The powers that be keep telling us that it's the computer that throws out the fixtures but I think everyone who has been going to football know that the television companies more or less dictate when the games get played.

 

Like you I don't understand why the fixtures are not just reversed as they used to be years ago but then the tv people had no say. Another thing, why does the Old Firm have to play during the festive season every year? If the computer was doing it's job properly we could have some interesting fixture lists each week instead of the same boring stuff. The police also should have no say regarding when games are played, only the time they are played.

 

In England they seem to have the same problem with fixtures as last week Aston Villa played Arsenal in Birmingham and they played at the Emirates just a few weeks ago. It was the same with Man U and Stoke. I long for the day when tv loses it's influence. It may take a while but I think the present financial climate is going to hit the clubs over the next few years as I'm quite sure Sky and Setanta are going to find their subscribers diminishing with the result that the clubs may have to think again about their finances as the deals they have had in the past will not be available.

 

Years ago I thought there should be more live football on tv but I think it is now overkill as the stanadard generally is very poor and I have lost count of the number of games where I have switched to something else because the match was pretty crap. Even most of the highlight programmes are poor and here in Scotland the coverage is pretty poor on tv and radio. I'm referring of course to the commentators and summarisers ( sometimes called exerts!) who continue to spout a load of rubbish at times. Probably like I'm doing here!

 

Nothing like a good rant!