Appreciating Rival Clubs Players

[Jaxa]

So let me explain,

One thing that really bothers me in 2021 with these modern day football fans is their lack of common sense or just brain cells when it comes to admitting or acknowledging a rivals clubs good players, i see some outrageous posts where i think surely this person isn't that stupid and is just posting as such for clickbait,

Are people really that bitter about a rival club that they cannot appreciate a good player even if they are wearing your rival clubs colours, i mean you don't have to get mushy about them but stop making yourself look daft just because he doesn't play for you,

I hated Drogba when he was at Chelsea, he was a diving cheat at the best of times but I still accepted he was a fecking great player who I would of loved in a United shirt, same with Aguero, Ashley Cole, Terry, Lampard, Kompany, Van Dijk, Mane, Salah etc, the list goes on, I don't have to love them as players but I can admit they are great footballers,

People like to pretend Bruno Fernandes and the numbers he is pulling up is just all potluck, nothing crazy, the guy is breaking records left right and center and walks in to most starting 11's in the world currently but I still see so much rivals fans pretending this is Ryan Shawcross in our team, why is that ? Jealousy ? Ignorance ? Because I know the majority would love to have him in there team.

I love United but I also love football and can appreciate a great footballer.

Particularly interested to hear the opinions of opposition fans on the caf. But i open up the topic, can you see past your rose tinted spectacles and appreciate close rival players ?

 

[WeePat]

Where are these people who say that about Bruno? Twitter? Because that place is a cesspool of exaggerated takes, trolls with silly agendas etc. Not to be taken seriously.

 

[mancsarered]

N'Golo Kante; he is top class in every way.

 

[The Firestarter]

Same goes for coaches.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Where are these people who say that about Bruno? Twitter? Because that place is a cesspool of exaggerated takes, trolls with silly agendas etc. Not to be taken seriously.

this is the answer to most discussions these days.

 

[GlasgowCeltic]

"fraud"

 

[Nickelodeon]

So let me explain,

One thing that really bothers me in 2021 with these modern day football fans is their lack of common sense or just brain cells when it comes to admitting or acknowledging a rivals clubs good players, i see some outrageous posts where i think surely this person isn't that stupid and is just posting as such for clickbait,

Are people really that bitter about a rival club that they cannot appreciate a good player even if they are wearing your rival clubs colours, i mean you don't have to get mushy about them but stop making yourself look daft just because he doesn't play for you,

I hated Drogba when he was at Chelsea, he was a diving cheat at the best of times but I still accepted he was a fecking great player who I would of loved in a United shirt, same with Aguero, Ashley Cole, Terry, Lampard, Kompany, Van Dijk, Mane, Salah etc, the list goes on, I don't have to love them as players but I can admit they are great footballers,

People like to pretend Bruno Fernandes and the numbers he is pulling up is just all potluck, nothing crazy, the guy is breaking records left right and center and walks in to most starting 11's in the world currently but I still see so much rivals fans pretending this is Ryan Shawcross in our team, why is that ? Jealousy ? Ignorance ? Because I know the majority would love to have him in there team.

I love United but I also love football and can appreciate a great footballer.

Particularly interested to hear the opinions of opposition fans on the caf. But i open up the topic, can you see past your rose tinted spectacles and appreciate close rival players ?

Here's the thing. You're talking about a previous era where social media didn't let every fool voice their opinion. Today, if a random fan of a rival club sees Bruno scoring a wonder goal, they'll appreciate it in silence. But if they see him have an off-game, win a soft penalty or a similar scenario, they'll come out on social media and write random shite.

My advice. Even for rival fans, gauge opposition perception from people you know to have sane opinions. Rest all is just noise.

 

[charlenefan]

When it comes to the CAF fans appreciate other clubs players more than their own

 

[Mike Phelan's Former Tash]

I will quite happily watch Aston Villa play if Grealish is starting. Hopefully we can sign him, he's possibly England's most talented player and should be playing for us.

 

[AltiUn]

When it comes to the CAF fans appreciate other clubs players more than their own

Undoubtably.

 

[OleBoiii]

It's OK to get 'warmed up' by watching Dias, as long as you bring that energy to bed with Phil Jones.

 

[OleBoiii]

When it comes to the CAF fans appreciate other clubs players more than their own

Managers is the new meta. I wouldn't be surprised if some of our posters are buying Pochettino merch.

 

[FatTails]

This! Saw someone say “TapIndowski” yesterday.

It’s tribalism, and it’s stupid.

 

[Tom Cato]

This! Saw someone say “TapIndowski” yesterday.

It’s tribalism, and it’s stupid.

I guess you don't enjoy rivalries.

