Politics and Football

[Rhyfelwyr]

Celtic kicked up a bit of a fuss at the weekend after they displayed some anti-poppy protests.

As usual, the PC-brigade were quick to condemn these protestors as people who do not represent the views fo Celtic fans, and for some reason think that they themselves are the only people who have a right to claim to speak on behalf of Celtic fans.

As usual, their liberal rhetoric completely ignores reality, since the greater part of a whole stand was directly involved in the protest.



We have quite a history of this sort of thing with the Old Firm (Rangers/Celtic, JICYDKBYRSK, you get a balloon if you work that out btw). Celtic have had similar protests for a few years now, while Rangers have had Ulster day, Orange day (in reference to their Dutch connections rofl and absolutely not the Orange Order, good shots from about 6 second in).

Now, here is the controversy. Firstly, as you would expect, I will rush to the aid of the radical republicans at Glasgow Celtic!

In response to the poppy protest, we've had the usual righteous indignation from the moralising pc-brigade, who like to use the line that "politics doesn't belong on the football pitch". So, I wonder if the same pc-brigade will also wholeheartedly condemn programmes such as the current 'Show racism the red card', in which all players actively participate before games doing shows for the crowd with their anti-racism message.

Seems like hypocrisy to me, as usual the liberal crew use the 'leave me alone' line, but don't feel like leaving everyone else alone. Keep politics out of football seems to mean keep politics they don't like out of football.

Plus their whole language of reconcilliation 'why can't we just get along theme' in saying these protests do not represent Rangers/Celtic fans is bollox, look at the pics/videos the vast majority of Celtic fans clearly support the poppy protest, and the vast majority of Rangers fans clearly showed support for the Orange Order.

I don't see a problem with having this at football grounds.

But, do you?!?!!?!?

[HoreTore]

Politics of course have a place in football, and so does mockery, insults and more general messages of hate.

Politicians, on the other hand, had better stay away.

[Louis VI the Fat]

Yeah...I dunno man. I myself just couldn't be bothered go over all of history since 1688 when I'm watching a game of footy. Over here we just get drunk then entertain ourselves with songs about the career choices of the opponent's female relatives.

[HoreTore]

Yeah...I dunno man. I myself just couldn't be bothered go over all of history since 1688 when I'm watching a game of footy. Over here we just get drunk then entertain ourselves with songs about the career choices of the opponent's female relatives.

I watched a programme about the derby between some clubs in Istanbul I can't remember.... But their favourite taunt was along the lines of "<insert player name> go have sex with(said in a naughtier way) their mothers!!"

[Rhyfelwyr]

Yeah...I dunno man. I myself just couldn't be bothered go over all of history since 1688 when I'm watching a game of footy. Over here we just get drunk then entertain ourselves with songs about the career choices of the opponent's female relatives.

And then there was the whole thing when Rangers set ticket prices to £16.90, lol.

[Rhyfelwyr]

Heh, it's not like it's just a Scottish phenomenon. I remember all the Celtic fans thought they were being smart when they took Palestine flags for thier game against Hapoel Tel-Aviv, when it turns out Hapoel are the 'liberal' team of Israeli football (IIRC, anyway), and often fly Palestine flags themselves. If they had done it against Beitar Jerusalem on the other hand...

Do football teams in France/Norway/wherever ever have these political connotations?

[HoreTore]

Heh, it's not like it's just a Scottish phenomenon. I remember all the Celtic fans thought they were being smart when they took Palestine flags for thier game against Hapoel Tel-Aviv, when it turns out Hapoel are the 'liberal' team of Israeli football (IIRC, anyway), and often fly Palestine flags themselves. If they had done it against Beitar Jerusalem on the other hand...

Reminds of how the Chelsea fans makes gas hissing when facing Tottenham....

Do football teams in France/Norway/wherever ever have these political connotations?

Yes and no. Obviously we don't have different religious or ethnic groups etc facing each other here, so what have is a "milder" version... But my team, Vålerenga, is a team from the capital, Oslo, and therefore regularly uses banners with degenerative terms for farmers, rural people, people from other parts of the country, etc etc. A common chant used in every game is "Øl og vold, skamslåtte bønder"(beer and violence, beat up peasants) and it's by far the loudest one, and the one most of the fans sing along with. Another case is when we faced now bankrupt(HAH!) FC Lyn, with Lyn being the upper-class side, while Vålerenga is working class.

Other commons songs are:
- "We know who our dad is!" - sung quite a few teams, particularly the upper-class teams Stabæk and Lyn
- "Everyone from (Våler)Enga claps like this"(followed by simulating heroin use) - sung by most teams outside the capital, like in Hamar and Drammen
- "Everyone from X has the same grand-dad" - sung by Enga when facing rural teams, particularly Ham-Kam, and X is substituted by the name of the opposing teams city

[Rhyfelwyr]

Ha! I've seen some similar themes following teams in the lower leagues here.

Teams from the less industrialised north get a lot of abuse for their fondness of sheep. For coastal Peterhead, we use "You only sing when you're fishing".

Probably the funniest one was when we were playing against Stenhousemuir. They celebrate the clubs connections with Norway, and so they have a cowbell they like to ring all the time (you can still hear it since the attendance at these games is low). One time they were doing it a bit much and it resulted in a chorus of "Shove yer cowbell, Shove yer cowbell, Shoooove yer cowbell up yer arse"...

[gaelic cowboy]

Rangers and Celtic to be honest strike me as being like two bald men who a constantly fighting over a comb.

