A Dutch View on the Racism in Krakow
I found this on the Radio Nederland web site.
There were loud protests by disappointed Krakow football fans at the start of Holland’s training session on Wednesday afternoon. They voiced their frustration at the fact that Krakow was passed up by UEFA three years ago when it chose four Polish cities to host the 2012 European Championship.
The fans had put up a large banner with a no-entry sign painted on the tournament emblem. After about 15 minutes, security staff intervened, putting a stop to the whistles and chanting. The slogans reportedly included racist abuse, prompting the Dutch to continue their training to the other side of the pitch.
It was the only Holland training session at the Wisla Krakow stadium open to the public. Tickets were free and the stands were filled in no time. Hard-core fans flocked to the stadium’s west end and immediately made their presence felt.
Frustration
There’s still deep resentment in Krakow over the fact that the city failed to be chosen as one of the four Polish cities to host the prestigious Euro 2012 matches. Many can’t understand why Poland’s former capital and the county’s most popular tourist destination was ignored by UEFA.
Most suspect political reasons. They point to the traditional rivalry between the current capital Warsaw and the countries “most beautiful” city. Or they blame Krakow politicians for a weak bid and a strong “anti-football” lobby, supported by a large section of the population who are fed up with football-related violence and fear the worst when large numbers of foreign fans descend on the city.
Poland promotion
Krakow is known for its violent confrontations between the firms of Cracovia and Wisla Krakow, who’re locked in a long-running brutal war. National and local authorities are doing all they can to suppress hooliganism and racism during the Euros. They see the event as a great opportunity to promote their country. They are proud that as many as 13 out of the 16 Euro 2012 finalists are putting up their base camps in Poland, and not in co-host Ukraine. Three of these squads – Holland, England and Italy – have opted for Krakow as their home base.
I think it shows that UEFA didn’t really organise the competition properly. Just imagine if we organised a big football tournament and didn’t play a match in Birmingham, Liverpool or Manchester.
England Will Be Playing in Wales
I did’t know until the BBC pointed it out this morning, that Donetsk, where England play their first match on Monday, is actually a city founded by a Welshman called John Hughes in 1869. Everybody is taught at school, that the Welsh colonised Patagonia, but not The Ukraine.
Let’s hope that the dragon, the Welsh left behind is friendly! Except of course to racists!
Some Good News for Roy
England have gone up in the football rankings to sixth according to this report.
But is that ranking with or without the injured?
On the whole though, it’s good news. Which is a change!
The Racism Has Started
Why did the old farts in charge of UEFA take the tournament to Poland and the Ukraine, when they knew it might happen?
This incident involving the Dutch is actually in Poland.
I don’t think that the Dutch govenment will take this lying down.
The Netherlands are playing their first match against Denmark tomorrow.
I wonder what the odds are that we don’t through the first round without racist trouble.
Where was the Health and Safety Assessment?
This story of an off-duty trainee fireman, who saved a man from a blazing car, that then exploded, is a good story we all like to read. The fireman is being rightly praised and no-one is bothering about the Health and Safety implications. Perhaps, we have moved on in this area.
Smoking is so last century: the new stigma is obesity
This is the title of an article in the Evening Standard tonight.
I very much agree, although in many ways they are equally bad.
Wonga Bad, Zopa Good?
This question was asked in an article in Finextra.
It’s a good read.
One thing Zopa has proved, is that when dealing with finance, you can work a sort of co-operative or Big-Society idea, using the standard techniques of the Internet. So in some ways the good thing about Zopa, is the way it has created a comunity around its business, which educates and then brings people to that business.
“The Jubilee was one of the greatest aquatic triumphs of the British people”
This was said by Boris Johnson on American television, when he was promoting his book. There’s a video of it here.
Have we ever had a politician like Boris before?
Boris hints that he could be President of the United States as he was born in New York.
I suspect, he’d make a better fist of it, than some of second-raters, who’ve held the job in my lifetime.
Lloyds Unloads Bad Loans
It is reported that Lloyds Banking Group has unloaded £809 million worth of bad Australian loans for £388 million.
That looks like bad business to me. Did they claw back the bonuses of the twits that signed off that rubbish in the first place?
Now We Know Why Waitrose Took Over Duchy Originals
The Times today publishes a picture of Mark Price, the MD of Waitrose in the Royal Box for the Diamond Jubilee Concert.
It’s alright for some!
The Anonymous Widower 