It has become second nature for a lot of us to come home on a weeknight and unwind to some local football action, spend our weekend afternoons in fuelled debates and conversations about much awaited fixtures of our beloved teams. However, the unexpected halt of all sporting activities, and its eventual return in the bubble has had an impact in not only how we support our favourite teams, but also how we interact with each other as football fans.
The starting point is that COVID-19 has affected how we all relate to our teams and soccer as a whole. The cancellation of fans at stadiums has seen us having to find new and creative ways to show love, and sometimes even disappointment to our favourite teams. It was fairly easy to sing and
clap for players and coaches when matches were won or impressive performances took place. To show some anger and a little resentment when the teams we love lost important or silly matches and some fans got out of control, hurled insults and booed their favourite players. Just as importantly, this virus has denied us the priceless shared moments with peers in the sport at the stadium, the drinking sprees, after game get togethers and the all so important stadium relationships. How have the changes imposed on us by COVID-19 and lockdown affected your relationship with soccer?
I don’t think anyone who is a true fan of the game can honestly say their relationship with soccer wasn’t affected by these new conditions. The experience of football in the bubble alone was an overwhelming experience for us as fans. The frustrations and uncertainties at a critical stage of the
season was an emotional rollercoaster. Sundowns snatching the league title from Kaizer Chiefs’ claws in the final minutes of the game, the upset caused by the surprise sale of Bidvest Wits after 99 years in existence and the last minute acquisition of Highlands Park by TS Galaxy are just a few
examples of what we had to go through in a short space of time. Football is an emotional sport, and we cannot be expected to pretend like its business as usual when it isn’t.
I love the stadium experience, for me it is a unique and unmatched experience. The sound of sgubu, the voices of thousands united by the beautiful game, there’s truly nothing like it. When we drove to Makhulong stadium to play Highlands Park in quarter finals of the Nedbank Cup, with Keletso Makgalwa leading us to victory in extra time, I wouldn’t have thought in a million years that would be my last time in a stadium for a long time, the last time we got to sing for Sir Jingles as the yellow
nation. We really have a unique relationship with soccer as fans, for some, football is all they know; they live, breathe and eat soccer. Emotions and behaviour can be easily changed and altered based on the score line, COVID-19 and lockdown haven’t changed that, in fact it has made it more intense.
With no way to get together and express ourselves in person, a lot of football lovers have taken the stadium stands experience to social media. Engagements and arguments on social media platforms have gotten a lot more intricate and intense, we have found a way to cope with the cards we’ve been dealt. This goes to show that the football community is no different from any other community. We have managed to find idiosyncratic ways to cope, communicate and engage. Although it hasn’t been completely pleasant, with fights occasionally getting out of hand, these
platforms have brought us more joy, laughter and peace than it has brought unpleasant experiences, and for a selected few these restrictions have allowed them to make new friends.
With the low likelihood that we’ll return to stadiums anytime soon, I’m sad that players like Shalulile won’t get the electrifying experience of Sundowns fans singing for them at Loftus stadium in joy after impressive wins. Or that coaches like Gavin Hunt never got to feel the wrath of Kaizer Chiefs
fans when they were on a losing streak. These are part of the things that make our football what it is. The passion displayed in multiple ways. For now, we sit behind out computer screens and release our joys and frustrations on our keyboards.
BY Tlhologelo Thobejane
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