I’m not a football fan, I’ll admit. But then I’m not a huge sports fan generally (watching or taking part, the latter of which should be obvious).

However, I don’t get those that are.

“Oh yes, I’m a fan of Manchester United because I was born there”

Yes, and you now live in Nottingham, have done for a long time and have had and raised children here. Shouldn’t you be, say, a fan of Notts County or Nottingham Forest?

Don’t be silly.

So why aren’t you a Manchester City fan? Was United the better team at the random time that you decided to like football, by any chance?

And why that team because you were born there? Because it has Manchester in the name and is based there? But has a team and management that aren’t. Many of whom aren’t even from this country?

Basically, I can’t see the reason to cling to one particular team because you have some connection to that location – it means nothing any more. And that’s why I like FIFAs idea of restricting the number of foreign players in a team. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely to happen because of Europe anti-discriminatory laws.

What I’d really like to see, though, are teams that only consist of people from that area. So Manchester United – and City – would have to be teamed and managed by people from Manchester. Born and grew up in Manchester, not born in Brazil and shipped in at a later date. Surely this will then get back to how the sport was originally meant to be? Then you go to a match and be proud of a team that really represents the area.

It’ll never happen though and in the meantime we have the debacle of watching English premier league football teams managed and completely teamed by foreign players.