Ilkay supports Erdogan / Booed by German fans (P5)

Cityfan

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28 Jan 2009
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-44122247
Mods feel free to move if there is a more appropriate thread.

Must admit I have no argument with Ilkay feeling some loyalty to the country of his forefathers, but Erdogan is not a politician who I admire and whose human rights record appears to be atrocious.
Not surprised the German FA are a bit upset.
 
Probably got family still there and doesn't want to rock the boat whatever his views.
 
Is that why he 'had to go' early yesterday?
No it was in the evening after the Southampton game.
In the German media he claimed he was only being polite to the president of his family members still living in Turkey. Makes sense, if only he had not written that on the City shirt that he also gave to Erdogan. Ilkay still has dual citizenship by the way. Özil is solely German as he gave his Turkish passport back.
 
I think Ilkay's only issue here is letting his political views go public. If there are two things you shouldn't talk publicly about it's religion and politics. Everyone has their own opinions and you'll never get a majority to agree with you.

Despite all this, it's down to him which politicians he supports. That's his human right. He's a bloody good footballer and as long as that continues and he lives within the law, then does it really matter? We've also had players who believe in witchcraft, which is definitely weirder than this.
 
Slightly misleading/OTT thread title. I haven't seen him state support for Erdogan and if he has family in the country I doubt he'd speak out against him.

"Are we supposed to be impolite to the president of our families' homeland?" he asked.

"Whatever justified criticism there might be, we decided on a gesture of politeness, out of respect for the office of president and for our Turkish roots."

He said "it was not our intention to make a political statement with this picture".
 
As I said in another thread, that meet, greet, and shirt presentation definitely made me a bit uncomfortable. It’s one thing if he was asked about Erdogan in an interview or press conference and said something polite (knowing his family was still there); it’s another to seek out the meeting.

Then again, perhaps there was pressure to do so that he could not ignore. Erdogan is strong arming quite a few prominent families in Turkey right now and maybe Ilkay’s, by virtue of notoriety, is one of them and he was hoping to calm things down a bit with this.

All conjecture, of course, but it is generally a bit strange all around.

im more concerned about his tache!

It is deeply unsettling. ;-)
 
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