The England World Cup Thread

[C0YS]

I dunno, I mean, if a member of my family was stabbed and killed, the last thing I’d do as a ‘tribute’ is to get a knife tattooed on me to remind me of the way they died. It’s similar to me getting a tattoo of Herbert from Family Guy if my son was molested. Yeah he’s explained it and yeah the media are ****s this time of year (and the rest of the year) but he has really brought this one on himself in my opinion. If he’d just said ‘I had a gun tattooed on my leg because my leg was made for shooting’ and didn’t mention the dad thing then it would’ve been more quirky and acceptable for me. But even then, the irony is that shooting is his worst attribute. He scored 18 this season but missed about 627 cos he shoots like a 6 year old with osteoporosis.

Right so thanks to this post I now know you and Sterling are different people. If for Sterling getting that tat is in tribute of such a thing, [and I personally do understand the logic of it] than good for him he can have his tat. Thank god we are not all the same.

I don't think Sterling is asking for attention with this tat, nor do I think he should refuse to do such a thing on fear of media backlash, or accept that as something that might happen. If he should of known that the media would make a fuss is beside the point, he shouldn't even have to consider that, particularly when its such a small thing. Footballers have right to private life as much as anyone else.

The whole thing with the Tattoo is that almost all footballers have tattoos, almost all footballers go out on a night out, almost all footballers spend lots of money and also go to often not expensive shops all of these examples have been weaponised against Sterling. Its a witch hunt at this point incomparable to how the press treats any other player.

This a really young player, some one who broke into the England side as teenager and is not even 24 yet and both in footballing and in personal terms he has been treated in unacceptable way. How must this kind of attention affect a kid, the Sun's treatment of him, and some fans treatment of him is simply unacceptable on a human level.

 

[LexingtonSpurs]

Don't understand why this is a big deal. its a Tat.

Wake me up when he shoots someone with his leg.

 

[bomberH]

Right so thanks to this post I now know you and Sterling are different people. If for Sterling getting that tat is in tribute of such a thing, [and I personally do understand the logic of it] than good for him he can have his tat. Thank god we are not all the same.

I don't think Sterling is asking for attention with this tat, nor do I think he should refuse to do such a thing on fear of media backlash, or accept that as something that might happen. If he should of known that the media would make a fuss is beside the point, he shouldn't even have to consider that, particularly when its such a small thing. Footballers have right to private life as much as anyone else.

The whole thing with the Tattoo is that almost all footballers have tattoos, almost all footballers go out on a night out, almost all footballers spend lots of money and also go to often not expensive shops all of these examples have been weaponised against Sterling. Its a witch hunt at this point incomparable to how the press treats any other player.

This a really young player, some one who broke into the England side as teenager and is not even 24 yet and both in footballing and in personal terms he has been treated in unacceptable way. How must this kind of attention affect a kid, the Sun's treatment of him, and some fans treatment of him is simply unacceptable on a human level.

People keep on going over the same thing over and over again. It’s like they’re not even reading the post properly.

I’ll say it again. He has every right to have any tattoo he wants. It’s his body, it’s up to him. I agree that the media are basically ****s and they like to pick out certain types of people, particularly around this time of year. So you’re agreeing with me.

With that said, there is no way he wouldn’t have realised it may cause controversy. Now even though I believe he’s brought this on himself with the timing etc, I don’t think what he’s done is wrong in any way, apart from the fact I personally think it’s a really shit tattoo.

I stick by my belief that it’s very weird he’d choose to get a tattoo of the weapon that killed his dad. That’s my personal opinion. Even if he had a gun inside a circle with a line through it, it would show the anti gun sentiment that he obviously believes in. But it’s just a gun. An assault rifle actually. To others looking on, rightly or wrongly, it looks like a pro gun thing, especially because 99% of tattoos are because the person getting it loves what the tattoo is representing. Like a Spurs fan getting a cockerel etc. There’s no getting away from it, anything to do with guns is controversial. He’s made it easier for the pricks in the media to get at him by doing this. We can all go on about how footballers deserve privacy too and that he’s only young and he should be able to do what he wants without backlash etc, but seriously, anyone with half a brain cell knows what the British press are like and despite all the above being true, it will make no difference to the people trying to sell their publication. They will use anything against players because it sells. And a couple of weeks before a World Cup? They sat on the Kyle Walker story for a few months apparently before publishing it just before the finals a few years back. They’re scum. We know it. They know it. The England squad know it. To give them ammo (pun intended) like this just before a WC is naive at best.

