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The double side of an unique ultras passion

Far away from theories and declaration that put football players distant from the ultras world, politics alignments, and social life inside a curva, there are examples that stretch towards the opposite direction, marrying reasons and beliefs of true ultras groups. Celebrations completely dedicated to us, ultras, symbols or sentences tattooed forever on the skin to honor the true show of football, or also proper away days head to head with historical figures in our world. Below you’ll find examples of men that dedicated part of their lives to an ideology, supporting the ultras mentality, which is too often countered from everywhere in this new and too elegant modern football.

DANIELE DE ROSSI, ROMA

A love story that lasted until last season on the pitch, the one between Daniele De Rossi and his beloved Roma. Second ever player with most apps at the club, only behind Francesco Totti, the defensive midfielder managed to stay closer to the organised tifo of Curva Sud through his whole career. Don’t get us wrong, Totti is considered by every fan as a God come down to Earth, earning nicknames such as “The Eight King of Rome”; however De Rossi, maybe because the media attention was more focussed on his historical team mate, always represented the romantic and decadent Rome that all the Italians know. In his final day with the shirt of AS Roma, just before signing with Boca Juniors towards the end of a beautiful career, his last tour of honor on the pitch was emblematic, saluting all the fans. If on one side he was “obliged” to a ceremony created “ad hoc” for him and for the media, the moments close to his ultras were much more influential. A long private speech between him and some of the historical exponents of the Curva Sud was recorded with cameras by the media, but De Rossi disappeared in a long hug inside his real fans, in particular inside the group of Fedayn, confirming bonds that already existed. An initiative created by AS Roma during the last season highlighted all of that, with De Rossi as masked actor inside the Curva Sud for a home Serie A game. The legend of the Giallorossi would then say that he already did the experience by himself, uncovered, with a beer and a sandwich on his hands.

MARCUS ROSENBERG, MALMO

In a very modern ultras scene such as the Scandinavia none, and in particular in Sweden, ultras groups now have the chance to interact head to head with the club board, and obviously with many of the most in fluent players at the club. Marcus Rosenberg is a striker that can vaunt himself with a decent career in European football, but mainly because of his 285 appearances and 110 goals with the shirt of his home club of Malmo FF. Used to clubs close to the European cups level, and always called up in the national team, many fans believe that he could have searched for more experience before going back to Sweden in 2014, but this choice made him a legend for Di Blåe. Day by day he managed to frequent more and more the ambient of the organised tifo, and now he earned a memorable choreo all dedicated to himself, just before the last match of his career, against Dinamo Kyev in this season’s Europa League. The result? Last minute goal scored by Rosenberg, 4-3 win and Malmo through to the next round after one of the most emotional European matches in these last years. Do you still really think that this is “just a game”?

ALEXY BOSETTI, OGC NICE-INTER

One of the most interesting figures for this article could be Alexy Bosetti, French striker born in 1993, right now playing in the USA second division. Until 2017 he’s been an OGC Nice player, his favorite club, despite some loans around Europe, as said by him in loads of interviews. Even though his early career was very promising (he won the U20 World Cup in a squad that included players such as Pogba, Umtiti or Thauvin), during these years Bosetti always finished on a different side of the newspaper and medias, more for this behaviors and lifestyle outside the pitch. Declared ultras, there are plenty of pictures of him leading other fans on the Brigade Sud Nice (he also has a tattoo of the group on his arm, which used to show at every goal celebration with the red and black shirt). There are also pictures and news about him on Curva Nord at Inter, with the Boys SAN; biggest group of the curva since their foundation, they have always been very convinced about controversial politics and social ideas, and they’re friends with groups from OGC Nice and Valencia. Asked this questions, the striker clearly declared to often frequenting both groups since he was a little boy, without intention of quitting! His ultras lifestyle surely didn’t help his professional career, but he earned a lot of respect and honor in our world, with a big courage to choose the difficult path, always very discussed by everyone.

