Does club support make you ignorant?

[Grande]

I have been wanting to explore this question fuh a while, based on some observations I made.

Most of the people I talk to about football have a certain ONE favourite club. Nuttin wrong with dat. It is curious to note, however, dat in their sometimes almost blind support for that particular club, they care less and less about other teams, and even MORE so, other leagues (that is not their club's own).

My friend is a good example. He is a Manchester United diehard. That team is football for him, and thus, the EPL is where real football is played. But at the same time he likes to talk football on a global level - and dis is where he and I does end up arguing.

He will only watch Man U games, and by extension more upper-table EPL games. I cannot help but reason that this blind EPL endorsement is why he does not care for La Liga, Serie A, Lique 1, or Bundesliga. Doh even talk about South American leagues. He is EPL through and through - evidently because his favourite team is there. He rather watch Man U play West Ham than watch Inter and Milan duke it out, or a good ole-fashioned Barca vs Real classico, or CL games that don't involve Man U, e.g. Barca vs Werder Bremen. He has become so attached to the EPL that other leagues -and big teams of other big leagues -he just shrugs off or doh care to watch.

Despite his lack of interest and viewing of these other leagues, he is adamant that the EPL is the best. Because the team he regards as the best plays there, then it have to be the best league. I just using him as an example - another pardner who is an Arsenal diehard feels the same abt the EPL. Dem cut from the same cloth that does bawl FA Cup is the most prestigous domestic competition, England is one of de world's biggest teams (despite de setta shyt they does play). Doh feel I bashin EPL supporters eh - I notice the same concept vice-versa in some La Liga or Serie A men.

Also, as a diehard club fan, yuh entitled to hate a rival club, despite de nice football it may play. Men does just hate instead of appreciate, fuh no reason (they does admit this too). So I find it ironic dat, say, Arsenal and Man U fans hate each other's teams, yet does worship de EPL as the League to end all leagues.

Will a Man U diehard ever say that La Liga or Serie A are the best leagues? Or will a Barca fan say the same about the EPL or Bundesliga? Highly doubtful.
So as a weekend of football is upon us and we watch our respective teams take de fields in their respective leagues, think about this question - does avid club support make you ignorant?

[Touches]

Grande

Good Post.....National Pride does make yuh ignorant too, and I not calling any names 

Is not ignorance but rather it is bias.

Deep down everybody knows who playing good ball or not but just shame to admit it.

Truthseeker, Small Magician and all the other Manu fans know they side was playing shit for the last three years but would never admit it....and deep down they wished they had the free flowing attacking knock of Arsenal.

Same way the Chelsea post Abramovich Waggonists know they doe play no kinda nice brand football, but they does churn out the ugly 1-0 and 2-0 wins.

Dey eh have no Barca fans here again bumping they gum bout "teets" because they know Barca pop down and just not the same unit this year.

But Grande some men like me just like football and watch all d leagues and appreciate good play and players when it is shown. I view footba l as entertainment and it is just some teams are more entertaining to watch than others.

Honestly if I come across biased and I make meh comments, is to really piss off some of the "die hard" football supporters. This message board and by extension conversations here is pure kix and a way for me to pass the time.

But honestly it hard to follow more than ONE side with any kinda intensity. To really keep abreast of what going on...men ent have time for all that.

[Filho]

Cyah disagree too much with Touches. I too watching any ball once it good. Only one ting I disagree with Touches on..BARCA is still a BIG BIG side. Nice post Grande.

[jai john]

Cyah disagree too much with Touches. I too watching any ball once it good. Only one ting I disagree with Touches on..BARCA is still a BIG BIG side. Nice post Grande.

And so is Villareral ..yes ?
Die hard fans keep clubs afloat though. you wont find many jumpers even when real is doing badly. It is the basis of success for the big clubs. when barca was struggling their supporters were still turning out in large numbers. Now they are doing well they obviously have a larger following...everyone loves a winner ...Chelsea is a good example of that.
Man U and other big clubs have such a wide fan base that poor results in a couple of seasons dont really hurt them fan wise.
It also does not take the big clubs as long to recover as say a Tottenham or aston Villa or even deportivo la coruna.

