by Tom Mccormack

Created on: June 04, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

It has often been suggested that fans of the beautiful game would rather see their team lift trophies, playing a lifeless and tedious brand of football than play vigorous, attacking, flair-filled football and end up trophyless. This is understandable, however, for the love of the game and the enjoyment it brings so many people I raise the question; is success more important than style?

I acknowledge that football today is a different game to what it was 20 and 30 years ago. What with foreign investors, corporate sponsors, target revenues and the much hyped merchandising, football today is as much a business as it is a sport. The consequence of this is that there is far more pressure for success in todays game and this, I believe is to the detriment of the greatest sport ever invented.

Due mainly to the obscene amounts of money involved in todays game too many teams are too focused on success (whether that be winning trophies, European qualification or avoiding relegation) and this is destroying the art of football. The dreaded rise of the 4-5-1 formation that ten years ago nobody played is today all the rage, from potential champions to relegation dog fighters. The overbearing importance in the modern game for defensive midfielders and the over reliance on the set-piece (particularly in the English game) are all contributing factors to the dulling down of football in the modern era.

There is considerable speculation that England will play a 4-5-1 formation in the game away to Estonia on Wednesday. If this turns out to be true then I will never watch another England match again. I was extremely disappointed we played a defensive formation against Brazil last week in a friendly that was in essence a showpiece event and should have been an attacking, entertaining spectacle. What it turned out to be was English players frustrating and kicking Brazilians and looking for free kicks within 40 yards of Brazil's goal, how enthralling. No matter what team you play there should always be an emphasis on attack and beating your opponents, not restricting them. How will teams ever progress and football evolve for the better if it is based around stopping your opponents playing, and not expressing technique, creating and innovating. Even if England qualify for Euro 2008 and win it playing the current defensive, set-piece searching football not only would I not celebrate, I would be embarrassed as an england football supporter.

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