PAOLO DI CANIO, LAZIO

One of the most gifted players in recent Italian football history, yet one of the most controversial and discussed profiles. Let’s be honest, Paolo Di Canio, maybe for his turbulent past, maybe for his famous tough snout, could easily be associated to the ultras world! In both Italy and Great Britain, in his divided carreer, his strong politic identity always spoke for himself, all confirmed by loads of pictures of him with fascist tatoos, or celebrating with the Roman salute, raising his right hand like in time of Nazism or Fascism. Borned in Roma and with more than 100 apps with the Aquile Biancocelesti, Di Canio obviously always declared to be a Lazio supporter. Because those scandalmongering reasons which saw him close to the far right Italian politic, the stiker has always been vague in these themes during many interviews; however, pictures of him close to big figures in the historical Lazio ultras movement, in particular some Irriducibili leaders, are the confirmation we’ve been searching for. Apparently a lover of away games, Di Canio tried his best to manage his double commitment of football player and ultras, especially at the start of his carreer.

DAME N’DOYE, COPENHAGEN

What else could an ultras desire, if not one of the most influent player in the modern history of his club with a specific tattoo of his tifo group? This is exactly the case of Dame N’Doye, 35 years old striker of FC Copenhagen, borned in Senegal and with experiences in eight different leagues. Right now at his second spell in Copenhagen, with more than 100 goals scored for the Løverne, 4 Danish league titles and 2 DBU Pokals, N’Doye indissolubly bonded his carreer to FCK. The glory won on the pitch though, wasn’t immediate: arrived in Denmark in 2009 after big experiences in Greece, the Senegalese appeared suffering for this big change, despite the high expectations of the fans. Only the continue support managed to unlock his full potential, and the warmness of Sektion 12 is still relevant nowadays, with the striker close to his retirement days. To repay the fans, in 2011 N’Doye started to go round in the surroundings of FCK’s hot tifo, in particular with the biggest group, still nowadays, Urban Crew. It was like this that with a common deal, N’Doye bring since then the logo of the glorious group, a bald man, on his left arm, often kissed by him while celebrating under the Sektion 12 in Parken.

JORDAN HENDERSON, SUNDERLAND

Jordan Henderson, born in Sunderland in 1990, bonded part of his professional carreer to his local club, the Black Cats of Northern England. One of the most influent and talented midfielder in the european football scene, also current winner as a captain of the UEFA Champions League with Liverpool, had a glorious past inside Sunderland fanscene. Even though England can’t really vaunt an ultras movement nowadays, and with the hooligans golden times already passed since decades, in his early life Jordan Henderson often declared to still having strict contacts with historical supporter of the Championship club; these bonds brought him to assist to many games in the lower popoular sectors in the Stadium of Lights, both in his Sunderland and Liverpool times, being disqualified or injured, and with special permissions from the club.

 

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Fan organisations from across Europe call for involvement in the future of Football!

Since a few weeks football is slowly coming back, but sadly most of the matches are now played behind closed doors. If there is one thing that this whole crisis taught us is that football without its fans is absolutely worth nothing. Maybe the saddest thing we’ve seen is the urge of some broadcasters, for example in Germany and Spain who try to recreate fan atmosphere with recorded crowd sound and other forms of artificial support. Fans are hard to replace by these kind of fake things. All this led to discussions inside the European fan scene: leading to a joint statement published by Fans Europe (an independent, democratic, non-profit association of football fans). Read the full statement down below:

The recent return of football behind closed doors has demonstrated that fans are the lifeblood of the game. Their presence in the stands has been sorely missed, and the spectacle we are accustomed to has been absent without them. It is therefore more important now than ever for supporters to be included in discussions that will determine the immediate and long-term future of the game.

These discussions should revolve around three core pillars.

