Football Opinion – Blind Bias Or Just Loyal???

I have been posting on the football.uk forum for a few months now and have been captivated, impressed, astounded by the high level of football knowledge, articulation, passion, and heated debate exhibited by a colourful cross-section of fans and supporters from differing background and nationalities. It is probably the top site on the internet for football debate and related interests.

The forum generates differing opinions, sometimes getting heated and out of hand, resulting in personal criticism, sometimes abusive. Generally speaking, fans that post regularly on here are passionate about football and about the team they support. Tempers can sometimes flare because there is an emotional bond with the team that we follow and have an allegiance to. That emotional bond is similar to the bond that we associate with being part of a family and it is a natural human instinct to be protective of that family against ALL potential threats, danger, harm, criticism.

I have the utmost respect for anyone and everyone who stands up to be counted when their team (family) is being criticised, ridiculed, unfairly assessed, put down in any way whatsoever, whether it is justified or NOT. By the same token, I feel the utmost contempt for those people who purport to be a family member but they NEVER appear to exhibit any loyalty towards their family. They are NEVER prepared to stand up and be counted, they NEVER offer arguments in support of their family, in the face of overwhelming criticism that may well be justified. Is this cowardice, disloyalty……or is it something they try to disguise and call objectivity.

There is a fine line to be walked with regard to objectivity when you claim to be part of a family and unless you walk it carefully you end up being disloyal to your family.

I have absolutely no problem with the opposing fans on here that tackle me head on and challenge my point of view. Football is about opinion and generally speaking opposing fans adopt opposite opinion on the identical football event. I respect them and I respect their alternative opinion even if I disagree with it. What I can’t respect is the fan, that purports to be a member of my family, who embraces the arguments of the opposition. To me, it is disloyal, it is hypocritical.

Am I exhibiting ‘blind loyalty’, am I being biased, am I wearing red Manchester United tinted spectacles, am I wrong to have this point of view, and am I wrong to feel such a strong bond of belonging and loyalty to my club?

what a beautiful post.

i think a mixture of both is the natural style of most fans. you cant expect every fan of your club to share your view of how things are. i have had many arguments with fellow West Ham fans over the club, the players, the manager but i wouldnt say they were disloyal if they spoke out against the manager or players.

alex ferguson is not Manchester United, as an example. every football fan has a loyalty to a club. a single person is not the club, nor is the entire playing staff. they will come and go. blind loyalty to them is never a good thing. i can see Curbishley's faults but i do not want him sacked. many other West Ham fans probably do.

i will not defend my club from attacks they fully deserve and i will never hesitate to attack them myself. years of struggle and being somewhat of a yo-yo club have thickened my skin in terms of club sensitivity.

i think your way of backing Man United in absolutely everything is commendable but pointless if im honest. you argue things that you know yourself are true simply because it puts Man United in a bad light. for me, thats not necessarily a good thing. it aint really a bad thing either i suppose.

by the same token the polar opposite is just as annoying. somebody constantly slagging their own team off and everything that comes with it is a pointless fan. we have a few of those at West Ham. i would sooner half the fanbase than keep those idiots.

i like to think i keep a happy balance between loyalty and being sensible. i dont keep to this way for anybody else it just helps me through the daily grind of being a West Ham fan. i appreciate the good times as and when they come but know that inevitably the sh*t will come and take over.

the beauty of football and a forum like this is that there will be people who disagree with you no matter what you say. provided you are able to back up what you say intelligently and clearly then you will earn my respect regardless of what you might be arguing about (within reason of course!!)

I'm open-minded too.. so what are we supposed to discuss here?

repeated post

LOL

Yeah right You are worse than me.

The thing is Steely........when a club servant is part of the club for a long long time, he does become a part of it. Sir Matt Busby and Sir Bobby Charlton continue to be part of the club long after they retired from the game. West Ham are one of the few teams that do NOT change managers like it's this years new strip for the team, but you have never had a manager who has held the reigns for 22 years like Sir Alex Ferguson has. SAF is definitely a special case in my opinion and I doubt we will ever see it repeated.

some people are just so wrapped up in there own incredible bias that i have nearly pished myself laughing.....

