Anyone else notice how disorganized and amateurish the Polish/Ukrainian police forces looked as well? If the hooligans had wanted it to kick off big time, they would have gone for it. As it is, they don't like 'modern football' and see Euro 2012 as a huge representation of that in their back-yard. Ticket prices were too high for them, the stadiums were full of families and middle-class fans, and there wasn't much prospect of atmosphere or edge. So they decided to stay away. Only time it kicked off between fans was the provocative Russian 'Pride March'. Other than that, it was all heavy-handed authorities getting leathered by supporters on the rare occasions there was physical confrontation, and the odd rumour of pub attacks/altercations. And the Dutch team's apparent monkey chants were barely audible - five people at most. Negligible amounts of racism which you'd get anywhere. Well done to the host countries and shame on our hysterical, idiotic media.
Don't agree with your nonsense about the Police forces Jerel. They looked a damn sight more formidable than the fu*k-wits we have here. Other than that your post is extremely good, especially the last sentence. No doubt not being awarded the World Cup played a huge part in the begrudgery.
Some of them were wearing balaklavas. They didn't have matching uniforms. Some of them were clearly little more than community support officers wearing bloody fluorescent steward jackets with 'Policja' hurriedly printed on the back. And their arses absolutely caved in when they were pushed around by Russians and Croats. Can't speak for Ireland, but English police at football are far more hands-on (sometimes excessively so) and clearly have better resources, not that I'm saying the Euro 2012 lot did a bad job.
That's something I didn't expect to hear. English police are more heavy-handed than the savages of the Ukraine? Bloody hell Jerel. I think the police just don't like Leeds fans!
I think so, because in England, the fans fear the Police. On the Continent, it's often the other way round since they have a far larger group of fans who'll throw a punch, many of whom seem to be absolute fitness fanatics, and there's the added factor of them not being anywhere near the levels of CCTV control-freakery you experience in the UK (especially in/around football grounds), so fans know they have a decent chance of getting away with it. It's true though, the coppers hate Leeds fans. But seriously, I'll bet you if you check out arrests for football-related disorder, England is the highest in Europe, and if you look for actual occurences of violence per capita at football games it's one of the lowest. The Police abroad will pull out truncheons and make arrests when they're attacked by fans or there's mass disorder; they'll do it in England if you don't sit down in a stadium or sing an offensive song. I've tried to take an interest in that side of the tournament to be fair, wanting to laugh at the usual antics of our media. Plus on another forum I go on there was a massive thread with pictures of all the latest goings-on.
The fact they all work as bricklayers and treefellers won't do their physique any harm either. Not sedentary, office-bound types like us lot!
