O/T Qatar World Cup

[MadAmster]

Says it all really....

[Andy_Faber]

My disdain for U2 runs deep so it’s a relief for me to at last be able to say ‘well done Bono’

[MadAmster]

Following Maroc's win over Spain I've seen pictures from all over the world of their fans, all over the world, out celebrating, and deservedly so.

Quite why, I'm not sure, but in France, Belgium and the Netherlands, those celebrations saw police, ambulance and fire crews assaulted (bricks, stones, fireworks of the hugely explosive kind that can maim and kill. One ambulance man has what is hoped to be temporary deafness following one explosion) and cars set alight. 60+ arrests in the Netherlands. This has been the pattern following 3 of their 4 games. I hate to think what will happen when they lose...

[Andy_Faber]

Following Maroc's win over Spain I've seen pictures from all over the world of their fans, all over the world, out celebrating, and deservedly so.

Quite why, I'm not sure, but in France, Belgium and the Netherlands, those celebrations saw police, ambulance and fire crews assaulted (bricks, stones, fireworks of the hugely explosive kind that can maim and kill. One ambulance man has what is hoped to be temporary deafness following one explosion) and cars set alight. 60+ arrests in the Netherlands. This has been the pattern following 3 of their 4 games. I hate to think what will happen when they lose...

Interesting question, maybe given our failure on this forum to have constructive discussions on such issues in the past we should just ponder and draw conclusions privately

[MadAmster]

Interesting question, maybe given our failure on this forum to have constructive discussions on such issues in the past we should just ponder and draw conclusions privately

Exactly the reason I worded the comment without a question or a ?.

Merely thinking out loud, really. A correct and factual description of what happened. Of course, there may be those who decide to ponder on reasons, causes etc and post their feelings and that's fine. Provided they can inform us of why the incidents occurred in the 3 countries named and not in Germany or Spain or Portugal etc where Moroccan expats also took to the streets but didn't feel the need to "riot".

[ramAnag]

Exactly the reason I worded the comment without a question or a ?.

Merely thinking out loud, really. A correct and factual description of what happened. Of course, there may be those who decide to ponder on reasons, causes etc and post their feelings and that's fine. Provided they can inform us of why the incidents occurred in the 3 countries named and not in Germany or Spain or Portugal etc where Moroccan expats also took to the streets but didn't feel the need to "riot".

Seems you could definitely add England to your ‘Germany, Spain and Portugal etc’ list, MA. Huge celebrations in Trafalgar Square which seemed to pass off peacefully.
Can’t explain the differences. Maybe something to do with the far Right anti Muslim presence in France and to some extent it seems to depend on who is reporting and what their particular ‘agenda’ is.
I was at a gig at the Nottingham Arena last night where there was a bit of good natured World Cup banter about which band members had which teams in their ‘lottery’. Interestingly Germany, Brazil and Portugal attracted the most ‘hostility’ while Morocco (along with England - predictably) received the most support from a largely middle aged and white audience.

[Geoff Parkstone]

I can understand anti German feeling at a football level, as its been there for as long as I've been sentient (well OK, 2 years then), and the Portuguese negativity I believe rests firmly on the smug shoulders of Ronald-o. I don't understand Brazil being disliked, they have always been my second favourite team since owning a yellow green and blue subbuteo "team". I'm surprised Argentina are not on the hostility list post Malvinas.

I suspect most people are now a bit of a Morocco fan, thankful that a possibly tricky opponent for England has been removed and immensely grateful that, whatever our performance, the world has been spared a cup final featuring over 900 sideways or backwards passes and no end product. Technically gifted perhaps but watching paint dry is more entertaining.

[ramAnag]

I can understand anti German feeling at a football level, as its been there for as long as I've been sentient (well OK, 2 years then), and the Portuguese negativity I believe rests firmly on the smug shoulders of Ronald-o. I don't understand Brazil being disliked, they have always been my second favourite team since owning a yellow green and blue subbuteo "team". I'm surprised Argentina are not on the hostility list post Malvinas.

I suspect most people are now a bit of a Morocco fan, thankful that a possibly tricky opponent for England has been removed and immensely grateful that, whatever our performance, the world has been spared a cup final featuring over 900 sideways or backwards passes and no end product. Technically gifted perhaps but watching paint dry is more entertaining.

Sorry...yes, Argentina did attract as much booing as any one. Forgot them. Agree about the Ronaldo factor. I feel much the same about Brazil as you, but suspect the response was based on them being favourites and therefore a threat to England...till Saturday evening at least.

[MadAmster]

England covered by the "etc" after Portugal?

[ramAnag]

England covered by the "etc" after Portugal?

Just because you’ve become the ‘OrangeAmster’ doesn’t mean you can reduce the land of your birth to the level of an ‘etc’!!