A-League shows up Europe in fight against racism

In Blatter's world, it's not just those that have been racial vilified that get the 'roar' end of the carrot. That man is a walking calamity, yet his power remains relatively unchallenged. Well, I say the FIFA revolt starts here. Come one, come all. Let's oust this clown. http://therestijustsquandered.com/2011/11/21/fifas-sepp-tic-dictator/

MelbCro, you can say the same of the ones who don't turn up to Somers St. When I attend Heart games I go with 2 Knights fans. One Croatian and one with a Scottish background. I also go with an ex-Heidelberg fan and his wife who also happens to be Scottish. They might attend the odd Knights and Heidelberg match every now and again, but like myself not as they used to. And then they are also a few other who come along to Heart game and didn't support an NSL team. Unlike the old days, everyone's older, some have families and we decided supporting the same A-League club is a great way of catching up and also supporting Australian football. I'm not suggesting you do this or embrace the new Australian football paradigm but it is how things are. Also, don't assume what I do and don't know about the rise and fall of Tito's Yugoslavia and the struggle for Croatian independence. Let's just say I don't have much time for the darker side nationalism, especially when it's on display at football grounds around the world, be it Greek, Croatian, Italian or Australian. Neither does most of the company I keep be they Balkan or otherwise.

The rivalry with JUST is one you clearly don't understand, that was a political one. 'Yugo' communists aren't an ethnic group. Anyway Athas you still support South in the VPL? Or did you jump ship like most others. Respect to South fans that have stood by the club, the rest that left have shown they were never fans in the first place.

Very funny MelbCro. I'll forgive you. You're probably to young to remember the matches against Footscray JUST in the 80's , when Croatia was still a part of the former Yugoslavia. Maybe you should ask you parents ;-)

The feud between the Italians and Greeks goes back to 200BC when the Romans invaded Siracusa.

which feuds were those Athas. Since when did Croats have age old feuds with greeks, or Greeks with italians? I would have thought you would be smarter than that

Thanks Ben. One day, highly paid international football administrators will be able to publicly make such a cogent argument. One day.

There will always be idiots, Galaxy Hop. The trick is to ensure that they remain isolated and that conditions are not created that allow them to drag the more impressionable into their sphere of influence. This is a mixture of cultural conditioning, crowd control, information sharing and infrastructure. These aspects are the responsibility of clubs, stadium management and federations in conjunction with existing state mechanisms. If these things work, then the conditions are set for the isolated idiots to be be shouted down by individuals who care to do so.

Hmmm, obviously not from Melbourne, and obviously believing a bit too much of the media hype.

Galaxy Hop - Last time in I was proximity to racist d–khead was at at Essendon v StKilda AFL match a few years ago. Funny thing was that the person abusing the opposition indigenous players had a dark olive complexion. When I loudly pointed this out to him and everyone around him saw how absurd his remarks were considering his own complexion, he embarrassingly fell silent. Now taking on an individual is pretty easy. How do you suggest I take on a few hundred d–kheads (or thousands) when they monkey chant at stadium Galaxy Hop? Any ideas.

In all seriousness though, what do you want the clubs to do about racist chants? I think it's disgusting, but how are clubs to monitor the behaviour of loud mouths--and I don't believe they should, even if they could. It's up to the people around these d--kheads at the stadiums to tell them to pull their heads in. You'd tell somebody off if they pushed in line while you were queuing for something, so why not grow a pair and take responsibility for telling off loud mouths. Official sanctions mean nothing--tell them it's unacceptable yourself.

Tell that to the Indian students getting bashed down there. Typical Melbourner crap. P.S. Who the hell would want to go to a Melbourne beach anyhow?

Mate, race isn't just about the colour of somebody's skin i.e. Anglo-historical racism to the Irish. Race is a social construct. Just as the difference between the Serbian/Croatian nations are. It wasn't just nationalism, it was racism. And since when has nationalism been any better than racism? There's a big difference between patriotism and nationalism.

