to be honest I like listening to proper crowd noise. None better than at Blundell Park of course.

I got distracted. I was watching once the draw started. I was waiting for when GTFC appeared on the side of the screen in the list of "interesting" clubs. It wasn't just top flight teams, even plucky underdogs Wrexham started on there. Can't think why. I sat there thinking as most home teams were drawn: "no, not them please". And then we were out as the home side. Ooooooo! What excitement! No big Premier League ground payday but... Burton Albion. Oh FFS. I don't even know if that's a good or a shit draw. It was certainly underwhelming. To be fair, it is winnable but our cup run could fizzle out with a whimper. At least it's not at their place. At least it's not Stevenage.

I will admit to watching odd bits of the World Cup. I haven't managed a full match or any of the England or Wales games. Maybe I'll manage some tonight. I just can't get into it. In the past we've had barbeques and a house full of people watching including all my son's mates and their parents. The house isn't that big, you just squish in where you can because it's fun to make an event of it and watch in a crowd. The finals should never have been in Qatar, they should have never been in November and December.

A couple of positive observations. Some of the "foreign" pundits are worth listening to. Just a pleasant change from the self-important numpties we seem to get the rest of the time. And I like the decent amount of time added on at the end of each half. If players knew that any time wasting would be properly added on, there would be far less. Can't see it being introduced in our league though.

On the negative side, who thinks it's a good idea to interview assistant managers or part of the entourage at half-time? I hate it. I remember when we were in non-League first time round and they did this at televised games: BT Sport presenter Helen Skelton talking at someone who would far rather be concentrating on the half to come. When are they ever going to say anything profound? I don't think fans really want it. It will just be some TV persons bright idea.

UTM.