1970 PSG is a small blog that offers in-depth coverage, current statistics, and spirited opinions on the extremely talented French soccer team, Paris Saint-Germain. This United Kingdom based website features frequent posts by founder Ross Mackiewicz, as he carefully chronicles and analyzes each PSG match. Mackiewicz has also written for a number of other soccer-focused blogs, such as Soccerlens and In Bed With Maradona, both of which are heavily focused on the uniqueness of soccer culture. A fervent supporter of Les Rouge-et-Bleu, his writing permeates an admirable enthusiasm following each victory, as well as a heavy sorrow after each defeat; Ross displays the deep passion and unbreakable loyalty expected from a true team fan, and is a symbol of the huge, personal impact that soccer can have.
The name of the blog, 1970 PSG, is meant to represent the formation of the team in 1970 and its rise to glory since then. Becoming one of the best teams in France, or even Europe, PSG has attracted immensely talented stars such as David Beckham, Thiago Silva, the almighty Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and many other soccer titans. Since then, Paris Saint-Germain has reigned in a myriad of accomplishments, including a 1996 UEFA Cup Winner’s Cup and four national championships, two of which occurred in the past two years.
The home page of the blog contains a diverse feed of posts, featuring articles from each of the different subcategories. The first of these subcategories is Club Honours, which lists the historic accomplishments of Paris Saint-Germain in greater detail, with the earliest achievement being the grasping of the Ligue 2 championship in 1971. Moving along, viewers can access the current squad list, which showcases the team’s well know talent, as well as a number of crucial supporting players past the center of the spotlight; here one can see more humble (compared to “King Zlatan”), less well-known players, such as Blaise Matuidi or Javier Pastore, who foster a strong chemistry. Past the squad list, lies the Fixtures and Results column. Here fans can access not only the outcomes and scores of games throughout the season, but along with each match comes an article for both the preview and the result. Preview articles offer a more in-depth observation regarding the team’s upcoming games, mentioning difficult players on opposing teams and strategies on how to outwit their opponents; the articles on results analyze the team’s play after a win or loss, giving praise for skillful play and tight chemistry, while also highlighting thoughtless mistakes, errors in strategy, and necessary improvements that need to be made. One step further brings the viewer to the Ligue 1 Table, where the up-to-date Ligue 1 standings are projected (PSG is currently tied for second with Olympique Marseille, 2 points behind Olympique Lyonnais!). These past four pages enable Paris Saint-Germain fans to become further involved with their team by collecting all of the pertinent, current information and analysis on how well or poorly they are playing.
The next subcategory, my personal favorite, is the Opinion column. On this page, Ross offers commentary on emerging trade rumors, up-and-coming players and targets for the team, and the play of certain players in high-stress games. However, what I found most interesting and entertaining is the frequency of articles written about Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the language used to describe him. In one article titled “Zlat’s The Way We Like It,” Mackiewicz praises the Swedish forward for his “emphatic” hat-trick in the team’s most recent victory against Nice. He writes with an admiration that demonstrates the love and trust fans have for the all-star player that brings their team glory; Ross portrays him as an unstoppable hero, stating, “His three goals had snippets of the talent we know he beholds. His first consisted of intelligent forward play and bravery. He was able to sneak in at the back stick to tap home and was in no way put off by an on rushing Lucas Veronese who clattered into his leg”. In another article, “Who Are You Rooting For? Team Zlatan Of Course!” Mackiewicz uses similar language, referring to Ibrahimovic as “our very own talisman, leader and catalyst,” and again showing the effect talented players can have on devoted fans.
1970 PSG is an interesting and important blog because a die-hard fan of Paris Saint-Germain writes it. Through his posts, Ross Mackiewicz displays the characteristics of someone deeply devoted to their team, and is a symbol of the profound personal effect that soccer can have on one throughout their life.
