Do you see anyone else laughing? No, no you don't. Doesn't any of this give you a heads up? There's a lot of clues on here for you
I don't most of the time, I take a passing interest, but it;s difficult . Usually reach for the remote after about 10 mins. It's only a WC qualifier against a smaller country with a very low standard domestic league. Been a feature of football in this country far decades that the media jizz it up that our lads are world beaters because we piss the qualifiers. Then the toys come out of the pram when we meet the cleverer teams in the knockout stages (tiny Croatia, disciplined Italy etc) and get schooled.
I don’t have a problem with the players kneeling. I do have a problem with the FA sanctioning players for immature tweets they made as 14-year-olds whilst continuing to participate in qualifiers for a World Cup in a dictatorship that persecutes LGBT people and uses migrant workers as slaves. What’s disappointing from the England players and coach is the radio silence on Qatar. Norway at the very least held up a banner in protest of Qatar’s human rights abuses during their qualifier on Wednesday.
Because they don’t really care. In the same way the genocide of Muslims in China and the pulling down of Buddhist statues and persecution of Buddhists you hear nothing. Ozil was the only one who stood up for them and he was soon shown the door at Arsenal they wouldn’t want him upsetting that huge Chinese market.
The players do as instructed by the suits at the FA, who swing with the wind of whatever current prevails. Here's how it prevailed in 1938 please log in to view this image
It's a bit far to say they don't really care. I believe they do care but it's just caring about what the media want them to care about. We're currently on a national mission to make out like rasism is at an all time high and it's totally out of control. The truth is the country has never been in a better place in regards to racism. However it's still an issue and these lads feel like they're standing for something that matters so more power to them. The issue comes when anyone questions motives such as the origin of taking the knee and what it has connections to, those people immidatley get shut down and in many cases labeled something they aren't. Then the counter argument (and sometimes rightly) goes to what aboutism. What about human rights in Qatar, what about Muslim persecution in China etc. Truth is they've chosen a cause and whether any of us think it's the best cause or not it's irrelevant. They're still doing something good.
I don’t expect them to be activists for every cause that exists. Most people have a particular cause that they’re passionate and outspoken about. In Özil’s case, it was the treatment of his co-religionists in China. For the England squad, it’s racism (specifically anti-black racism). I don’t take issue with people picking and choosing which battles to focus their energy on, but I do find it rather disappointing and hypocritical when people are outspoken about persecution of one group but are happy to ignore or even be complicit in the persecution of others because it’s convenient for them to ignore. If England players kneel against racism but play in Qatar, then they are hypocrites by definition.
I don't disagree. In fact I wholeheartedly agree with your views on Qatar in particular. I babbled a lot in my last post without actually saying anything. Basically I think taking the knee has been blown out of all proportion from both that back it an oppose it. With both sides being whipped up by the manipulative media. So even though what the England players are doing is ultimately pointless in my opinion it's still backing a cause they believe in. I would be extremely proud of my country if we boycotted the world cup but we all know that's not going to happen. Same as if the FA and club teams actually gave a **** about racism they'd come off social media indefinitely until real changes were made, But they will never do that as it shortens their reach and loses sponsorship opportunities
Qatar shouldn’t be allowed to host the World Cup, they can still be in it, but not host it. The reasons given, that it’s all too short notice, is bollocks. They proved it with the Euro’s this year, last minute changes. To have any say that they have spent money on building stadiums & airports etc, it’s not like they’re short of cash. We all know it’s to stop them pulling their money & oil out of football & the western world in general. Trying to keep politics out of this thread is very difficult, but for the things mentioned in other posts, as well as their harbouring Taliban leaders & probably other wanted people, this whole tournament makes an absolute mockery of any politician who has stood up & condemned terrorism, said anything about equal rights, or against slavery. Where’s the BLM now, pointing out modern day slavery. TBH, I expect nothing less of politicians. However I can’t believe that there isn’t a huge outcry by someone who is famous, are people really that scared of losing their celebrity status? What happens if these new slave built stadiums aren’t safe? If something happens during this tournament, there will be an outcry by everyone, but they’ve had years to change things, even now, there is still more than a year before this happens. I’m just hoping that all the teams play out their qualifiers, it’s all set up to go, then all the teams just pull out. I know it won’t happen, but it would at least show some integrity.
Qatar didn't award the World Cup to themselves. We know who did. If they had a sniff of a principled bone in their emaciated corpse then they would conduct a review and change their decision. Wouldn't be hard. No point in anyone else doing anything 'principled'. That wouldn't change anything. The silence emanating from Zürich is deafening.
Yeah, I feel like the players taking the knee strongly believe in its anti-racism message but it has become something of a sanitised gesture considering they have the FA and other governing bodies backing them. It reminds me of huge corporations like Amazon slapping a rainbow on their social media accounts during Pride Month whilst they exploit their workers. It all just stinks of empty gestures and spiel about inclusivity and equality as them ‘doing their bit’ when all they do is the absolute bare minimum. Taking the knee has had a mixed-reception with some supporting it and some opposed but in the end, it’s a fairly safe and easy gesture for players and teams to make without many negative consequences. Boycotting Qatar, either by players as individuals or the FA as a whole takes more bollocks as there’s more at stake than a few gobshites disagreeing with it. It could have consequences that affect players’ careers in ways taking the knee doesn’t, so they’re more likely to ignore it as it’s convenient for them to do so. That’s why I think Özil’s stance on China was quite important because his teammates, club and the FA didn’t back him in the way kneeling has received. He was ostracised for political and financial reasons as Arsenal’s board didn’t want to risk any financial ties they had with China. Far more gutsy decision for a single player to make alone than kneeling, which has widespread support from owners, managers, players and even the FA. If the England players and FA truly did care, they’d boycott Qatar and risk the consequences, but they probably won’t.
No they didn’t award it to themselves, but their big brown envelopes given to Blatter & co didn’t do them any harm.
All it would take for the Qatar World Cup to crumble is the likes of France, England, Brazil, Italy, Germany etc. saying “**** it, we’re not going”. And if not, I’d rather our boys make the decision to not go, alone if necessary. “But all the other countries that qualified are participating” would be the excuse trotted out but so what?
I wonder what Raheem thinks about the foreign policy in Afghanistan? Maybe do a t shirt? Or the Muslims in China who are oppressed? T shirt? What about the high crime rates in Manchester? Any thoughts? no shut the **** up and play football you ****
