Angry Fans
He casts his eye over your comments and gives his own critical analysis of the
goings on throughout the world of football. You may agree with him or then again
you may not. This week the topics include Liverpool, the best fans in Europe, the
League of Ireland knockers, Irish rugby and the way it may help Irish soccer,
Stephen Ireland and the way he may help Manchester City, Rooney and his ball throwing
skills, Martin ONeills Aston Villa and their fall from grace, and
finally, The Damned United - Liams choice of books and films and who he
might take to the cinema.
The Letter of the Week goes to Seamus. Get in touch
with your full name and postal address and our magnificent prize will be winging
its way to you.
THEYRE often described as the best fans in
Europe when the karaoke begins before every home match. Liverpool fans will
commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster on April 15, 2009
. . . an accident which cost the lives of 96 innocent football fans. Over the
past few weeks, we have heard the cry from the club, fans and players on how we
should all pay our respects to footballs biggest tragedy and how the club
should be allowed to change the date of the Champions League fixture so as to
not play on the 15th.
I found it amazing that the "best fans in Europe"
thought it fitting at Old Trafford to sing about Manchester Uniteds football
disaster, the Munich 58 plane crash, whilst throwing around blown-up airplanes.
Usually I can ignore it but since the Hillsborough anniversary is so close I was
truly shocked to hear it .Those of us who support either side will realise that
those songs are sung frequently by each side (Heysel more than Hillsborough to
be fair to MUFC) but I just found it amazing that these self-pitying, self-obsessed
supporters will want the whole footballing world to grieve with them next month
whilst probably singing Munich songs at half time, as you can easily find in a
quick search on the internet. Not that the media will take any notice.
Where
will their famous Munich songs be on the 15th? They have been searching for justice
for the 96 for a while but what about justice for the 39 in the Heysel disaster?
These songs should, of course never be sung but they are, so we have to live with
it. Of course Liverpool fans will act all innocent again. Cough, Michael Shields,
Cough.
It's reasonable
to point out the hypocrisy but hardly grounds for questioning whether respect
should be paid whenever and wherever it's due.
The rest of today's column
appears in the Irish Examiner and will appear here tomorrow.
