Olympics seem to be causing antipathy towards football

Do you think attitudes to sport are changed long term, or will we just go back towards the tiresome media obsession with the Premier League next week.



The latter, sadly

I agree too that nothing will change.  It is appropriate that Tom Daley & co are in one of the later events of the games to herald the start of the proper diving season.

You get so much football through the year with the prem, europe and the euro's that I have had enough and just couldn't be bothered with the olympic tournie. Shouldn't even be in the olympics.

I think people also tend to respect olympic athletes more than prima donna footballers due to financial and physical hardship many of them face while training to be the best. There was a judo bronze medallist who had to ask for donations to buy a car to get to training as her old banger was finished. A long way from Carrington, ferrari's and £200k a week.

I'd say football's done a better job of causing antipathy towards football.

It will take more than the Olympics to change the fixation with it. People may be seeing new sports for the first time, but the government, sporting bodies, the education system, clubs and teams need to be there in place to capitalise on new enthusiasm from potential participants, officials and spectators alike. Make sure the next time GB play a handball/volleyball/basketball/hockey game admission prices are low, the event is well advertised, representatives from local teams are there, taster sessions are available, the players are accessible. I don't know if London is currently on the beach volleyball circuit, but the last two weeks have shown it could be, get it booked, get it advertised and people will attend. I was confident the execution of the Olympics would be reasonably good, I do have doubts about what comes beyond though.

We need Grandstand back

Why not show a live minority sport on BBC 3 on a Friday night? They use it for Diamond League Athletics, get a GB handball game on there, a basketball game whatever. Got to be an upgrade on the 23rd showing of a Dr Who episode!

BBC missing a trick with it's lack of sport coverage. Sky even have Fish-o-Mania covered for when that's in the Rio Olympics

Athletes smile more because they've waited 4 years for this adventure. Footy players are involved 9 months of the year in high profile matches.

Of course footballers should have more media training but we shouldn't get carried away with the us v them debate. Olympians are having their 2 weeks of fame.

Give it a few weeks and they'll be off the radar.

Danno - don't you think it's a one off though?

I went to the Olympic Park last week for the Hockey and sure it was fun. But it's a novelty and therefore gets us all keen for a short time.

Not for one minute saying footy, cricket and rugby are superior spectator sports but they have a place in our psyche that won't be easily removed.

It isn't just too much money but the despicable attitude of the players. Compare that to some of the athletes here. Blake was thrilled for his teammate last night, Louis Smith was full of praise for the Hungarian who beat him, and in the vault today every gymnast hugged the winner after an outstanding jump. You would never see that in football.

some of them cant even get fit for major tournaments , even though paid 200k /week. shows contempt they have for their country and more fool the manager for picking them.

with posy,although mm makes a fair point as well.

Let's get real everyone.  Olympics athletes have their faults as well.  What about the drugs cheats?  But for the arrival of Usain Bolt, athletics was a sport that was dying with all the drug controversies.  Then there was the badminton players trying to lose.

Yes, footballers get paid to much and have an easy life but that's not their fault.  They're constantly under the spotlight so of course we're going to hear more negative stories about them.  I have actually really enjoyed the Olympic football tournament.  Not as much pressure on the players as in major tournaments which has produced high scoring entertaining games.  You also get a glimpse of future stars.

'Rioting' by Blackburn fans during pre-season leads to Nijmegen friendly being cancelled

roll on the footie season

It's some of that coverage that annoys me. Why do the press - TV, radio, internet, newspapers, everything - have to talk about constant **** like contract negotiations, a little niggle, whether Rooney had fish n chips, etc, etc - rather than write about some actual action and achievement. These Olympics are the pinnacle of sportsmen's careers but they do stuff other times of the year, not that you'd know it.

the press coverage of football merely represents the fact that there are millions of brain-dead tribal footie fans in the UK and i dont expect that to change anytime soon

Unfortunately he is indeed.

Fergie and Rooney, Fat Sam and Pulis, Mourinho and Ronaldo, Durham and Gough... What a depressing outlook.

Mrs Thatcher was spot on when she described football as a slum sport for slum people...non plus ca change

its the difference in attitudes too.

Rowers who came second who had made huge sacrifices for the last 4 years came second and were crying and apologising for not winning.

rooney had to go to vegas for a holiday prior to euros where he pissed it up and smoked. turned up unfit.

most footballers barely gave a sh*t when they lost and were pictured shortly after pi**ing it up without a care in the world days later........