The actual football is boring, it's become political, Fifa is grubby and greedy. The World Cup just doesn't do it for me, and I think the world, and the game, would survive without it. The Premier League, on the other hand...

After the Bell has never been known for its insights into sport. We turn to people like Craig Ray if we really want to understand why Spain is better than Argentina and how a third- and fourth-place playoff might have been the best game of the football World Cup.

But we do have some thoughts about the product that is football.

I grew up in a particular time and place where soccer was something you played at primary school.

My parents tried (hard!) to foster some kind of joy in it. I used to walk to a local club from my house in Rondebosch when I was fairly young.

By the time we moved to Joburg my lack of talent was already evident. And after playing many games as left-back for a non-team side in my later primary school years, my departure from the field of play was welcomed. Both by myself and my long-suffering coaches.

And then into high school I went where a rugby culture took me over lock, prop and hooker (although thankfully I never played hooker).

Over the years I've been lucky enough to pick up a slight interest in our domestic leagues, and can talk...