Some things I don't understand about the Euro....

[Cobra Mgr]

1. France has undergone some terrible foreign terrorist attacks. So how, when you have an event bringing a ton of people across your borders, into a confined stadium, do you allow a group of people to come into the stadium w/flares & fireworks????

2. Why would you bring flares & fireworks to a game in the first place? Just in case of....what???? Then light them & throw them during a match YOUR TEAM IS WINNING??!?!!?

I don't get it.

[Westheim]

Rampant hooliganism is something that association football in Europe has had huge problems with for decades. It was the same when France hosted the World Cup in '98, and there have been issues with it of varying magnitude during every Euro Cup I can remember, which goes back to '96.

Ultimately, I think, it comes all down to the general statement that people are idiots, but especially in France, which has been ravaged by terrorism for the last few years - including the suicide bombers at the Stade de France last fall - I am completely puzzled by the apparent lack of preparation and the obviously improper screening of people. By the way, it's almost always the same countries' "fans" that cause issues. It's not like they can claim that this was totally unexpected.

Nope, the French forces have been woefully underprepared and I have a feeling that something big is going to happen the next few weeks.

Also let me add, that I kind of liked how Croatia played in both their games, a bit of a break from the ghastly fortress gameplay in almost every game so far, but when the Czech scored to tie the game after that incident - that tasted good.

[Lukas Berger]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

2. Why would you bring flares & fireworks to a game in the first place? Just in case of....what???? Then light them & throw them during a match YOUR TEAM IS WINNING??!?!!?

I don't get it.

Slaven Bilic: "Croatia rarely play in Split, in my hometown, and they think it's all about Zagreb. It's between the north and the south, Zagreb and Split - the two biggest clubs.
'Now Zagreb is becoming the biggest club in the Balkan area while Split has no money, no everything. That's the issue without going into the details."

Basically the fans doing this are of course complete morons, that goes without saying, but it's part of a civil war among Croatians to which sections of the country are dominant and what vision applies to the team going forward.

[kenyan_cheena]

One thing I don't understand is the silly format. Only 8 of 24 teams get eliminated after the preliminary round? Really?

If you are going to insist on having 24 teams in the tournament, why not make it that 12 teams go through to the knockout stage, with the 4 best group winners getting a bye straight through to the quarter finals? I am pretty certain that this would lead to teams playing more attacking football, as that incentive of not having to play in the first knockout round would be huge.

Yes, I know it reduces the amount of games played, but it's still more than it was when they only had 16 teams in the tournament.

[Westheim]

More games - more money.

Duh.

[Lukas Berger]

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

One thing I don't understand is the silly format. Only 8 of 24 teams get eliminated after the preliminary round? Really?

If you are going to insist on having 24 teams in the tournament, why not make it that 12 teams go through to the knockout stage, with the 4 best group winners getting a bye straight through to the quarter finals? I am pretty certain that this would lead to teams playing more attacking football, as that incentive of not having to play in the first knockout round would be huge.

Yes, I know it reduces the amount of games played, but it's still more than it was when they only had 16 teams in the tournament.

Originally Posted by Westheim

More games - more money.

Duh.

Agree with both of you, but it's worth noting this is the first time with the new format. I'd suspect it may be updated or adjusted based on how things turn out going forward.

[Westheim]

"More money" gets even worse for Euro 2020 which is to take place across 13 or so countries, with some games played in Baku.

Which sounds - if you're not from Europe - a bit like it could be in Romania or somewhere like that, but it's actually closer to Iran.

And madness ensued.

I may sound bitter, but that is because I am.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by lukasberger

Slaven Bilic: "Croatia rarely play in Split, in my hometown, and they think it's all about Zagreb. It's between the north and the south, Zagreb and Split - the two biggest clubs.
'Now Zagreb is becoming the biggest club in the Balkan area while Split has no money, no everything. That's the issue without going into the details."

Basically the fans doing this are of course complete morons, that goes without saying, but it's part of a civil war among Croatians to which sections of the country are dominant and what vision applies to the team going forward.

I still don't get it. How does vandalism show you are the more dominant group?

[Lukas Berger]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

I still don't get it. How does vandalism show you are the more dominant group?

These aren't normal people. They have rocks where their brains are supposed to be!

Try to imagine yourself in that condition and maybe you can see what they're thinking. Maybe not though. I have no idea. It's beyond strange, I'll grant you.

