Saturday, February 03, 2007

The Blackest Night


Catania v Palermo. It should have been a celebration of Sicilian football returned to the top level. Instead, it turned out to be one of the saddest nights I can remember for the Italian game. Injuries, arrests and a policeman killed. It makes me feel ill.
No games this weekend. Nazionale cancelled and Euro 2012 bid as good as destroyed. Will it never change? From Calciopoli to the Mondiale to this. The rollercoaster of loving the Italian game has hit one of its lowest points. I could write a lot more but, just now, I don't feel like it at all.
Sono senza parole, ragazzi, senza parole.

9 comments:

Spangly Princess said...

I feel the same. desire to write about all this right now nil. just disbelief, really.

martinobhoy said...

A truly horrible night Ginkers. Just where does calcio go from here? We all come on here because we love Italian football but this is just sickening.

Venezian said...

The power must be taken away from the ultras. These people think that they can get away with anything, and the sad thing is, in the case of most clubs, that is allowed to happen.

Laws must be applied - let's start actually banning and locking the idiots who do this up, rather than going through a sham of giving them sentences, but then not enforcing them. Start taking tough measures and I think it will have an effect.

Too late for Filippo Raciti sadly, but hopefully not for Italian football going forwards.

patcook said...

Its so disgraceful that it takes moments like these before people take action. I think it would do more harm than good to cancel the season like the players association has suggested but I heard that they are thinking about playing the remainder of the season behind closed doors which I think is a great idea because it hurts the clubs revenue and will, hopefully, make them think about the problems that have been around for so long and it would provide a visual statement on TV to the world that the issue is being taken seriously. hopefully the rot in Italian football has finally reached a critical point and we will finally see some meaningful change. hopefully!!

ginkers said...

Where to now is indeed the key question. We have been to this low point before and things have not changed. This time they have got to. Otherwise the violent idiots have won.

I think if even the legislation that is in place were enforced it would make a big difference. A reduction in the power of some Ultras would also be welcomed.

Something drastic is needed, otherwise the game I love becomes worth nothing. Nothing at all.

Spangly Princess said...

there's also a fundamental confusion between the majority of ultras who are harmless obsessives who spend all their time and money organising the coreografie and support which help make italian football what it is, and the groups of violent idiots who use football as an excuse for fighting the police.

ginkers said...

It's how you separate one from the other that is at the heart of this. How do genuine fans get rid of the idiots? I don't even pretend to have the answer...

Anonymous said...

It's frightening to think that someone went to the trouble to make a *bomb* to take to a football match. I just hope that *all* parties make a concerted effort drive this out. The clubs themeselves have to get seriously involved (and risk upsetting there fan base). Some good ideas have been raised already. Identifying the hardcore ultras (to the Police) and making it clear to them that there presence will no longer be tolerated in or around the grounds would be a start. The Police flexing their muscles (i.e. showing themselves to be the biggest gang in the stadia) and introducing body searches, zero tolerance measures, etc. And, dare I say it, play ALL games behind closed doors for the rest of the season. All easier said than done I grant you, but, doing nothing is no longer an option.

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