martedì, giugno 15, 2004

Football and Hooligans

That was a short lived period of peace and quiet from the English football fans in Portugal, wasn't it. A violent outburst happened in the predominantly tourist area of the Algarve early this morning. Twelve people, 10 Britons, one Portuguese and a Russian, were arrested for public order offences after the fans, who had been drinking heavily, began throwing bottles outside a bar in Albufeira. The attack is reported in The Guardian here. Football violence is probably something that we will have to live with these days as it seems to be spreading throughout Europe. Even the thugs themselves are cashing in on their fame as hooligans though, as witnessed by the re-launch of a book on Football Hooliganism, which was written by a hooligan who was subsequently banned from Goodison Park, home ground of Everton football club, for life.

Let's just hope that the violence in the crowds can be kept away from the football pitch now, although the England press seem to be glorying in the fact that some of the England players were fouling atrociously, including kicking and punching other players. Let's hope that Pierluigi Collina can control their arrogant behavior on the pitch!

posted by WelshmaninItaly @ 4:30 PM