Bucharest Blue
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 1 Jul 2008
- Messages
- 403
Not sure if this has been posted, sure it might of, please remove if it has.
Found on Football 365, someone actualy talking good sense!!! Bit of a long one but good read
...............................................
When Emmanuel Adebayor scored that goal and set off towards the Arsenal fans, it was a brilliant bit of drama; such things are one of the reasons we love football's soap opera.
If he wants to laud his goal in front of his previous fans, who, let's not forget, have felt completely at ease with abusing him, then he bloody well should be allowed to do so without getting booked or any further discipline from the FA.
If in doing so he reveals himself as a self-absorbed, soulless nancy boy, that doesn't matter. Let him express himself as he wishes. We will judge the nature of the man accordingly. But no, the authorities from the referee upwards want to prescribe both what we see and how we should feel about it.
Consequently, Adebayor could be suspended for this harmless bit of theatrics. Remember what I said about the pussyfication of football a few weeks ago?
That's it, right there. Classic.
"He could have caused a riot," said that appallingly sensationalist Gary Richardson on 5Live to FA Chief Ian Watmore. Richardson reserved his criticism for the player and not the fans that started to fight with the stewards. Rubbish.
Clearly Adebayor couldn't have started a 'riot' because a riot did not happen. If he could have started one, one would have happened. But it didn't. What did happen was a few fans went ape-poo, and it's those fans who are the real problem, not the player.
What sort of fool can be driven to 'riot' by a footballer? Why should a player have to bear in mind what the reaction of a small minority of crazy, over-emotional numptys might be, especially when it spoils the fun for the rest of us sentient creatures who are able to resist the urge to become a street-fighting man as a response to a footballer's actions?
No footballer has ever, nor ever could make me want to create civil disorder and I'm sure you feel exactly the same. Yes, they can annoy and frustrate. Yes, you may wish to swear at them sometimes - but enough to start fighting? Enough to lose your mind? Have some self control. He is just not that important. Not important enough to commit violence or wanton destruction over. That's not your passion for the game, or the club, it's just inappropriate, emotionally incontinent over-reaction and needs to be condemned as such.
Whatever a player does we have a responsibility not to hurt or cause distress to each other because of it. That is surely bare minimum for a civilised society. It's not him, it's you.
A collective pointing and laughing session would have successful pricked Adebayor's hubris far more than fighting with a steward ever could. Imagine it; a few thousand people laughing loudly and pointing at him on his knees. Clearly, the insults, the 'give-him-hell' approach, just doesn't work. Rather, it inspires the player to put it right up the ex-club.
Not taking him seriously is a far bigger insult to a self-important, puffed-up man. But no, instead, let's fight with the stewards, yeah that makes a lot of sense. And you want to claim the moral high ground over Adebayor eh? Riiiiiight.
It is the reaction of that small number of fans that in the end - through the whole slew of regulations of what is and isn't proper conduct for a player - makes football less theatrical, less dramatic and less entertaining. This is why the shirt-removal thing got established as a yellow card offence. The authorities thought such wanton displays of celebration would incite and antagonise opposition fans. See, that's how those few mad fans can spoil the football spectacle.
The mental reactions of this few have become the standard by which all of us are judged. The culture and laws of the game are shaped around that minority and spoil it for the rest of us more emotionally stable grown-ups who can't be fomented into a rioting mob by an athletic man in sportswear.
This isn't an anti-Arsenal critique; I'm sure similar scenes would have happened at most clubs in the same circumstances, which makes it all the more depressing.
I love seeing players giving stick back to fans. As a neutral, I just love the spectacle of it.
Players are far too respectful to fans that pelt them with abuse who use the excuse that they've paid their money so that gives them carte blanche to say anything they damn well like.
It works both ways - if you dish it out, be prepared to take it some back. Don't start whining when a player has the bollocks to say f**k you. It takes bollocks for a start and they're only human, regardless of their wealth. It should be allowed. Deal with it like an adult. Don't kick off and start calling for him to be banned.