[g]

Another perspective.

To me I doh really have a favorite club per se. I am however player biased national players at the forefront. I support the teams my country men played for. Coventry, Luton, Southampton etc. when these teams do well by extension my players do well and vice versa. I eh go lie, if they leave d club i really wont care just like when Yorke left Man U i kinda put them on d side. Player biasness also applies to games like fantasy leagues where for example you might be a Man U fan but John Terry go be on yuh fantasy squad just because you know he gonna get points for you every season until something else happens. Top players performing on the highest level will always be favored simply by entertainment value they add to the game. Whether you want to admit it or not

[Mango Chow!]

   Different people support different teams and leagues for all different kinds of reasons and i believe people are entitled to their preferences.  But I don't think that fanaticism creates ignorance and bias as much as it may expose it, and as far as I have seen on this forum, biasness tends to beget biasness.  For all the Chelsea and Manu critics we have on this forum, I can hardly find any Arsenal and Liverpool fans that would readily admit ther own team's shortcomings or indecent behaviour. 

[maxg]

wha bout the reverse hypothesis;
 Ignorance (ppl) will lead to (seemingly)blind support.

[Cantona007]

Grande, good post more or less. I will say that as a ManU fan, I will definitely admit that the EPL is kinda a shit league. Anyone arguing that, just think of the prospect of watching Watford vs. Blackburn Rovers. 
La Liga, Serie A are superior technically, and the more exciting players play there. The EPL has it's good points, but for me personally, the continental leagues are better to watch. The bottom line for me is the overall level of play in the league; being a supporter does not blind me to the merits of other leagues or players. I am one of those biased "haters", but that is because of allegiance and historical rivalry.
Touches... that bit about ManU fans being envious of teams like Arsenal... rubbish. If you are a supporter, you concentrate on your own team's strenghts, trials, achievements... who cares about a bunch of London pretty-boy wankers? 

[Israel]

Nice post for real Grande.

As fans we should try admit when our team playing shit or men cud man up and give rival teams their respect.

And how do we judge which is the best league?

Do we judge it based on CL titles? If so, why do you men consider to the EPL to be the best?

Even CL winners get licks from south american counterparts. I would say the Brazilian and Argentine leagues are probably two of the best in the world but the financial backing isnt there along with the multimillion dollar contracts.

Would you also say that a player is overrated because he hasn't conquered a league. e.g.........

We know Veron as a midfiels general from back in the day with Boca and splitting any Serie A defence with Parma and Lazio but he didnt stand out at Man U. Beckham aint mash up La Liga either. So fans of those leagues can say that a 'big player' hasn't proven himself to them yet.

Do you rate a team that doesn't play your brand of fooball but your team can't beat them?
A bredren told me 2 weeks ago that all the hype about Barca  but they can't beat his team Chelsea 11 vs 11.

my 2 cents

[TrinInfinite]

in all honesty, i dont care about club football as much as national football, the only club football i really paying close attention to if any is pro league bc its players from my nation, plus it doh have no one in the epl to watch from our country, i fine epl football boring, i could care less about getting ignorant over english teams...

[weary1969]

Club football I grew up watching Big League soccer on saturday morning and Seire A on sunday so I glad that the EPL is back on tv. i only support clubs that the locals playin and your favourite international players. Sobeing a Brazil fan u know is Barca and Real. I like France next so is Arsenal for Henry. But to say that I does go crazy over club football nahhhhhhhhh   

[Filho]

in all honesty, i dont care about club football as much as national football, the only club football i really paying close attention to if any is pro league bc its players from my nation, plus it doh have no one in the epl to watch from our country, i fine epl football boring, i could care less about getting ignorant over english teams...

dat explains alot

[WestCoast]

Does club support make you ignorant?

No, not at all

being ignorant makes one ignorant

[kicker]

Good point  Grande

Good football is Real Madrid. good football

It doh matter who's playing at the highest level, if I anticipate a good game, I'll try to watch. I cyah wait for Chelsea-Real Madrid Man U....tomorrow.....and I'm not an EPL fan at all.....Real Madrid

I even enjoy Barca games because they play entertaining football....and Ronaldinho is one of my fav players of all time. he should play for Real Madrid

Rivaldo is in my top 3 favorite players of all time..pity he never played at Madrid

Nice post

[WestCoast]

Kicker, wha it is ya really tryin to say?
 

