Good morning.
A grim start to proceedings then as we woke to the news that the inherently racist Lazio Ultras greeted Tottenham fans in the Drunken Ship public house Rome at about 0130hrs this morning in the traditional manner; battering and cutting them.
100 armed Ultras attacked leaving a current count of seven Spurs fans wounded and two stabbed.
The Italians baring Lazio colours wielded baseball bats, knuckledusters and knives. Some wore helmets. The police and fire service attended the scene and whilst arrests were made, many of the cowards involved fled. Italian media suggests that CCTV fotage of Campo de ‘Fiori is being examined.
To be honest I’d demand the game to be called off to emphasise to the powers that be that this sort of thing won’t be tolerated. I didn’t think my contempt for UEFA could increase but no, this has don’t it. There is too much money in the competition for excuses anymore. Fans must be protected.
Not funny at all of course but you can’t hold Lazio responsible for incidents that happen outside their stadium. That doesn’t hold up either legally or morally.
True dat
I doubt it. Legally I imagine the competition is by invitation, so they’d be fine to kick them out. And you don’t think that morally you can hold a club responsible for it’s fascist fans attempting to murder football supporters?
Do you think you should be held responsible for something that happens outside the boundaries of your property? Also, has it been proved that they are in fact Lazio supporters and not just thugs using football as an excuse? Or even fans of a rival club trying to get Lazio into trouble?
@papa.
Why can’t Lazio be held responsible for their fans? Other clubs are held responsible for their fans whether they are racists or just hooligans.
Recalling the game at WHL, surely the irony was not lost, that this was a team with Black players, and every time Lennon got the ball, they started to spout their racist filth.
Racism has made the headlines quite a bit in football recently, with players quick (and quite rightly too) to claim they have been racially abused, but when their own fans are abusing the opposition, they keep quiet about that. There are times when I think that these are the sort of people who would only scream rape, after the cheque has bounced.
Ca’t reply to your reply so I’m replying here. This is not about me or my property and there is a world of difference. People are being murdered for fuck’s sake – It doesn’t matter if it is other fans or just thugs causing the problem, if you ban one club then they will pay attention and attempt to sort it out even it it’s not their fans, if it happens again you ban the country (like they did to us). It is a much wider problem across the whole of Italian football (and society to some extent) and taking what you may consider unfair action WILL SAVE LIVES. BTW, I love visiting Italy and have nothing against them as a nation, but remember we’re only 60 odd years on from Mussolini and his descendants still attend Lazio games.
OH, so lets use Lazio to make an example of even though it didn’t happen in their stadium, that’s fair and just isn’t it. As for Mussolini, they strung him up, really loved him didn’t they.
So you would prefer the continuation of murders around football games in Italy to what seems like a slightly harsh, unfair punishment?
@H-S, Sorry mate, they only hung him when it all went Pete Tong-before that Il Duchebag, was the messiah, much like all dictators-it’s how they get to power in the first place-ready made-quick fix solutions-let’s not forget eh?
@Hot_spur
The racist chanting against Lennon did not take part in their stadium either, so would you think they were hard done by when UEFA told them to put a few quid in the poorbox?
It’s a police issue. Quite simple, if it happens in the ground it’s a club issue – and a police one if actual crimes take place. But let’s say a football fan watches a game and goes home and murders his wife. Extreme example but same applies – not in the club’s jurisdiction.
I agree that Italian football has major issues. So what should be happening is that UEFA and the other bodies should be slamming them extremely hard on anything which does fall into their authority.
Italian football should be banned regardless of this incident anyway-Firstly because of the Ultra’s, secondly because of the continued racism, thirdly because of the corruption, and lastly because it’s not safe for any fans visiting the country to watch games without assaults happening on a regular basis-if this was an isolated incident, you’d have a point-it’s not and everything I’ve mentioned are civil acts not solely football related.
My only point was in agreement with Hot spur that crimes outside a football ground and separate from matches are police issues. As I said, there are lots of issues with Italian football, and more needs to be done, won’t argue with that. But it’s a separate argument to the simple point of law.
PapaSpurs – Of course I wouldn’t want murders to continue but it has to be dealt with in the right way and by the RIGHT authorities which in this case is the police, NOT football organizations. Inside stadiums is a different matter, the streets are the police responsibility.
I really want to take back my comment (during the draw) about the UEFA cup being a tour of Europe’s most stabby hotspots now. It’s so fucking obvious UEFA. It happens EVERY FUCKING YEAR!
I expect fuck all to be done, again. Racism and attempted murder are fine as long as they get their TV money.
My best wishes go to those out there, especially the victims.
The thing is cancelling of games and points awarded is a tactic to control the situation and I dont totally disagree with it but many legitimate fans suffer for the antics of a few in this case and may just find some sympathizers in the good crowd strengthening their cause.
There is a fine line there.
Yes stamp it out in any case.
Ronnie, they cancelled their own league fixtures over this-why can’t UEFA do the same and ban all Italian clubs until they sort themselves out?
Its an interesting point.I wonder how this would be seen by the Italian people in general?
In England rule of democratic look would take precedence over the people but in Italy?IM not sure.
They may see it as an attack against Italy itself.
When Italy bans games themselves thats different.
Im not saying they shouldnt ban them,Im not sure really if that would be good
democratic ‘law’
@ Ronnie 12.29.
There is a precedent for this. We were banned from taking our Uefa cup place because of Heysel.
Of course that was in a time when hooliganism was rife, and 98% of the fans had nothing to do with it. Nevertheless, this might mean that there were 800 mindless yobs marauding in a High St near you, and they would attract more media coverage than the game itself.
Really its an issue for football authorities to start and if it isnt resolved for the governments.
In this particular case I think it should go on with some enlightenment for all the fans at the game,protection from violence as it happened away from the ground.
But obviously with some serious dealing with all the way around.
and we pray for the boy that got knifed
UEFA will do nothing. Maybe a paltry fine. Pathetic.
I was at the home game and heard the racist chants from the dinosaurs division of Lazio supporters. The FA, let alone FIFA need to wake up especially after the Danny Rose business a few weeks back. It is an absolute disgrace and from one fan who was actually at the Feyenoord game all those years ago when these riots were in their infancy, I would demand action. As OrpSpur saya, if it was an English club they would have the book chucked at them. Who runs the FA these days? When will they get off their backsides and do something?!
Normally, I wouldn’t dispute that idea, but I have a bad feeling about tonight, especially if we go ahead of them.
It was suggested years ago after a Spain-England game, that players be taken off the pitch if there were racist chants, with the ref having the ultimate sanction to abandon the game and award it to the victims 3-0 if it continued. Uefa were supposed to be considering this, but the suspicion is that they “bottled it”, worrying about the possibility of a riot. So what., Just keep stepping up the penalties I say. And eventually, when they are playing in Serie Z, they will get the message.
i think theres a barely vailed attitude in europe that england deserve these kind of incidents as retribution for the past, the bias is unquestionable and its disgusting.