The article seems to be less about Manchester City, and more about what he thinks the club and the fans should be. Just because he has written a few books does not mean he is the voice of the fans, however when he is the go-to-guy for 5 live and the Mail to be the voice of the fans this is the impression that people will get. I also had misgivings over Shinawatra and romanticise about Maine Road, but I think Schindler needs to realise that when you support a football club, it is not just an extended metaphor for your life. He can't pick and choose who and he supports the club, and whilst most supporters expect to take the rough with the smooth, Schindler can't seem to envisage taking the smooth with the rough.
It is a natural problem with sports comment writing, that the papers want to present the 'voice of the fans,' when invariably all they can ever publish is the voice of a fan. This is Schindler's view and good luck to him if he can get someone to pay him to write it. However, the title is misleading. On reading the article he doesn't argue that "The heart has been ripped out from the club I have loved for 50 years," but that he has fallen out of love with the club. If he was not made out to speak for the fans then it would be acceptable for him to write it, and we have the right to argue back, but to hold himself out to be the voice of the fans, or more likely allow himself to be so, is rude to every other fan who has just as much right to their opinion.