Although and i will only say it once while i have called you roon a complete bias fook sometimes you can have an honest perspective on certain issues except the ronaldo messi debate (jibe).....

Seriously though there is loyalty like when your say the supporter of a truly great team steeped in history and glory for example Liverpool......Now if Liverpool are soundly beaten by say anyone but Chelsea , Arsenal , Man Utd , or Everton i can admit it with grace and humility......

West Ham managers...

Syd King - 32 years
Charlie Paynter - 18 years
Ted Fenton - 11 years
Ron Greenwood - 13 years
John Lyall - 15 years
Lou Macari - 1 year
Billy Bonds - 4 years
Harry Redknapp - 7 years
Glenn Roeder - 2 years
Alan Pardew - 3 years
Alan Curbishley - not out

so yes, we have.

I stand corrected.

Lou Macari managed West Ham??? Never mind

yes, we quickly learned the error of our ways!

It's always a mixture of bias and loyalty.

I will protect and defend Arsenal when they are being mocked or criticised. But when they truly deserve to be mocked or criticised, then I will let it be.

Some fans tend to agree with the opposition and often discredit their own Club, to benefit their reputation amongst the others as non-biased and fair - I think that's nonsense.

i will never forget the way you continually put down rising star Jeremie Aliadiere just to fit in.

gutter morals.

I, like J-Axe and steely, will support the team i love through thick and thin, and like them am often first to speak out against the players and the club (in moderation of course) amongst fellow supporters when I believe something is not right. The reason I give for this is that I so badly want my team to be succesful. I want to strive for more. Why settle for mediocracy? I hate it when supporters are so naive and ignorant towards their own teams.

An example - Torres is constantly praised. I will give praise when praise is due but he has alot of room for improvement. I mention this to fellow Liverpool fans and get knocked for it. Why? Yes he has been very impressive this season, but his touch is often poor and his passing is worse. Of course he will improve, and i mention imagine how good he will be in the future, when he irons out these floors in his game, but if i mention this I am shot down.

Another example - Jamie Carragher. For me, i reckon he has one last full season in him, max. Last season he has made a few uncharacteristic mistakes. A mis-timed tackle here, a bad pass there. A hoof up the pitch too no one quite often. But again, if i mention this, i get shot down. I love JC. He has been a fantastic servant to the club and he will go down as one of my favourite players, but the club has two players in Agger and skirtel that will take the club forward. I hate being seen as disloyal because I mention things like this. I, like all suporters want what is best for my team, so dont be naive to things, otherwise how will you improve if your team can do no wrong in your eyes?

Living as i do in the town, having been supporting and watching my local team longer than i can remember i can perhaps sometimes show shades of bias and i do have a burning instinct to protect my club from attacks, but only if they are unjustified in my opinion. I will criticise aspects of Reading i feel so inclined also.


it is extremely frustrating for me on this forum sometimes though i will admit, as i am currently the only Reading fan here. The thing i discuss best is my club and i do not often get to do so in any detail due to no other fans being on here.

Well i for one wont disagree with you i also even since his atletico madrid days have said that torres can lack concentration and doing the easy option when in control of the ball but like you said this will improve with experience.......

Also 100% agree about carra although the man is an outstanding figurehead for Liverpool his best days are finished....he was never the quickest but he has lost another yard our two, i have frequently screamed at the tv when he lumps it up the field and then therefore in most cases loses possesion....In these cases i will not defend Liverpool

Finally the inability to preform agaisnt the top teams and the disgrace that is Voronin & Pennant......

redding r crap lol

Thats generally what i get around here

You will have to throw down the gauntlet floody if you want your team to be discussed. You have to pitch your team or one of your players into some discussion that is contentious. It may only be contentious with one other person but if it is a general thing you will draw some discussion.

LOL J-Axe......now you know how Sir Alex feels...getting mischievously mis-quoted like that.