U.E.F.A Ultra Extreme Fanatical Atmosphere

It is that sore cough from a sudden burst of screaming or yelling that lets me know just how much it all means to me. This past week I watched the final round of qualifiers for the 2013/2014 Champions League group stage. Personally, I had so much invested in this one since my side Legia Warszawa were playing. They were on the verge of qualifying for the first time in over 17 years, but fate made sure that number would only grow. With a 1-1 tie against Romanian side Steaua Bucharest away and then 2-2 at home we got knocked out by the away goals rule. I was down and couldn't come to terms with why this had happened. I mean with all our passion and support for the club I thought that the determination and drive would have finally taken us to the promised land. All this emotion led me to point out one major formula that plagues countless other sides apart from just my beloved Legia. A team's fans don't determine how successful the team truly is. Legia's fans put on a great show with a provocative Ultra display. The acronym U.E.F.A was displayed with the words Ultra Extreme Fanatical Atmosphere right underneath followed by a dazzling showing of soccer flares. Note: Legia will definitely pay for this one, but not even UEFA could put a price on that fanatical atmosphere the fans produced. I guess the only thing that consoles me at a time like this is the fact that so many other great clubs in Europe have great fans, but no results on the field. Take for example, Newcastle F.C. where St. James' Park holds, in my opinion, some of the most compelling English fans in the Premier League. However, not even the likes of the great Alan Shearer or King Kev could pull this club into the top of the league. It's a shame though that with the advent of the filthy rich owner investing unlimited sums of money, a club with the most passionate fans doesn't equate to a better performance on the pitch. Don't get me wrong though, a team like Manchester City and their fans waited long for their moment of glory two seasons ago, but still the formula for success doesn't rely solely on the fans. Just imagine if that was the case though. If a team's performance was based on the support they received from the fans. If instead of the twelfth man being some idea it became personified and in fact the team had the real advantage of one more talent on the field. Imagine the likes of West Ham United forever blowing bubbles on top of the league's mantle or how about St. Etienne finally returning as the green giants of French football. The list could continue on into every single league from Den Hague in Holland to Atalanta in Italy, but that's not the point I'm making. The point of this article is just to point out a sad truth. No matter how much passion and love fans have for their clubs it doesn't mean results. However, who needs results when you know you and you're kind are the roughest toughest most hardcore fans around. I guess getting the results are just the cherry on top.