Get behind your own...

[blackburn]

I absolutely fucking hate this attitude.

Being a supporter means that you get behind the team, which means that you get behind the players wearing the shirt - whether or not you think they're 'having a shocker' or whether you think they're total crap and you could do a better job.

Whether a player in a particular game - or in every game - doesn't meet your expectation of what his standard should be is irrelevant. You're not a fucking critic. He's playing for Spurs. You get behind him. That's your job.

Its not my job. I don't think I could do a better job. I've also criticised bands I've been to see and food in restaurants. I've been a Spurs fan for decades but if I pay good money I have a right to an opinion.

 

[spud]

Its not my job. I don't think I could do a better job.

Getting behind the team - and every player in it - is the job of a supporter. It's unpaid work. A labour of love.

I've also criticised bands I've been to see and food in restaurants. I've been a Spurs fan for decades but if I pay good money I have a right to an opinion.

Agreed.

I just think that you should have enough self-restraint to wait until the game is over before puking it out. Supporters support (which means encourage) the team; the clue is in the word 'supporter'. They don't scream abuse at their own players. If you do, you're just a paying customer and should stay at home and scream at the telly.

 

[rez9000]

It's certainly an interesting conundrum. Does criticism invalidate support? I think it depends on the type and context of the criticism.

I've been at the Lane and seen matches where the crowd has booed our lads at half-time. That, for me, is a bridge too far. If for no other reason but that it's not going to do much good. But I've seen people justify it on the basis that 'I paid my money, I can say what I like'.

At the same time, a player not pulling his or her weight, not putting a shift in is, in my view, fair game for criticism. Ultimately, hey are being paid to perform. Failing to perform is grounds for criticism. However, given that everyone can have an off-day, criticism of isolated instances should be moderate, rather than vociferous or nasty.

So, some criticism is OK. As long as it's measured. For instance, players being described as 'AIDS' (which I've seen on this forum recently) is taking things too far.

The one thing I would say about the 'I paid so I can say what I like' attitude is this: just because one can say what one likes, it doesn't mean one has to say what one likes. We've all heard the expression: "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt", right?

 

[Lighty64]

thank fuck there was no internet in the days of John Pratt, but what a worker that man was.

a lot of players this season are suffering because of the summer we have just had. yes we all have an opinion but while they are on the field we should get behind them 200%. if they are having a bad game, instead of abusing them, try giving them the lift they might need. the better players all have their songs, yet how often do the crowd get behind a player like Davies or Trippier. lets hope the noise we generate from the new stadium gives every player a lift

 

[dickieven]

Its not my job. I don't think I could do a better job. I've also criticised bands I've been to see and food in restaurants. I've been a Spurs fan for decades but if I pay good money I have a right to an opinion.

But surely at a restaurant you are a customer not a supporter. It is completely different.

 

[Krule]

But surely at a restaurant you are a customer not a supporter. It is completely different.

There's the paradox....can you be a "supporter" and a customer at the same time ??.
Does paying for a match ticket entitle someone to publicly deride or ridicule one of the players ?...In my opinion no. You can question their selection on forums like this or other social media but slagging off at a match in front of opposing fans is not a good idea.

 

[piedpiper]

Now there's a guy who got me to swear a television. He used to chase his own tail. Spinning on that corner searching for the ball.

 

[blackburn]

I think I may have misled people, I rarely shout at players during a match, as difficult as it is at times to restrain yourself. Somebody earlier mentioned John Pratt, my word did he get some stick. Others witnessed the abuse Jenas received, unfairly to me. I was at a game where Ramon Vega was booed when the teams were read out which is a bridge too far for me.

But I reserve the right to have a dig at Eriksen when he mishits his 4th consecutive corner or Trippier when he's out of position again. Its football, the working man's game, not the regatta at Henley.

 

[teedee]

I think I may have misled people, I rarely shout at players during a match, as difficult as it is at times to restrain yourself. Somebody earlier mentioned John Pratt, my word did he get some stick. Others witnessed the abuse Jenas received, unfairly to me. I was at a game where Ramon Vega was booed when the teams were read out which is a bridge too far for me.

But I reserve the right to have a dig at Eriksen when he mishits his 4th consecutive corner or Trippier when he's out of position again. Its football, the working man's game, not the regatta at Henley.

