Entertaining v winning

It’s an interesting debate and one we may pursue in this organ whether fans prefer a winning team to an entertaining one.  Yesterday I was Ivan Conway’s guest at Hove  cricket ground for the third day of Sussex v Somerset.

Sussex were by Saturday in a dominant position and yesterday morning they batted on till they had a lead of 500 – skipper John Simpson scoring 117, his 7th Sussex century.  But it was full stuff.

This was no “Bazball” of 4 runs an over but a slow plod till a unachievable target was set. Some might argue that this was only Sussex’s second game back in the top flight after 12 years absence so they were fully justified in their tactics which will probably ensure a victory today.

Yet on a bright if breezy day Sussex had let spectators in for free but the 1,000 or so there could have hardly been entertained by the fare.

Another friend of Ivan’s left at 3.00pm, around us more than one was asleep and others chatting about everything but the cricket.

Jose Mourinho’s teams tend to win ugly.  For Spurs  the glory days of the Double Side and some of the teams that followed them were characterised by fine football.  West Ham have a tradition of good football.  In other sports familiar to Rust writers Quins in rugby are admired for their cavalier approach but last won a trophy back in 2021. For some sporting owners revenue generation from the stadium is more important than any silverware.

I’m not aligned to any club but I do firmly believe that sport is an entertainment and sportsmen and women have a duty to entertain.