Tribalism IS football fandom. Although I guess not as much to fans born in the late 90s-early 2000s who grew up with social media and everyone liking eachothers shit.

Admiring Liverpool players as a Manchester United fan (for example) is in best case historyless.

 

[BusbyMalone]

I don’t necessarily see it as a problem to appreciate players (or managers) from other clubs. I’ve spoken on here before about how much I like De Bruyne. He’s the best player in the league for me and an all-round exceptional footballer. The fact that he plays for City is slightly inconvenient as a United fan, but you can’t deny his brilliance.

To be fair, I think a lot of people on here are quite complementary of opposition players. You’ll get some who will go out of their way to deny the brilliance of some players from other clubs due to blind tribalism and a sort of misplaced loyalty to your own club (I’ve probably been guilty of it myself), but generally, it’s not like that.

 

[RoyKeaneSaipan]

Alot of fans have it in for Gerrard bad. One of the best of his generation in the world without a doubt.

 

[FatTails]

I guess you don't enjoy rivalries.

Tribalism IS football fandom. Although I guess not as much to fans born in the late 90s-early 2000s who grew up with social media and everyone liking eachothers shit.

Admiring Liverpool players as a Manchester United fan (for example) is in best case historyless.

I just see them as separate things. I can say Mane is a great player, and then enjoy him having a terrible season because I want Liverpool to fail.

What the OP is talking about is not acknowledging simple facts. It’s a bit more than tribalism per se, but a blinding tribalism that makes you rewrite reality.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Where are these people who say that about Bruno? Twitter? Because that place is a cesspool of exaggerated takes, trolls with silly agendas etc. Not to be taken seriously.

When it comes to the CAF fans appreciate other clubs players more than their own

These two posts really are the only two replies this thread needs.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

I'm a mixture of the two (generally middle of the road on everything, tbh).

I try not to do the same things I recognise as childish or stupid in others - so when many fans of other clubs tried to downplay the quality of our players and achievements over the years, and used excuses like ref and FA bias, etc, then I recognise how pathetic that sounds and so haven't fallen into the same trap to try and downplay the success of City, Liverpool, Chelsea - as gutted as I am whenever they do win tnings.

I can certainly recognise the quality of players who play for rival clubs, and will reluctantly say so if relevant - and certainly won't try to stupidly belittle or dismiss their ability or achievements.

But I can't take any pleasure in watching them play well for rivals, and so generally don't watch games involving them. And I don't bother watching things like cup s/f and finals if United have got knocked out by then and it's just the likes of City, Liverpool, Chelsea, etc, battling for a trophy.

 

[poleglass red]

not sure about appreciating rival clubs players, but the dentist at Liverpool is working wonders.....

 

[Jibbs]

Jesse Lingard... what a turnaround... reminds me of Robben at Bayern at times.

 

[RobinLFC]

There's a difference between acknowledging, appreciating and admiring a rival player. I can acknowledge that De Bruyne is a world class footballer but I'll never enjoy him putting on a masterclass in a City shirt. Like, ever.

Only applies to direct rivals for me though, I can easily appreciate Messi or performances of other great players not at Utd/Chelsea/City (generally those three).

 

[Jaxa]

Here's the thing. You're talking about a previous era where social media didn't let every fool voice their opinion. Today, if a random fan of a rival club sees Bruno scoring a wonder goal, they'll appreciate it in silence. But if they see him have an off-game, win a soft penalty or a similar scenario, they'll come out on social media and write random shite.

My advice. Even for rival fans, gauge opposition perception from people you know to have sane opinions. Rest all is just noise.

I mean I agree completely, Twitter is the worst for it hence why I sparingly visit that site,

The Caf is probably the most neutral I have came across however It's not necessarily a site or person specific, in general be it twitter/reddit/youtube videos and even some pundits on tv (look at souness with pogba) , we just seem to be in some weird world right now where people ignore the absolute obvious and want to go against the grain or just completely deny the obvious to be controversial and maybe get more clicks on there youtube video or more likes on there twitter or instagram account.

I am just a bit tired of how football fandom has become so toxic overall, there is rivalry and also banter, that's needed, but the brainless comments i see constantly about all different kind of players has just reached a new level of insanity.

 

[Robertd0803]

I just see them as separate things. I can say Mane is a great player, and then enjoy him having a terrible season because I want Liverpool to fail.

What the OP is talking about is not acknowledging simple facts. It’s a bit more than tribalism per se, but a blinding tribalism that makes you rewrite reality.

Exactly this.

