Dont know if anyone has already mentioned it but the Bulgarian Prime Minister is now saying that the head of the Bulgarian FA should stand down after whats happened!!
Not sure the head of the Bulgarian FA needs to go, unless we know them to be racist also?
It was the Head of the FA who said that our claims of there being racist abuse before the game were offensive
I'd have quite liked to see England walk off the pitch yesterday.
I think that gives far to much power to these morons and also facilitates the possibility of individuals making these noises just to get a game called off, esp if it's not going in their favour.
It also completely disrespects the fans (some of whom are also black and will have endured abuse without protection) who have paid thousands, travelled miles and taken time off work to attend and in reality are far more at risk in Bulgaria than pampered football players, however bad the abuse for them obviously was.
In my eyes, you walk.. it becomes world wide news that a team walks off for the first time ever and then UEFA have no choice but do something slightly more serious.
As it is, England won 6-0 and the only people that will remember the racism in a months time are us England fans and Bulgaria will get yet another slap in the wrist.
My understanding is this is the first time it has happened on the pitch (in terms of the protocols being applied). It is disapointing that England players had to point it out, it should have been picked up by officials. But the correct protocols were applied. Now UEFA have to act, and this will ultimately be key. As the stadium was already under sanctions, thi sis not a first offence, so something serious has to happen.
I really like Winks. I said after Friday I hope he plays as he plays deep but is very useful on the ball. Henderson and Rice didn’t want the ball the other night, Winks wants it all the time.
saw Winks for Spurs at Leicester earlier this season .. he's an 'always available' type, very hard working, mobile and full of energy, the closest we have to a Modric type. On the other side for the Foxes was Maddison .. skilful, plays in a more advanced role than Winks, more of a number 10 to Winks' number 8 .. I suspect though that Barkley's improved performance against the Bulgars will keep Maddy out of the side for a while .. Winks should stay in for the foreseeable future as should Mings
After last night I'm concerned that the three step rule is actually a three strike rule that effectively insulates fans' racist behaviour against censure. Essentially what happened last night was the Bulgarian fans who wanted to abuse the black players were given two finger wags before it got to the point where the match might be abandoned. At that point they walked out and left. Not all of them, but enough that the problem died down substantially. If fans are going to play the system like this then the protocol backfires as people like that are actually encouraged to get their abuse out within the two steps instead of going to a match under the knowledge that any racist abuse could see the match cancelled on the spot. In some ways this is worse than it was before where players could threaten to walk off themselves. I'm not completely digging out the policy and I'm glad that there's finally something in place but zero tolerance would work much better than this weird strike system that actually provides a protected, advertised time period for unpunished racist abuse.
After last night I'm concerned that the three step rule is actually a three strike rule that effectively insulates fans' racist behaviour against censure. Essentially what happened last night was the Bulgarian fans who wanted to abuse the black players were given two finger wags before it got to the point where the match might be abandoned. At that point they walked out and left. Not all of them, but enough that the problem died down substantially. If fans are going to play the system like this then the protocol backfires as people like that are actually encouraged to get their abuse out within the two steps instead of going to a match under the knowledge that any racist abuse could see the match cancelled on the spot. In some ways this is worse than it was before where players could threaten to walk off themselves. I'm not completely digging out the policy and I'm glad that there's finally something in place but zero tolerance would work much better than this weird strike system that actually provides a protected, advertised time period for unpunished racist abuse.
I think you are right if UEFA thinks it was settled on the night. We shall see what action it now takes.
Think we should give the armband back to Henderson - i don't see how the player furthest up the pitch can messages quickly to the back four without playing deeper and much as i like Kane i don;t seem him as a leader.
Football is a broad church and encompasses many and disparate views. We all see the game through our own filters. Yet it never ceases to amaze me how widely different some people's views are.
Congratulations to @Broadstairs_Red on a superbly-crafted, way out view on a game. I didn't think I would anyone post a view of this match - one that was marred by despicable racism, improved by thoughtful intervention and graced by a captain who set up four of the first five goals and scored the sixth - that singled out, as a point of controversy, the selection of the captain.
"Mrs Compton, as the oldest survivor of the Titanic's maiden voyage, what are your views about the vessel?" "To be honest, I wasn't really keen on the colour".
Rather than the Bulgarian police politely asking the Bulgarian racists in the ground to depart from the scene of their crime, why didn't they go in nicking the bastards and cracking a few skulls?
After all, they are capable of doing it to a few England fans having a beer and a sing song who aren't breaking any laws.
Good. At least the fella will have more spare time to sing in his Bob Marley tribute band!
You could probably ban the whole of the Balkan nations from international football competition but it would never happen, they would all scream "racism!" Oh the irony...
I'd have quite liked to see England walk off the pitch yesterday.
You'd have liked to see England give in to racism?
I am glad they simply chose to humiliate Bulgaria on the pitch whilst never getting out of 2nd gear.
Are your saying winning 6-0 and humiliating them on the pitch was the best way to deal with that? And if we'd lost, then what its not ok?
Best way our players could deal with it yes. Not the best way overall to handle racism no.
Sometimes you have to pick your battles and in that moment our national team did what they could do. It showed strength of character as we rose above their pathetically disgusting behaviour.
Had we walked off the pitch, the racists in my opinion would have won. It's only when you show them it doesn't affect you that you can change their behaviour. It seems a difficult thing to change entire nations attitudes to racism and may take many, many years.
Our players were smiling and having fun as they ran riot, so to me that was the biggest up yours to the racist scumbags the players could give at the time.
I do think our FA should follow this up to ensure maximum punishment is achieved.
Rather than the Bulgarian police politely asking the Bulgarian racists in the ground to depart from the scene of their crime, why didn't they go in nicking the bastards and cracking a few skulls?
