A LETTER
Hi L’urlo della Nord,
Unlike whoever wrote your long howl of self-pity, The Fiver would not so be arrogant to speak on behalf of an entire group of people, but the world’s most daily football email is sorry you think what happened to Romelu Lukaku in Cagliari wasn’t racist.
We think you have to understand that Italy is exactly like everywhere else in Europe, including the United Kingdom, where racism is a very REAL problem. Seriously, have you seen our prime minister? Currently the laughing stock of Europe, he has in the past described black people as “piccaninnies” with “water-melon” smiles and only today was lambasted in parliament for being racist. Did he apologise? Of course he didn’t, a state of affairs that may go some way towards explaining why elsewhere in the UK, the racial abuse of footballers at matches, on social media and – in some rare cases – the media remains prevalent and just won’t go away. Trust us, Curva Nord … you don’t want to be like him.
We understand that the abuse of Lukaku might have seemed OK to you, but it really isn’t. You say that in Italy you use some “ways” only to “help our teams” and to try to make your opponent nervous, not for racism but to mess them up. Here in the UK, we call that the “b@nter defence”, a meaningless catch-all term often used by stupid people, many of whom are smart enough to know better, in a blatantly transparent bid to excuse utterly indefensible behaviour. Be better than those people, Curva Nord. You’re already better dressed and better looking, with better hair.
You claim to be ‘a multi-ethnic fans’ organisation which has always welcomed players from everywhere” and that is probably true. Along with Romelu Lukaku, footballers such as Ronaldo, Clarence Seedorf, Sulley Muntari, Obafemi Martins and Samuel Eto’o have worn your famous shirt with distinction. We don’t doubt you welcomed them, but that doesn’t mean you get to decide what kind of abuse they consider racist. The anger and hurt with which such players have endured monkey noises made from the stands in Italy or anywhere else suggests they know what motivates this abuse.
Abusing black footballers in this way is not the “form of respect” you claim. We know this because Lukaku has said so and, being a black footballer, he knows what is and is not respectful. “Many players in the last month have suffered from racial abuse,” he said. “I did yesterday too. Football is a game to be enjoyed by everyone and we shouldn’t accept any form of discrimination that will put our game in shame.”
As fans, you beg to differ but you’re wrong and are helping put the game to shame. You say Lukaku is helping “the repression against all football fans including us” and he is contributing “to create a problem that is not really there”. You guarantee him that what football fans “do or say to an opponent player of another race is not what they would ever say to someone they would meet in real life”.
Well here’s the thing, Curva Nord – football is real life and your take on the racial abuse of footballers who are simply trying to live real lives makes us sad. Sad that you could publish such drivel. And particularly sad that you seem to genuinely believe what you have written in your letter to be well-meaning, educational and true.
Arrivederci,
The Fiver.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“One of the conditions for me to stay was to be part of the [Big Cup] squad. The fact that I am not is extremely shocking for me. [I’m] angry and furious because I think that I played well last season, above all in the [Big Cup]. I really can’t understand this” – po’ Emre Can’s hair almost fell out of place when he claimed he’d been led down the garden path by Juve in much the same way he led Liverpool down the garden path before doing one to Turin on a free.
FIVER LETTERS
“Re: the statue in yesterday’s Still Want Mores? Apparently The Fiver’s Google skills are as poor as its history. That’s Ole Bull. It’s even carved into the stone above Jodie Taylor’s head. I’d say I expected more from you, but who are we kidding?” – Joe Pearson (and others).
“Just in case any Fiver readers are looking for a distraction from current events on a September day when there’s no proper football on, may I recommend the British Film Institute (BFI) free archive of Football on Film. Classic footage of Brian Clough and George Best plus Geoff Hurst shilling for Target Deodorant” – Noble Francis.
Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. And you can always tweet The Fiver via @guardian_sport. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’the day is … Noble Francis.
BITS AND BOBS
Phil Neville has Phil-Nevilled away reports linking him with the USA! USA!! USA!!! job after England’s 2-1 friendly defeat in Norway. “I can’t think of a better job in football [than with England]. I get an organisation that backs me, anything I want,” he cheered, while perusing Amazon.
Manchester City expect to be without Aymeric Laporte for quite some time after the defender underwent knee-knack surgery.
Good news for Shortbread McFiver: Eden and Thorgan Hazard have been struck down by muscle-knack and rib-gah! respectively, dropping out of Belgium’s squad before next Monday’s not-now-as-heavy-as-it-would-have-been Euro 2020 qualifying win against Scotland.
Despite having played something like 12 seconds’ football for Norwegian heavyweights Sarpsborg in the past six months, Kyle Lafferty may be thrown straight into the action for Norn Iron One-Nil’s, erm, 1-0 Euro 2020 qualifying win over Luxembourg. “We can bring him in and we can give him some more minutes and then see where he’s at,” blathered Michael O’Neill.
The Republic O’Ireland are readying for a date with Switzerland and Mick McCarthy is bringing the heat. “We’re fully aware of what this game means,” he smouldered.
And king Nicklas of Bendtner was looking about as sharp as you’d expect during shooting practice in one of his first training sessions since signing for FC Copenhagen.
Nicklas Bendtner brugte første FCK-træning på at indstille sigtekornet 🎯⚽️ #fcklive #sldk pic.twitter.com/1uzfwQgW80
— TV 2 SPORT (@TV2SPORTdk) September 4, 2019
STILL WANT MORE?
Sid Lowe on an almighty mess at Málaga.
The biggest and loudest game anywhere this week is Indonesia v Malaysia. John Duerden explains why.
A standoff between ultras and French football authorities forms the backdrop to homophobic banners and chants that have brought Ligue 1 games to a halt, writes Dominic Fifield.
Which team have completed the most passes in a match, asks this week’s Knowledge.
Morecambe’s Kevin Ellison tells Ben Fisher about the darkness of depression, still getting pre-match nerves at 40 and being wronged by the Fifa game.
England’s underwhelming friendlies highlighted defensive woes, but Phil Neville deserves time, reckons Suzanne Wrack.
Oh, and if it’s your thing … you can follow Big Website on Big Social FaceSpace. And INSTACHAT, TOO!
