Another Season, Another Divisive Kit Choice

Here we go again - the new football season approaches, and the new kits are being revealed. My beloved QPR is known for its hoops (NOT stripes), and while there is often debate regarding the thickness of the hoops, and whether or not they all go all the way round, the first team shirt rarely departs from the classic blue and white. So what may be changed in order to force fans and parents to stump up for the latest version? 

The most subtle change is to reverse the order of the hoops. Last season, the badge was white on a blue hoop, and the sponsor on a white hoop (we'll get to the trim in a minute):

This season, they are the other way round:

This little change renders the previous shirt utterly passé, and another £47 (plus more for any names or numbers on the back) must be found. Unless you are a season ticket holder or member, who doesn't mind waiting for a flash sale, or until the end of the season when you may use your "QPR Pounds" at the Club Shop.

Then there is the collar. In the end, I suppose that one is either a crew neck, a V neck or a polo shirt style collar fan. I'm a crew neck kind of person myself.

Finally, the trim. It is usually either more blue/white, or sometimes there is a red element in there. This year, however, INNOVATION! We have "gold". For me, gold is usually suggestive of some kind of great achievement. Certainly, the fans should wear gold in honour of their unfailing loyalty no matter who is manager, owner, chairman or playing (Bosingwa!). Not sure the players have yet earned that right.

Did I say finally? I know last season many people were blown away by the idea of a fuchsia pink away shirt. Some of us hated it, and some of us loved it. I love my pink shirt. I'm wearing it right now as I type. This season, my instinctive response to the aqua blue shirt without a hint of hoop and that gold trim, writing, badge and number is, che schifo! (Italian for YUCK!) I'm not sure if it is the shirt I would wear when invited for drinks on your yacht, or if it is the shirt that your crew would be wearing as they served my drink. It doesn't feel like a professional footballers' shirt. It doesn't feel like a QPR shirt. I'm hoping that the photo doesn't show that at least there is some kind of inferred hoop or two somewhere.

Meanwhile, the club has stated that if there is a clash with the aqua, the old pink kit will be the third one. Otherwise, for 2020 Errea have recycled it with our friends in the North.

Why so sad, Grimsby man? 

Whatever, of course, it is, now & always, COYRS & RTID!

RIP Franco Zeffirelli (The Bar Mitzvah Story)

Listening to and reading the myriad obituaries here in Italy and around the world for the director Franco Zeffirelli, I'm glad to see that many of them refer to "Jesus of Nazareth" (1977) as one of his best works. This is because both my parents were part of that production. My mother, Evelyn, was part of the post-production voice talent. My father, Albert, was invited to the film set to train the young actor playing a teenage Jesus for a scene in which he would become Bar Mitzvah. This became one of our favourite stories to tell:

After first informing Signor Zeffirelli that the ceremony of becoming Bar Mitzvah only originated in the Middle Ages, and upon hearing that the scene would still be filmed, Albert set about his task, i.e., to teach a young Italian boy to say the blessings required for reading Torah. The moment came to shoot this particular scene, and Albert stood nearby as the student began his recitation of the ancient Hebrew words. The boy stumbled, and the director shouted, "CUT!" He turned furiously towards the rabbi. "But, Franco," Albert said, "every Jewish boy makes a mistake on the day of his Bar Mitzvah." "Not," replied Zeffirelli, "NOT when he is the son of God!"

Jesus of Nazareth (Wiki)
BBC online obit
Corriere della Sera obit
the Guardian obit
Independent obit
New York Times obit
La Repubblica obit
La Stampa obit
The Times obit
Washington Post obit