Why Do Some People Get Like This Over Football?

[Untitled]

Some England fans racially abusing non-white players onlne

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57800431

hundreds tried to break into wembley last night, set off flares outside king's cross, and beat each other senseless on Trafalgar Square:

https://metro.co.uk/2021/07/12/violence-and-disorder-at-euro-2020-final-leads-to-dozens-of-arrests-14912118/

Why on earth do some people get like this over football?

[ToraToraTora]

maggie: "Oooh, what's happened to your England flag TTT? Why have you gone back to the big fat one? Do tell. " - I was flying the flag as an avatar and as an actual flag on my house, until England are out. I imagine they also flew their flag in Scotland, briefly.

[maggiebee]

"Have a day off maggie". That's rich coming from you. You've been wittering on for weeks about football and we've had to put up with your thinly veiled racist remarks. Racism isn't just about colour you know! Anyway, off now to do more important things. Enjoy your day.

[anneasquith]

‘ former soviet block countries ‘ ?. Ha ha ha .he’s crazy, though I do understand any English football fans this morning , they must be gutted, I would be. It does not account for insanity though.

[ToraToraTora]

maggie: "we've had to put up with your thinly veiled racist remarks" - show me any place I have been racist.

[naomi24]

I wonder what the abusers said, and whether they were all white? I don’t know anything about football but I do know that there are several black players in the team so why were just three on the receiving end of this bile? Could it be that the impetus for criticism was that these three players screwed up big time - and that racism is being used as the excuse?

[sp1814]

maggiebee in fairness, TTT did say 'especially' in the former soviet bloc countries. I don't think he meant to exclusively blame them, but highlight it's more prevalent there.

[ToraToraTora]

anne there was a documentary about racism and homophobia in former Soviet bloc countries. We are a paragon of Liberality in comparison.

[jim360]

// Could it be that the impetus for criticism was that these three players screwed up big time - and that racism is being used as the excuse? //

(a) they "only" missed a penalty each, obviously it decided the result but not really a "big time" screw-up (two Italians also missed).
(b) the abuse they received was very much racist.

[naomi24]

When the game is decided upon the 'misses' it's screwing up big time.

[jim360]

Well, possibly. But the abuse directed at them was wholly undeserved, and in many cases unambiguously racist.

[naomi24]

Not possibly - definitely.

[Stickybottle]

It was dubbed the English disease for a reason
Those reasons came to the fore last night and will continue with the abuse of black players

The real class act was the Italian side giving the officials and England a guard of honour when collecting the medals

[jim360]

Which deserves more condemnation? Missing a penalty, or thinking that missing a penalty is an excuse for racist abuse?

[naomi24]

Jim, who are you talking to?

[jim360]

I guess I'm asking anybody who seems to be seeking almost to rationalise the racist criticism, by trying to find an "impetus" other than that the abusers were racists who don't need an excuse.

[naomi24]

Jim, Well, even though you've got that entirely cock-eyed - no change there - I guess you mean me. I'll try to make it clearer. If this abuse resulted entirely from racism, why target only three of the team? Why not all the black players?

[jim360]

For the same reason that bullies don't pick on everybody they meet.

[naomi24]

Had the result been different I'd be willing to bet they wouldn't have picked on just the three of them at all. All of them, perhaps, but not just the three who messed up.

[ummmm]

Maybe the goal keepers should be given some credit instead of blaming the players.

[youngmafbog]

I suspect that the people doing this simply are not the sharpest knife in the drawer. For them the trigger will be they missed and they will pick on the easiest thing they think will hit home. And the problem is the media pick up on it and feed their motivation. I strongly suspect they would have picked on a 'misser' if they were Ginger or had some other thing they felt they could press a button on.

The problem is what do you do with these people, they dont listen to reason and if prosecuted will most likely become 'hero's' to their mates. (Much like the problem with handing out ASBOs'

Of course I suspect there will be the out and out racists also in amongst them but suspect The Old Bill already know them from previous actions.