Protest walk-off plays into hands of racist fans
FOR ONCE, Fifa boss Sepp Blatter has got it right. But then, it wasn’t a hard one.
‘‘No, I don’t sink ziss is zee solution,’’ he said of Kevin-Prince Boateng’s proposal to walk off the field every time he receives racist abuse from the yobs in the stands.
As you recall, Milan were playing lowly Pro Patria in a friendly when Prince got the ball. Cue the usual monkey noises from the chumps in the crowd. Prince picked up the ball, wellied it toward the Neanderthals, and marched from the field to a worldwide chorus of ‘‘well done’’.
His actions certainly brought to a head an issue which, despite years of blather from Blatter, is still nowhere near sorted. But Prince’s claim, supported by Milan’s president, that they’ll do the same again – whether the match is a preseason friendly or a Champions League final – is self-defeating. Dim-witted though the racists are, they’ve already figured out that the way to beat Milan would be to chuck a banana on the field or burst into a chorus of monkey chants. Their team wins by default when Milan walk off the field.
So although Blatter is right, the Pro Patria chairman, Roberto Centenaro, is wrong when he says beating the racists is difficult. ‘‘You cannot change the mentality of people who have come to the stadium for 30 years and have these ideas,’’ he said. ‘‘Clearly we must start with the young.’’
Or you could start with whoever misbehaves, whatever their age. The guys sitting at the TV monitors watch the crowd. When they see an idiot misbehave, they get on their walkie talkie. ‘‘Bouncers to the south stand. I have a gentleman with a blue scarf impersonating a greyfooted baboon. Immediate ejection.’’
The offender is then taken to a room where his details are taken, as is his right to ever again set foot in a football ground. For good measure he could also be given a hiding by the police.
One by one the racists are either removed from football or taught to keep their moronic thoughts to themselves. The effect on the mentality of the fans might be quicker than Mr Centenaro
thinks.
I see now where I went wrong. There was me foolishly thinking that all along, the Phoenix were trying to win the A-League. I started to wonder, though, when the satisfaction emanating from Wellington every time they finished mid-table suggested that the goal wasn’t to win the league, but just to make the playoffs.
Now it’s been clarified beyond all doubt by Ricki Herbert.
‘‘We want to have a team in Wellington that can win the A-League – that’s very, very clear,’’ Herbert said last week. ‘‘To do that we’re supporting that with a better footballing side that gives us a chance of achieving that. The requirements are completely different – physically, technically and right across the board.’’
Translation: ‘‘Oh, we’re trying to win the league? You should have said so earlier! Now I’ll have to start again.’’
So now coach Herbert starts the massive job of rebuilding his players physically, technically and right across the board, or getting in players who have the required requirements. We’re told this will take 3-5 years.
Well then, there’s no time to waste. Herbert will have to get ruthless with his squad. Out with all the over-30s. Paul Ifill, Stein Huysegems, Tony Lochhead, Leo Bertos, Ben Sigmund, Andrew Durante, Mark Paston. All gone. Midfielders Vince Lia, Alex Smith and Dani Sanchez? All over 27. Out. Goalie Glen Moss? At 29, young for a keeper. In. Ben Totori? 26. In. Manny Muscat? 28, but too good to lose. In.
Then he’s got to make sure the younger players he’s hanging on to, or bringing in, will be physically and technically good enough to deliver the A-League title in five years. Jeremy Brockie? Yes, but holding onto the A-League’s top striker could be difficult. Michael Boxhall, Louis Fenton, Tyler Boyd, Cameron Lindsay and Ian Hogg? Potentially yes, but it’s a long road from potential to the finished product.
Then on to the backroom staff. The coach isn’t there to make friends, and must ask himself: ‘‘Is it jobs for the boys, or is my only loyalty to the club?’’ If his assistants are the very best he can find, then fine. If not, next!
It’s going to be an interesting three to five years.