It seems wrong that certain players such as Suarez/ Terry's etc are so idolised and celebrated by fans. There is no doubt the two above and many others are very good players but it seems morally wrong to give such acclaim to players, who to say the least have somewhat questionable characters. After all in another world some of these players would be in prison for the things they have done, yet because they are footballers all seems to be forgiven and they are loved. Basically this seems so wrong, I'm sure most people who see a person on TV who has been convicted of assault/ racism/ fraud etc would say that they are basically scum. However footballers who do the same things are seen as role models and hugely celebrated. This just seems so wrong and someone whether it be sponsors/ FA/ FIFA etc need to try and promote those who are good role models and not those who are anything but, however good a player they maybe.
Suarez wouldn't be in prison because he'd still be living in a Spanish speaking country and his words would be deemed acceptable there.
Says a lot about Spanish speaking countries, doesn't it. Racism seems to get brushed under the carpet in Spain.
There is a huge difference between being a racist and making racist comments. Can't you see this country has gone PC crazy? Racism is very much a problem in other countries like it is here, just different cultures don't jump on the bandwagon if someone describes someone as what they actually are. Other cultures have it right in my opinion, since the mad PC brigade in this country took off you can't even sing ba ba black sheep ffs. I understand Suarez shouldn't have said what he did, and deserved to be punished. But the over reaction has been insane. In the grand scheme of things did he do anything that shockingly bad? Not for me.
I would have to agree with that sentiment, making a racist comment does not necessarily mean an individual is racist. What many people forget is that a large proportion of the population, although educated, cannot express themselves articulately in 'heat of the moment' situations and they tend to simply tend to lash out with a volley of abuse, which frequently includes what is 'deemed' to be racist comments. I also agree the UK has gone too far with political correctness and because of that the likes of Suarez and Terry are branded as racists when in truth they may well not be. I do not know for certain as I have never met and talked to either but I do not jump on the band wagon of branding them for one or two questionable remarks made on a football pitch or in an argument - in the 'heat of the moment'.
Exactly. I'm not even a Liverpool supporter but after watching Suarez score an amazing hat-trick I thought Id pop on here and see what people thought. To my amazement some have brought all this up again. Seems that this is being thrown about by fans just to try and overshadow their own disappointment. Pretty pathetic to be honest. I personally couldn't care less about Suarez and what personality he has, I don't know him and I'm extremely unlikely to ever know him. He's certainly an excellent player to watch, and that's what I like when watching football. If my primary concern was to judge people on personality Id stick to politics, or something similar.
Sorry this thread is not specifically about Suarez. So take him out of the equation. More about the loving of fans/media of players with questionable characters those two were just examples but there are many more Barton/Bowyer/Evans. But regardless of who the individual player is what are your views?
Same with Northern knuckle dragging savages murdering Italians in Belgium, shame nobody remembers that.
Totaly agree with zz and Thai, the pc brigade in the uk have gone mad. So Suarez called Evra a ******* well what is he if not a *******?. There is more racism between the coloured population in the uk than anywhere else, they can call each other n***** but let a white person use the same word and they are branded racist. How many people say "I'm going down the Chinky for a takeaway"?, is that racist?, of course not, so why does the colour of a persons skin turn a throwaway remark into a charge of racism?. Just wonder what the response would be from certain City supporters if Lambert signed Terry and Suarez next season.
The media tend to give the 'bad boys' of football a negative press anyway. Barton for example has been ripped to shreds by the media on many occasions. I can understand the fans giving their support, as fickle as it is. I personally try to avoid any kind of media about players, as I watch football for football. However, sometimes it's hard to avoid as our press is ruthless at times. At the end of the day footballers are normal people, coming from a vast range of backgrounds, so for us to expect them to all fit into a certain criteria is very naive. I personally think people buy into the media nonsense far too much and forget we're here to watch football, not 'this is your life'. Modern football has changed dramatically, as back in the day people didn't actually give the slightest bit of notice to off field antics. So for me that suggests, it's more of a media problem than it is a football problem. I say let them carry on as they are, as people in all walks of life can't be expected to act the same.
