It is a pity that my former colleague Simon Kuper wastes most of his commentary – Football’s little problem on the right-wing’ on the Di Canio saga in today’s FT coverage on the football manager’s political sympathies and the national culture which nourished them. That Di Canio is Italian, a one-time player of one of Italy’s most fascist clubs, and a self-confessed admirer of Mussolini is well tread ground. Far more interesting in my view are the inclinations of certain representatives of English football within their national culture, and the extent to which the appointment of Di Canio to manage a Premier division club is something that should or should not be endorsed.
On British culture, Kuper’s commentary has only this to say:“In Britain, politicians subscribe to two basic propositions: fascism and racism are terrible; and immigration is terrible…opposing fascism is a no-lose proposition, like opposing cannibalism.” And concludes, with reference to Di Canio’s presence in the UK: “Thankfully this fascist sympathiser is just a harmless football manager rather than, say, a leading politician in a troubled European country.”
Kuper is, in my view well off the mark in his generalizations, as when he states that “In the UK, opposing fascism is a no-lose proposition, like opposing cannibalism.” One only needs to have followed the admirable research by the UK based NGO and magazine Searchlight over the last decades to be aware of the the insidious infiltration of fascist views and actions in British post-war society,and the risks that those exposing them have taken with their own personal safety.
Britain has its BNP and its National Fronts, and other seemingly more moderate right wing parties that barely hide their potential for prejudice behind their nationalist anti-immigration views.My own experience of watching football matches across borders is that some English fans, players, and fans have a capacity for racist attitudes and thuggish behavior of no minor order within the general European landscape, with some groups of traveling English fans behaving in a particularly disgraceful manner when visiting foreign territory. The memory lingers of a group of Manchester United fans destroying one of my favourite bars in Barcelona.
But look closer home. Only last week a friend of mine who happens to be a Chelsea fan reminded me that the hissing sound is periodically distributed at White Hart Lane by visiting fans, not least those supportive of his own club, as a provocation of Spurs fans, many of whom are Jewish.
Meanwhile what are we to make of continuing statements of support for Di Canio from British football personalities like John Terry and Harry Redknapp and their influence on the thousands of English fans who look up to them? The answer must be that Di Canio may have been a fascist in Italy, but in good old England, he becomes a harmless manager. Or not.
My opinion could be a bit harsh but I have an own saying that says “Hitler was a good pal”. With this statement I am critisizing the personal opinion the entourge of one person could have about this person, for instance: he likes the animals, the nature, friend of his friends, like to have fun, doesn’t like dictatorship Franco, well he seems a good pal, if you say he is Adolf Hitler the responsible of 60 million of deads. You only find words related with insanity, so which is the frame we need to apply to Di Canio?
Well, only let you know that last month Barcelona remembered the 75th anniversary of the heaviest bombings by italian airforce based in Mallorca during the Spanish civil war so I suppose Di Canio would criticize such a slaughtering. Those families still remenber and has been written a book with all the visits the italian did in those sad times.
What a complex but fascinating subject… and as always I like to throw in a few sparks and hope for a debate…..
With over 48 years of attending games at Stamford Bridge, following the fortunes of Real Madrid after moving to Spain, and in general, obsessed by the “beautiful game”, I have seen some changes in relation to right wing politics in the game, but on the whole, I would say, not much has shifted.
The fanatical supporters of clubs, the ultras over here (Madrid Fondo Sur, Barcelona’s Boixos Nois, etc.) by definition reflect fascist tendencies. Their looks, based on the skinhead movements of the late 60`s and 70’s, are not of peace loving left wing hippies. Whether these Ultra supporters are from Russia, Ukraine, Italy, Spain, Turkey, or wherever, they are united by a fascist philosophy.
However generalizations are dangerous. The skinhead “firms” at Chelsea were influenced by Jamaican Reggae music, and the anthem played before every game for the last 4 decades is the wonderful instrumental called The Liquidator, played by the musicians who later became a band known as the Wailers. How crazy is that? Shouldn’t they be head banging to white trash rock?
My own view is that football appeals to very basic emotions. My team (tribe), is playing to win (conquer) and when I go to away games I go to make a noise and make sure the opposition know I am there (occupy). The troubles in the 70’s were based on one objective: that was to occupy the main stand of the opposition and “take” it. In effect, football channels male aggression and I tend to argue that I prefer this “controlled” stage, than open warfare between nations! In other words football serves as an outlet to male aggression. Yes, football is aggressive – take a look at Messi’s shins after each game.
Given that, it is not surprising that right wing tendencies are rife. Can you truly visualize the day when peace loving hippies of the opposing team chant Buddhist mantras to support their team? No, the hissing at White Heart lane is to provoke and anger the Spurs supporters, to up the level of antagonism, to ensure your team wins as the opposition loose it by reacting to the hiss and forgetting to play the game.
Football is a stylized war game, and for that reason alone, I cannot see fascism, or even racism ever disappear. The day that happens it will be because we as humans have transformed, and not because the politically correct views of the day have succeeded in changing base human nature…..
Now, Manolo Blahnik spends a lot of of the time alive in Italy. He is a accurate craftsman. He aswell draws a ample amount of architecture sketches, which accept become the adapt for advertisement, actualization in appearance magazines about the world.
Paolo Di Canio (born 9 July 1968) is an Italian former professional footballer and current manager of the Premier League club Sunderland . He made over 500 league appearances and scored over one hundred goals in the course of his playing career before moving into management.