If you’ve ever watched self-confessed 'semi-intelligent' vidcast (or video podcast, or whatever, we really don’t know, or care) The Dugout you’ll know that it consists of a man in a small room talking about football. We know it doesn’t sound like anything that extraordinary, going to the nearest wetherspoons and sitting next to the guy drinking Spitfire can get you a similar experience, but the most incredible thing about this particular series of online videos (going with dictionary definition) is its ability to make us laugh about even the most serious subject matter.
Is football really in crisis?
Ok, so maybe there are other, more pressing crises to tackle, such as the economic crisis, the transport crisis or the education crisis, but there are probably vidcasts for those as well, and football is (almost as) important to the country.
Anyway, if possible, the recent webisode (or web episode, we hate this) was even more fascinating, as they brought in our favourite football expert John Nicholson to discuss the tough issues affecting the troubled world of football (although they didn’t bring him physically in, they just called him, the room was probably too small). Taking the subject as seriously as we do, John offered his expertise on what’s happening to:
The England International Team: “I am glad to see Fabio Capello continuing on some great traditions, a crap player in the squad is essential at all times”
Refereeing in Scotland: “It’s already impressive, controlling twenty-two unruly men with only the aid of an Irn-Bru bottle and some industrial language”
Carlo Ancelotti: “[without Ancelotti] can you imagine the immoral behaviour Chelsea players might get up to?”
He also plugged his new book, We Ate All The Pies, which we don’t feel we have to, because the man’s genius and ability to deftly handle the serious crises is clearly visible in the vidcast.
Order your copy of John Nicholson's We Ate All The Pies: How football swallowed Britain whole for £9.99 and get an in-depth look at football from a man who takes the sport very seriously but, as a Middlesbrough fan, finds it quite difficult to sometimes.