Savages

Sad images from the Libertadores match in Buenos Aires between Independiente de Avellaneda and Universidad de Chile where savages entered into a massive fight in the stadium. It looked like scenes from Mad Max as fans attacked one another, notably Independiente fans who stormed the stands of the away side. Not that the savage away fans were innocent: from the upper decks they had been burning seats and throwing bottles, rocks at the home fans below, leading to the other savages attacking the stands. Most appallingly, as you see in the images, police was nowhere to be seen as the savages from both sides were allowed with impunity to commit their crimes.

The authorities who let this happen are as guilty as the savages themselves. 

CONMEBOL cancelled the match and the clubs are looking at "harsh" penalties. I say "harsh" because the most likely is a fine and maybe play a few matches without fans. But if anything is to be done about this the message must be stronger, and must include the local authorities. To the clubs I would recommend forceful relegation and suspension from all international tournaments for 10 years. Or harsher still: What about teams from both countries get suspended from all international tournaments? Or that all clubs from either country are not allowed to play any home matches, including national teams?

I know many will say that it is not the clubs' fault or that many fans are innocent. 

But are they? Don't they pour gasoline onto the fire that drives the savages? Are they not standing behind those savages to protect the fraught tribal image of their second-rate football club? 

Human Savagery

As if the world were not already falling apart, Mexican football had to add another example of humans as pure savages. While it fortunately appears there were no deaths (initial reports mentioned up to 10 deaths) in the Mexican league match between Querétaro and Atlas, the violence was disturbing. In this era of social media there are truly disturbing  images and videos of the raw and hateful violence between the fans.

I would imagine apologists would say that the perpetrators were provoked by the taunts of other fans. But as with other violence there is no other excuse than the very human nature that resides inside all of humanity.

Fucking depressing times to live in.

Fiction

It was the last match of Group 2 qualifier for the 2050 World Championship. Bulgaria was receiving Scotland at the Sofia Glorious People's Arena. The game was sold out despite the incidents in the previous match where eight fans of the visiting side had been killed (two of them lynched under the burning crosses outside the stadium), and which had led to a 500 Euro fine by UEFA, and the rule that no banners of the League for White Europeans would be allowed within 50 meters of the stadium.
Scotland's star player, Kwame McMurthy, had expressed that he did not want to go to Bulgaria: the previous year the Celtic striker Alastair Nsonowa had been incapacitated for life after a racist attack in the player-tunnel during a European match (this had led to a 100 Euro fine and two match suspension from online streaming). The threats were numerous and many right-wing fan groups (there were basically no other fan groups any longer) were openly displaying the weapons they planned to bring to the stadium under the resigned acceptance of authorities. A few Bulgarian newspapers even displayed large banners with pictures of the burning crosses from the previous match with the caption: "Welcome to OUR Sofia, Kwame".
Despite McMurthy's fear for his life, UEFA had publicly announced that his refusal to play the match would go against his contractual sponsor obligations, leading to a million Euro fine, McMurthy being disqualified from all football for life, and Scotland being banned from all football for ten years. The Scottish football federation had also asked that McMurthy be provided extra protection, but UEFA had said that they fully trusted the Bulgarian authorities to provide the necessary security.

Amid the widespread violence and death there are no news of the result of the match, but it is known that most of the Scottish players never played football again, and that after reiterating its commitment to fight racism in all its forms, UEFA fined Bulgaria 500 Euros and an unprecedented five matches were not to be streamed online.
But nothing helped, and within a few decades football was dead: Children and youth, growing up in a more diverse and tolerant society (if sadly not yet inclusive),  massively turned away from a sport that seemed to accept that it had become the exclusive playground of ignorant racism, xenophobia, discrimination and violence.
And nobody shed a f...ing tear.

Prelude to Russia 2018?

I cannot see there was such a surprise by the violent scenes inside the stadium after the England-Russia match in the Euro 2016. Let us face it: this had been building up for three days, with violence in the streets of Marseille, and anyone watching even on TV could feel the negative atmosphere in the stadium at the start of the match. It is fortunately not so common that fans buh during the other team's national anthems, but not so in last night's match.
There is understandably a lot of attention at the poor security arrangements in the stadium (it is truly incredible considering the apparent terrorist threat that they forget all other, more real, threats), but why is there not attention to the much deeper problem of European society?
UEFA, understandably, has campaigns against racism, but xenophobia is something that is inherent in all these tournaments, and with rising nationalism and economic and social crisis in Europe, the ghost of xenophobia is on the rise.
Because let us face it: football does NOT bring people together. Perhaps a few naive fans still think it is all about the friendly clash of sport. But reality is that football is increasingly becoming the  outlet for European nationalist sentiments; people who do not even know how to appreciate football, watch it because they get their hard-on with the national anthems and flags, and can look down on other nationalities.
This is, in my view, the real tragedy of the Euro in France and the clashes of the last few days.
I agree that UEFA should send the teams home if the fans cannot behave, but in the end it will do nothing to dampen the ugly nationalism. Football is only an image of wider society.
I hope I am wrong, but I think what we saw yesterday is only a prelude to much uglier things ahead in Russia 2018.

