Nothing. But if you let us have a poppy on the shirt, then everybody's going to start asking for all kinds of crap to go on their shirts and they'll say "You let the English do it". What's the big deal, so we don't get poppies on our England shirts. I don't really need to have poppies on the England's team shirts to remember and respect the fallen.
its a mark of respect though murray. the breaking news is that england will be allowed to wear poppies on thier armbands, which is at least something. i think one point people need to remember is that poppies are not just an english thing, they are in some 120 countries i read today including, incidently, germany and our opponents spain http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15637074
No offence, but I read that article too, and I'm not sure you understood what it said? Those countries where the Royal British Legion send poppies to are either British Commonwealth countries, or they're for British embassies and expats. They're very much just a British thing. I think some people need to accept that you can't start slagging people off just because they won't make an exception for you in the rules. The rule is there for a very good reason; if they say "go on then" to us, they have to start saying yes to dozens of others, most of which are far more political than the poppy is. What happens when Israeli wants to wear a symbol on their shirts in remembrance of their soldiers, or of the Holocaust, or something? What grounds do FIFA have to say no if they let us do it? That remembering and supporting British soldiers who have lost their lives isn't political while remembering and supporting Israeli soldiers plainly is? I can completely and utterly understand why they want to just say no, and I'm baffled by people who seem to be taking this as something personal. Do you really need a poppy to show you respect and remember, especially when it's not even you who's wearing it?
just re-read it, my mistake! so whats wrong with the isrealies wearing wearing a symbol on thier shirt? they would be commemorating those who died fighting. there is no issue with that at all, unless i am missing something very big (i dont have a very good knowledge of wars!)
I'm pretty sure there'd be a fair few people who'd have a problem with it, considering it's Israel ... the whole Palestine thing, centre of the decades of conflict in the Middle East and all that. It's an example of something off the top of my head which could happen with us being used as a precedent. It opens the door to a whole mess of issues for FIFA, and for something which is pretty minor ... I hear they're putting on some kind of gig for Remembrance Day the day after the game?
Hmm not so sure really Murray. There's a big difference there, in that no one has a problem with the Poppy (except good old Fifa). It's not political, unlike something Israel may sport in the your example above. Manchester United wear black to commemorate the Munich Air Disaster, I don't hear anyone complaining about that.
Israel would be supporting their troops and remembering the fallen ones who died defending their country and its interests. The Poppy is about supporting the troops and remembering the fallen ones who died defending our country and its interests. Like I said, when somebody comes up to FIFA and makes that exact point, how do you defend one as political and one as not? They both are, it's just a matter of our perspective.
another balls up http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15757165.stmthis man is not fit to govern football ,every time he opens his mouth more **** comes out of it
Sounds like a prize twat. Having said that I am very naive about racism. I have no idea what has to be said that warrants severe penalties. I don't like some racist terms. But for example Paki is merely short for Pakistani just as Scot is short for Scottish. Are they racist terms? If someone during a football match called me a ****ing paleface/pomm/whitey/Engy/chalkey (guessing at these), I can't imagine being upset by that. I would be more upset being called a C***. Or can only white people be racists? I honestly don't know. Never experienced it.
Yes Blatter can F**k off. He is outdated and out of touch and that was even before the latest stupid comments. Anyone who gives Qatar a world cup is a lunatic!
Specific words have racial overtones mainly for their historical context. You may see Paki as just being short for Pakistani, but I have mates who in the 60s would have Paki being screamed at them as rocks were thrown through their windows. It's the same with "Jap" being offensive, even though it's only short for Japanese (though that's more an American one, leftover from the war). It's not that only white people can be racist (definitely not), it's just that white people have never been persecuted in this country, so words bounce off us easily. If a bunch of brown people called you chalky or gora while they kicked your dad's head in every day 40 years ago, you might find that term more offensive than you do. But anyway, Blatter's clearly off the deep end and should've been sacked years ago.
Sorry my mistake - it was the democratic FIFA members wasnt it! Who Sepp Blatter has nothing to do with of course..........
Ron, I reckon the examples you've given there are racist. I think usually racism is bred from the majority (not necessarily the numerical majority, but the most powerful majority), which, in modern society (most definitely in the UK) has been white. Therefore it's unlikely most white people would feel aggrieved at being called whitey etc. I think if a group generally objects to any terms, then they shouldn't be used, purely out of mutual respect. I've experienced it a bit being up in Sweaty Sock-land, but here it's quite funny because they try to hide it as ' it's just a bit of a laugh eh' - but it's not. It's bile, ignorance, jealousy, and by and large those perpetuating deserve a good kick in, in my opinion. It's cowardly and more than that it's ignorance of not liking something you're not familiar with (usually because you've not experienced another culture enough, probably because one didn't get out enough as a child!). Blatter is a twatter, but we alll knew he was as bent as a nine-bob-note - now we also know he is barking mad, probably racist himself, as well as being a c***, to coin Ron's favourite word!
Still not sure really Murray - If Israel's 'symbol' was something purely to honour the fallen (like a poppy is) then I don't think there would be a problem with that. But if it was something seen as offensive to other groups, then it would be a problem. A poppy doesn't promote the UK army's conquests, nor does it take a swipe at nazis, extremist muslims or the taliban. Wearing a poppy does NOT mean you support your troops, it's not promoting ideology - it's remembering people that have died fighting. Doesn't matter what it was for. Personally, I wore a poppy and I don't think we should be fighting in any of the current battles we're in. It doesn't mean I didn't stop to think of the people who did fight at 11am.
Don't quote me on that Jock. I detest the word, have never spoken it nor written it, and wouldn't allow it to be used under my roof. Younger people use it where I would use *****er/tosser/prat. All to do with generation I suppose. * although wouldn't sound right in "the referee's a ****er"