I’ll say it again.... I do not believe he has done anything wrong, bar getting a rubbish tattoo. But to think there wouldn’t be a backlash is naive. Especially from a paper like the Sun. This is the Sun doing what it does best. Reminds me that they sponsor the annual police bravery awards and throw a big ceremony every year but the other 364 days of the year are headlines slating police for things like having breakfast at a cafe. The Sun’s whole being is hypocritical.

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

Gun tattoo explained

 

[Rocksuperstar]

So now even players who don't know their left from right know to keep him off the leg with the shitty tattoo on. Way to go, doofus.

Anyone been to Qatar? I know some countries are funny about visible tats, what's their take on them?

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

So now even players who don't know their left from right know to keep him off the leg with the shitty tattoo on. Way to go, doofus.

Anyone been to Qatar? I know some countries are funny about visible tats, what's their take on them?

Id imagine, any reservations they have will vanish, considering the dough it'll bring. Religion can wait.

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

Well, he's really shot himself in the foot with this one.

 

[Coyboy]

People keep on going over the same thing over and over again. It’s like they’re not even reading the post properly.

I’ll say it again. He has every right to have any tattoo he wants. It’s his body, it’s up to him. I agree that the media are basically ****s and they like to pick out certain types of people, particularly around this time of year. So you’re agreeing with me.

With that said, there is no way he wouldn’t have realised it may cause controversy. Now even though I believe he’s brought this on himself with the timing etc, I don’t think what he’s done is wrong in any way, apart from the fact I personally think it’s a really shit tattoo.

I stick by my belief that it’s very weird he’d choose to get a tattoo of the weapon that killed his dad. That’s my personal opinion. Even if he had a gun inside a circle with a line through it, it would show the anti gun sentiment that he obviously believes in. But it’s just a gun. An assault rifle actually. To others looking on, rightly or wrongly, it looks like a pro gun thing, especially because 99% of tattoos are because the person getting it loves what the tattoo is representing. Like a Spurs fan getting a cockerel etc. There’s no getting away from it, anything to do with guns is controversial. He’s made it easier for the pricks in the media to get at him by doing this. We can all go on about how footballers deserve privacy too and that he’s only young and he should be able to do what he wants without backlash etc, but seriously, anyone with half a brain cell knows what the British press are like and despite all the above being true, it will make no difference to the people trying to sell their publication. They will use anything against players because it sells. And a couple of weeks before a World Cup? They sat on the Kyle Walker story for a few months apparently before publishing it just before the finals a few years back. They’re scum. We know it. They know it. The England squad know it. To give them ammo (pun intended) like this just before a WC is naive at best.

I’ll say it again.... I do not believe he has done anything wrong, bar getting a rubbish tattoo. But to think there wouldn’t be a backlash is naive. Especially from a paper like the Sun. This is the Sun doing what it does best. Reminds me that they sponsor the annual police bravery awards and throw a big ceremony every year but the other 364 days of the year are headlines slating police for things like having breakfast at a cafe. The Sun’s whole being is hypocritical.

To be fair, you have said he has brought it on himself which would indicate he has done something wrong. He's being bullied, it's plain and simple.

Everyone knows how much I admire and love tattoos but I agree it's a bit rubbish. But if it means something to him and doesn't hurt anyone then who cares?

Sterling gets attention for going out to breakfast ffs, he may well have thought 'fuck it, I can't win'. What I suspect he thought is that he wants to get a tattoo in that part of his body for the reason he believed and didn't think about the press over-reaction.

Sterling gets bullied by the right wing press because he's a successful black man and they know their readers will lap it up and talk about how people like him- and other successful black celebrities- are perpetuating or exacerbating the problem of 'black on black' crime and they will then sell newspapers or get clicks from these same people on any commentary or related story line that reinforces ignorant racist stereotypes. FFS, the Sun formed a link between this tattoo and knife crime in Sheffield.

