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Just Who Pulls The Strings ?

Andy Lockett

Sunday, September 7th, 2008

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Keegan and Curbishley, two decent Englishmen
Who were old school; they thought they could
Have a say, do a deal. Not any more – the boot
Is on the other foot. It’s the moneymen who call
The shots, make the choices. The manager don’t
Manage any more.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 Kev’s hero Shankly would turn in his grave, so
Too would Busby, Revie, et al. They ran their
Clubs as families, and were good at it. Now, the
Boss is no longer the boss. Board signs the man,
He’s in the team. End of story. Like it or lump it –
Or resign.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 A sign of the corporate smothering – old ways
Abandoned, discarded. The oil-rich, the dirty rich
Have assumed control; brutal decisions, broken
Promises. As for the fans, well – so what ? All
They do is fill the ground, and chant. Makes it look
Good on TV.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 So cheer up, Geordies and Hammers. Rely on
Your pride to see you through. Old stories still
Survive, when Cups were won – those days
Before only cash mattered. But don’t hold out
Hope, it’s in short supply. The ties that bind, all
You have.

© Andy Lockett

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/just-who-pulls-the-strings/