world cup

[Mardy]

That applies to music too, if you like grass roots why are you going to the worlds biggest festival where the headliners get £100,000's for a few hours work?

And i go and watch my home town team in the conference when the premiership rapists, bullies, drunk drivers and other assorted c**ts that i support are away from home.

[fullfathom5]

Bloody hell, I don't think anyone's even suggesting our players are saints, we just wanna watch the game that's all...

[Langdale Wolf]

To see people here defend ashley cole, john terry, rio ferdinand et al is horrific to witness.

[General Lee]

spot on.

And to see people in this thread holding them up as some kind of saints is sickening. I guarantee you very, VERY few of them do a single thing for charity, and what they do do respesents a microscopic proportion of their grotesque wealth. There are exeptions, but they do not feature for the england team.

To see people here defend ashley cole, john terry, rio ferdinand et al is horrific to witness.

[42-shades]

spot on.

And to see people in this thread holding them up as some kind of saints is sickening. I guarantee you very, VERY few of them do a single thing for charity, and what they do do respesents a microscopic proportion of their grotesque wealth. There are exeptions, but they do not feature for the england team.

To see people here defend ashley cole, john terry, rio ferdinand et al is horrific to witness.

[Mardy]

I haven't seen anyone defending them, merely people looking forward to watching their national team play in the world cup at the best place possible to watch it.

[ukslim]

My view is that if a person's a rapist or a drunk driver or whatever, that's a matter between them, their victim, and the courts. As a public, we should expect that justice be done, but once it is done, that should be an end to the matter.

(Yes, it bothers me that Pete Docherty gets a slapped wrist and a spell in a comfy rehab hospital, for crimes that would get the rest of us a couple of months in the slammer)

If David Bowie got done for murder, did his time, then came out and played Glastonbury, I'd watch him.

If you go to the circus tent and see the circus act you've ever seen in your life, it's entirely possible that act has a rape conviction. You don't know because they're not famous enough for it to make the papers. And it shouldn't matter. It's a matter for the justice system.

So some top class footballers have personal failings. They are also brilliant footballers, and let's not forget that this, and the fact that millions of people love to watch football, is the reason they're rich.

(FWIW league football doesn't appeal to me all that much -- I watch Leamington FC in the Southern League, and England internationals.

[Langdale Wolf]

Yeah, fair enough, i understand that, I recognise it's my problem, that I don't feel that the Englasnd team is 'my' team, they have no connection to me, they don't give a stuff about me, and I don't want them representing 'me' (whatever I mean by that). I wish I could get over it, but I just can't, I've found it an increasingly huge stumbling block recently.

That's where it's different to bands & music, I think, the idea of it being mine, or representing me, or sharing in the success or whatever

I'm really enjoying this thread, giving me lots of food for thought, I hope I'm not coming across as antagonistic or contrary, but I enjoy discussing this sort of thing.

[Mardy]

as a coda to that, on a personal level, not beeing able to enjoy this kind of football any more has left an enormous empty hole in my life, it's f**king shit that I feel this way, it really is. It was part of my life, amd meant such a lot to me for so long...

[joser1974]

most premier league footballers have clauses to do a certain amount of community and charity work writen into they're contracts.

I dont think anyone is treating them like saints but at the end of the day the world cup is the biggest sporting event in the world and it matters to alot of people and there will be alot at glastonbury who feel like that. personally i think being able to watch our national team on big screens in a field with 60000 all cheering for the same thing would be quite an experience and one i'd be happy to be a part of

[Buddhafish]

Yeah, fair enough, i understand that, I recognise it's my problem, that I don't feel that the Englasnd team is 'my' team, they have no connection to me, they don't give a stuff about me, and I don't want them representing 'me' (whatever I mean by that). I wish I could get over it, but I just can't, I've found it an increasingly huge stumbling block recently.

That's where it's different to bands & music, I think, the idea of it being mine, or representing me, or sharing in the success or whatever

I'm really enjoying this thread, giving me lots of food for thought, I hope I'm not coming across as antagonistic or contrary, but I enjoy discussing this sort of thing.

[42-shades]

That's where it's different to bands & music, I think, the idea of it being mine, or representing me, or sharing in the success or whatever

[Mardy]

At a guess I would say you struggle with being identified with the small minority of arsehole fans rather than the team itself?

[DreadlockDan]

spot on.