[Grande]

And how do we judge which is the best league?

Do we judge it based on CL titles? If so, why do you men consider to the EPL to be the best?

Even CL winners get licks from south american counterparts. I would say the Brazilian and Argentine leagues are probably two of the best in the world but the financial backing isnt there along with the multimillion dollar contracts.

Would you also say that a player is overrated because he hasn't conquered a league. e.g.........

We know Veron as a midfiels general from back in the day with Boca and splitting any Serie A defence with Parma and Lazio but he didnt stand out at Man U. Beckham aint mash up La Liga either. So fans of those leagues can say that a 'big player' hasn't proven himself to them yet.

Do you rate a team that doesn't play your brand of fooball but your team can't beat them?
A bredren told me 2 weeks ago that all the hype about Barca  but they can't beat his team Chelsea 11 vs 11.

my 2 cents

That is de ultimate question amidst all de arguments...yuh could wrangle to de death with other diehards, digging up facts, historical info, even present day stats...but yuh go find nothing constant b/c everybody has his own interpretation or priority on what he chooses to acknowledge as significant. I doh believe it make sense to look at past accolades anymore. Lyon handling Real easy easy these days, Bremen beat the mighty Chelsea, and look AEK Athens send Milan home with dey tail between dey legs.

Grande, good post more or less. I will say that as a ManU fan, I will definitely admit that the EPL is kinda a shit league. La Liga, Serie A are superior technically, and the more exciting players play there. The EPL has it's good points, but for me personally, the continental leagues are better to watch.

Cantona, you are prob de only Man U fan who will say dat. Yuh rare. Respect.

Is not ignorance but rather it is bias.

Deep down everybody knows who playing good ball or not but just shame to admit it.

Truthseeker, Small Magician and all the other Manu fans know they side was playing shit for the last three years but would never admit it....and deep down they wished they had the free flowing attacking knock of Arsenal.

Same way the Chelsea post Abramovich Waggonists know they doe play no kinda nice brand football, but they does churn out the ugly 1-0 and 2-0 wins.

Dey eh have no Barca fans here again bumping they gum bout "teets" because they know Barca pop down and just not the same unit this year.

But Grande some men like me just like football and watch all d leagues and appreciate good play and players when it is shown. I view footba l as entertainment and it is just some teams are more entertaining to watch than others.

Honestly if I come across biased and I make meh comments, is to really piss off some of the "die hard" football supporters. This message board and by extension conversations here is pure kix and a way for me to pass the time.

But honestly it hard to follow more than ONE side with any kinda intensity. To really keep abreast of what going on...men ent have time for all that.

Bias is a choice to be ignorant yes. Some people does take it to the extent dat dey can't even criticize dey team. An Arsenal diehard I know despises Barca because of the CL final - he say the referee tief them, Barca does only cheat, all kinda excuse...but he won't look at how Henry pull stones fuh dat game and how dey eh finish their chances. He watching Barca struggling in the CL now and saying yes, is karma in dey backside, dey a shyt team anyway. He never acknowledges the beauty Barca is on the field sometimes. Doh talk about when Arsenal beat Madrid at the Bernebeau. De man just bitter...all because of blind support.

But Touches and Filho it is refreshing to hear men does still watch football for football, regardless of who playing. De concept I trying to adopt is dat football is a world game, and none of the top Leagues better than the other - dey just different. That is all. Any of them could handle any of them.

[Tenorsaw]

Good topic Grande, but I will always be Liverpool and Juve, cause I have been supporting those clubs since I was about 8 years old.  That said, my discussion about football is not limited to the Premiership.  I look at La Liga, the Bundesliga, Serie A, the Eredevisie.  If yuh love the sport, yuh will watch the game.  It have men who say they does follow trhe game and when yuh start to call players they face gone blank. Dem is not really true lovers of the game; I does call dem followers of a team.  That is why I does have to put some men in they place when they carrying over World Cup bitterness into club football.  This game is not confined to any region, class, or race.  It is truly the world's game.

