World Cup qual. - To boo or not to boo?

Eurosport - Mon, 13 Oct 11:47:00 2008

Fabio Capello, Rio Ferdinand and even the FA have condemned the jeers that greeted Ashley Cole as England struggled against Kazakhstan at Wembley. But do the fans reserve the right to express their frustration?

FOOTBALL 2008 - Ashley Cole of England challenged by Sabyrkhan Ibrayev of Kazakhstan in a World Cup qualifier - 0

"I couldn't understand the crowd booing Ashley Cole after he made a mistake," a bemused Capello said afterwards. "It is possible for one player to make mistake. It is very important that the crowd help him and not boo him."

The English club game has a long tradition of fans booing their own players. There is a sense that our loyalty ought to be backed up by their exertions and sometimes success; that anything less than the proverbial 110 per cent is simply unacceptable.

On the face of it, such a stance seems honourable: after all, aren't these men paid handsomely to do what many of us fork out hundreds of pounds a year to enjoy every weekend? Isn't it the duty of the man in the stands to remind the cosseted, lucky few that they should be grateful to be out there?

"People have obviously paid their money and have every right to express their opinion," Football Supporters' Federation international co-ordinator Kevin Miles reflected.

The FA is often criticised for being out of touch with the needs of the supporters, not to mention clubs and pretty much everyone with a vested interest in the game. So what did they have to say on the subject?

"It is crazy that a section of our own supporters are booing one of our own players," read a spokesman. "That is clearly not going to help the team during the course of a game, and certainly not the individual being booed. Unfortunately, we are all aware that we have had problems of this kind since we have come back to the new Wembley."

Cole, like Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard, seems to be someone who inspires ire in the fans of opposing clubs - and that sometimes boils over into the international arena.

If we put personal feelings aside, the debate comes down to balancing the good of the team against the wish to vent our collective spleen. Do we sit back - having paid over £50 for a ticket with the desire of seeing England win, and entertain - and watch numbly, or with good grace, as they struggle to overcome a nation ranked between Hong Kong and Singapore by FIFA? Or do we get our 'money's worth' and give 'em a piece of our mind?

The FA spokesman had this to say on the benefits of supporting the player: "Several players have said they were encouraged to see large numbers in the crowd applauding Ashley Cole to counter-balance those booing him. It is unfair on all the fans who have come to the game with the best intentions of supporting the team throughout."

And Miles: "There are two sides to it: I personally believe once the team have gone out there and are playing, fans should do what they can to try to improve or support what they are trying to do. I can't imagine a situation in which a player being booed every time he touches the ball is going to feel lifted by the experience. Clearly Ashley Cole made a mistake for their goal, but he's still got to carry on playing the rest of the game and we wanted to move forward from that rather than compound it."

There are copious incidents of this kind at club level: recently Emmanuel Adebayor was slammed by his own fans at Arsenal for what they perceived as a desperate bid during the summer to leave for a major club elsewhere in Europe.

It is important to make a distinction here between such a situation and that which occurs in the international fold. At the clubs the fans can rightly point to the fact that they help pay inflated wages through gate receipts and merchandise; when it comes to England, however, those players are playing exclusively for the honour of being selected to represent their country.

They are 'lucky', the so-called boo-boys may say, to be wearing the famous Three Lions shirt. But, as people who cannot hide their uglier emotions for 90 minutes as a fan, would they themselves put up with the abuse raining down - or would they react in the same way and give some back? It is very rare to see a player, whatever the circumstances, stooping to that level.

It is quite clear that booing does not help. What is needed is a level of understanding between player and fan, of acceptance that they are trying their best to give us what we want. Chris Iwelumo, having missed a sitter playing for Scotland against Norway - in a game that finished goalless - shed some light on the matter from the other side.

"After the miss, I couldn't believe the reaction from the fans and that just shows you what they are all about," he said. "The Ashley Cole situation is one that I can't really comprehend. If England have fans doing that, it makes no sense to me. They won 5-1 last night... they are a bunch of fantastic players and Ashley Cole is world class.

"If people are judging him on what they read in the papers, that's wrong."

The key is positive support, not restrained silence: it breeds confidence; it gives rise to a mutually beneficial relationship between those on the pitch and those watching; and it leaves the fan with a sense that they have done their bit, if nothing else.

Many football fans are like this: however they tend to be either those with little track record of success - no disrespect intended to Scotland - or those in the midst of a successful run.