Another example of indifference from the authorities http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/nov/18/bulgaria-fined-racist-chanting-england Football's determination to stamp out racism has come under further scrutiny after the Bulgarian Football Union was fined €40,000 (£34,250) by Uefa for its fans' abuse of England players during September's Euro 2012 qualifier in Sofia. Uefa's control and disciplinary body had the power to order Bulgaria to play fixtures behind closed doors but imposed the fine after lengthy deliberation. The decision by European football's governing body came on the day Fifa's president, Sepp Blatter, apologised for suggesting racism on the pitch is not an issue and can be settled with a handshake. During England's 3-0 win in Bulgaria sections of the home support directed monkey chants primarily at Ashley Young, but also at Ashley Cole and Theo Walcott. The Football Association issued a formal complaint to the BFU and the Uefa delegate at the game immediately after the final whistle, and Bulgaria were charged with "discriminatory behaviour relating to chanting by home supporters". Further charges were brought relating to the setting off and throwing of fireworks during the fixture. The Bulgaria manager at the time, the former Germany captain Lothar Matthäus, issued a public apology after the game for the conduct of the minority of the country's support, describing the abuse as "pitiful". Walcott and England's captain that night, John Terry, said they had been aware of the chants as they played out the win. "It was very clear, but I ignored it," Walcott said. "But that's me." The BFU can appeal against the verdict within three days of the dispatch of the reasoned decision. Uefa appears, as yet, to have ignored chants from sections of the England support of "Where's your caravan?" directed at the locals that night.

There is a big difference between racism and nationalism. Some NSL clubs were overtly nationalistic to their home country and were exclusive. They used this nationalism to fuel old ethnic rivalries which were not against all races but one or two ethnic groups in particular. The A-League is not racist - the main reason NSL clubs didn't join the A-League was because they couldn't afford the $6M financial guarantees.

Thanks mid for the comments, Racism, let me put it this way. Can you imagine what a young player like Ibini-Isei would have to put up with at certain grounds in Europe. Not enough important football people in Europe telling the d–kheads to shut up at the moment.

Athas You have touched upon a theme far bigger than football..... Football shows the worlds in many ways the values and standards of the country... I am finding it difficult to understand your definition of racism ... is it based on skin colour .. or nation you come... maybe from both... As for football in Australia in every team there are players from everywhere... I was working at Liverpool TAFE in the late 90's when I a guy I failed said I had failed him because he was from *&%$ country .... my defence was there are 36 students in the class from 24 different countries and two others from the country you came from... who by the way came first and second... the student was just a d--khead... We as a nation have plenty of d--kheads and their is a degree of tension between some groups... but overall we get on and I think it is because there are so many people from so many backgrounds... I can best explain this in a game in which we played against a Ryde team... and a guy from the Ryde called to someone you dirty wog ... we stopped play and said which wog.. the Greek wog, the Dutch wog etc .... the players from his own team joined in and said they could not be left out ... we had on the field at that time 15 different countries.... the game goes on and the the Ryde dickhead says something to an Australian born guy with Greek parents on our team... our played punches the Ryde guy and gets sent off ... our guy said I don't mind being called a wog... but he called me a Pommie wog... saying I don't look like a Pommie... Athas I think it more reflects, as bad as we are, there are many more good people... and the good people tell the d--kheads to shut up.

I'll never forget the time when we thought a direct path through OFC to the World Cup was the cure for all of our ills in Aussie football. year upon year, uncle Sepp would arrive in Australia, promise the world and then back in Zurich..we'd get shafted..Of course History has proven that leaving OFC and getting into AFC was much better for us and will be into the future, but I couldn't help but laugh at the football illiterates who just believed everything he said when he visited Australia in Nov 2010 to asess our bid for the World Cup...Absolutely nothing is for certain with FIFA..especially if they say it to your face. They are the masters at saying what needs to be said at the camera/lobbyist and then doing their own thing for their own purposes, and As the chief, Blatter is more adept at it than most. It is great that he has been caught out this time.. I just hope its enough to sink his little ship. If not condoning racism, he's already brushed aside sexism and cronyism, what other -isms are left for him to gaffe at and survive?? :(

With ya there Kasey. :) Blatter Out!

Hamish, unfortunately as is the nature of the Beast, Uncle Sepp will only be gone when the moneymen speak. Sooner or later he will say or do something which displeases a big sponsor or two(if this isn't it then what?) and that will be the end of him...Nobody in football expects him to ride of quietly into the sunset...power corrupts unfortunately and As Ghaddafi showed, knowing when to go is not something powerful men get right very often:( The sad thing is, in countries like ours(and the USA) where every thing he says is used to demonstrate a black mark against the entire sport, football in Australia will likely cop a few more black eyes as collateral damage to this old buffoons ways:(