I've spent a few hours on this post; not because there is nothing to write about but because it doesn't matter how I start it or try to end it, after I read it over again, it was a dead post. There is really very little to write about in terms of Aston Villa at the moment, so I'm scrapping the original plan and I'm going to tell you about an idea I've had.
What I mean is, even with a game to go, there is a general feeling that the season is already over. It has been for a while and sure, we can convince ourselves that we are still playing for sixth, but O'Neill doesn't really care between finishing sixth and seventh and if Man City pick up a point or win tomorrow he might as well just play the kids on Sunday.
I could link to the Habib Beye story that he isn't happy or the James Collins one about how he is frustrated, but we don't really need to see them, we sort of already know what is said in them. We could link to one of the several stories citing crucial showdown talks between Lerner and O'Neill but we know they're not crucial or showdown talks and we know they do this every season when Lerner comes over.
So, I'm just going to switch off and drink coffee. I'm going to do a bit of work, read the papers and then I'm going to start scouring the lower leagues in warmer climes.
Adopting a football team
Next season, I'm adopting a football team. That team is going to be outside of the UK and is going to be a lower league side and I'm going to pick them based on location. Top of the list is Italy, followed by Spain and France. I'm picking a team in the lower leagues, just for something unpredictable and something different.
Don't get me wrong, Aston Villa will always be my first and only true love, but I already know what is going to happen next season.
Unless some serious money is spent this summer or there are some quite radical changes within the club and they happen next week, we will finish sixth or seventh next season and knowing this before this season is even over, is sort of predictable. Sure, there will be ups and downs and maybe a cup run or two, just like this season, but it isn't just our team that is predictable, it is the entire league.
You might not want to believe it and you will hold out hope that it will be different, but you know it almost certainly to be true. Yes, we have until August 31st to kid ourselves and wait for the money to be spent but if it isn't, we know already and we also know that the first half of the season will be better than the second and that in terms of players used we will be in the bottom three or four of the table and we also know we will pick up six points against The Clowns.
I'm not cheating
Chances are my holiday romance will not last. Chances are I will follow them for a few days, maybe a week or two into the new season and it will be over. Chances are that by Christmas I'll not even be following them or even looking out for the result but I want to try it, because it might be a good thing.
There is a chance that the unpredictability grips me. There is a chance that I might find something I think I've lost in this league. There is a chance that a different football league reignites something that I fear has gone out with the English game.
I have to stress that I'm not leaving Aston Villa, I'm just adding to it. I know many of you look for the results of another team and that is all I am really saying I am going to do. I'm going to look for another team and I'm going to spend as much time looking as I have to.
I want it to be somewhere warm, just in case, but it can be anywhere, so if you have any suggestions, can you put them below or if you follow another team, put it below with any links to websites and a reason why you follow them. I'm basically looking for a good reason to follow another team and it doesn't have to b my reason, just one that I like.
So, that is my post today and when I have decided the team; later today or next month, I will let you know, even though I suspect the vast majority of you are very probably not interested. I'm just telling you because this is a blog about a football club.
And I know it's nothing to do with Aston Villa, but I'm doing it. If you want, you can discuss the crucial showdown talks or the Habib Beye story - but we've discussed them before. I want another day off Aston Villa.