First, the safe return of spectators. The impact of the virus is not evenly distributed—different countries have understandably adopted different measures at different times. Still, the health of players, staff, fans, and the general public must always come first. This means minimising the risk of the virus spreading in all settings. UEFA, national leagues, and football associations have acted in line with this principle, but it must remain our foremost concern. To this end, the return of spectators to stadia must be accompanied by a meaningful consultation with fans’ representatives at every level of the game on health safety protocols and other operational measures.

Second, a recognition that the contribution made by fans is irreplaceable. As such, we have significant concerns regarding attempts by broadcasters to replace or imitate the unique atmosphere produced by fans. Augmented reality technology, pre-recorded chants, and other forms of artificial support represent a rebuke to match-going fans. Empty stadia are a direct consequence of a public health crisis that has impacted every single one of us and the absence of fans cannot be compensated for by a computer simulation aimed at the amusement of television audiences.

Third, multi-stakeholder dialogue on the future of football. The coronavirus crisis has yet again shown that the current model of football is flawed, unfair, and unsustainable. Football needs to change dramatically. And it needs to change for the better. Any reform process must include fan representatives, on a local, national, and European level. Fans must be engaged and involved in decisions that relate to the wider future of the game, including the necessary overhaul of governance structures and financial regulations.

There can be no “return to normal.” Lasting change is needed to make the game sustainable from top to bottom, and fans stand ready to play a part in shaping that change.

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Signed By:

Football Supporters Europe (FSE)

Belgian Supporters – Belgium

Danske Fodbold Fans (DFF) – Denmark

Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) – England

Suomen Maajoukkueen Kannattajat (SMJK) – Finland

Association Nationale des Supporters (ANS) – France

Irrésistibles Français (IF) – France

Bundesbehindertenfanarbeitsgemeinschaft (BBAG) – Germany

Bündnis Aktiver Fußballfans (BAFF) – Germany

Netzwerk Frauen im Fußball (F_IN) – Germany

ProFans – Germany

Queer Football Fanclubs (QFF) – Germany

Unsere Kurve (UK) – Germany

Supporterscollectief Nederland – Netherlands

Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters’ Clubs (AONISC) – Northern Ireland

Norsk Supporterallianse (NSA) – Norway

Associação Portuguesa de Defesa do Adepto (APDA) – Portugal

Confederation of Republic of Ireland Supporters Clubs (CRISC) – Republic of Ireland

Irish Supporters Network (ISN) – Republic of Ireland

You Boys in Green (YBIG) – Republic of Ireland

Association of Tartan Army Clubs (ATAC) – Scotland

Supporters Direct Scotland – Scotland

Federación de Accionistas y Socios del Fútbol Español (FASFE) – Spain

Svenska Fotbollssupporterunionen (SFSU) – Sweden

Taraftar Hakları Dayanışma Derneği (Taraf-Der) – Turkey

Taraftar Hakları Derneği (THD) – Turkey

FSA Cymru – Wales

 

Source: Fanseurope.org

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Football without fans is nothing!

Previously we published joint statements by the German fan scene and the Austrian fan scene. But today a statement came out signed by 90+ groups across Europe, pointing out perfectly the current situation and what needs to change in nowadays football “Industry”. The statement is mostly signed by groups in Italy, but also by groups from Germany, Belgium, France, Spain, Bosnia, Portugal, Austria and Romania!

Here’s the complete statement;

Europe is under the attack of Coronavirus.
Governments declared various total lockdown to preserve the most precious thing we own: personal health, first target for everyone.
For this reason we think it’s more than right to think about a general stop of the whole European football scene.

The ones that handle this topic instead, only had one thing in mind: RESTART.
We are firmly sure that on the pitch you would only find economical interests, a confirmation that we can also find in the fact that the restart would be behind closed doors, without the beating heart of this “sport of the people”: THE TIFOSI.

For us is more than legit to think that money supremacy climbed once again on top of the value of human life.

