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 48 - 67 of 127

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  1. It may be "OK" to make a mistake in a game like this and conceed a goal. But make a similar mistake in a tournament against a quality side and, quite simply, England are elminated again for another 4 years of hurt. At this level, with players of this standard, mistakes like that, when not under pressure, simply should not happen.

    From Greystar, on Sun 12 Oct 9:33PM

  2. English fans think its an excuse that because the players get paid a lot that they should be boo'ed for making mistakes....feckin stupid

    From sanjeev_sanghera, on Sun 12 Oct 9:25PM

  3. dannysbac thats was feckin quality mate!!!

    I say we hang him and throw him aff a feckin bridge to see if he's a witch hahahaha.

    I think English fans have possibly got the lowest IQ levels since evolution began. Who feckin boo's their own players... what a shocker!!!No heling their team, their morale, their confidence or their limited ability.. thier no winning feck all!!

    From sanjeev_sanghera, on Sun 12 Oct 9:23PM

  4. for me...as long as Ashley Cole is a human being i understand he'll make a mistake...as a civilize human what we can do is forgive n forget when ppl make a mistake.Surely Ashley also never intended 2 make such mistake,,..

    From amy h, on Sun 12 Oct 9:15PM

  5. I agree wholly with doc_scrumpy in that England fans have every right to boo such a dumb play, although you will probably find that the whole of the England team is overpaid and probably overhyped.

    It comes under the right to free expression and speech. I also agree

    However, I cannot really see how England supporters can be called supporters when they boo, that's all they are doing is demoralising the guy and attcking his confidence. This obviously doesn't make much difference in agame against Kazakhstan, but in a game against top 10 opposition it could make the difference between going through to the next round or elimination, the choice is the England's suporters and whether they want to win another trophy or not!!

    From stephen.jefferies@..., on Sun 12 Oct 9:12PM

  6. TAY BOO OR NAT TAY BOO THON IS THE QUASTIAN. PERSONOLLY I WAD HAVE RON ANTAY THE PATCH AND FACKIIN SMOCKED THE WEE 2 TIMAN FACKER AN THE FACE. CAS SOMTAMES BOO JUST ISNT ENOUGH.

    From dannysbac, on Sun 12 Oct 8:59PM

  7. I think the booing rather reflects a feeling of discomfort and lack of confidence in the team. Fans still feel that England is as bad as it was in the last years and that going from 2-0 to 2-1 while playing bad was just another piece of history repeating itself. If England was playing good and Ashley did the mistake, they would have probably let it go. But already frustrated with the low show of the team, with one goal being a gift, the mistake came at a bad time and they let their feelings come out. I believe the booing will disappear if England manages to win more games including at home. But the sense of being-there-seen-that is overwhelming and people are tossed between believing in Cappello’s magic or thinking this is the same sh-i-t but different colour.

    From Half A Brain, on Sun 12 Oct 8:57PM

  8. i think the last time ashley cole looked like a class player he was with the arsenal. that's a long time of looking average at international level then. The only thing is who replaces him?

    From detrich, on Sun 12 Oct 8:49PM

  9. England fans have every right to boo such a dumb play, Cole is overpaid and overhyped.

    It comes under the right to free expression and speech, to say people are not entitled to that is facist.

    Brian L & Tobsoil must be nazis.

    From doc_scrumpy, on Sun 12 Oct 8:49PM

  10. Thank you Gary P for your comment. However, my main point was thatn it was a BASIC fOOTBALL MISTAKE THAT A PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLER MUST NOT MAKE, it can cost a goal - as it did and be the difference between winning silverware or not. THAT is the difference between people missing penalty kicks and doing something plainly stupid and then not admitting it was a mistake. Does Ashley Cole think that he will go down in our estimation, quite the reverse! Anyway he's not a politician - yet!

