Champions League Final

[a1]

"It is very easy to say it is not a suitable stadium, coming from the man that invented the poll tax"

I like this bit from t'uefa chap. What the fook has that got to do wi owt?

micheal howard = PWNED

would these stories be being mithered about if they'dve won ?

no . we'd be being forced to listen to the words "6 time winners" a lot ..

[CrazyHorse]

"It is very easy to say it is not a suitable stadium, coming from the man that invented the poll tax"

I like this bit from t'uefa chap. What the fook has that got to do wi owt?

micheal howard = PWNED

would these stories be being mithered about if they'dve won ?

no . we'd be being forced to listen to the words "6 time winners" a lot ..

You have no evidence to support that claim.
It's not like they screamed on and on and on and on and on about trophy number 5 is it?

[blurred]

would these stories be being mithered about if they'dve won ?

Absolutely, yes. It'd probably be even worse, as fans'd've been locked out of a cup final win rather than a defeat.

[TANGODANCER]

would these stories be being mithered about if they'dve won ?

Absolutely, yes. It'd probably be even worse, as fans'd've been locked out of a cup final win rather than a defeat.

Of which a lot was apparently caused by counterfeit tickets and fans crashing their way in without paying. Not that too much will be said by those who were mugged and had their tickets stolen; they'll be too afraid of being ostracised if the blame their own. Can't have that can we? Course, they can always blame the Greeks. All the bad organisition and handling in the world doesn't excuse this sort of behaviour.

[James B]

I actually thought Macherano was the best player in the pitch last night.

god knows why the shammers didn't use him, maybe he was on an even more dodgy deal than tevez, because he has more talent in his little toe than their entire midfield

[H. Pedersen]

You go into a UEFA Cup final with Bolo Zenden in your team, what do you expect? Praise God I don't have to hear any more Liverpool gloating but I have to say, the fact that Milan won after being found guilty of match fixing last season is yet another black eye for UEFA.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

You go into a UEFA Cup final with Bolo Zenden in your team, what do you expect?

Scott Murray's take on it: http://football.guardian.co.uk/rumourmi ... 28,00.html

The fact that Milan won after being found guilty of match fixing last season is yet another black eye for UEFA.

True, and they know it; they've now changed their statutes so they can overrule member countries and ban teams of their own volition. Last summer this wasn't the case, so they were powerless when the Italian FA agreed to renege on its original punishment banning Milan from this season's Big Cup. Which might seem like spineless backtracking but, as I say, funny things happen at a club who until recently had a CEO who was also the president of Serie A and a club chairman who was president of the country.

[Zulus Thousand of em]

Is it me, or is the Grauniad going downmarket? It's like watching your uncle trying to dance at a wedding reception.

[superjohnmcginlay]

Is it me, or is the Grauniad going downmarket? It's like watching your uncle trying to dance at a wedding reception.

Probably has to, 'cos no fooker buys it.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Is it me, or is the Grauniad going downmarket? It's like watching your uncle trying to dance at a wedding reception.

The website's long been the habitat of professional malcontents. Sometimes it's funny, often it's not, but I liked that one...

[blurred]

would these stories be being mithered about if they'dve won ?

Absolutely, yes. It'd probably be even worse, as fans'd've been locked out of a cup final win rather than a defeat.

Of which a lot was apparently caused by counterfeit tickets and fans crashing their way in without paying. Not that too much will be said by those who were mugged and had their tickets stolen; they'll be too afraid of being ostracised if the blame their own. Can't have that can we? Course, they can always blame the Greeks. All the bad organisition and handling in the world doesn't excuse this sort of behaviour.

Name me a Premiership ground in this country that thousands of people could get into with a blag ticket? A handful could always get through, yes - there will always be some forgeries and some good ones at that, and the odd turnstile operator will turn a blind eye or just not be paying attention. You could not get in to any of the recently constructed stands/stadiums in this country without a proper ticket - barcode scanners and chip readers are in practice at, what, 25% of the grounds? Maybe more? (Arsenal, Reading, Blackburn, Man City all spring to mind - season tickets at Anfield and scores of other grounds are on swipe cards...) You have a set of turnstiles with a policeman and a steward on each, and if the ticket is not for the correct area or is not legit then you get directed elsewhere. The issue yesterday was nothing to do with counterfeit tickets.

Yesterday there were 6 seperate ticket 'checks', mostly consisting of riot police forming a line and forcing people into bottlenecks and crushes, none of which were anything even bordering on rigourous, most of which were completely pointless. My mate, who did not have a match ticket, managed to get to the outside of the ground (past 5 of the 6 checks) with his fecking airline boarding card. Another friend's ticket is still in a sealed envelope with his name on it. Dozens and dozens of tickets were never swiped, scanned, checked with UV lights or torn. The problem yesterday was not the counterfeit tickets, although they provided a modicum of aid to anyone wishing to gain entry as at at least two of the 'checks' their method of checking was 'hold your ticket in the air and we'll let you through', it was the fact that this stadium was completely unsuitable to host any football match, least of all Europe's showpiece occasion where supply far outstrips demand.

