Xenophobia trumps racism for Brits at Euros

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All week I’ve been telling myself that it is a healthy thing that discriminatory chanting has come under the spotlight prior to Euro 2012.  The world needs to focus on those who are unable to find an outlet for their testosterone without picking on the vulnerable.

We know all about discriminatory chanting in Scotland, you could say, we’re up to our knees in it, so I’ve been slightly uncomfortable at the tone to some of the reporting about Poland and Ukraine.  It feels a bit like we’ve decided, ‘They have it too, let’s talk about them.  Not us’.  When I say “us”, I don’t mean you, of course.

Fair enough, I thought, let’s bring this issue out, but at the start of the second half between Netherlands and Denmark when BBC commentator Jonathan Pearce reported “We haven’t heard any racist comments here today.  Not when the young, black, Dutch left back got the ball, or at any other time” I figured this is more about xenophobia than racism.  Xenophobia about Eastern Europe.

We’re no wiser about how to deal with our testosterone-fuelled under-achievers with a purpose to find than anyone else.  In fact, we’re worse for allowing our intellectuals to indulge in the last refuge of the scoundrel.

My money is on the Polish and Ukrainian fans emerging from this tournament with a better reputation than some of their Western European counterparts.

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738 Comments

  1. Bloke

     

     

    Nothing really happened. Irish/Polish group heard few words from Croatian fans and answered. Not sure if arrested is proper word. I guess they were interviewed by the police. Polish press reporting about everything that is happening in here.

     

    After riots and crimes caused by the hooligans from Russian, Polish police is hyper sensitive.

  2. leftclicktic on

    Hamiltontim

     

    A belter of a reply on Phil macs twitter page

     

    Kevin McAuley‏@kevmac582

     

     

    @Pmacgiollabhain Have Scotland got 5 ref’s there??

  3. This latest stuff about signing players Cva’s and existing admin quicker has the hands of someone within the SFA/SPL friendly to their cause advising them.

     

    They have no chance of a CVA, liquidation will follow, but dont rule out someone buying the assets other than Green at a knockdown price and they dump their debt but lose their history.

     

    Then the FTTT result has to hit what approach will HMRC take to a newco playing in Govan at Ibrox with the same support?

  4. Regards the latest Comical Charlie mutterings

     

     

    “If you are correct, that is an avenue open to the club,” Green told BBC Scotland on Sunday.

     

     

    So it was BBC Scotland who informed Green of a possible loophole in the rules, and not Green himself who raised the possibility

     

     

    Now i wonder who in the BBC would be so helpful to Mr Green?

  5. I was loosely involved in a company that went bust in the early 90s, owing me wages and overtime. and aside from that, like most us perhaps, am not a tax expert or anything like it.

     

     

    Can someone explain something for me? I read about thems owing the Scottish Ambulance Service north of 8grand. Using them just as one example of how disgraceful I find all this, a CVA suggests they will get a bit less than £800.

     

     

    Simple question – if an administrator’s primary focus is the creditors, how on earth were there no redundancies, and why are the handsomely-paid players still being paid monthly salaries instead of satisfying the plethora of creditors?

  6. Disappointing to hear Spain are apparently going for six midfielders with no Torres, Pedro, Negredo or Llorente in the starting XI. Am I too old-fashioned to expect a striker to start?

  7. News Just In. Monkey chants have disrupted England’s training session in Krakow earlier today. John Terry has been advised he will be sent home if he does it again!