Rosenthal spent more time on his arse than his feet. I remember well the large Jewish contingent in the stand behind me on one occasion jeering at him to stop falling over (plus referring to his prominent facial feature). In fact, one Jewish woman who was particularly vocal was ejected from WHL for her foul language.

 

[Gb160]

But surely at a restaurant you are a customer not a supporter. It is completely different.

And herein lies the problem.
The modern football fan is constantly harping on about how fans are treated like customers, and not supporters by their clubs, yet that’s exactly how they behave with their ‘demands’ and ‘rights’.

 

[thePessimist]

I think I may have misled people, I rarely shout at players during a match, as difficult as it is at times to restrain yourself. Somebody earlier mentioned John Pratt, my word did he get some stick. Others witnessed the abuse Jenas received, unfairly to me. I was at a game where Ramon Vega was booed when the teams were read out which is a bridge too far for me.

But I reserve the right to have a dig at Eriksen when he mishits his 4th consecutive corner or Trippier when he's out of position again. Its football, the working man's game, not the regatta at Henley.

Wasn’t Vega booed beacause he was picked ahead og Mabbs in his last game?

 

[blackburn]

Wasn’t Vega booed beacause he was picked ahead og Mabbs in his last game?

Ahhh you might be right

 

[SpunkyBackpack]

Fans are fully entitled to criticise a player if they think he isnt pulling his weight or doing well, that's a part of being a fan. However the way in which they do it is the key point that i think many are talking at crossed purposes here.

If i think a player is having a shocker, can i write a post, do a tweet or whinge to my mates at the pub? Yeah of course, that affects no-one and is just me being a moaning git and boring friend.

Can i be at the game and boo and jeer and sit on my hands? Not really, then you are bing a shitty fan with a directly negative effect on the team. But even then it's a free country and it's not my actual job, even if i might deserve the bottle of water poured down my back from the row behind me.

There are too many people on here desperate to signal that they are a better class of fan because theyve never criticised a player and nobody ever should just in case that player then becomes good (check the Sissoko thread)

 

[Col_M]

Mauricio Taricco was a right footed left back who could play RB but also Loved a Red card,I think he made a comeback at a very old age for one game and got sent off.

View attachment 48664

He was like a bull in a china shop but blind folded and wearing skis. But I loved Treacle’s commitment

 

[jonnyrotten]

This gives me the right to critique players whose wages I pay. We are supporters

No, you are a customer. Like someone buying a car or shopping at Tesco. You're not a supporter.

 

[jonnyrotten]

But surely at a restaurant you are a customer not a supporter. It is completely different.

Not in their minds. The "I pay my monry' brigade feel like then can do or say what they like. If people want to moan at the TV then fine, but people slagging off our team, moaning or booing our team or players can get fucked. Spend your money somewhere else and let someone have that seat that wants to support our players. Our fans in the stadium are the only ones that can make a difference to our team. How about making your difference a positive one.

 

['O Zio]

eters When you have a job you get [aid for it .I dont get paid to support Spurs in fact I pay a lotof money for that privilege.
This gives me the right to critique players whose wages I pay. we are supporters and free men with opinions nor slaves.

My take on it is, yes you have the right to, as you say you pay your money so it's up to you. However, just because you have the right to doesn't mean you should

 

[walworthyid]

My cousin, Dave Regis who played for Notts county at the time, got us tickets to watch the Nottingham derby at the county ground. He was injured and not playing so we went and took our seats in the ground. After getting some horrific racist abuse from the county fans, Collymore scored 2 in a crap game. In the second half county were making a substitution when the following conversation took place between 2 county fans just behind us "f*ck me, who is that they are bringing on? He's f***ing shit", amid mass groans from around the ground, the other county fan counters with "hold on mate, he might be shit, but he's our shit", he then proceeded to cheer as the poor sub came on.

It's a difficult one, but I think we are there to support, booing and groans dont help. That being said, sometimes it's hard not to.

 

[EastLondonYid]

If your a customer and don't like the product you complain and usually never go back, you don't keep going back and keep complaining
It's absurd to compare being a customer with being a football fan.

 

[Shadydan]

Calling players out is absolutely fine just don't do it in the stadium as its counter productive.