[Bourbon]

As said before......football is football. I does back  Barca and Man U. However i do at least try to be fair and admit shortcomings. EPL eh a league for no flair, is just grunt and dats it. Never really was raised to be serie a fan....buh football is football. I cyar help but watch it sometimes. A road sweat....dutch league....champions league.......it too sweet. Bias doh make sense for the simple reason that you just being a lying ass. I go admit my team short comings....i go admit when my ass get handed to me.....i go admit when somebody pull stones. It eh make sense in denying the obvious. Everybody will have their favour....but favour should not translate into bias. As much as i hate chelsea.....i go give dem credit when they deserve it in my book. Buh when yuh playin a ugly grind out result football....have a arrogant ass as yuh coach....and inflating de transfer market and have men wasting.......i will cuss you with every ounce of feeling i have. That being said....football is universal. I go watch it all....PFL....mls......erdiversie......la liga......chinese.....i doh care. Once is football i watching.

[TRUwarrior]

As said before......football is football. I does back  Barca and Man U. However i do at least try to be fair and admit shortcomings. EPL eh a league for no flair, is just grunt and dats it. Never really was raised to be serie a fan....buh football is football. I cyar help but watch it sometimes. A road sweat....dutch league....champions league.......it too sweet. Bias doh make sense for the simple reason that you just being a lying ass. I go admit my team short comings....i go admit when my ass get handed to me.....i go admit when somebody pull stones. It eh make sense in denying the obvious. Everybody will have their favour....but favour should not translate into bias. As much as i hate chelsea.....i go give dem credit when they deserve it in my book. Buh when yuh playin a ugly grind out result football....have a arrogant ass as yuh coach....and inflating de transfer market and have men wasting.......i will cuss you with every ounce of feeling i have. That being said....football is universal. I go watch it all....PFL....mls......erdiversie......la liga......chinese.....i doh care. Once is football i watching.

de boss yuh hit de nail on so hard....it gone thru d board

[Mr Fix-it]

Nice one Grande,
As usual the manU haters come out LOL JK.  Hear what, I watched ManU play Liverpool back in de 80's and I jus fell in love with EPL.  I watched all Leagues at one time but b/c of work and family life I hardly have time for the other leagues again.  Back in the 80's Serie A was the sh*t, I would watch all de games dey would show on a sunday.  Is jus the Serie A get boring for me nothing more nothing less.  Not to mention I really doh have the time to follow the clubs anymore.  So I jus stick to EPFL and ManU fu de time.  I not saying ManU is the sh*t, far from dat!!!!!!  Jus look at this weekends game, I doh know what they were thinking on the field....Anyway long story short, I doh have de time to follow all the leagues like I did in the 80's-90's, I wish I did but that is how my life is for de time.

[Mose]

Truthseeker, Small Magician and all the other Manu fans know they side was playing shit for the last three years but would never admit it....and deep down they wished they had the free flowing attacking knock of Arsenal.

Easy dey Touches. Doh paint all ah we with de same brush. I is a Man U fan from a ways back (ironically after watching dem lose a FA cup final against Arsenal). But if yuh ever check my posts yuh eh go see no hating and yuh might notice that, as much as I would like ManU to win the EPL I didn't pick them to do so neither this year nor last. I'm happily and pleasantly surprised to see them doing so well so far.

I'm a ManU fan in de sense dat dem is mih favourite club. But it have other sides I like too. I like Barca and de way dey does play. I like de Arsenal brand of ball even doh  I doh back dem. Dey is always a nice side to watch.  I will even check fuh Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs and Bolton among others fuh different reasons. Some recent, some historic. For example, if I see or hear about a player playing some good ball I wil probably check fuh him as his career progresses. Eg. Theo Walcott, Diouf, Colin Kazim Richards, Jlloyd Samuel.

I doh ever comment on which league is de best because I eh have de time to watch all of dem. My side playing in EPL so dat is what I does watch. Occasionally ah might catch some other sides in Champions league or de odd game when ah have time. When SPL was on, I used to try and ketch Latas and Dog games. 

