Arbiter (n) one whose opinion or judgment is recognized as being unassailable or binding.
The media, "the Fourth estate", have undoubtedly become the biggest influence in English football. Managers, players, chairman—none are free from the wrath of the endless number of journalists that swarm the game’s every crevice.
When it comes to England, along with many Premiership clubs, the media seem to define expectations. If they say England should win the World Cup (which they invariably do), then it is quickly accepted that anything else would constitute failure.
But why is this? Who decided their opinion is worth accepting as fact?
Do even the journalists believe what they write, when they expect England to dominate international competition? Even in the face of 40 years of contradictory evidence?
If they do it is fortunate, and coincidental—it has proven an extremely profitable outlook.
Just think about it. Predicting England for success is a popular ploy—one that will yield vastly increased readerships over, say, a piece suggesting the Three Lions will do well to reach the quarterfinals (which, ironically, would be a wholly more realistic prediction).
And, as an added bonus, should England fail to live up to such artificial hype, the same media that anointed the team as champions can subsequently crucify them for their woeful inadequacies—with free rein to blame their perceived “failure” on a lack of hunger, lack of coaching, lack of tactical nous or any number of other spurious causes.
The criticisms serve to fill numerous column inches—and sell many more papers than any “Exclusive: How England Achieved More or Less What Was Expected of Them” story would ever hope to.
I have no problem with this, when it is purely driven by economic concerns. In a capitalist society, such motivations are par for the course. But when such coverage is having a manifestly negative effect on the team in question, it is simply not healthy.
John Terry, England’s supposedly talismanic captain, admitted this week that the squad were apprehensive of the public reaction to a poor performance:
"There's a fear of failure, speaking honestly," he said. "It's been like that for the last couple of years now. It's not something you can put your finger on. I don't think we'll be able to go out there and completely change it overnight.
"At club level, the lads feel free and can express themselves. When you come away with your country and look around the dressing room and see the players you're going to be playing with, it should be the best thing. The confidence should be there but, at the minute, things just aren't right.”
A noble admission perhaps, but Terry’s failure to explicitly mention the media’s involvement in creating a “fear factor”—instead focusing on a need to gain the fans’ support—is telling:
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