For these reasons we firmly ask to all the organs in this matters to keep still all the football fixtures, until stadiums could once again be full as usual, without hurting collective health.

If the whole football system finds itself in such difficulties, all the fault has to be because of the management in the last decades. A bad management which we always pointed our fingers at, as it was the only way to preserve and protect the most beautiful sport in the world.

Nowadays football is considered as an “industry” more than a sport; where pay-tv keep in check all the clubs, dealing with their tv rights, allowing clubs themselved to pay exagerrated salaries to players, also giving the opportunity of making money to “shark” managers, with the only target to get a full wallet. A system based exclusively on business and personal interests, which unless it will be changed quickly, will bring us to an only possible ending: DEATH OF FOOTBALL ITSELF.

We also wanna make clear that if us ultras wanted to make any money out of our passion, as we saw written and speaked by some medias in these days, we would also rush for leagues restart, unless fighting for the opposite, going against all the football system and everyone involved.

All of this has to change.
We are ready to face who’s in charge of this in order to bring football back to more glorious days, and coming back to live this great passion by bringing football back to be the “SPORT OF THE PEOPLE”

 

Check out an overview of the groups who signed the statement;

 

 

Via Sostieni La Curva

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“Ghost matches are not a solution!”

While the Dutch and the French FA have decided to end the current season, the 2019/2020 Bundesliga season is set to continue at the end of this month according the plans of the DFB. Matches will be played behind closed doors, known as “Geisterspiele” (ghost games) in German. Numerous fan and ultra groups have already spoken out against the resumption of football in the current situation, with individual statements and by displaying banners across their cities.

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Just like the fan scene in Austria, Germany’s fan scene joined forces and published a joint statement last week. But the Germans mention a deeper problem in nowadays football.

The question when and in what form professional football should continue has been the subject of many discussions in the past few weeks. In this still partly confusing social situation, a variety of ethical, epidemiological and other arguments were put forward by various people.

In the following, we would like to comment on the topic as a nationwide association of fan scenes and with a view to the DFL general assembly:

The resumption of football, also in the form of ghost games, is not justifiable in the current situation – especially not under the guise of social responsibility. An early continuation of the season would be a mockery of the rest of society and especially those who are really committed to serving the corona crisis. Professional football has long been sick enough and should remain in quarantine.

Football is of great importance in Germany, but it is certainly not systemically important. Restrictions that apply to comparable areas of the sports and entertainment industry must also apply in football. At a time when we are all accepting very massive restrictions on our fundamental rights in the interests of the common good, it is out of the question for the Bundesliga to play. If a lack of capacity in CoVid 19 tests has been reported for weeks, the idea of ​​screening football players for the virus at extremely high frequencies is simply absurd. Not to mention the practice of a football match with physical contact. 

The talk of social responsibility and plans for exclusive test contingents (over 20,000 pieces) for professional football do not go together. We understand that club officials have legal obligations to act in the financial interests of their club. However, in a situation in which the entire society and economy face enormous challenges, it is incomprehensible to us that apparently all concerns are put aside when it comes to keeping the game going as long as possible or starting again.

Obviously, professional football has much deeper problems. A system into which sums of money beyond the imagination of many people have flowed in recent years is on the verge of collapse. The preservation of the structures is completely dependent on the flow of television funds, the clubs only exist in a total dependence on the rights holders.

The question of why, despite all the millions, there seems to be no sustainability in professional football, how the structures and clubs can be made more robust and crisis-proof in the future, has at least not been asked by any official. The only communicated goal is to get on with it as quickly as possible, which, however, only guarantees a manageable number of participants with outstanding income. In most cases, we simply regard the talk of tens of thousands of jobs as an excuse to continue securing exorbitant millions of earnings for a few extreme profiteers. This can also be seen in the absolute inactivity of the DFB, with regard to football below the 2nd Bundesliga. The fact that ghost games have much more serious consequences here than in the DFL leagues is ignored. The main thing is that the “premium product” can continue to exist. Here, the DFB not only does not fulfill its role, it also repeatedly shows whose interests it represents.