    From jonathan g, on Sun 12 Oct 8:47PM

  11. I am not a Cole fan but the "fans??" were out of order. A bad mistake yes, but not a player on that park that did not make a mistake. Fabio must be wondering what he has walked into with these fans. The fans should grow up a little, yes you have paid your money to voice an opinion but what is the point of negative support when we are trying to get a team together

    From Brian L, on Sun 12 Oct 8:44PM

  12. all i have to say is that english fans are the most RETARDED in the world!!never heard of another place or country where people boo there own team and players.its a digrace and am ashamed that i follow english football(premiership).England would never win anything with these useless fans.

    From loading2010, on Sun 12 Oct 8:41PM

  13. to jonathan g

    I am unsure how you aee getting David James mixed up for Paul Robinson???

    It was a mistake!! - Some may say your a bit of a muppet and getting completely the wrong name and player whilst slating someone for making a mistake is a bit silly. But you obviously made a mistake and thats okay, as we ALL make them.

    From , on Sun 12 Oct 8:37PM

  14. Overpaid is true. But it's got to be emphasized that the national squad is more of a duty than a job. You're booing a fellow countryman and not a footballer during these internationals. Support from the fans is vital to help them lift their spirits. If they're happy, they can win. If they win, England wins!

    From freddymirage, on Sun 12 Oct 8:36PM

  15. The cricket team that won the Ashes LOST the 1st match at Lords, badly and got roundly criticised for it! However, the got up and played the Aussies as if their lives depended on it and earned the respect of a large part of the English public. Why cannot our footballers, who are paid much more than cricketers play for their National team like their lives depended on it, as opposed to going through the motions. It is THAT attitude that gets up people's noses and eventually they boo very loud!!

    From jonathan g, on Sun 12 Oct 8:35PM

  16. if players and football in general wasnt so far removed from average people we might all understand the players a bit better and feel less inclined to boo but thats not the case really is it? like harry redknapp keeps pointing out british kids do a mass of other things instead of play football nowadays unlike previous generations and again is that not the same problem also? most of the kids have no hope of affording a ticket so cannot go to a game and have nothing in common with morally bankrupt and generally vapid footballers so why shouldnt they feel inclined to boo when a player that earns more a week than a council house is worth drops a clanger, if players want and expect to be paid and treated like gods then they should be prepared for the inevitable backlash.

    From KELLY I, on Sun 12 Oct 8:24PM

  17. 42 was absolutely brilliant in his summing up. Why can't we have this type of balanced view put across more often rather than the cheap jibes at supporters of the different PL teams who really turn up at internationals to find someone to goad. All the old players had a maximum wage but that made no difference to their performance and the encouragement of the fans. Mistakes are made in all walks of life. I also applaud the comments at 45 about where Rio indicated that Cole should put the ball. He did what his Captain asked. Whilst I take his point about overblown egos, booing of your national team does not help. No wonder the players seem happier playing away. Apart from the usual mindless few, the true fans will travel with the team and you will hear no discouragement if the reach the WC finals.

    From taff, on Sun 12 Oct 8:21PM

  18. Normally I think it wrong to boo Ashley Cole, but to do such a schoolboy howler by attempting a passback to a goalkeeper like James (please see Gary Neville's pass back that James missed: bobble in the ground) when EVERY defender is told "when in doubt boot it out" so that your defence can have the time to re-arrange itself to defend the resulting throw in or corner is inexcusable! What makes it worse is that Cole didn't even bother to apologise for his schoolboy error. He's supposed to be a PROFESSIONALLY paid footballer!! He isn't a very good defender as he obviously cannot pass a football with his RIGHT FOOT!!

    From jonathan g, on Sun 12 Oct 8:15PM

  19. Everyone makes mistakes - you would of thought England had been beaten 5-1 not won. It is about time the England fans got behind the team and support them and stopped booing them. True fans should stick behind their country through the good and through the bad times.

    From stephairwin, on Sun 12 Oct 8:11PM

  20. if i made a mistake at work i would get the sack, i am only on 195.00pounds aweek, so to boo a player 4 a bad mistake, its our write .

    From JOHN, on Sun 12 Oct 8:10PM
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