The organisation, security and policing efforts were an absolute fecking shambles from start to finish, and that's before we go on to the stories of hundreds/thousands being locked out with legitimate tickets and being tear-gassed. Yes, the behaviour of people trying to bunk in is unacceptable. It will always happen, and people who are desperate to see a final like this will try whatever they can. I will admit that I assisted two mates without a ticket to get in, but in no way participated in any rushing of turnstiles or any violence whatsoever. We just had them walking in behind two of us who had tickets, and they were never checked all the way through.

It is the responsibility of UEFA, and the country, city and stadium where it is being held to ensure that protections and procedures are in place to stop this happening. The policing decisions and UEFA's decision to host it in this stadium were the cause of this. They placed fans in danger. They were unable to cope, not just as a result of incompetence/inability/unpreparedness to deal with a large group of supporters, but the infrastructure around the ground was sub-standard.

[CrazyHorse]

Your hypocrisy is beyond belief here blurred.

You admit to helping a couple of mates get in without tickets. I'm assuming that several thousand other fans also did the same and each helped a couple of their mates in too. Then you complain that its the fault of everyone else but yourselves that there was overcrowding and that legitimate ticket holders couldn't get in.

I'm treading lightly here but I'd have thought that of all the fans in the world Liverpool fans would realise the dangers of entering a stadium without tickets.

[enfieldwhite]

''I will admit that I assisted two mates without a ticket to get in, but in no way participated in any rushing of turnstiles or any violence whatsoever. We just had them walking in behind two of us who had tickets, and they were never checked all the way through.''

Jesus, Blurred.

This will do you no favours in trying to garner any sympathy here or on RAWK!

I'm sure some of the fans with legitimate tickets who were turned away will NOT be admiring your resourcefulness on behalf of your mates.

[Tombwfc]

Your hypocrisy is beyond belief here blurred.

You admit to helping a couple of mates get in without tickets. I'm assuming that several thousand other fans also did the same and each helped a couple of their mates in too. Then you complain that its the fault of everyone else but yourselves that there was overcrowding and that legitimate ticket holders couldn't get in.

I'm treading lightly here but I'd have thought that of all the fans in the world Liverpool fans would realise the dangers of entering a stadium without tickets.

I wholeheartedly agree. I'm sure the stadium security checks were shitty and not up to the task, but Liverpool fans like your mates took advantage and could've potentially caused a disaster. How that leaves you all blameless is lost on me.

[Dr.Karl]

I think Blurred's point is that non ticket holders shouldn't have got into the ground in the first place, which is perfectly valid. But I agree some blame has to be taken by the Liverpool supporters as well as the authorities at the ground.

[officer_dibble]

I still dont get why so many flew over without tickets 'for the atmosphere'....is it worth the £100+ to savour what you could easily of got in Liverpool (or most other) City Centres last night? Worth the risk? Worth f*cking over a load of your own fans who were, admittedly lucky, but legitimately got tickets? I couldn't of gone into a ground knowing i had stopped someone with a legitimate ticket getting in.

[TANGODANCER]

I think Blurred's point is that non ticket holders shouldn't have got into the ground in the first place, which is perfectly valid. But I agree some blame has to be taken by the Liverpool supporters as well as the authorities at the ground.

And yet he helped two mates do it? Bit of a contradictory view isn't it? Maybe, just maybe, the Greeks were expecting basically honest fans to turn up and not hordes without tickets.

[Tombwfc]

Surely the security checks are the same all around the ground, so why weren't similiar problems occuring in the Milan end?

Best fans in the world my arse.

[Leyther_Matt]

If the Liverpool fans hadn't assisted mates in getting in to the ground then of course there wouldn't have been such a problem, but logistics go out of people's heads when they are so desperate to see such a game, and understandably so. Of course, the Scousers are to blame for such overcrowding but only through human nature - the Greeks' security checks seem to be in the dark ages, and in a way it does make you appreciate the quality of ticketing and security that we have in this country.

[a1]

why was the stadium not fit to hold football matches ? it was done up for the olympics , looked pretty good .. ac milan played there against a greek side recently .. just because the place was not able to cope with thousand of part timers being there in the hope of getting in isnt really its fault - its more the part time peoples , the people wont learn though , so what can you do ..

whats that noise ? its the world's smallest violin playing the world's saddest song ..