“Obviously, professional football has much deeper problems. A system into which sums of money beyond the imagination of many people have flowed in recent years is on the verge of collapse. The preservation of the structure is completely dependent on the flow of television funds, the clubs only exist in a total dependence on the rights holders.”

For years, fans have been demanding reforms for a fairer distribution of TV revenues and criticized the lack of solidarity between large and small clubs. We point out financial excesses, insufficient reserves and the sometimes blackmailing role of player advisors. We have repeatedly demonstrated the risk of dependence on individual large donors using examples such as 1860 Munich, Carl Zeiss Jena and others.

At the latest, it is high time that football officials seriously deal with these points. The current challenge is also an opportunity: associations should understand this crisis as such and fundamentally change the structures of modern football. It’s about time!

In this context we demand:

-The current DFL plan to resume the season in May in the form of ghost games must not be implemented. We do not presume to decide when the ball can roll again. However, in a situation in which football would so decouple from the rest of society, it must not happen.

-A factual examination of the current situation must be accelerated and a move away from the blind saving of TV money must be made. A possible termination of the season should not be a taboo, unless the social circumstances allow it otherwise. In this case, not only should horror scenarios in the form of impending bankruptcies be outlined, but solutions in the form of promotional loans, extended insolvency periods and other crisis instruments that the rest of the economy is facing should also be discussed.

-A future solution must be based on solidarity. There must be no crisis winners and losers among the clubs. The gap between “large” and “small” must not widen further. We expressly include the clubs of the third division and the regional leagues for which ghost games are not an option anyway.

-The discussion of fundamental reforms to make professional football more sustainable and economically crisis-proof must start now. It must not only be run by fans and journalists, but is the central task of those responsible for the clubs and associations. Structures and associations must be brought back on a financially and ideally secure basis. The 50 + 1 rule must remain unaffected.

The phase of a football world completely decoupled from the rest of society must come to an end!

Germany’s fan scenes, April 2020

Via: faszination-fankurve.de

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Joint statement on ‘Ghost Matches’ by the Austrian fan scene

The Austrian FA is planning to restart the Bundesliga behind closed doors due the current Corona outbreak. Today several ultra/fan groups in Austria came out with a joint statement about the so called upcoming ‘Ghost Matches’.

Read the full statement below:

Unfortunately, we are currently unable to live out our love of sport and our clubs in the stadium. None of us like that, but we have to go through this together temporarily. We are fully aware of the current exceptional situation – both socially and from a football perspective. However, we are not so sure about this when it comes to decision-makers in Austrian football. One thing is beyond question: the economic situation of many clubs is tense; The majority of the professional clubs are reportedly insolvent from September at the latest. In addition, UEFA is exerting great pressure on the national leagues and the TV partners are also very interested in the continuation of advertising campaigns. And also a lot of football fans, who usually go to their club’s home games,

These circumstances mean that the decision-makers take the holding of ghost games as a matter of course and without any discussion. Football should therefore only take place indefinitely (in the worst case far beyond the summer) only when the public is excluded. This option is argued by the officials with fairness and the idea of ​​competition. The conclusion of the Bundesliga and thus the allocation of the European Cup seats should therefore be pursued by sport. However, this fairness does not seem to apply to the clubs below the Bundesliga, which are vitally important promotions and relegations – a very clear pretext. The truth is contracts that contain money – lots of money.

A paradigm shift is currently continuing through the back door “Covid-19”, which began in England in the 1990s: football no longer takes place in the stadium for fans, but for television. As a billion-dollar money machine and playground for some empires that can only survive if it is kept running. “No standstill at any cost” currently seems to be the general formula. The grandstand visitor, the fan, is now only the surface for TV broadcasts. The emotions are supposed to sell the product better, but in no way disturb the transmission and the show. Decisions made by video referees, for example, only have to be understood by the audience in front of the television – no consideration is given to the emotions in the stadium.