Those who want to invade the pitch and beat the player, the steward, the ball boy or even themselves up, need to be told it's just football, it's really not war. Adebayor is not invading your home and savaging your family. He's just a footballer for god's sake. Get a perspective.
But it didn't stop there. The Van Persie statement about the Adebayor 'stamp' also smacked of the modern culture of the whiney, wimpy, pathetic pussyfication. Christ man, if you really think that someone who possibly doesn't like you isn't going to give you a kick and ginger you up a bit occasionally when the chance arises, such as after a stiff tackle, then you don't want to play football really. You want to play a less confrontational, less physical sport. Whining on about how it was near your eye. Please, if it's all too worrying for you, feel free to retire at any time Robin.
We don't have to condone the injury or the intent to feel sickened by Van Persie's wussyness.
It's not as if Van Persie is a saint himself; has never done anything wrong, has never kicked anyone, never led with an elbow. To come out and make a statement boo-hooing about it was so self-regarding and moralistic. Classic pussyficator behaviour, that.
Such a statement, seemingly written and endorsed by the club, would never have been made until relatively recently. I couldn't imagine Steve Bould or Tony Adams issuing such a pitiful set of words. The grievance would, instead, have been stored up for the next game and an 'accidental' elbow to the throat would have evened the score, or it would be dismissed as all just part of the nature of the game. You give a bit, you take a bit.
It really wouldn't surprise me if Van Persie ran to a lawyer and tried to sue Adebayor for assault or mental cruelty. The game is going that way with these sappy, drippy players and the fans that adopt similar attitudes are no better.
All of this will keep football's social workers busy this week, watching videos in slow motion, weighing up who did what to whom and why and then dishing out fines and suspensions, delighting in the officiousness of the whole affair; all of waste of time, all making football less of a spectacle. All prime examples of pussyfication.
Far from Adebayor's behaviour being unacceptable, it was and is the hysterical reaction to it that truly deserves our contempt.
Found on Football 365, someone actualy talking good sense!!! Bit of a long one but good read
...............................................
When Emmanuel Adebayor scored that goal and set off towards the Arsenal fans, it was a brilliant bit of drama; such things are one of the reasons we love football's soap opera.
If he wants to laud his goal in front of his previous fans, who, let's not forget, have felt completely at ease with abusing him, then he bloody well should be allowed to do so without getting booked or any further discipline from the FA.
If in doing so he reveals himself as a self-absorbed, soulless nancy boy, that doesn't matter. Let him express himself as he wishes. We will judge the nature of the man accordingly. But no, the authorities from the referee upwards want to prescribe both what we see and how we should feel about it.
Consequently, Adebayor could be suspended for this harmless bit of theatrics. Remember what I said about the pussyfication of football a few weeks ago?
That's it, right there. Classic.
"He could have caused a riot," said that appallingly sensationalist Gary Richardson on 5Live to FA Chief Ian Watmore. Richardson reserved his criticism for the player and not the fans that started to fight with the stewards. Rubbish.
Clearly Adebayor couldn't have started a 'riot' because a riot did not happen. If he could have started one, one would have happened. But it didn't. What did happen was a few fans went ape-poo, and it's those fans who are the real problem, not the player.
What sort of fool can be driven to 'riot' by a footballer? Why should a player have to bear in mind what the reaction of a small minority of crazy, over-emotional numptys might be, especially when it spoils the fun for the rest of us sentient creatures who are able to resist the urge to become a street-fighting man as a response to a footballer's actions?
No footballer has ever, nor ever could make me want to create civil disorder and I'm sure you feel exactly the same. Yes, they can annoy and frustrate. Yes, you may wish to swear at them sometimes - but enough to start fighting? Enough to lose your mind? Have some self control. He is just not that important. Not important enough to commit violence or wanton destruction over. That's not your passion for the game, or the club, it's just inappropriate, emotionally incontinent over-reaction and needs to be condemned as such.