As with Ferdinand before him, Adebayor has learned that all you have to do to keep irate, suspicious followers off your back is to play well. Had Cole not made a mistake, he would not have been vilified: but it is that culture, bred by over-zealous newspaper reporting hinted at by Iwelumo, that is the real culprit.

Jonathan Symcox / Eurosport

Comment 68 - 87 of 127

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  1. they booed bcoz a.cole was arrogant and no respect at all for kazakhstan players. only arrogant player do a mistake like that.

    From walksay, on Mon 13 Oct 2:09AM

  2. its pretty obvious that some of you have the brains of a turd
    its not about your crappy clubs its about our nation what do you do when a striker misses put your hands on your hollow head and look at the sky..
    o but when a defender or a keeper make a mess of things off you start with all your little mate and hanger on buddies thinking your some kind of smart arse
    you a NOT a real supporter of ENGLAND you are a simple @#$% who needs to boo because you have a sh-t
    job (because your stupid) and are jealous of successful players who yes do get paid to much
    but thats not the point
    what they get at a club means f-all
    THEY ARE PICKED TO PLAY FOR OUR NATION ... SO TRY HELPING AND NOT BEING SO CHILDISH
    AND IF YOU CANNOT DO THAT STAY AT HOME WITH YOUR MUMMY AND PLAY ON YOUR PLAY STATION

    From Russell P, on Mon 13 Oct 2:05AM

  3. A 5 - 1 victory and the so called fans are still booing...

    Even a half full class is empty for these obviously perfect fans...

    Can I suggest that these people of limited intelligence stop reading the Sun and the Mirror and form their own opinions. Can I also suggest that if these fans can not use their brains to understand how much pressure they are putting their team under then they simply avoid buying tickets. That would save everybody a lot of trouble if you think about it.

    They could actually give the money they save to a good cause and then they would be able to feel good about themselves so that they wouldn't have to vent their spleen all the time.

    England for the world cup. Never. Not until the fans actually support their team and stop reading gossip rags.

    From tri_mur, on Mon 13 Oct 1:59AM

  4. i think the whole england need a boos n that inclused capello, 1st half no goal no clear treat to the opposite golly. ya they won in the 2nd half by 5-1 but the fact is that the 1st 3 goals (and thats includes Kazakhstan's goal) is all defensive error. What is gerrard doing deep down the midfiield, he hardly get the ball, and the bigger question to me is what is heskey doing on the pitch?! england clearly lack of good striker but heskey is definitely not the answer. why not start with dafoe n why is Agbonlahor is still with u-21 team? he is too good to be there and he is clearly far better that heskey...! i dont know if ashley young injured or what but he deserve to be part of that game...
    Enough said!!

    From carlamms, on Mon 13 Oct 1:53AM

  5. If I remember correctly, David James, David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, Paul Robinson and i'm sure many more have made mistakes which directly or indirectly cost England games but where were their boos during the respective games?? They got booed and jeered, don't get me wrong but they got them at club level not during their England games so what's the difference???

    Cole is arrogant, over rated and in my opinion not a very nice person at all, But... If fans don't respesct him, don't like him etc etc then yes, boo him but do it at club level, nothing would impact him more than if he was booed everywhere he played by home and away support. Maybe that would shake his confidence so badly that he wouldn't get selected which would probably make a lot of people very happy! But when he plays for your Country, under your countries flag, he should not get booed, no player should. I'm not saying cheer and applaud them but don't Boo, it puts the entire team on edge and makes players nervous and wonder if they are next! Against a better team the booing could cost your team, if they are all playing like nervous recks upon hearing a team mate get booed by their own fans then a stronger, say even top 30 team would punish them.

    Mistakes happen in football, we see them week in week but when our club players make mistakes we get behind them cuz we don't want the mistakes to cost us results, England fans need to follow their country with as much passion as their clubs, then maybe your international players will reflect your passion in their play!!!

    Rep of Ireland to win the World Cup! (one day...maybe)

    From roisinconlon, on Mon 13 Oct 12:37AM

  6. 77. WTF is coffin dodger Terry Vegetables going to do for the England Team in a month of Sundays, take it to the pawn shop so he can buy his way to the WC qtr finals ?