The public’s great interest is cited as a further argument for continuing the league with ghost games, as it is just now necessary that “an important piece of normalcy returns for people”. Just stupid that the cat literally bites its tail in this context, at least in Austria. Blinded by the money, the TV rights of the league are known to have been moved to pay TV. Again, nothing with mass phenomenon and social responsibility. The subscription numbers of the rights holder will at least let the cash register ring there. We congratulate.

Professional football has engaged in an unholy alliance of windy investors, TV marketing and dubious player advisors in recent decades. Even corruption at the highest association level became normal. In Qatar, people are constantly dying for a World Cup that not a single football fan wants there. From a moral point of view, there is hardly any room left for the football business globally.

At the national level, too, the current approach is a fatal signal that is being sent to society. Many areas of public life are still severely restricted, while a lot of energy is invested in training and ghost games by Bundesliga clubs. Even though it is currently said on every corner that none of this has any impact on other areas of life (keyword: PCR tests), the fact remains that all other team and ball sports have ceased their championship operations and canceled their competitions.

“As a billion-dollar money machine and playground for some empires that can only survive if it is kept running. “No standstill at any cost” currently seems to be the general formula.”

With this special status that cannot be disputed away, professional football is increasingly saying goodbye to its base. Football is more than ever a popular mass phenomenon worldwide. It embodies exactly this symbiosis between players, coaches and fans, which can spark an energy like in no other sport. Even a number of players and coaches have now critically remarked that ghost games would develop “maximum test character” for them – in the awareness of this peculiarity of football. We can only underline that. Nevertheless, the round leather should roll on under sometimes insane conditions. Players should not run into the stadium together, but “fight” against each other on the field or wear masks during the game. These are just two examples of absurd ideas that are currently haunting around.

Another important aspect comes into play in this discussion: Football must be affordable for all social classes. The fan scenes of the individual football clubs have been vehemently campaigning for moderate ticket prices for years. And this is especially true in the current time when hundreds of thousands suffer from short-time work and unemployment. Due to the current situation, we have to temporarily adjust our request: The league, the clubs and all decision-makers have to ensure that for the time of this exceptional situation, every fan can watch all games without an additional subscription contract with a TV station. This service must be free of charge for current season ticket holders! The process is to be carried out by those who benefit from the fact that football was hidden behind the payment barrier, namely the league,

The Bundesliga and the ÖFB must now work together with the government on concepts for how football can be played in front of stadium spectators as soon as possible in accordance with health and legal requirements. Everything else is just a helpless attempt to keep an already sick system alive so that the football business can continue for a few. Especially for teams that are not currently playing in the professional field, ghost games are not even a sensible alternative even temporarily. In the third, fourth or fifth league, games without fans make no economic sense.

And as far as ideas from cardboard figures, fan apps or other pipe cracks in ghost games are concerned, we have only one answer: Anyone who wants ghost games should also be presented as the bare truth. Anything else would not be authentic and should therefore be strictly rejected!

It is high time to think about the general development of football. Now is the right time to take appropriate measures to make yourself less dependent on sponsors and TV stations. Perhaps this difficult situation is the chance to return to a healthier path. Football must become more independent again and say goodbye to this obviously broken business model. It is time to focus on those who are the backbone of football – the fans. Our support is certain for the people involved in this project.

Altacher Jungs – Block West – Fanszene Austria Klagenfurt – Fanszene Ried –Fanszene Vorwärts Steyr – Friends of the Friedhofstribüne – Gate 2 Admira –
Kollektiv 1909 – Landstrassler – Nordtribüne Lustenau – Stahlstadt Kollektiv – Tivoli Nord – Union ’99 Ultrà Salzburg – Vienna Supporters – Wolf Brigade 04 St. Pölten

Source: 90minuten.at

 

 

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