[trinikev]

Great post Grande, some nice observations. Personally though, I think that ignorance is a personal choice. Whether or not you support one team to the death shouldn't mean that u cah appreciate  when another team playing good ball, or if a player on another team is good. Anybody who want to blatantly deny the obvious like that is ignorant by their own choice, and probably is not a true fan of football, but rather is just a fan of a particular team 

[soupman]

So as a weekend of football is upon us and we watch our respective teams take de fields in their respective leagues, think about this question - does avid club support make you ignorant?

Good topic. This is my first season following football. I watch EPL because I get to watch 3 games on Saturday without having to pay the cable company for extra channels. Since starting to watch, to my surprise, I have found that the team that makes me feel devastated when they lose or elated when they win is Sheffield United (so there is a lot of feeling devastated). While I really enjoy following their exploits that definitely does not prevent me from watching other EPL teams play and appreciating (what I consider) good football when it is on display. If I could get them on TV I would also like to view other leagues as well. So, maybe I have not watched enough to become a die hard supporter for any club, but for me my answer to the question is no.

[Grande]

Nice posts fellers. Was good to hear.

Sometimes I wonder if players themselves does be ignorant in dey own way too...but I doh know them personally and is only they know what they want outta life.

I talking about the Totti's, the Ryan Giggs, the Gerrards, the Casillas's...even the Raul's and the Del Piero's...boss players who spend their whole careers playing fuh one club, despite offers from other big-names...they will put up with that club through all kinds of hard times...not like Ibrahimovic or Vieira who tell Juventus hard luck, allyuh get relegated, I going Inter.

Say fuh example Totti....I would real like to see him in Spain, he is prob the best in his position in Italy. But he is Roma forever. He will prob never get a Champions League medal...instead he may have to settle fuh playing UEFA cup and trying fuh de Serie A title. Gerrard is another one I wouldn't mind watching in Spain.

I say if yuh obviously have the skill...expand yourself some more nah. Play in a variety of places, esp if other clubs want yuh.

But, to each his own.

[Filho]

Nice posts fellers. Was good to hear.

Sometimes I wonder if players themselves does be ignorant in dey own way too...but I doh know them personally and is only they know what they want outta life.

I talking about the Totti's, the Ryan Giggs, the Gerrards, the Casillas's...even the Raul's and the Del Piero's...boss players who spend their whole careers playing fuh one club, despite offers from other big-names...they will put up with that club through all kinds of hard times...not like Ibrahimovic or Vieira who tell Juventus hard luck, allyuh get relegated, I going Inter.

Say fuh example Totti....I would real like to see him in Spain, he is prob the best in his position in Italy. But he is Roma forever. He will prob never get a Champions League medal...instead he may have to settle fuh playing UEFA cup and trying fuh de Serie A title. Gerrard is another one I wouldn't mind watching in Spain.

I say if yuh obviously have the skill...expand yourself some more nah. Play in a variety of places, esp if other clubs want yuh.

But, to each his own.

There is something kinda cool about one-club players. Most fans want to identify with their clubs players and that aspect of the game would be lost if clubs constantly lost their talismanic players. I doubt it is a lack of ambition that causes players like Maldini, Totti, Gerrard, Puyol, Raul, etc... to stay with the same club. In some cases, its loyalty and/or gratitude to a club that 'rescued' them from a life of poverty or crime. For many players (in Europe especially), playing for your club is as big if not bigger source of pride than playing for your country. Switching clubs represents the loss of your childhood dream. For some, the club represents their people or their way of life (eg. Catalan players at Barca and Espanyol). In other cases, the players become the symbol of their clubs and their fans. If they do try to leave, they are made into traitors by the local press, the fans and even the club. It can get so bad that they even fear for their lives, or worse yet, the lives of parents or other loved ones who they leave in the city that they just 'abondoned'. Just look at how Barca fans treat Figo. If Totti were to leave Roma, it would be even worse for him. Some players like playing for the underdog and trying to be a winner with the less obvious choice than just joining a massive team that would guarantee medals. I'm guessing that is kinda why someone like Maradona would go to Napoli. But don't think I am completely disagreeing with you at all. I am sure many players have a very narrow mentality of what they should try and what are good opportunities for them. THey stick with what they know and are too ignorant or too afraid to try anything new

[Grande]

Nice posts fellers. Was good to hear.

