
In fairness, the modern football reporter must be rather torn.
On the one hand, they are doing better than ever; both important and self-important, making so much money and so on. But on the other, they are keenly aware that they are essentially parasites and ticks on the hide of the sort of oiks, wastrels and guttersnipes they've always been raised to despise and sneer at, and who are actually doing a million times better.
It can't be easy for them.
"Plenty of strikers can score goals," he said, gesturing to the famous old stands casting shadows around us.
"But a lot have found it difficult wearing the number 9 shirt for The Arsenal."