The dark sides of the World Cup

I am an unapologetic fan of the football World Cup; of the dreams, the matches, the passion, the common love for something so simple among so many.
Sadly, there are also some sides of the World Cup that are, to say the least, horrible. Any football fan or decent person out there should not forget them, but instead scream out against them, because nobody else will.

• Injustice: The World Cup is a money machine. And while big fat sponsors, FIFA and governments will enjoy luxurious hotels and first class tickets, thousands and thousands will only receive the crumbs of the bastards. The protests in Brazil are no coincidence; an event like the World Cup is bound to exacerbate them. Injustice is real. There are thousands who will not benefit from the extravaganza, and the critics of the World Cup are swept aside, but use art to get their important message out.
• Violence: outright hooliganism may be on the retreat at an event such as the World Cup in Brazil, but there will be some disgruntled and drunk fans who will get into fights. Also bad fights. More worrying is perhaps the every day violence that affects such a wonderful country as Brazil.
• Prostitution: A recent article in Huffington Post almost made me cry. And stories of child prostitution increasing during the tournament abound. This is a sad result of the injustice. If FIFA really cared, they would campaign as harshly against prostitution as they do against racism. Oh, but right, it is only women....
• Nationalism: While World Cup brings people together, it also brings them apart. The World Cup is by now almost the only event during which it is still legit to be overtly nationalist and downgrade other nations. History and wars that have nothing to do with football will be invoked. People who do not know the off-side rule will be crying for their flag. Forget unemployment, poverty, injustice; the greatness of a nations will be defined by 11 guys in shorts kicking a leather ball. In a generation the only reason for countries to exist will be the World Cup.
• Racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia: Believe me, not just in Brazil, but in the entire world, you will see more of this shit during the World Cup.

Football will not save the world. As a fan I will focus on the football. But always a thought will be with the many people for whom society is not giving a thing, who cannot enjoy the beautiful game, that sadly contributes to the ills of a sick, sick world.

Top ten excuses for Luis Suarez

Luis Suarez is surely not the best footballer ever, but the most stupid footballer ever, yes.
That said, I would like to give him a helping hand, so I have some suggestions as excuses he can use to defend himself about his latest outrageous behavior:

10. "Ivanovic put his body into my mouth on purpose!"
9. "Have you not seen the size of my teeth?"
8. "The Europeans do not understand Latin Americans and our culture."
7. "I want to be like Mike (Tyson)"
6. "I thought football was a contact sport?"
5. "Give me some credit! At least I did not racially abuse him!"
4. "I love being suspended. It gives me time to play with myself!"
3. "I want 'La Garra Uruguaya' to be renamed 'La Dentadura Uruguaya'"
2. "As you know, we Uruguayans are known for biting into people..."
1. "'You'll never bite alone'?"

A football tragedy

Besides the human loss, it is sad that the attention of the world on African football during a great tournament as the African Cup of Nations, is drawn away by the game, to the catastrophe that happened in Egypt.
I am certain that this is not what Egypt is about, with its great people and fans, and it is not what African football is about.
There seem to be many theories about what happened at the match between Al Masry and Al Ahly, and with the political turmoil that Egypt has been undergoing, this tragedy can only feed into the tension. It may be "only" a game (it is!), but in a real world where passions are at least as much a part of politics and society as anything else, football is a very important part of society. This is not new; football has been part of society since football was born, and been used by violent thugs as excuses for their destruction.
But football also unites, and as football fans, we must show our solidarity with the fans and football of Egypt.
Peace.

Advice to Mr. "Bolillo"

The Colombian national coach, Hernán Darío Gómez, has come into controversy in his country after he was caught beating up a lady in a nightclub in Bogotá last week. He has offered to step down after the scandal, but incredibly as it may sound, many people want him to stay on as coach.

Before I want to give my suggestions for what excuses this guy could use to get away with such a crime, I must say that I have never found him a very good coach - Colombia has the talent to do much better than they have done under him, shown by their recent disappointment in the Copa América against Perú, who in Sergio Markarian have a REAL football brain behind them.

But here are my suggestions of excuses to the woman beater:

5. "This is how I would make discipline if I were coach of Colombia´s feminine side"

4. "She threatened to make it obvious that she knew more about football than me!"

3. "If I beat a man he might hit back! Uh!"

2. "Isn't this what you normally do...?"