Sometimes I wonder if players themselves does be ignorant in dey own way too...but I doh know them personally and is only they know what they want outta life.

I talking about the Totti's, the Ryan Giggs, the Gerrards, the Casillas's...even the Raul's and the Del Piero's...boss players who spend their whole careers playing fuh one club, despite offers from other big-names...they will put up with that club through all kinds of hard times...not like Ibrahimovic or Vieira who tell Juventus hard luck, allyuh get relegated, I going Inter.

Say fuh example Totti....I would real like to see him in Spain, he is prob the best in his position in Italy. But he is Roma forever. He will prob never get a Champions League medal...instead he may have to settle fuh playing UEFA cup and trying fuh de Serie A title. Gerrard is another one I wouldn't mind watching in Spain.

I say if yuh obviously have the skill...expand yourself some more nah. Play in a variety of places, esp if other clubs want yuh.

But, to each his own.

There is something kinda cool about one-club players. Most fans want to identify with their clubs players and that aspect of the game would be lost if clubs constantly lost their talismanic players. I doubt it is a lack of ambition that causes players like Maldini, Totti, Gerrard, Puyol, Raul, etc... to stay with the same club. In some cases, its loyalty and/or gratitude to a club that 'rescued' them from a life of poverty or crime. For many players (in Europe especially), playing for your club is as big if not bigger source of pride than playing for your country. Switching clubs represents the loss of your childhood dream. For some, the club represents their people or their way of life (eg. Catalan players at Barca and Espanyol). In other cases, the players become the symbol of their clubs and their fans. If they do try to leave, they are made into traitors by the local press, the fans and even the club. It can get so bad that they even fear for their lives, or worse yet, the lives of parents or other loved ones who they leave in the city that they just 'abondoned'. Just look at how Barca fans treat Figo. If Totti were to leave Roma, it would be even worse for him. Some players like playing for the underdog and trying to be a winner with the less obvious choice than just joining a massive team that would guarantee medals. I'm guessing that is kinda why someone like Maradona would go to Napoli. But don't think I am completely disagreeing with you at all. I am sure many players have a very narrow mentality of what they should try and what are good opportunities for them. THey stick with what they know and are too ignorant or too afraid to try anything new

Yeah Filho, in addition to the individual ignorance (mentality) factor, there are those other points to think about - and remember - that you detailed in your post.

Also, we could probably argue that inter-league club moving have more serious repercussions for players than moving to another country's domestic league.

If Totti went to Madrid or Bayern or something, I don't think Roma fans will be half as ferocious to him if he went to another Serie A team. Even if they are, they would forget about it faster than if he stayed in Italy, I think. Same concept if Casillas came to England.

I would say Henrik Larsson was to Celtic what Gerrard is to Liverpool or Raul is to Madrid...if he had switched to Rangers or some other SPL team, he would have gotten endless pressure from fans. But that wasn't the case in switching to Barca...he played and scored against Celtic in the Champions League, and they still received him with nuff love. Would be interesting to see how Celtic fans react to watchin him play for Man Utd though.

Then yuh have cases like Roonery to United, or Figo to Madrid. He still not hearing de end of it, and he close to retiring. I actually admire that move...he risked a lot (including the respect of Barca fans) to pursue his ambitions. I sure the paycheck was a factor too, but I enjoyed his role in Madrid's champagne football days.

But some fans real hypocritical with themselves too eh? Vieri was Inter's darling for so many years...then when he made the move to Milan to revive his career, not at PEEP outta de Inter fans...they were so much in love with the Adriano-Martins strike force. I don't even think Vieri got heckled at the derby. 

[Carib-Briton]

Most of the people I talk to about football have a certain ONE favourite club. Nuttin wrong with dat. It is curious to note, however, dat in their sometimes almost blind support for that particular club, they care less and less about other teams, and even MORE so, other leagues (that is not their club's own).