Whatever a player does we have a responsibility not to hurt or cause distress to each other because of it. That is surely bare minimum for a civilised society. It's not him, it's you.
A collective pointing and laughing session would have successful pricked Adebayor's hubris far more than fighting with a steward ever could. Imagine it; a few thousand people laughing loudly and pointing at him on his knees. Clearly, the insults, the 'give-him-hell' approach, just doesn't work. Rather, it inspires the player to put it right up the ex-club.
Not taking him seriously is a far bigger insult to a self-important, puffed-up man. But no, instead, let's fight with the stewards, yeah that makes a lot of sense. And you want to claim the moral high ground over Adebayor eh? Riiiiiight.
It is the reaction of that small number of fans that in the end - through the whole slew of regulations of what is and isn't proper conduct for a player - makes football less theatrical, less dramatic and less entertaining. This is why the shirt-removal thing got established as a yellow card offence. The authorities thought such wanton displays of celebration would incite and antagonise opposition fans. See, that's how those few mad fans can spoil the football spectacle.
The mental reactions of this few have become the standard by which all of us are judged. The culture and laws of the game are shaped around that minority and spoil it for the rest of us more emotionally stable grown-ups who can't be fomented into a rioting mob by an athletic man in sportswear.
This isn't an anti-Arsenal critique; I'm sure similar scenes would have happened at most clubs in the same circumstances, which makes it all the more depressing.
I love seeing players giving stick back to fans. As a neutral, I just love the spectacle of it.
Players are far too respectful to fans that pelt them with abuse who use the excuse that they've paid their money so that gives them carte blanche to say anything they damn well like.
It works both ways - if you dish it out, be prepared to take it some back. Don't start whining when a player has the bollocks to say f**k you. It takes bollocks for a start and they're only human, regardless of their wealth. It should be allowed. Deal with it like an adult. Don't kick off and start calling for him to be banned.
Those who want to invade the pitch and beat the player, the steward, the ball boy or even themselves up, need to be told it's just football, it's really not war. Adebayor is not invading your home and savaging your family. He's just a footballer for god's sake. Get a perspective.
But it didn't stop there. The Van Persie statement about the Adebayor 'stamp' also smacked of the modern culture of the whiney, wimpy, pathetic pussyfication. Christ man, if you really think that someone who possibly doesn't like you isn't going to give you a kick and ginger you up a bit occasionally when the chance arises, such as after a stiff tackle, then you don't want to play football really. You want to play a less confrontational, less physical sport. Whining on about how it was near your eye. Please, if it's all too worrying for you, feel free to retire at any time Robin.
We don't have to condone the injury or the intent to feel sickened by Van Persie's wussyness.
It's not as if Van Persie is a saint himself; has never done anything wrong, has never kicked anyone, never led with an elbow. To come out and make a statement boo-hooing about it was so self-regarding and moralistic. Classic pussyficator behaviour, that.
Such a statement, seemingly written and endorsed by the club, would never have been made until relatively recently. I couldn't imagine Steve Bould or Tony Adams issuing such a pitiful set of words. The grievance would, instead, have been stored up for the next game and an 'accidental' elbow to the throat would have evened the score, or it would be dismissed as all just part of the nature of the game. You give a bit, you take a bit.
It really wouldn't surprise me if Van Persie ran to a lawyer and tried to sue Adebayor for assault or mental cruelty. The game is going that way with these sappy, drippy players and the fans that adopt similar attitudes are no better.
All of this will keep football's social workers busy this week, watching videos in slow motion, weighing up who did what to whom and why and then dishing out fines and suspensions, delighting in the officiousness of the whole affair; all of waste of time, all making football less of a spectacle. All prime examples of pussyfication.
Far from Adebayor's behaviour being unacceptable, it was and is the hysterical reaction to it that truly deserves our contempt.