Euro 2012 Qualifying Group B - General Discussion

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Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

Based on the hardened travellers I know, Russia is the worst of them all?

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I have been to Russia too and I think what possibly makes things worse there is just the sheer level of police corruption and beauracracy. For example the police have this scam where they ask you for your passport on the spot, knowing that it is a requirement that every hotel/hostel must hold your passport for 24 hours for a "verification period". If you can't produce the passport, you are hit with a heavy fine. Also be cautious with your camera, as a general rule, never take a photo within any distance of the guards at or especially on the undergrounds, as that is liable to get your camera smashed in front of your face.

I don't think the Russian fans are as outwardly hostile as the Slovaks but you will be continually eyed every time you step onto a metro until the time you leave it. I must have been stopped and searched about 30 times between the metro stop and the grounds of the Luzhniki for contraband, yet the Russian's would spark up flares etc every few minutes. The crowd were pretty racist that day towards Phil Babb, but I gather things have moved on great deal in terms of racism in football since then, as there are now several Brazilians actually playing in the Russian Premier League.


Great trip, so much to see and do, my advice would be just to have your wits about you.

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Originally Posted by French Toasht

The crowd were pretty racist that day towards Phil Babb, but I gather things have moved on great deal in terms of racism in football since then, as there are now several Brazilians actually playing in the Russian Premier League.

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I believe it to be as bad as ever. Wasn't there a lot of talk about the racism in Russian football around the time they were discussing the various World Cup bids for 2018 and 2022?

I know that Advocaat was blocked from signing a striker for Zenit St Petersburg by the ultras, purely because the player was black

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Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

I believe it to be as bad as ever. Wasn't there a lot of talk about the racism in Russian football around the time they were discussing the various World Cup bids for 2018 and 2022?

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Yes. But I think that threat seems to come from extremists, ie Neo Nazi groups etc that would not be representative of the view of the vast majority of Russian people. Whereas back in 2002, racism seemed to be widespread and generally tolerated. I seem to recall around the time of their bid for the WC, that there have been several iniatives put in place to stamp it out.

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Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

I know that Advocaat was blocked from signing a striker for Zenit St Petersburg by the ultras, purely because the player was black

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Book I'm just finished reading, Dynamo, has said as much. Think it was published in 2009.

They thought Zenit's racist fans would cast a shadow over the Manchester UEFA final.
How wrong they were.

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Originally Posted by geysir

They thought Zenit's racist fans would cast a shadow over the Manchester UEFA final.
How wrong they were.

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Another bunch of anti-Irish racist goons stole the show:D

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Originally Posted by TiocfaidhArmani

Another bunch of anti-Irish racist goons stole the show:D

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To call them anti-Irish would be incorrect.

They tend to be anti-Catholic and anti-Republicans/Nationalists but some Loyalists are Irish too you know. :)

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Originally Posted by BonnieShels

To call them anti-Irish would be incorrect.

They tend to be anti-Catholic and anti-Republicans/Nationalists but some Loyalists are Irish too you know. :)

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I'm sure he didn't mean you personally Bonnie...

Having seen the news reports after the recent problems in Moscow when that fan was killed by that person from the Caucasus, would believe their problems with racism and being anti-foreigner(s) are as bad as ever.

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Originally Posted by BonnieShels

To call them anti-Irish would be incorrect.

They tend to be anti-Catholic and anti-Republicans/Nationalists but some Loyalists are Irish too you know.

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Presumably you're not familiar with their attitudes and beliefs??
:rolleyes:

Even if the GFA/CAS allows it, they don't tend to see themselves as, er, 'Irish'.

They're Irish whether they like it or not.

Aye, but would you really want to tell them that....

Exactly boovidge.

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Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

Aye, but would you really want to tell them that....

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If I was behind one of those bulletproof screens that they have in banks and high security public buildings.

Quite right.

But can see how they do get so fecked off when everyone else is telling them they are something that's complete anathema to many of them.

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Originally Posted by boovidge

They're Irish whether they like it or not.

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They don't like it and they're not.

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Originally Posted by BonnieShels

To call them anti-Irish would be incorrect.

They tend to be anti-Catholic and anti-Republicans/Nationalists but some Loyalists are Irish too you know. :)

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Point taken, although some, most Scottish loyalist any expression of anything Irish related.

Although I don't know what you wrote there I think I understand.

Incidentally I'd reckon there's a good few of those Scottish loyalists who could trace their ancestry back to the Dal Riada. Imagine that... any way... back to our deep discussion about group B.

You're Irish if you're from Ireland. The fact that there are (grossly simplifying here) two main distinctive social/political/religious identities within Ireland doesn't make members of either group less Irish.