Well, if anyone thinks I'm biased for a moment forget my online persona, some people get tooooo caught on the online world on here, sorry to say l just laugh at particular people here like my last post before this one I get Caribbean Football updates, General Football updates & Catch joke on here, its an Online forum not a AGM meeting, ANYWAY....
I LOVE FOOTBALL, I support Arsenal to the fullest I've lived right next to the tottenham ground for the last few years, I go & watch least 4 of their games every season what other Arsenal supporter can say that?? & I look forward (As long as it isn't at Arsenal's expense  ) to seeing Defoe, I did look forward to seeing carrick but hes gone now, King & Keane.
I still Hate Tottenham only really on Derby though, their fans give me joke all year thats why I & alot of Arsenal Supporters don't take them seriously they still think Spurs are better than Arsenal 
I watch any team & different types of football I don't limit myself & say I hate dis & that team, that is how you get igorant of other teams!
Like people who say Arsenal or Liverpool are the best team team in the EPL at the moment are full of shit! They just igorant, I do believe Arsenal is the best team in the EPL (I HATE THIS WORD, DAMN AMERICANS) potentially if Arsenal are consistant unforunately at the moment this is not the case.

I personally think some people on here take the EPL team they support bigger than the National Team which is Crazy. Not TI though for sure 

But at the same time he likes to talk football on a global level - and dis is where he and I does end up arguing.
He will only watch Man U games, and by extension more upper-table EPL games. I cannot help but reason that this blind EPL endorsement is why he does not care for La Liga, Serie A, Lique 1, or Bundesliga. Doh even talk about South American leagues. He is EPL through and through - evidently because his favourite team is there. He rather watch Man U play West Ham than watch Inter and Milan duke it out, or a good ole-fashioned Barca vs Real classico, or CL games that don't involve Man U, e.g. Barca vs Werder Bremen. He has become so attached to the EPL that other leagues -and big teams of other big leagues -he just shrugs off or doh care to watch.

I think if your friend wants to talk on a global level then he has to watch all the football available to otherwise he will be igorant but I wouldn't blame him if he wants to watch Man U Vs West Ham instead of Inter vs AC because they are both airing at the same time, that maybe a cruial game for Man U but its quite unlikely though they would be airing at the same time.

Despite his lack of interest and viewing of these other leagues, he is adamant that the EPL is the best. Because the team he regards as the best plays there, then it have to be the best league. I just using him as an example - another pardner who is an Arsenal diehard feels the same abt the EPL. Dem cut from the same cloth that does bawl FA Cup is the most prestigous domestic competition, England is one of de world's biggest teams (despite de setta shyt they does play). .

LOL I think your friends should watch other leagues then judge what is the best league, I personally think Italy & England are the best also that a few teams in La Liga are on the EPL level/Serie A the rest of the leagues team are poor to me, are on the same level but a problem I have with Italian League, the constant empty stadiums put me off. Hence I prefer Premier League, Plus I'm born here so I obviously would feel more passion towards the Domestic league. Its not streets ahead of anyother league though.
This might sound mad but I prefer to watch the French League than the Italian League. The Quality is obviously better in Serie A though. Btw England are shit, they should let me pick the players  We'll see better results 

Also, as a diehard club fan, yuh entitled to hate a rival club, despite de nice football it may play. Men does just hate instead of appreciate, fuh no reason (they does admit this too). So I find it ironic dat, say, Arsenal and Man U fans hate each other's teams, yet does worship de EPL as the League to end all leagues.

I don't like Man U & Chelsea because they obviously rivals to Arsenal (especially chelsea anyone from London knows Most Arsenal AND Chelsea Supporters look forward to their match up rather than Fulham V Chelsea & Arsenal V Spurs.)
I may see the result & think Shit Chelsea & Man U won today feel pissed that they won but the result is done, I'm gonna go home & watch some entertaining football & not hate like some do on this site. Even though I wanted them to lose,  I'm going to watch Saha finish some shots nice & ronaldo buss some skills, I prefer to watch Man U though their football is MUCH more attractive. If your a football lover you wont hate hard expect when your team is playing those rival sides. You will laugh when they lose to other teams though 

does avid club support make you ignorant?

Nope! For Some it does but not me, It can happen easily though.