After all, they are capable of doing it to a few England fans having a beer and a sing song who aren't breaking any laws.
No chance they will do it to their own, it just wouldn't happen.
Rather than the Bulgarian police politely asking the Bulgarian racists in the ground to depart from the scene of their crime, why didn't they go in nicking the bastards and cracking a few skulls?
After all, they are capable of doing it to a few England fans having a beer and a sing song who aren't breaking any laws.
It isn't in their best interest to nick their own.
Where you have a problem is if we were losing. This is the reason the officials have to be more proactive - they have eyes and ears. It shouldn't need the England manager or players to complain.
I find this all especially hard to take as I know Bulgaria quite well - or I thought I did - and have two great friends from there. But having watched that last night and read all the tweets, I now realise that the signs have always been there for a long time. The most worrying thing is that racism in Bulgaria is not confined to uneducated losers. Going with it is a manic belief in conspiracy theories and the ability to pretend that black is white (sorry for that metaphor in this context) in the face of overwhelming rational evidence to the contrary, as witnessed by the disgraceful response of Balakov, and, it seems, most of their sport journalists.
So reluctantly I have to agree that Bulgaria should be kicked out of the tournament. I would only add that similar attitudes are found right across the Balkan countries, so if they really are organising a joint bid for 2028, taking tough action on Bulgaria now is necessary to avoid possible acceptance of a bid which in its way will be even more disgraceful that the Qatar World Cup.
At the same time I can only say that @Huskaris neighbours are probably genuine. I have Bulgarian friends who will say exactly the same thing. The trouble is, one of them, the one I often mention, who helped us get Kishishev, might not. He might talk like Balakov. That is how deep it goes, and I am gutted to have to write that.
As for England, Gareth Southgate and the entire team and back-room staff did us and the civilised world proud last night.
Interesting what you say here to be honest. I am disappointed to say this but although they think these people are idiots, they are definitely "mildly" racist themselves. I often think of them like your old nan, the whole "ah they are from a different generation, leave them." They are very well educated, both educated at a UK university, but they definitely have some "mildly" racist views, the kind that a lot of people of a certain generation could handle, but the kind that would make some on here implode into a cacophany of typed rage.
Funny though, I thought everyone in England (bar a select few who are enlightened) were racist savages who hated Sterling because he is black, based on everything I have read on The Guardian and from some people on here, I thought newspapers and half of England would be applauding the Bulgarians, who would have thought it...
Following the resignation of the Bulgarian FA chief:
Less than an hour after Mihaylov’s departure had been confirmed more than 20 police officers swept into the BFU’s headquarters in Sofia. Sources close to the issue told Reuters that officers had been searching for documents related to some Bulgarian referees.
Yep. That's the Bulgaria I do know. Corrupt as hell, still.
Comments
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50004603
As it is, England won 6-0 and the only people that will remember the racism in a months time are us England fans and Bulgaria will get yet another slap in the wrist.
I don't disagree with the decision to stay out, obviously, and it's on the team and players to decide what works best for them.
On the other side for the Foxes was Maddison .. skilful, plays in a more advanced role than Winks, more of a number 10 to Winks' number 8 .. I suspect though that Barkley's improved performance against the Bulgars will keep Maddy out of the side for a while .. Winks should stay in for the foreseeable future as should Mings
Congratulations to @Broadstairs_Red on a superbly-crafted, way out view on a game. I didn't think I would anyone post a view of this match - one that was marred by despicable racism, improved by thoughtful intervention and graced by a captain who set up four of the first five goals and scored the sixth - that singled out, as a point of controversy, the selection of the captain.
"Mrs Compton, as the oldest survivor of the Titanic's maiden voyage, what are your views about the vessel?"
"To be honest, I wasn't really keen on the colour".
And if we'd lost, then what its not ok?
After all, they are capable of doing it to a few England fans having a beer and a sing song who aren't breaking any laws.
Kicking out a nation "already out" is not adequate punishment.
Perhaps, you meant the next tournament ?
(Apologies, it appears I'm wrong - see below).
Can get into Euro 2020 via the Play-Offs from their Nations League performance
You could probably ban the whole of the Balkan nations from international football competition but it would never happen, they would all scream "racism!" Oh the irony...
Sometimes you have to pick your battles and in that moment our national team did what they could do. It showed strength of character as we rose above their pathetically disgusting behaviour.
Had we walked off the pitch, the racists in my opinion would have won. It's only when you show them it doesn't affect you that you can change their behaviour. It seems a difficult thing to change entire nations attitudes to racism and may take many, many years.
Our players were smiling and having fun as they ran riot, so to me that was the biggest up yours to the racist scumbags the players could give at the time.
I do think our FA should follow this up to ensure maximum punishment is achieved.
Well, it's a start...
Interesting what you say here to be honest. I am disappointed to say this but although they think these people are idiots, they are definitely "mildly" racist themselves. I often think of them like your old nan, the whole "ah they are from a different generation, leave them." They are very well educated, both educated at a UK university, but they definitely have some "mildly" racist views, the kind that a lot of people of a certain generation could handle, but the kind that would make some on here implode into a cacophany of typed rage.
Funny though, I thought everyone in England (bar a select few who are enlightened) were racist savages who hated Sterling because he is black, based on everything I have read on The Guardian and from some people on here, I thought newspapers and half of England would be applauding the Bulgarians, who would have thought it...
Less than an hour after Mihaylov’s departure had been confirmed more than 20 police officers swept into the BFU’s headquarters in Sofia. Sources close to the issue told Reuters that officers had been searching for documents related to some Bulgarian referees.
Yep. That's the Bulgaria I do know. Corrupt as hell, still.
UEFA is not fit for purpose.