Football and United States Politics
The transfer window came and closed for Newcastle United as Alan ‘Barack’ Pardew struggled to raise the debt ceiling despite multiple requests to the (well) Fed Mike Ashley. Elsewhere in America, the US government experienced a similar act of of monetary petulance. Let’s take a look at the comparisons between the beautiful game and US politics.
Purse Strings – Puppet Strings?
The Federal Reserve has rained on Barack Obama’s healthcare reform, a monumental act of defiance simply because they hold the purse strings, tightly. Speaking of tight, Mike Ashely, the chairman of Newcastle United Football Club and local equivalent of the Fed, has also suppressed the wishes of his manager as he looks to make wholesale changes to keep the football club performing on the pitch. You may be wondering what the similarities are – Obama and Pardew both lead for the people, their fans yet the financial controllers operate inwardly for self-gain. When the government shut down, the Fed office still paid themselves, and when Newcastle United couldn’t bring in any players, Mike Ashley brought his old mate Joe Kinnear in as the ‘director of football’ a synthetic job title. You may have guessed it by now, I’m a Newcastle United fan (grew up 3km for St. James’ Park – it’s rightful title).
Oil On The Playing Field?
The good ol’ pyramid reference. Yes, the fans are the people, the manager is the leader and guess who sits atop of the pyramid? The middle-east has become a hot-bed of action for both the game of football in US politics over the years – the Qatar world cup has 99% of the football world scratching it’s head and as for US relations with the Middle-East, I could go on for a while…
United Front?
There divide among the control hierarchy seems to be a mirror image in football as it is in US politics. The money men assert their power through acts of with-holding their dollars and sense at vital times, much to the dismay of fans/US people. The united front of the Newcastle United fans has been tested, as has the position of the President of the United states, do Barack’s followers trust his ability to make revolutionary changes with the Fed imposing itself over financial matters?
How It Happened and What’s Next?
Over-spending and not considering the implications in the future, very simple for both cases! The slow-down was imminent for football and for the government yet the recklessness continues (Gareth Bale’s astronomical fee). What does the future hold for the positions ‘president’ and ‘manager’? Well, in my eyes, they will start to become defunct, eventually wiped out as a ‘cost-saving exercise’ by the money men who, unfortunately, ‘occupy’ the power that effects our everyday lives and the footy scores on a Saturday afternoon. I guess this issue will remain ‘a political football’ until each club goes the same way of Rangers – hopefully the US government doesn’t follow suit!