1. "I am called "Bolillo" because of the size of my balls"

Knockout

Granted, I have never been a fan of Real Madrid, but this latest team, under the leadership of José Mourinho, was gaining my respect, until today.
A great team emerges in the face of adversity. Until today against their archrivals of FC Barcelona, Real Madrid had cruised through the Spanish League, and expectations were therefore enormous for the match: two of the greatest teams in the world. But truth is, there was only one great team on the pitch today: FC Barcelona dominated every aspect of the match, and not only the 5-0 score was a humilliation of Real Madrid, but more so the way the Catalonians played around with the helpless Madrid players. It was a show of strength from Barca, but the way it ended for Madrid was not gracious. I understand players can get frustrated, but Sergio Ramos' slaughter of Messi and attack on Puyol at the end was much more than just frustration; it was the pathetic expression of a player that does not belong at this level.
There is only one great team in the Spanish league, and it is FC Barcelona.

Nigel de Jong

Back in the 1980s there was a Spanish player from Atlético Bilbao known as "the Butcher from Bilbao" for his uncompromising and outright violent tackles that injured many players, among them Gary Lineker and Diego Maradona.
Harder refeereing has all but eliminated these kind of players, but once in a while some new "butchers" emerge, and one such is surely the Dutch Manchester City defender Nigel De Jong.
De Jong became world famous for a karate kick he gave Xabi Alonso in the world cup final. This kick became a symbol of a Dutch side that was no longer playing the beautiful style they were usually famous for.
But De Jong's sins are many: known as an uncompromising player, he managed to fracture the US player Stuart Holden's leg in a "friendly" match between the USA and Netherlands in March 2010, and this last weekend he repeated the feat of fracturing a player's leg when Newcastle's Hatem Ben Arfa was carried off the pitch in the Premier League match between their two sides.
This last tackle has fortunately been widely condemned, and the Dutch national coach, Bert van Marwijck, has decided to exclude de Jong from the Dutch national team that will play two Euro 2012 qualifiers this week.
This is surely a just punishment, but in fact, one of the worse things about de Jong has been the permissivenes of the referees; the situations with Alonso and Holden cost meager yellow cards, and for the Ben Arfa tackle, he wasn't even booked. Interestingly, the only one that has come out to defend De Jong is the Dutch captain Mark Van Bommel, another player whose tackles are not booked enough (and who should have had a couple of red cards in the World Cup).
Are the referees becoming more permissive, or are the Dutch now creating a new generation of defenders who can mask their violence? No matter what, they don't belong in football.

The presidential kick

President Evo Morales of Bolivia plays on a football team, and a couple of days ago he came on the world media when he did something that was not so fair-play:


A lot of people would perhaps think this is a bad example to set by a president, but on the other hand, football is about passion, and if he has to lose his head, surely better he does it on the football pitch!
The referee didn't give him a red card - of course, it is the president!

Pepe the kicking hooligan

Last nights match between Real Madrid and Getafe in the Spanish first division had a spectacular ending: five minutes before the end of the match Real Madrid equalized to 2-2 by Guti, before Getafe was given a penalty, which they missed, and then Gonzalo Higuaín scored a spectacular winner so that Real Madrid is still pushing FC Barcelona for the Spanish championship.
In spite of this incredible ending of the match, the penalty given to Getafe (which Casquero nevertheless quite pathetically missed) was a disgrace for football in every sense of the word. Firstly, it is clear that Casquero dives, and that Pepe hardly touches him, so there is no penalty for that infraction. But an even greater disgrace (and maybe one can say that is when the penalty is given?) is the Portuguese defenders reaction as he performs a violent and crazy kick on the player lying down.
Even as pathetic is Real Madrid coach Juande Ramos, defending Pepe by saying he was frustrated and desperate at the penalty. Well, there was no penalty indeed, but that doesn't justify the reaction! Hooligans are usually people who are desperate and sad at their team having lost; that doesn't justify their violent acts!

I don't know, but when people attack someone in such a way, they are usually indicted - we all know any hooligan would get indicted, and Mr. Pepe has just inscribed himself as a top-hooligan; a disgrace for football.
I hope Pepe is banned for a billion matches.

Ferencvaros-Millwall

Big trouble with fans at the UEFA Cup match between Millwall and Ferencvaros in Budapest. While the Millwall fans are known to be rather troublesome, it does in no way excuse the fact that four were stabbed. I certainly hope they recover and that the perpetrators are found. Nobody deserves this to happen to them when going to watch the greatest sport on Earth.
Most fans of any team are great people (in spite of what I might feel when my team looses...). Therefore, the first to denounce such incidents are the real fans of Ferencvaros and Millwall respectively, in spite of the disagreements engendered by the fights.
It is hard to make an example, but a good thing so far has been to let Ferencvaros play its home games in an empty stadium, and give fines to the clubs, so that they may work harder to take the violent elements out of their fan-clubs.
Please, no real football fanatics need this shit in football.

On a more amusing note, I would recommend all to go into the Ferencvaros website (http://www.ftc.hu/), where you will be welcomed by the "YMCA" in Hungarian... Dunno how proud I would be if it were my club...