The Sun (and Piers Morgan) taking the moral high ground is a fucking joke. Sterling does not have to feel guilty and has done nothing wrong.

 

[Shadydan]

It's a clear witch hunt which has racial connotations, anyone that can't see that is as bad as them.

 

[hughy]

It's a clear witch hunt which has racial connotations, anyone that can't see that is as bad as them.

It's boring as shit, isn't it?

 

[Shadydan]

It's boring as shit, isn't it?

I want to ignore this whole topic I really do because it normally ends up with people trying to justify the media's behavior and people showing some faux outrage to something so trivial and end of talking shit but unfortunately we need to highlight the media's nasty, vindictive, racist targeting of a black footballer who has done nothing to deserve it, that's the issue here.

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

This is far far worse.

 

[bomberH]

To be fair, you have said he has brought it on himself which would indicate he has done something wrong. He's being bullied, it's plain and simple.

Everyone knows how much I admire and love tattoos but I agree it's a bit rubbish. But if it means something to him and doesn't hurt anyone then who cares?

Sterling gets attention for going out to breakfast ffs, he may well have thought 'fuck it, I can't win'. What I suspect he thought is that he wants to get a tattoo in that part of his body for the reason he believed and didn't think about the press over-reaction.

Sterling gets bullied by the right wing press because he's a successful black man and they know their readers will lap it up and talk about how people like him- and other successful black celebrities- are perpetuating or exacerbating the problem of 'black on black' crime and they will then sell newspapers or get clicks from these same people on any commentary or related story line that reinforces ignorant racist stereotypes. FFS, the Sun formed a link between this tattoo and knife crime in Sheffield.

The Sun (and Piers Morgan) taking the moral high ground is a fucking joke. Sterling does not have to feel guilty and has done nothing wrong.

I don’t disagree with you. The ‘bringing it on himself’ is purely the fact that a famous (young black) person having a tattoo of a gun in relation to a death in his family, just before a World Cup is about to start, was always going to bring negative press. Always. It’s obviously wrong that it happens but it always happens. He isn’t stupid. Or maybe he is, I don’t know. But he or his friends or family... one of those must have warned him about the blacklash (see what I did there....) it would’ve caused.

Remember, it’s not just the Piers Morgans and the Daily Mail readers who would be (pretend) upset about this, there are people who would genuinely be upset and offended by a tattoo of an automatic rifle. A dolphin tattoo wouldn’t have caused any outrage. It’s still controversial however you look at it because it’s a gun but yep, the fact that a black man got the tattoo will have the journalists at the Mail/Sun drooling.

Of course being black goes against him for some of the press, but It’s not just black men. Look at the shit Beckham got when he was sent off for England. And Gazza with his mates in the dentist’s chair before Euro 96. The press are absolute ****s of the highest nature for doing this and I can’t ever see it changing. We all know they couldn’t give a flying fuck how well we do and if there’s a sniff of a story that will ruin our morale then they’ll be on it.

 

[Coyboy]

I don’t disagree with you. The ‘bringing it on himself’ is purely the fact that a famous (young black) person having a tattoo of a gun in relation to a death in his family, just before a World Cup is about to start, was always going to bring negative press. Always. It’s obviously wrong that it happens but it always happens. He isn’t stupid. Or maybe he is, I don’t know. But he or his friends or family... one of those must have warned him about the blacklash (see what I did there....) it would’ve caused.

Remember, it’s not just the Piers Morgans and the Daily Mail readers who would be (pretend) upset about this, there are people who would genuinely be upset and offended by a tattoo of an automatic rifle. A dolphin tattoo wouldn’t have caused any outrage. It’s still controversial however you look at it because it’s a gun but yep, the fact that a black man got the tattoo will have the journalists at the Mail/Sun drooling.

Of course being black goes against him for some of the press, but It’s not just black men. Look at the shit Beckham got when he was sent off for England. And Gazza with his mates in the dentist’s chair before Euro 96. The press are absolute ****s of the highest nature for doing this and I can’t ever see it changing. We all know they couldn’t give a flying fuck how well we do and if there’s a sniff of a story that will ruin our morale then they’ll be on it.

