'Switzerland’s federal hooligan database has the names of some 320 Swiss people in it, and 6,000 foreigners are recorded as “risky fans.”'
I'm tempted to comment of what proportion of those 6,000 will be... ahem... citizens of a country that didn't make it into the competition this year.
Thanks for the update, TFC! I only wish the game were as newsworthy as the fights. But international-level (and premiership-level) football's a joke at this stage. When was it not? The '70's? They should start televising the championship matches - that's proper footie!
Posted by jbcardinale on 2008-06-06 14:59:16 +0000
I'm looking forward to the European Championship this year. All the games are on one of the flavors of ESPN in the US. I think it's inaccurate to associate soccer hooligans with one particular country.
Posted by pamsterdam on 2008-06-06 15:12:25 +0000
I s'pose. The huzb thinks his peeps have the market covered, so I guess that 'tude rubs off somewhat. He was deeply ashamed during the last World Cup.
I wish we got US sports on cable over here... would be fun to stay abreast live rather than on the interwebs.
Posted by MF DU on 2008-06-06 18:08:31 +0000
'Hooligan Prison' - Great name for a band.
Posted by ConorClockwise on 2008-06-07 06:13:11 +0000
'Secular Hooligans'
Posted by jbcardinale on 2008-06-09 14:54:14 +0000
No lack of hooligans...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/jun/09/germanyfootballteam.poland
Posted by pamsterdam on 2008-06-09 14:59:17 +0000
"Klagenfurt reported 157 arrests during the match, mainly Germany supporters who were arrested in the city centre but the police said the situation cleared rapidly, nobody was injured and no material damage occurred," said a Uefa spokesman.
Argh! That's what kills me - these are "supporters" who weren't even at the match, possibly weren't even watching the match on TV. And hell - Germany won! They won easily and with very little competition from the Poles (despite my cheering them on via the time-honored "shouting at the telly" communication technique). Just ridiculous. It's nowt to do with the game.
Fun photoseries of Dutch fans and team in Switzerland.
Includes hot Dutch babes (photos 9, 17 + 21). Fully clothed, sorry. But hot. The super-hot one's married to one of the players, natch.
And for those of us who prefer a different flavor of hot, check out van Nistelrooy in photo 18. Yum. Lucky Italian player...