 

[Thunderhead]

I'm not that big on Bruno not bothered by him either way, don't get me wrong he's not rubbish but I think he's slightly overated and I wouldn't be bothered about him at City, whereas I love watching Pogba and would love Pogba at City

 

[WeePat]

I'm not that big on Bruno not bothered by him either way, don't get me wrong he's not rubbish but I think he's slightly overated and I wouldn't be bothered about him at City, whereas I love watching Pogba and would love Pogba at City

Pogba is literally one of my favourite players in the world and I can't wait for the day he finally leaves United so I can properly root him for him, or at least stop wishing for his demise.

 

[kidbob]

I can appreciate how difficult it must have been for Liverpool to amass a squad so filled with cnuts.

 

[MC89]

I class Goram as the best keeper ever, horrible horrible man, but what a goalkeeper.

 

[FatTails]

I class Goram as the best keeper ever, horrible horrible man, but what a goalkeeper.

Which one?

 

[bsCallout]

Our own fans do it with our owns players. Their fans will do it with their players. Add a rivalry into and that gets even more distorted.

All fans talk a load of baloney. We're irrational and have ridiculous biases.

Including you.

Their players are only good when we are defending why we aren't doing so well.

 

[Dave Smith]

Alot of fans have it in for Gerrard bad. One of the best of his generation in the world without a doubt.

The reason he got so much stick, wasn't much to do with him as a player, but the way the Dippers went on about him.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Same goes for coaches.

This. The pet hate some posters have for oppo coaches is the bane of half of redcaf conversations.

 

[Harry190]

I love United, I like football, I appreciate the players who I think would fit at United.

 

[ShinjiNinja26]

I can always appreciate top players doing special things on the pitch but some opposition fans aren’t happy unless you’re fecking wanking their players off. I don’t support your fecking club!

 

[united_99]

It depends on the player as well. De Bruyne for example is a very likeable player + top quality, so people have no issues admitting it. Similar with VvD.
When we had Ronaldo however it took a lot of people (PL rival fans) a very long time - basically until he moved to Madrid - to admit he was a top quality player. While at United he was still called overrated, flat track bully and all that a lot.

 

[Klopper76]

I've been sitting watching Nat Phillips play and wondering why no one else thinks he's world class. Never realized it was tribalism.

In all seriousness I don't expect opposition fans to come on a forum and write paragraph's praising a Liverpool player. Football rivalry isn't about that. That being said, I do think fair analysis in a serious debate is respectable. Seeing a player make a mistake in one moment and deciding he's crap based on that moment is daft imo. If you're trying to judge players fairly you look at them over a longer period, not one moment in a game.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

I class Goram as the best keeper ever, horrible horrible man, but what a goalkeeper.

he was laughably past it when he was at United.

 

[Eckers99]

I actually think the Caf is pretty fair when it comes to acknowledging quality, which is probably part of the reason we attract so many rival fans (who almost all contribute with decent quality posts and insight). As someone who doesn't do Facebook or Twitter, maybe I'm shielded from the wider degeneracy.

I draw the line at posters sending fraught get-well-soon messages when an important rival player pulls a muscle, though. That sh1t is just weird.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

I actually think the Caf is pretty fair when it comes to acknowledging quality, which is probably part of the reason we attract so many rival fans (who almost all contribute with decent quality posts and insight). As someone who doesn't do Facebook or Twitter, maybe I'm shielded from the wider degeneracy.

I draw the line at posters sending fraught get-well-soon messages when an important rival player pulls a muscle, though. That sh1t is just weird.

i agree I think it’s reasonable. There’s enough negativity from some posters about our OWN players to show that you are always going to get an element of that. What I don’t see it anything spiteful, which I’m thankful for.

there’s also room for rivalry - and it does annoy me when we see posters eulogising over rival players who agent as good as what we have got!

ultimately I think there’s a reasonable % of sensible posters to dampen down the screams of the extreme ones.

 

[TheMagicFoolBus]

I've been sitting watching Nat Phillips play and wondering why no one else thinks he's world class. Never realized it was tribalism.

In all seriousness I don't expect opposition fans to come on a forum and write paragraph's praising a Liverpool player. Football rivalry isn't about that. That being said, I do think fair analysis in a serious debate is respectable. Seeing a player make a mistake in one moment and deciding he's crap based on that moment is daft imo. If you're trying to judge players fairly you look at them over a longer period, not one moment in a game.

I think this is very well stated and I agree. I'd also argue it's a symptom of the social media age and in particular the general shift towards clickbaiting & interaction farming. Getting a take online first is more valuable than actually being insightful and thinking things through.

I actually think the Caf is pretty good in this regard - yes, every time Werner misses another colossal opportunity I know the thread will be back to the top, but at the same time in the next couple days after that there are always more balanced discussions to be had. Certainly it's the most balanced place to discuss football I've discovered on the internet.