I have been on the move a bit over the past ten days or so. Consequently I have had to rely on TV to keep me informed about what was going on in the world of sport. I couldn't watch the Rugby live from Pretoria but did catch the highlights of the Lions second test and I have to say that it was a bruising encounter. Nonetheless, I was still taken aback somewhat by the criticism dished out by some of the touring party afterwards because, while there were a few suspect challenges, to be fair, I felt both teams were guilty as charged in this respect.

There are many things about professional football that irk and frustrate me. This is not in any way a statement of discontent; indeed it is quite the opposite as it implies that as wonderful as I find the game, the realisation that there are even more improvements available creates a keen sense of anticipation for me. On the other hand, there are many aspects of my profession, or my previous profession to be more precise that afford me enormous gratification. And one of the most appealing of these occurred last Saturday afternoon in Turner's Cross.

I am forever intrigued by the manner in which many members of the media discuss the wages of professional footballers. "Obscene" is the fashionable word used by these people usually in an attempt to denigrate the superior salaries paid to modern footballers. This type of behaviour is rather childish in my view because it generally reflects an inherent jealousy or at the very least, a small mindedness that is further reflective of a lack of appreciation of the life of a professional athlete.

I enjoyed Wembley last Saturday. The game was not a lot to write home about but the stadium itself was quite magnificent. I was under no illusions whatsoever about the game because Everton, even though they finished in 6th place, are light years behind the top four clubs in The Premier Division and Chelsea are the most unappetising of the big clubs in that they place too much emphasis on the physical aspect of the game.

I head to London on Thursday for a weekend of culture. I have over the years come to love the immense diversity of the city and despite the problems that arise from time to time, the fact is that the amazing multi-cultural character of England’s capital offers a fine example of how people of all races, religions and backgrounds can exist in such practical harmony.

I am very lucky in that I live within a very short distance of five parks on the South side of Dublin. This convenient location grants me the opportunity to ramble along and watch all sorts and types of sport at almost every level of competition. Over the past couple of weeks the brighter evenings of summer have encouraged me to put the collars on the dogs and head out almost every day of the week.

I totally accept that I am more than a little peculiar.
In my younger days I may have been somewhat reluctant to admit this. Indeed I would have argued vehemently against the hypothesis. However, I have come to accept that rather than perceive this as personal predicament and a setback to my long held dreams to rule the world, I have actually grown quite fond of this particular aspect of my personality.

Like many others, I possess a genuine respect for Arsene Wenger. One can only admire the style and the sophisticated manner in which his teams play football. There is absolutely no doubt whatsoever that his presence in England has seriously enhanced the Premier Division over the past decade. It is still rather unusual for a professional football manager to place the type of football his team plays above all other aspects of his job.

In professional football the role of the supporter has not always received its due respect. Indeed, on many ocasions, and in too many locations, the loyal fan has been taken far too much for granted. Players will confirm the importance of fans when things are going well and yet often denigrate the lack of support when things have gone badly. Professional footballers can at times be somewhat fickle in that many areas of their profession encourage them to apportion blame in other directions.

I have always stated that the players are the most important people in the game of football. This may appear a rather unnecessary statement to make as it is obvious that without players there would never be a game. However, there are many involved in professional football who would perceive themselves to be as least as important as the players and more than the odd few who would consider their position in the game to possess a deeper relevance.