Fair points to a degree, but if you look at that thread that @Shadydan posted Sterling gets targeted whatever he does so he should be free to live his life. He is not committing a crime and if he thinks that having a tattoo gives him some sort of cathartic therapy to his father's death then he is free to do so. I have not lost a parent to gun crime so it's not for me to judge or criticise how people deal that.

People who are genuinely offended by a footballer's tattoo need to get a grip. They can be offended, fine nothing happens. They don't get offended and then wake up with cancer (to shamelessly modify a famous line from a comedian). The Sun, Morgan, white middle classes can feign outrage and state that 'What Sterling is doing is outrageous, it is glamourizing violence, it is reducing the tragic death of his own father and millions of others to ink and needles". Ok, well if they think tattoos have that much effect, what world do they live in? What are they doing to support victims of, or reduce gun or knife violence other than supporting the very political parties that cut local services, allow draconian prison sentences and preside over failing education systems that give rise to poverty, despair and violence.

Was Sterling thinking anything like that when he got the tattoo? Probably not, he just wanted it. And he's free to get it. Virtually all tattoos look bad in my opinion but I wouldn't make a judgement on whether people should get tattoos or feign moral outrage to mask what is clear racism.

The Beckham and Gazza examples do not stack up. Beckham did something stupid and got rightly (arguably) sent off and this made it harder for us to beat Argentina. Gazza et al went out and got drunk before a big tournament. Neither are hanging offences and the coverage was overblown but they both did something wrong/stupid. I don't see what Sterling has done wrong other than (in my opinion) having bad taste.

 

[Disconosebleed]

I don’t disagree with you. The ‘bringing it on himself’ is purely the fact that a famous (young black) person having a tattoo of a gun in relation to a death in his family, just before a World Cup is about to start, was always going to bring negative press. Always. It’s obviously wrong that it happens but it always happens. He isn’t stupid. Or maybe he is, I don’t know. But he or his friends or family... one of those must have warned him about the blacklash (see what I did there....) it would’ve caused.

Remember, it’s not just the Piers Morgans and the Daily Mail readers who would be (pretend) upset about this, there are people who would genuinely be upset and offended by a tattoo of an automatic rifle. A dolphin tattoo wouldn’t have caused any outrage. It’s still controversial however you look at it because it’s a gun but yep, the fact that a black man got the tattoo will have the journalists at the Mail/Sun drooling.

Of course being black goes against him for some of the press, but It’s not just black men. Look at the shit Beckham got when he was sent off for England. And Gazza with his mates in the dentist’s chair before Euro 96. The press are absolute ****s of the highest nature for doing this and I can’t ever see it changing. We all know they couldn’t give a flying fuck how well we do and if there’s a sniff of a story that will ruin our morale then they’ll be on it.

Perhaps he doesn't care about the backlash, having spent his entire adult life dealing with that gutter press criticising him for literally everything he does.

If you're across this story and aware of the tabloids' constant disgusting treatment of him and other young, successful black men, and the line of argument you want to take is still 'he should have known this would happen', you are part of the problem. You probably don't even think you are, but you absolutely are. Your argument is the "she shouldn't have been wearing a short skirt" of football.

I hope Sterling gets a late consolation in our 2-1 defeat in the last 16 and celebrates by doing the Batistuta machine gun celebration at the press box.

 

[bomberH]

Perhaps he doesn't care about the backlash, having spent his entire adult life dealing with that gutter press criticising him for literally everything he does.

If you're across this story and aware of the tabloids' constant disgusting treatment of him and other young, successful black men, and the line of argument you want to take is still 'he should have known this would happen', you are part of the problem. You probably don't even think you are, but you absolutely are. Your argument is the "she shouldn't have been wearing a short skirt" of football.

I hope Sterling gets a late consolation in our 2-1 defeat in the last 16 and celebrates by doing the Batistuta machine gun celebration at the press box.

Utter ballsacks this is the ‘short skirt of football’ argument and you’re trivialising rape by saying that. You can only compare the two if Sterling got shot and the argument was ‘well he shouldn’t have had a gun tattoo should he’.

