(11-22-2022 09:32 AM)CoachMaclid Wrote:  I have become a heavy convert to the "beautiful game" in recent years and actually had my 65+ year old father flip the switch on his opinion of soccer. I have a little bit of a different opinion from THUNDERStruck that you don't really need to fully understand the game or watch-in-detail to embrace it. Soccer is 2/3 cultural and 1/3 the actually results on the field!

I played when I was younger, started following the US Men's and Women's National Team in all their competitions ever since the US hosted the '94 World Cup, and I pretty much understand the game. However, despite all that, for nearly 24 years I've tried to find a Premier League or English Football League club to follow or cheer on - but even after multiple times trying to pick a club and studying its roster and watching games, I'd rather quickly lose interest as I didn't have a personal connection to the club. For the British and much of Europe, cheering on a football club fills the same niche or void that cheering on a college football or basketball program team does for Americans - you usually have a connection to the team you cheer, whether you attended there, have family connections, or they represent your home geographic area. Clubs and teams have their own stories, chants, legends, ethos - again much like college programs.

I attended a few soccer games while I was in college, especially since Marshall won the MAC in 2000 and had a "star" at the time in Byron Carmichael. But the style was more direct and like most I really didn't pay much attention to the program until they became ranked in 2019. When I came back to watch them, they were much more possessive, looked more like international style soccer, and realized the quality was significantly improved. Once we won the double conference title that year and had a massive crowd in the NCAA tournament - I (as well as about a thousand other souls) were hooked.

I think the biggest enjoyment is recognizing the players, knowing the squad, seeing individual styles. For example, Milo Yosef has a unique running gate and likes to cut back across the middle about 22 yards out. I think you can get to really know a squad in just a few games - take and learn one position group per game, watch them and see how they move and reaction. Next game, add the next positions group and follow them. Soccer is much more enjoyable when you know and can identify people. And even then, if you're into overanalyzing things, then simply enjoy the moments and keep it on as an event and don't watch every second of it - just tune in and causally stay aware of the games flow and enjoy your favorite food or beverage while causually coming along for the ride!

The last recommendation I have (as silly as it sounds) - watch "Ted Lasso" and "Welcome to Wrexham". Ted Lasso is one of the funnier series in recent years - and it's the story of the American not understanding "football" converting to the game! Welcome to Wrexham is then basically the real-life version Ted Lasso - and its actually had a profound effect on me. The series has done a great job of introducing the club's supporters, the club's story, their town, its players and staff - the lore and the chants - so much so that when I watched their FA Cup Preliminary Round game, I found what I had been looking for in searching for an "English" football club all these years - a football club I know, understand, and find some connection with. I'm now on about month 2 of following along all their games, getting up 7am on Saturdays to watch, etc.

If you don't want to, don't overstudy the game if it's not your cup of tea - just enjoy the opportunity to celebrate with your fellow fan in food, drink, or voice!