The idea seems to be, we hurt the Croatian FA, and the official Croatian football authorities and we help ourselves, because we're the opposite of them.

Vacant and brainless to be sure, but that's where they're at.

[Hankyu Braves]

Originally Posted by lukasberger

Agree with both of you, but it's worth noting this is the first time with the new format. I'd suspect it may be updated or adjusted based on how things turn out going forward.

It was the format of the World Cup for 2 or 3 editions (1986, 1990 and 1994) I think.

They adjusted it by adding more teams (32 is it now ?).

[Hageneezz]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

I still don't get it. How does vandalism show you are the more dominant group?

It is sort of like a guy bragging he has the biggest automatic gun..

[RchW]

There are centuries of enmity in European and British/Scottish/Irish cultures. It's insidious. I think it's difficult for some Americans to wrap their heads around it.

To give you an example, despite fifty years in Canada I'm not sure I would comfortably enter a pub catering to Glasgow Celtic supporters during an "Old Firm" match. I'd reckon the opposite would be true too. I could be wrong, maybe I'm totally wrong but my antennae would be on alert. For my part I wouldn't attend a Rangers event either. Not interested in history as an excuse for behavior that is unquestionably wrong.

I generally never wear team colors (maybe a hat) to maintain my distance from tribalism. I lived it as a child.

[Hageneezz]

Those "fans" haven`t developed normally and are still more like cavemen

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by Hageneezz

It is sort of like a guy bragging he has the biggest automatic gun..

"I'm such a good fan I can sabatoge my favorite team. Watch!" Maybe the fans in Oracle can show their dominance w/photoshopped nude picks of Ayeesha during Curry's ft's. That's ludicrous.

[RchW]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

"I'm such a good fan I can sabatoge my favorite team. Watch!" Maybe the fans in Oracle can show their dominance w/photoshopped nude picks of Ayeesha during Curry's ft's. That's ludicrous.

What you see today is tame by comparison to the 60's 70's 80's.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by RchW

What you see today is tame by comparison to the 60's 70's 80's.

Amazing. I just can't follow the reasoning. I can't process how they think this is a good idea. I expect drunks to think stupid. So unnecessary fighting is a by product of overconsumption. But are these guys drunk when they are planning to go to the game? I can't imagine someone sober going over their pregame checklist "Binoculars, foam finger, team flag.....Oh yeah, explosive devices!"

[Whoofe]

why do people shout "get in the hole" whenever a pro golfer tees off?

stupid ppl do stupid things

[Griever20]

Croatia is a very special case tho.

Their football federation is led by Davor Suker, a former striker, who has some close ties to some very dubious croatian businessman, was target of a betting investigation and it his known that he visited a grave of a croatian war criminal and nazi buried in Spain, posting for pictures while smiling besides it in 1996.

He was also fined for stealing a bunch of antique greek coins left over by some other guy on an airplane, and had to pay a fine of 8000 Euros

How this guy became the head of their federation is beyond me, and the rest of his entourage and some of the coaches are little better...

That being said, why throwing flares on the pitch should help there... I don't know.

PS: Anyone else asked himself what could've happened if the fan that ran to Cristiano Ronaldo did not want to get a selfie with him, but had some more... dangerous intentions?

[rudel.dietrich]

Are we sure we want to give Russia a World Cup in two years?


I have business ties in Russia and could easily get tickets to matches and I had pretty much intended on going.
But after this past week...not so much. I don't really fear for my safety as much as I just don't want the hassle.


But short, yes its an issue and it's an embarrassment to the sport.
In my limited experience of attending club matches, the national federations have more or less gotten violence under control at LEAGUE matches.
You still have problems and I of course don't attend matches in places like Croatia, Russia etc
But international football still has issues


I have been watching the COPA America and despite the tepid football and some teams that obviously do not want to be there, there has at least been no serious issues of fan violence.


UEFA and FIFA just need to crack down harder to the point where national federations police their own fans.
If Russian fans cannot behave themselves (and I believe it is a small segment of fans) then ban them from the next qualifying.
It is terrible for the team and the rest of the fans, but the problem needs to be addressed.

[Cobra Mgr]

Russia has become the bad boys of sport. They bribed their way into getting the Olympics & World Cup, they've been banned from track & field, caught red handed doping & circumventing the testing protocols.

Not to get all politico, but definitely a reflection of their leadership if you ask me.