So you expect humans that play football to be perfect role models? Never going to happen in all cases. There are some players whose life is either 'clean' or at least 'well hidden' but have we not all got skeletons hiding away somewhere? Because your OP was suggesting we should not idolize questionable characters I am not sure what other view you want. If Grant Holt (or any other Norwich player) used the term 'black twat' (or similar) at another player in a game, would I stop idolizing them? No, I would not. However if they published a book that was clearly full of racist remarks and content then that would be different. I do not see how it is much different from what Iwan Roberts did to Kevin Muscat in front of the Snakepit some years ago when he target him for some personal revenge and stamped on his back when he got the chance - this did not automatically imply Iwan was a thug or a bully.
Thats fair enough watching football for the football and ignoring the off field antics. Personally I agree the media has a huge part to play and sensationalise everything. However the players get such huge benefits from this exposure that they really have to behave in a responsible manner both on and off the pitch. I could not support someone, (or at least in the idolising some fans do) who has acted in a bad way such as to get themselves arrested or treated others in a very disrespectful manner regardless of how good a player they maybe. But maybe that is just me.
Although of course it would be nice for them to be perfect role models I agree it will never happen and I'm not saying fans should not support them, if anything the media are more to blame. However with all the privileges they have from their constant media exposure they do need to behave in a more responsible manner. I'm also not specifically talking about on pitch behaviour but off it as well. I guess its a bit of a hard one to call really and it very much depends on what they have done.
Have to agree with some of the sentiments. My step father in law is coloured and he accepts jokes will be made about his colour. We laugh with him about it. He tells Chinese, Jewish jokes. Life is funny lots of the time and should be laughed at. Suarez was out of order but has been punished, whether you agree with the severity of that punishment is a totally different matter. I don't hold with the, its acceptable in his culture, he's in our culture now and has to act accordingly. I wouldn't be allowed to open a pub in Saudi Arabia. But I agree with the original post. Footballers have to work within the parameters of our laws and culture and the portrayal of these guys as "hero" is a press term and we should really look deeper into what these guys really are. Holt is a cult figure with us at the moment but in 10 years will be just a memory. Love him as a goalscorer for us but thats what he is. I think the pedestal that current players stand on is far too high. Their opinions and lifestyles are observed but thats all.
I am not disagreeing, it would be good if they could all conduct themselves more professionally and I include the media! It is the media who are the low life rift raft, going out of their way to 'find' a story, failing that just make one up to fill a few column inches and off the back of that, some people will take in every word and form an opinion on it and not always the right one. It is usually an opinion that fits in with their peer group.
I really don't mind if you disagree with me thats what these threads are all about, debate. I agree 100% with redruths penultimate sentence "I think the pedestal that current players stand on is far too high" and that is really the biggest problem. Its a mixture of the media wanting a story anyway they can and sometimes footballs seem far to obliging
Before SKY got hold of football the players would have gang bangs etc and even drink beer before games, and no-one batted an eyelid. I think we need to accept that the games become a media invention, but whatever way they try to dress it up you'll never change peoples characters. As they say "you can't polish a turd". Football is played at every school in the country, so obviously you wont simply get perfect characters playing the game. When you look at Rugby, it's often played at a high standard at only posh schools, therefore, council estate attraction isn't great. Football is often an escape route for the poorer parts of the country, so in my eyes the media can leave it the **** alone. You can't beat looking down to a park on a poor estate seeing kids running around after they've scored thinking for one brief minute they're the Gerrard's and Rooney's of the world. Ultimately some of these kids will make it, so let it be and just let them play. I'm not endorsing shagging your team mates missus or raping girls in hotels etc etc. But football is a part our culture and SKY (and others!) are slowly trying to tear it apart. It's a shame but that's the reality.
I agree everything is highlighted more now. But there is a difference between having a few beers before a game (which harms no one, even if it does make you play badly) and committing offences for which you could be arrested etc and can damage the lives of others
But it is not just football is it? It is a country wide (epidemic) where personal standards appear to be lower now that I can ever recall in my 49 years. It is much more of a "I'll do what I want" kind of society as far as I could make out before getting away from it all.
That's very true. But people will be people, there is crime in every walk of life, that's simply the way it is. The problem is the fact it's highlighted so intensely in football. When you look at politics for example or white collar crime in general it's hardly highlighted in comparison. That fact alone is the media obsession with football, that everyone buys into. Yes footballers are seen as idols, but are they really? I certainly don't idolise football players, and hopefully my kids don't either. Once again a massive influence on the idolisation of players is down to the media, then they shoot the idols down with the incredible media attention they get. Catch 22.