    From art_tidesco, on Mon 13 Oct 12:05AM

  7. I honestly think the fans would boo anything (C)ashley did. The sheer arrogance of the man prompted the whole "respect" campaign this season. I pay hundreds of pounds to watch so called professionals, but he basically embarrassed every footballer with the way he treated a ref last season. The guy is an arse. However, I do believe one mistake in such a non-entity game as Saturdays does not deserve jeering. At least boo him for sheer big headedness (is that a word?) rather than one mistake for England. We should lift the national team (arses or not) and help them to victory.

    From Dave, on Mon 13 Oct 12:04AM

  8. Cashy is a @#$% he optimises all that is wrong in football remember football the sport of the people not any more it's not!! He (Ashley Cole) earns more in a week than most of the people booing him earn in a year!!! It must be irritating given the current uncertintys some football clubs are in danger of going bump because of his and his ilks obsecne wage demands and petulance and does not have the inteligence to know this the boos were wrong in my opinion but I can understand why!

    From mrhoppy22, on Sun 12 Oct 11:57PM

  9. look Ashley Cole cheated on Cheryl and gets paid £100,000 a week, kids are dying in Africa every second as we speak and people kick up more of a fuss over this idiot being booed by fans. Man lets face it the world is really @#$% up

    From Robert, on Sun 12 Oct 11:42PM

  10. TYPICAL ENGLISH SCUM THICK AS @#$%!!!

    From True_Blue, on Sun 12 Oct 11:40PM

  11. Why cant people boo if they want.
    These prima donnas getting their big fat pay cheques and leading pampered life styles are being paid by the ordinary punter off the street,who spends his hard earned cash to go watch these guys.
    And if they mess up then after paying your money,you are entitled to let them know exactly where they stand in your reckoning.
    If you wanna Booooo then do it.You`v paid your dues.

    From MICHAEL M, on Sun 12 Oct 11:30PM

  12. did we get to the euro finals no so why cant fans boo when a player is @#$%
    hes supose to be the best english player in that postion which is bull

    From mark c, on Sun 12 Oct 10:42PM

  13. you cannot compare any mistakes in one game to another, for starters, cole would not make that mistake cos he would not find himself in that position of play against a better team as better teams would not just lump the ball up there! they would try and play through. to say if he made that mistake against spain, brazil germany etc is rubbish as they dont play like kazac, and therfore he would not be in that position.

    From lee, on Sun 12 Oct 10:29PM

  14. Ashley Cole makes more mistakes for England than a blind man in an optician's. Why does he keep getting picked for England? Anybody else who made that many mistakes would have been sacked from their job!

    From Michael, on Sun 12 Oct 10:26PM

  15. the english need 2 learn from the scottish fans. while the scots were encouraging chris iwelumo after that 3metres blunder even though they were still goaless(they still played goaless at full time), the english were booing ashley cole even though they were winning 2-1(they still went on 2 win 5-1). is this the modern version of hooliganism in english football? enyinna in nigeria

    From onyeukwu, on Sun 12 Oct 10:24PM

  16. me too I got an invalid comment just now! It was a long comment now I have to write it all again!

    F**k EuroSport

    From Ripster, on Sun 12 Oct 10:16PM

  17. why do i keep getting invalid comment, its always the same on here.

    From Skittles, on Sun 12 Oct 10:00PM

  18. to me it didn't look like a mistake, more like smug laziness - that's why the fans booed him, and rightly so

    From paul, on Sun 12 Oct 9:55PM

  19. P1ss off sanjeev

    From Harry, on Sun 12 Oct 9:49PM

  20. Quote Jonathan g "(please see Gary Neville's pass back that James missed: bobble in the ground)" - I think you mean Robinson mate.

    Anyway back to the point. Ashley Cole IS a tit , I dont like him and I dont think he is half the player he was a few years ago, BUT, as long as we give our national team this kind of abuse, they are always going to be nervous, which will cause more mistakes. It was obviously an awfull mistake, but Rio needs to take half of the blame as he screamed at him to do it. Its the in thing to slag England off at the moment, and its beginning to get really old. The truth is though, at the moment we have a 100% record in the qualifiers (including the toughest away game), we have scored 11 goals in 3 games, conceded 2, and are winning even without good performances, and performing well against the better teams (which is what England have always done and what every other top International team does). Of all of the other top European teams, only Spain are in the same position as us at the moment - WHERE IS THE PROBLEM???????

    From davidman, on Sun 12 Oct 9:42PM
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