For the trillionth time, a gun tattoo will always cause controversy. Having it done just before the World Cup is going to bring it to everyone’s attention. Yes he maybe doesn’t care and shouldn’t care what anyone thinks but that doesn’t change anything. My guess is that he knew exactly what he was doing and thought ‘fuck you all, I’m having it’. Now that’s fine and entirely up to him but it doesn’t change the fact it will cause outrage because it’s a gun. He could’ve waited until after the tournament or randomly mid season but he chose to do it when the nation is focussing on him. It wouldn’t be an issue if it was a dolphin, but it’s a gun. I personally couldn’t give a fuck what he does with his body, I just find the reasoning behind this particular tattoo weird.

I don’t blame him for getting the tattoo, I think he’s brought this fuss upon himself with regards to the timing and nature of the tattoo. The fuss is wrong and the fuss is boring but the fuss is expected and obvious.

So knowing what you know about the press and knowing they would be on this like a fly around shit, tell me what should happen/should’ve happened. It’s all fine and good to say ‘the press shouldn’t even be reporting it’ but it’s happened hasn’t it. So what now? I don’t buy papers, I try never to click on a Mail link, I admire Sterling, I don’t believe footballers should be role models in particular, but apparently I’m part of the problem because I believe he knew it would cause a fuss...

 

[bomberH]

Fair points to a degree, but if you look at that thread that @Shadydan posted Sterling gets targeted whatever he does so he should be free to live his life. He is not committing a crime and if he thinks that having a tattoo gives him some sort of cathartic therapy to his father's death then he is free to do so. I have not lost a parent to gun crime so it's not for me to judge or criticise how people deal that.

People who are genuinely offended by a footballer's tattoo need to get a grip. They can be offended, fine nothing happens. They don't get offended and then wake up with cancer (to shamelessly modify a famous line from a comedian). The Sun, Morgan, white middle classes can feign outrage and state that 'What Sterling is doing is outrageous, it is glamourizing violence, it is reducing the tragic death of his own father and millions of others to ink and needles". Ok, well if they think tattoos have that much effect, what world do they live in? What are they doing to support victims of, or reduce gun or knife violence other than supporting the very political parties that cut local services, allow draconian prison sentences and preside over failing education systems that give rise to poverty, despair and violence.

Was Sterling thinking anything like that when he got the tattoo? Probably not, he just wanted it. And he's free to get it. Virtually all tattoos look bad in my opinion but I wouldn't make a judgement on whether people should get tattoos or feign moral outrage to mask what is clear racism.

The Beckham and Gazza examples do not stack up. Beckham did something stupid and got rightly (arguably) sent off and this made it harder for us to beat Argentina. Gazza et al went out and got drunk before a big tournament. Neither are hanging offences and the coverage was overblown but they both did something wrong/stupid. I don't see what Sterling has done wrong other than (in my opinion) having bad taste.

I’m not quite sure what we’re arguing about, I agree with pretty much everything in this post (bar the Gazza/Beckham bit).

Yep, Sterling hasn’t done anything wrong as such, but it is controversial whether we like it or not so it will cause public debate. And yeah, everything else you say I agree with.

 

[TheHoddleWaddle]

Come on @bomber you're really gunning for the lad.

 

[ernest_lowrider]

I'm not English and i understand *western* culture might be different regarding some, let's say, society issues, but as for me - your press is doing everything they can to make sure England is shit in WC. They should support the team, instead of making jokes on Harry and now questioning Sterling's fucking tattoo.
Let's have some common sense here.

 

[Coyboy]

I’m not quite sure what we’re arguing about, I agree with pretty much everything in this post (bar the Gazza/Beckham bit).

Yep, Sterling hasn’t done anything wrong as such, but it is controversial whether we like it or not so it will cause public debate. And yeah, everything else you say I agree with.

I think it's the level or the existence of media hype it has generated (in the context of the previous harassment Sterling gets) that I take issue with. If the thinks that, having been may be born in a rough area of Jamaica where gun crime is rampant and then grown up in a poor area of London, having this tattoo helps him or gives a message to his kids or whoever that he does his shooting with his feet then fair enough. It's not my cup of tea but he should be free to do that without essentially being blamed for a violent culture.