Election Year or Fear!

[Geoff Parkstone]

Going off thread a bit here, rA, "to be clear" we were talking sausages. As for hurling charges, I dont seem to remember you holding back from doing exactly the same when the political boot was on the right foot, not the left. Its the nature of the beast - someone always seeks to blame the government, even when the have **** their own underpants. I dont suppose said government even bother listening to it, its so tired and predictible regardless of where it comes from and who its aimed at

[ramAnag]

Going off thread a bit here, rA, "to be clear" we were talking sausages. As for hurling charges, I dont seem to remember you holding back from doing exactly the same when the political boot was on the right foot, not the left. Its the nature of the beast - someone always seeks to blame the government, even when the have **** their own underpants. I dont suppose said government even bother listening to it, its so tired and predictible regardless of where it comes from and who its aimed at

Hmmm, don’t recall an incident of me or anyone else on here making political capital out of a decision by the football authorities. Maybe you can come up with one.
Perhaps the BLM stuff or Remembrance Day row is as close as football has got to politics, that I remember anyway, over the last few years, but they were a little different.
I just thought the various reactions of various politicians told a story about what is going on at the moment. That you don’t share that concern/view is no great surprise or problem.

[Geoff Parkstone]

God you are so literal, are you on the spectrum?. My observation was not specifically about football but rather about the way everything gets twisted into political capital, no matter how disconnected it is. By right, by left, by those with no real preference.

[MadAmster]

A football club and the police decide that they are unable to guarantee safety at a particular game. Visiting supporters get banned.

The government gets the blame despite the PM having said that the decision is wrong.

There really is no cure for stupid.

November last year, Ajax v Macabbi Tel Aviv here in Amsterdam. Pre match, Macabbi fans are filmed tearing down and burning Palestinian flags, they are uttering racist and anti semitic chants, quite likely forgetting that Ajax was founded by Jews and is still seen as a Jewish club, they attack people. Post match, young folk of North African descent are criss crossing the city on scooters looking for, and finding, Macabbi fans.

The Macabbi fans were not what one might term "decent folk"

[Geoff Parkstone]

It sounds like the police decision could well be right then based on past performance MA, or are you suggesting that the Maccabites should be well able to look after themselves? So its nothing to do with a political decision so why (a) blame the government or (b) why does Starmer have to express an opinion? Its a public order issue "of detail", not something that needs PM intervention. Sometimes gobs are best left unopened

[ramAnag]

God you are so literal, are you on the spectrum?. My observation was not specifically about football but rather about the way everything gets twisted into political capital, no matter how disconnected it is. By right, by left, by those with no real preference.

Am I on the spectrum! That’s truly funny coming from you of all people…but no, I’m not, and if I was being ‘literal’, well maybe that’s because my comment was ‘specifically about football’ (and politics) and hoping for intelligent and informed responses, such as MA’s, rather than just more of your silliness.

[ramAnag]

It sounds like the police decision could well be right then based on past performance MA, or are you suggesting that the Maccabites should be well able to look after themselves? So its nothing to do with a political decision so why (a) blame the government or (b) why does Starmer have to express an opinion? Its a public order issue "of detail", not something that needs PM intervention. Sometimes gobs are best left unopened

Well that last sentence is certainly true , but I’m glad you’ve at last managed to grasp the importance of the decision.
Why does Starmer have to express an opinion? Because certain individuals, most notably Badenoch and Farage (but also Davey) have forced him to in their effort to score political points by suggesting that the proposed ban is anti-Semitic.

As a result of MA’s comment we are able to see that the TAM fans have ‘form’ and, as you say, the police decision could be right. Then again isn’t that the case with many domestic football club supporters? Glad I don’t have to make a decision which hasn’t been helped at all by political point scoring…which was kind of my original point.

[Geoff Parkstone]

There are at least 2 other European matches this season where away fans have been banned yet so far as I can see only this one has been made into a political football. It doesn't matter who started it, it's just a shame that everything nowadays is turned into a political battlefield. You would hope that politicians of whatever hue could rise above it. But no, never miss a chance to score points - or think that what they are doing while simply making themselves look petty and stupid

[ramAnag]

There are at least 2 other European matches this season where away fans have been banned yet so far as I can see only this one has been made into a political football. It doesn't matter who started it, it's just a shame that everything nowadays is turned into a political battlefield. You would hope that politicians of whatever hue could rise above it. But no, never miss a chance to score points - or think that what they are doing while simply making themselves look petty and stupid

Agreed…as I also do with the first three sentences of MA’s contribution.

So would you uphold or do away with the ban? Not easy is it?

[Geoff Parkstone]

Actually it's very easy. Uphold it as it's a crowd safety issue, not a political plaything. MA's evidence only adds to my reasoning in that these supporters have history of both being targeted and stirring it. Plus it's only a midweek group stage game, if it were say, a final, then that may change the dynamics