The thought process of a football fan

fatbabyjake

http://metro.co.uk/2013/09/05/kolo-tour ... o-3952175/

WTF was going through this guy's head when he decided to get this done?

He's thought 'That Toure has played three great games for us so I'm going to get his name tattooed on my foot!!'

CiB

He knows that once you go to Liverpool you never leave - ask Gerrard, Carragher, Suarez...

What a prune.

nicklouse

fatbabyjake wrote:

WTF was going through this guy's head when he decided to get this done?'

err it is a football fan so not much.

meursault

There is some weird connection between fans and players. That players have some kind of loyalty or commitment to a club like fans do. I don't get why fans can't see the mercenary attitude of players. Just look at the tens of thousands of Arsenal zombies who turn up every home game, yet they couldn't win a trophy if it was given to them.

ballysmate

I am at a loss to trying to understand the recent phenomenon of belittling Arsenal, and in particular their manager, Arsene Wenger. Fair enough, I suppose, if you are a supporter of one of the three mega rich clubs who finish above them in the league. But I hear the mocking of fans of clubs, who have not won anything in living memory, and wonder.
BTW, I am not an Arsenal fan.

Giraffoto

I can just about see being a fan of the game - it's no worse than a number of others, let's face it - but being a fan of a team? It's a bunch of people who change every few years. If you've been a fan of any team for ten years, you're most likely a fan of their grounds keepers and back office staff, because everyone else has changed. And all of that "history/passion" stuff is loads of people failing to get this for long periods

CHRISNOIR

They've got previous form -

meursault

Ballysmate wrote:

I am at a loss to trying to understand the recent phenomenon of belittling Arsenal, and in particular their manager, Arsene Wenger. Fair enough, I suppose, if you are a supporter of one of the three mega rich clubs who finish above them in the league. But I hear the mocking of fans of clubs, who have not won anything in living memory, and wonder.
BTW, I am not an Arsenal fan.

I have a friend who has just given up his season ticket at the Arse. Lack of atmosphere, and people tweeting all match were his reasons. The game is lost to real fans.

finchy

Giraffoto wrote:

I can just about see being a fan of the game - it's no worse than a number of others, let's face it - but being a fan of a team? It's a bunch of people who change every few years. If you've been a fan of any team for ten years, you're most likely a fan of their grounds keepers and back office staff, because everyone else has changed. And all of that "history/passion" stuff is loads of people failing to get this for long periods

How's it any different to supporting your country at the Olympics?

diamonddog

CHRISNOIR wrote:

They've got previous form -

Made me giggle that one.

Omar Little

Giraffoto wrote:

I can just about see being a fan of the game - it's no worse than a number of others, let's face it - but being a fan of a team? It's a bunch of people who change every few years. If you've been a fan of any team for ten years, you're most likely a fan of their grounds keepers and back office staff, because everyone else has changed. And all of that "history/passion" stuff is loads of people failing to get this for long periods

It might not seem like it at the top level now with the money involved and the focus there being on growing international markets rather than traditional fans but football clubs used to be, and still are for many, representations of community (real and immagined). The emotional connections involved go way beyond an appreciation of the players or watching the sport for its own sake. If you do not have that connection with a club then you cant even begin to understand the strength of feelings involved and why a club means more to the fan than a collection of players.

MichaelW

Giraffoto wrote:

I can just about see being a fan of the game - it's no worse than a number of others, let's face it -

Do you get "football fans" as opposed to football team supporters? Tennis, athletics, cycling etc are watched by people who may have a favourite but mostly love to watch the game. Football is all about your team. Have you ever seen a football supporter pay to watch a match that didn't involve his team?

Daz555

MichaelW wrote:

Giraffoto wrote:

Football is all about your team. Have you ever seen a football supporter pay to watch a match that didn't involve his team?

