Damien Richardson is getting worse.

super_furry

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/mns/features/damienrichardson/

Hard to beleive I know, but he most recent piece reads like someone vomitted on a thesarus.

"It is easy, comfortable even, to stash away certain elements of every city. The obvious one are the visible ones, the physical aspects. The down-and-out, the begger, indeed all of those lacking synchronisation with the more acceptable or active patterns of behaviour, are symptoms, victims, of a wish on the part of the general public to concentrate on their own particular ideals of what their community is or should be, their living pattern of hard work and accumulated possessions."

If you can read that without getting a headache, you're a better man than me.

Neil3030

Here you go mate, just read the bits in bold:

Damien Richardson's Eye on the eL
Friday, 15 August 2008 15:41

There is, contained in every city, a pulse, a heartbeat that reflects the health of the inhabitants. This heartbeat operates in tandem with the mood of the community. It illustrates quite accurately just who and what the people contained in the city actually are.

Many different components work alongside each other to energise this pulse and every individual inhabitant is important in the creation of these components.

Hence, not one aspect of the society or of the city can be dismissed as inconsequential. They can be disregarded, marginalised or even denigrated but they can never be dismissed simply because each and every member of the community impacts in one way or another on the daily routines and therefore makes a contribution to the machinations of the society around them.

It is easy, comfortable even, to stash away certain elements of every city. The obvious one are the visible ones, the physical aspects. The down-and-out, the begger, indeed all of those lacking synchronisation with the more acceptable or active patterns of behaviour, are symptoms, victims, of a wish on the part of the general public to concentrate on their own particular ideals of what their community is or should be, their living pattern of hard work and accumulated possessions.

The accumulated possessions of every city are however, as much mental as they are physical and naturally enough, not all these possessions are desirable.

The physical component of the city is the workplace, the workforce, the daily toil that allows the city to nurture and sustain itself. The Energy element is the talent and the drive of the people that elevates toil to creativity, while the Soul of the city holds the beliefs, the dreams and aspirations of the populace and transforms the community from the material world to the noble.

There is a no better reflection of the Soul of a city than the sport it plays.

While all aspects of the Arts offer a channel to the inner thoughts of the people, sport is the most pure insight into the character, imagination and ambitions of the largest cross section of the community. Sport, and the way it's played, is special to us because it confirms who and what we are. It is also at the very heart of everything we want to become.

So when an individual or individuals take control of one of the greatest sports clubs in any city it is an onerous responsibility that has repercussions far greater than those that appear on a score sheet or even a balance sheet.

Cork City Football Club is in serious trouble. Rumblings of court hearings and unpaid bills have focused the wrong sort of attention on one of Ireland's premier sports clubs. During my time as manager in the Rebel city I was reminded vividly of the tremendous impact sport has on the community. I worked alongside many dedicated and talented people who were determined to make their club the best it possible could be. That this fierce dedication was reflected in all codes and at all levels across the county only served to emphasise the absolute commitment of those involved.

The Arkaga Fund took control of Cork City just over a year ago. The promise of investment and the progression of the club were an essential part of the agreement. However, there have been mistakes made. To their credit the Fund did much good for Cork City and this must be noted, but the heart of the football club has been removed and transplanted into memory. In Cork sport, indeed in all Irish sport, the heart is the nuclear plant that fuels all hope and activity.

Purchasing a football club is not like buying a business. Taking over a company that makes ball bearings or one that sells life insurance is, with the greatest respect to ball bearings and life insurance, essentially about making money.

Taking control of a football club is about taking responsibility for the dreams and ambitions of thousands of people. It is about accepting responsibility for something that is a fundamental part of the soul of a city and county.

Investing money is all very well and good. But it is the investment of understanding, knowledge and appreciation that counts more than mere money. This is where Arkaga fell down.

It is good to invest in the physical component of a city. It is commendable to get involved in the energy of a community, but it is an absolute necessity to show full and frank awareness and acknowledgement of the soul of that city when one purchases a professional football club.

gimmick

Rico is the man. have not a notion what he is on about half the time, but it sounds good.

Best manager CCFC have ever had. A true gentleman and legend.

estebancambias

Cringeworthy stuff. What is he writing? Memoirs?