Football Horses that Never Run

The English Premier league is popular the world over thanks to the media blizz. That English football is more talked about than any of its competitor cannot be gainsaid. But a closer look at the game’s dynamics reveals a cleverly-crafted scheme to create heat and media hyperbole from a mute showcase.

Nothing could be further from the truth. British's (read English) appetite to dominate the world in anyway possible remains insatiable. Picture this: Rooney scores a goal from sheer luck and what you read from the headlines next day is no reflection of what you watched either on the pitch or TV. All English footballers are celebrities fulltime. Beckham is threatening his ex-singer wife Victoria and the so-called WAGs (wives and girlfriends) of players even shamelessly apportion themselves fame by association (read sleeping).

Meanwhile the real pitch heroes who 'unfortunately' happen not to be English fade in the limelight of western press. How somebody classifies Rooney together with Gattusso as the world’s most lethal strikers is a dry joke than should be exclusively told by Lucifer welcoming his clients to hell.

Granted, England is home to clubs like Liverpool and Manchester United which are institutions in themselves and no amount of money can buy either history or legacy. But that does not take away the fact that Real Madrid is the world oldest and established club. Kenyans must have watched Brits keenly in backing their respective (political) horses despite all the nauseating warts.

The difference is that the British media hype at least operates within the parameters of civility unlike our naked hatred for fellow countrymen. Unlike football, our politics remains a bloody battle that spares no guns.