To answer the thread yes it is hypocritical to proclaim only one form of politics is allowed at the match and since Celtic fans see the poppy as a political symbol then to them this protest is about keeping politics out.
(Except of course it doesnt keep politics out cos the reason for the protest in the first place is political in and of itself, I bet any money they are probably some eejits from the likes of the IRSP or Eirigi etc)

The Union Jack has flown alongdside the Tricolour in Croke Park if the GAA can let the past be the past and allow England in for a match then maybe I think maybe Rangers/Celtic should give it a rest maybe just maybe.




Plus I wonder because the pitches are the home teams property and place of work etc etc are you actually allowed the freedom to protest and the like.

[Furunculus]

politics does not belong in sport.

neither the silly anti-racism thing, nor sectarian politics.

and football sucks anyway.

[gaelic cowboy]

politics does not belong in sport.

neither the silly anti-racism thing, nor sectarian politics.

and football sucks anyway.

Agreed on all three points I much prefer gaelic football myself and I only have a cursory interest in soccer and rugby.

[HoreTore]

Agreed on all three points I much prefer gaelic football myself and I only have a cursory interest in soccer and rugby.

There's a reason why a billion or more plays football, while you can count those involved in "gaelic football"(or any other silly nonsense) on one hand.

Football is simply superior.

Also, I have a feeling that those who proclaim an interest in those silly sports are mainly into it just for the sake of being different to everyone else, just so that whenever football is discussed they have an excuse to not get involved and stay in the corner muttering "football sucks".

Not really, one was a well thought out trick, Nani just took advantage of idiotic refereeing.

Don't blame the ref, it's not his fault Gomes is a complete idiot.

Rule number one: Play until the whistle is blown.

[Strike For The South]

Don't blame the ref, it's not his fault Gomes is a complete idiot.

Rule number one: Play until the whistle is blown.

Except when the linesman is signaling a free kick

And that play is illegal DD one is not allowed to snap the ball over his shoulder

[johnhughthom]

Don't blame the ref, it's not his fault Gomes is a complete idiot.

Rule number one: Play until the whistle is blown.

I agree, Gomes was an idiot. Still, referees should only play the advantage when necessary, was there a likely counter attack on? No, the free kick should have been given. I know that by the letter of the law the referee did no wrong, the advantage rule is open to interpretation however, and the referees interpretation in this instance was moronic. I hate the criticism referees get, it's a thankless task and managers and players should be banned or fined more often over their conduct towards them, referees don't help themselves when they do things like that.

I have to say though, what really bugs me about that goal is Nani's celebration. You've taken advantage of a referee's mistake, at least have the decency to act like it.

[gaelic cowboy]

There's a reason why a billion or more plays football, while you can count those involved in "gaelic football"(or any other silly nonsense) on one hand.

Football is simply superior.

I'm sorry Horetore but it is boooorrrriiiiiinnnnnggggg and only becomes exciting when we add a frisson of politics or tribalism to it through internationals etc.

Gaelic football run by the GAA is played here and is the majority sport in terms of participation and when one includes hurling also a GAA sport then soccer and rugby are basically minority interests in this country.

Were not being "differant" we ye know actually enjoy it Horetore

Gaelic football


Hurling


Incidently there is easily 160,000 people in those two videos Horetore the All Ireland Final in both Hurling and Football is massive here and wherever there are Irish people it is sure to be shown in the various Irish pubs abroad

[HoreTore]

some boring videos about some homosexuals

*falls asleep*

Except when the linesman is signaling a free kick

And that play is illegal DD one is not allowed to snap the ball over his shoulder

Does the linesman decide when there is a free kick or not? Nope, so only an idiot would pay any attention to what he's doing.

[johnhughthom]

As a Unionist living in Belfast I have always admired the community spirit engendered by GAA. Towns, villages and counties come together for the teams and they really are just part of the community. They can quite exciting sports to watch, if there's no soccer on.

[Rhyfelwyr]

politics does not belong in sport.

neither the silly anti-racism thing, nor sectarian politics.

and football sucks anyway.

Pffft... boring. The rivalry is so much better when there's more than the sporting dimension to it.

Or are we still bitter after what happened after some of Rangers recent visits south of the border. (I guess this goes more for you, InsaneApache!, you like in Manchester, right?)

[gaelic cowboy]

Or are we still bitter after what happened after some of Rangers recent visits south of the border. (I guess this goes more for you, InsaneApache!, you like in Manchester, right?)

what happened was there some kind of trouble or something

[drone]

This should get good, Rhyfelwyr is accusing IA of being a ManU fan.

[InsaneApache]

This should get good, Rhyfelwyr is accusing IA of being a ManU fan.

That's fighting talk.

[Furunculus]

Pffft... boring. The rivalry is so much better when there's more than the sporting dimension to it.

Or are we still bitter after what happened after some of Rangers recent visits south of the border. (I guess this goes more for you, InsaneApache!, you like in Manchester, right?)

i am completely unaware of what Rangers might have done, probably oweing to a complete disinterest in sports outside mountainbiking and ladies mud-wrestling, in addition to not having or watching TV.

[Rhyfelwyr]

i am completely unaware of what Rangers might have done, probably oweing to a complete disinterest in sports outside mountainbiking and ladies mud-wrestling, in addition to not having or watching TV.

It was supposedly the worst night of violence in the city since the blitz, sheesh, it wasn't limited to the sports news...

[al Roumi]

It was supposedly the worst night of violence in the city since the blitz, sheesh, it wasn't limited to the sports news...

I thought Rangers got panned in that game...

[Furunculus]

It was supposedly the worst night of violence in the city since the blitz, sheesh, it wasn't limited to the sports news...

the joy of getting your news on the internet is that you browse by headline, and anything with football in it probably didn't even register.

[InsaneApache]

Or are we still bitter after what happened after some of Rangers recent visits south of the border. (I guess this goes more for you, InsaneApache!, you like in Manchester, right?)

I was born there. I didn't say I liked the place.