I have to say yes, many many times.

southdownswolf

Living so far away from Wolves, I've watched lots of matches that do not involve "my team", I love football as much as I love cycling. The best matches are when you watch the local side play, especially if non-league, quite funny to watch the reactions of the suppporters when a decision doesn't go their way... :-)

Back to the OP's point. What a t**t having that done after just a few games... I'm not a fan of any tattoo's, but tattoo's of players is never a good idea.

finchy

MichaelW wrote:

Giraffoto wrote:

I can just about see being a fan of the game - it's no worse than a number of others, let's face it -

Do you get "football fans" as opposed to football team supporters? Tennis, athletics, cycling etc are watched by people who may have a favourite but mostly love to watch the game. Football is all about your team. Have you ever seen a football supporter pay to watch a match that didn't involve his team?

Cycling teams come and go. Tennis is about individuals. Even though athletics teams exist, it's still all about the individual.

Football, like rugby, cricket, waterpolo, basketball... is all about the team.

rodgers73

I'm always baffled by people describing professional footballers as mercenary etc. The clue is in their title - PROFESSIONAL players. As in they play the game to make a living, not to impress the fans of a club who are paying him less than another one who want to sign them. Next time you change jobs to earn more money try asking yourself how you feel being such a soulless mercenary sod.

Equally, fans who boo a former player of their club when he returns to their ground to play for the visiting team he now plays for. 9/10 times he will have originally had to move from another club to join the one whose fans are now booing him - they didn't seem to have such a negative attitude of him for leaving that club did they? Weirdos.

MattC59

nicklouse wrote:

fatbabyjake wrote:

WTF was going through this guy's head when he decided to get this done?'

err it is a football fan so not much.

+1

meursault

rodgers73 wrote:

I'm always baffled by people describing professional footballers as mercenary etc. The clue is in their title - PROFESSIONAL players. As in they play the game to make a living, not to impress the fans of a club who are paying him less than another one who want to sign them. Next time you change jobs to earn more money try asking yourself how you feel being such a soulless mercenary sod.

Equally, fans who boo a former player of their club when he returns to their ground to play for the visiting team he now plays for. 9/10 times he will have originally had to move from another club to join the one whose fans are now booing him - they didn't seem to have such a negative attitude of him for leaving that club did they? Weirdos.

The contradiction is relatively simple. The passion and loyalty of fans versus the cold hard cash of players. Or, if you phrase it as question. Why do fans care about players in a team who don't care?

meursault

Omar Little wrote:

Giraffoto wrote:

I can just about see being a fan of the game - it's no worse than a number of others, let's face it - but being a fan of a team? It's a bunch of people who change every few years. If you've been a fan of any team for ten years, you're most likely a fan of their grounds keepers and back office staff, because everyone else has changed. And all of that "history/passion" stuff is loads of people failing to get this for long periods

It might not seem like it at the top level now with the money involved and the focus there being on growing international markets rather than traditional fans but football clubs used to be, and still are for many, representations of community (real and immagined). The emotional connections involved go way beyond an appreciation of the players or watching the sport for its own sake. If you do not have that connection with a club then you cant even begin to understand the strength of feelings involved and why a club means more to the fan than a collection of players.

Yeah, players come and go. Part of the community? I think this imagined rather than real. Can you name any examples and evidence of a club being part of the community?

Mikey23

Sometimes in a tribal quasi religious way ie I support Celtic / Liverpool therefore I'm a catholic, rangers / Everton makes me a Protestant

fast as fupp

erm.... everton are the club traditionally followed by catholics on merseyside. liverpoo were founded by an orangeman.

you being a kopite i expect youd have no idea

Giraffoto

MichaelW wrote:

Giraffoto wrote:

I can just about see being a fan of the game - it's no worse than a number of others, let's face it -

Do you get "football fans" as opposed to football team supporters? Tennis, athletics, cycling etc are watched by people who may have a favourite but mostly love to watch the game. Football is all about your team. Have you ever seen a football supporter pay to watch a match that didn't involve his team?

I once saw Charlton Athletic play Arsenal - and don't support either. Good fun though