Why Football Support Is Not A Welsh Nationalist Issue

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

At a club level Welsh football occupies a particularly freakish position. After all there is a local pyramid structure and we've chatted about these games in the past. But we have a small number of clubs who play in the English league structure primarily Cardiff City, Newport County, Swansea City and Wrexham.

But on Twitter recently I've seen a relatively common complaint. That people could slag off England at country level and yet support at club level a team playing in the English leagues. In other words if you support an English team you're not truly Welsh.

To me football support is not a Welsh Nationalist issue and it needs to be addressed.

Now I can see this argument if you were born say in Cardiff or Swansea for example. I've always felt that you should support the closest team from where you were born wherever life takes you otherwise. That's why my first love will always be West Ham United.

But despite being born in the East End I've known members of my family who pick, excuse me whilst I hold my nose, the North London Arsenal as their team. So this "glory seeking" is not necessarily a Welsh issue.

Furthermore you could argue why should you support Cardiff if Aston Villa say is the closest team from where you were born?

There is actually a simple solution. As regular readers of this blog will know whilst West Ham is first amongst equals I've always believed that watching other leagues are more interesting when you support a particular team. Thus I follow in no particular order Barcelona, Celtic, Fiorentina, Paris St Germain, Ton Pentre and Werder Bremen.

There is no reason therefore that the Welsh football fan could not pick the closest team from the Welsh football pyramid from where he/she was born as well as a team from the English league and support them both. By doing that if you don't live near Cardiff, Newport Swansea or Wrexham you will have the chance of actually going to watch a game (which will of course be cheaper). You are not betraying either team as they play in different leagues.

And by supporting a Welsh team Welsh league club football will improve. I'm not saying you'll be watching Barcelona. But different leagues are not unlike food. I like bacon, eggs and chips. But I also like Spaghetti. There is a different taste to different leagues. It's still football though.

Of course at an international level the Welsh football fan should always support Wales.

Whilst I of course (for reasons I've explained last year) will always root for England first.

Until the next time.

Another Episode In The "I've Woken Up Early And Am Wandering The Internet" Insomnia Series

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well as I'm writing it's six am on a Sunday morning. It doesn't seem to be a cause to claim insomnia but given I did the afternoon/evening shift  at work yeserdday and went to bed at one am I'd argue it is.

Wife/daughter are asleep. Being Sunday I don't know when they'll wake up. Might be five minutes, might be five hours (will definitely wake up daughter beforehand if it's the latter actually). Can't do anything else without disturbing them.

So am on the internet. Being that digital hobo I like to be when no other options are available.

For the moment am listening to the radio station Classical King FM from Seattle. Always interesting listening to something across the world and in a different timezone. It's an opera on at the moment. Though as regular readers will tell have no idea what opera. Though Wagner it ain't. Ah now I've found out. It's The Barber of Seville. Or how it would be described as now The Hair Stylist Of Seville.

I'm on my third cup of tea in half hour and my throat feels dry. Have I caught this bug that all around me appears to have had or is this but a sniffle?

I note on Twitter that Plaid Cymru has made it's position on Catalonia clear and unequviocal. Spain all of sudden has entered into a race with the Conservative administration in Britain as to who in Western Europe is going to be the most facist first. All people have the right to bare a ballot. Spain has lost Catalonia by what it's done and will continue to do to repress free will. And as for the King of Spain. By being as neutral as a train track Catalonia will be independent and a republic.

Oh by the way...in La Liga...definitely want Barcelona to win now.

Meanwhile Britain still seems to be run by polictical scentologists who still seem to feel that a race over a cliff edge that is a good thing. This I tell you will be the thing that will lead to the break up of the UK. The Welsh Conservatives have tweeted that Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood is fighting against the people of Wales by advocating staying in the single market. As I've said before. People voted for the destination not the route to get there. Since she's trying to avoid that cliff edge all power to her.

Yesterday came the arrival of Storm Brian. That's the storm so named to reek havoc whilst wearing its slippers on. Caused the weather to be bleak yesterday. The following is a picture I took on the way to work on the A48. There were better pictures I could have taken but on that road there was no easy place to park.

Still even when looking bleak Wales is capable of producing stunning views

The sun is out. It's 8:45am. Still reading about Catalonia. The way things are going the phrase "Spanish inquisition" is going to take a whole new meaning.

Interestingly the National Trust will still allow trail hunts across it's land. However the vote in favour in their annual general meeting was very close. The phrase "same time next year" comes to mind. Trail hunts really is like a gateway drug. If you allow this then you know people will be tempted to go further.

Just seen a report from Sky News that thieves in Hawaii are selling tins of Spam to fund their drug habit. So I presume if drugs are sold through a dealer, stolen Spam will be sold through a filter.

Ah well wife is awake

Until the next time.