And to see people in this thread holding them up as some kind of saints is sickening. I guarantee you very, VERY few of them do a single thing for charity, and what they do do respesents a microscopic proportion of their grotesque wealth. There are exeptions, but they do not feature for the england team.

To see people here defend ashley cole, john terry, rio ferdinand et al is horrific to witness.

[russycarps]

You're other argument is that they don't fit in with the charitable side of the festival, even though they do far more for charity then me you or the majority of people on here are probably done. Yours, mine, everyones on here's good intentions, morals etc are great and valuable to the charities but ask person who doesn't receive money because the charity doesn't take money from footballers or other 'horrible' people if they would prefer to have a roof over their head or our good intentions to keep them warm & safe then I think you can probably work out what they will say.

[42-shades]

With respect, you have absolutely no idea whatsoever what charitable endeavors I have taken part in so that is not a useful statement. You do not know what proportion of my life I have spent doing "charity" but I can guarantee you it is a far larger proportion than any of these footballers. I may not be able to afford to chuck a few grand here and there but I have dedicated a sizeable chunk of my LIFE to causes which I have no intention of going into detail about here. Real, genuine time. Not signing a few cheques or having my photo taken at a kids hospital.

Edited October 8, 2009 by 42-shades

[russycarps]

So you don't like it when someone makes presumtions about you?

[Langdale Wolf]

I find football at the highest level obscene. To me, they are the absolute representation of the gulf between the rich and the poor and I dont want them at glastonbury, any more than I want coca cola or mcdonalds sponsoring the pyramid stage. Those two companies also donate an awful lot to charity you know, does this make them any less abhorrent?

[42-shades]

I dont think any of the rape charges, videos of "roastings", drunk driving charges, assault charges, adultery etc etc etc and other accusations level at the footballers in this thread are presumptions. They are all undenied facts. The vast salaries are not assumptions, they are facts.

Do you see?

Edited October 8, 2009 by 42-shades

[russycarps]

But this is not every top flight footballer, yes some have done the above, others accussed. But thats in every walk of life regardless of how over paid they are. Do you think they wouldn't have raped anyone if they had two left feet and were working in a factory? I think it goes a bit deeper than being able to kick a ball and being rich.

[jontosh]

I dont think any of the rape charges, videos of "roastings", drunk driving charges, assault charges, adultery etc etc etc and other accusations level at the footballers in this thread are presumptions. They are all undenied facts. The vast salaries are not assumptions, they are facts.

Do you see?

[42-shades]

it has everything to do with the vast sums they earn, their lack of education and the fact they are surrounded by people who treat them like gods.

They believe they can do whatever they like, that they are above us mere mortals, above the law. Hence the horrific behaviour we witness. Of course it has EVERYTHING to do with the money. Do you think the same proportion of firemen, or teachers, or accountants behave in this way? of course not.

[joser1974]

it has everything to do with the vast sums they earn, their lack of education and the fact they are surrounded by people who treat them like gods.

They believe they can do whatever they like, that they are above us mere mortals, above the law. Hence the horrific behaviour we witness. Of course it has EVERYTHING to do with the money. Do you think the same proportion of firemen, or teachers, or accountants behave in this way? of course not.

[DreadlockDan]

putting everything to one side for one moment I take issue with this point.

With respect, you have absolutely no idea whatsoever what charitable endeavors I have taken part in so that is not a useful statement. You do not know what proportion of my life I have spent doing "charity" but I can guarantee you it is a far larger proportion than any of these footballers. I may not be able to afford to chuck a few grand here and there but I have dedicated a sizeable chunk of my LIFE to causes which I have no intention of going into detail about here. Real, genuine time. Not signing a few cheques or having my photo taken at a kids hospital.

I find football at the highest level obscene. To me, they are the absolute representation of the gulf between the rich and the poor and I dont want them at glastonbury, any more than I want coca cola or mcdonalds sponsoring the pyramid stage. Those two companies also donate an awful lot to charity you know, does this make them any less abhorrent?

Edited October 8, 2009 by DreadlockDan

[DreadlockDan]

I dont think any of the rape charges, videos of "roastings", drunk driving charges, assault charges, adultery etc etc etc and other accusations level at the footballers in this thread are presumptions. They are all undenied facts. The vast salaries are not assumptions, they are facts.

Do you see?