Mesut Özil retires from "die Mannschaft"

[Adisa]

I'm struggling to have sympathy for him. Maybe it's because I hate Erdogan with a passion.
He should have known what he was getting into. All the talk about respect of office is nonsense. I do think agree with blaming him for the WC debacle though.

 

[cesc's_mullet]

Ozil quitting, shocking for an Arsenal player. This has been handled badly by so many people.
At least he won't be as fatigued next year, god he's so mentally weak. Talented player but no balls, just sums up the end of Wenger's reign.

I shouldn't bite but how do morons like this get promoted from the newbies?

 

[Zehner]

Very disappointed, alongside Kroos he is one of the few veterans who still delivers quality performances (yet he gets the criticism, not someone like Müller or Draxler..) but I can totally understand him. I am absolutely against everything Erdogan stands for, wish Özil hadn't taken this picture and would've used his popularity for a good cause but I believe him that he is a through and through unpolitical person and met him only out of politeness.

The abuse he received was simply unreal and in many cases driven by an immigrant-hostile right wing agenda. Especially his claim that he is German when successful and Turkish when not has much much truth in it. I can also understand how all this scapegoating must have heard him because I think he is in fact a shy but helpful personality who does many charity projects by conviction. The fact that his old school didn't want him and his integration project for helping young kids play football around anymore after this story really seems to have hurt him. I can't understand how somebody cannot feel bad for him because he clearly has good intentions and didn't want to do harm to anybody.

Besides that I hope that Grindel and also Bierhoff won't survive this story. Grindel in particular. An absolutely disgraceful human being and leader. Encorporates everything people hate about politicians. Opportunistic, superficial and egoistic. But Bierhoff is also annoying and useless with all his embarassing "Die Mannschaft" marketing efforts. It would've been their responsibility to defend their player but instead they let him fight alone and afterwards even turned on him to save themselves.

Özil was insulted as a "Türkenschwein" after the match against South Korea and there was no reaction of the DFB nor media outrage. Imagine someone insulting Raheem Sterling with the N-word after England went out. What would the reactions look like? Unbelievable.

 

[Hammerfell]

What a little snowflake

People who use this word in this context shouldn't be taken seriously.

 

[Emacii]

Right decision by Ozil in my opinion. Sure taking that picture wasn´t the best idea and i cant believe none of his team thought about the shitstorm he would get. I wish he would have pointed out that this might have been a mistake to do something like that at that certain time (before election in turkey and wc). Still the behaviour of the dfb before, during and especially after the world cup is just a complete disgrace. Ozil always was an easy victim to blame because his heritage and his lack of emotions on the field (and some nonesense about not singing the anthem), but now they first let the media murder him without any support and then even blame him themselves. Brilliant fact about the situation is that grindel tried to force Ozil to make a statement after he returns from his vacation and now this statement will likely lead to the end of era grindel.

 

[Haddock]

Very disappointed, alongside Kroos he is one of the few veterans who still delivers quality performances (yet he gets the criticism, not someone like Müller or Draxler..) but I can totally understand him. I am absolutely against everything Erdogan stands for, wish Özil hadn't taken this picture and would've used his popularity for a good cause but I believe him that he is a through and through unpolitical person and met him only out of politeness.

The abuse he received was simply unreal and in many cases driven by an immigrant-hostile right wing agenda. Especially his claim that he is German when successful and Turkish when not has much much truth in it. I can also understand how all this scapegoating must have heard him because I think he is in fact a shy but helpful personality who does many charity projects by conviction. The fact that his old school didn't want him and his integration project for helping young kids play football around anymore after this story really seems to have hurt him. I can't understand how somebody cannot feel bad for him because he clearly has good intentions and didn't want to do harm to anybody.

Besides that I hope that Grindel and also Bierhoff won't survive this story. Grindel in particular. An absolutely disgraceful human being and leader. Encorporates everything people hate about politicians. Opportunistic, superficial and egoistic. But Bierhoff is also annoying and useless with all his embarassing "Die Mannschaft" marketing efforts. It would've been their responsibility to defend their player but instead they let him fight alone and afterwards even turned on him to save themselves.

Özil was insulted as a "Türkenschwein" after the match against South Korea and there was no reaction of the DFB nor media outrage. Imagine someone insulting Raheem Sterling with the N-word after England went out. What would the reactions look like? Unbelievable.

You'd think someone like Bierhoff who played with Scholl would have at least understood what Özil might go through if he was made a scapegoat.

 

[arthurka]

Talk about hypocrisy and lack of self-awareness, at the start of his letter:
"I have two hearts, one German, one Turkish".

At the end of his letter:
"Are there criteria for being fully German which I do not fit? My friend Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose are never referred to as German-Polish, so why am I German-Turkish? Is it because it is Turkey? Is it because I'm Muslim? I think here lays an important issue. By being referred to as German-Turkish, it is already distinguishing people who have family from more than one country".

Well gee, one surefire way of being referred to as German-Turkish would be by describing yourself as half German and half Turkish.

Hahaha just what I thought . Also when they posted the pic of them with Erdogan they reffered to him as "our president". That could also be it. .

 

[Real Madras]

I think Mesut is a fantastic footballer and I understand why he has retired from IF. He has been very harshly treated by the German FA. On his day he was world class. I remember him in previous world cups and Euros when he was very young and he was pretty immense.

 

[Morpheus 7]

I shouldn't bite but how do morons like this get promoted from the newbies?

You did bite because you know there is an element of truth.

 

[awop]

Honegstein pointing out on twitter that he hasn't actually retired, he just said he won't play for Germany while he has this feeling of racism and disrespect. Slightly different.

Yeah but even if they sack everyone at the DFB, there's no way he's coming back.
There will always be idiots who would whistle him and criticize him even more just for the sake of it.
Özil clearly made a mistake with that picture and should have release some sort of apology before the WC.
Still, he's making the right decision.
F*** Germany, i hope they don't win anything for decades.

 

[Josep Dowling]

Ridiculous situation for him really.

Can a German please tell me are Germans genuinely Upset by this or is this the usual media hype that has blown this situation into something that isn’t the actual reality?

 

[RyRoc]

You did bite because you know there is an element of truth.

Yes, because feeling like you've been attacked and targeted for racially motivated reasons is being 'mentally weak'

 

[ROFLUTION]

Anyone from Turkey would not have said what you said, so the point still stands.

No, you'd probably be in jail if you criticised Erdogan.

 

[Fluctuation0161]

People who use this word in this context shouldn't be taken seriously.

Yep.

 

[Zlatattack]

What do you think the reaction in England would be like if say someone like David Beckham had posed with Robert Mugabe a few years ago?

He posed with Blair and Cameron who both have a lot more innocent blood on thier hands. Zero fecks were given that day. What's good for the goose...

 

[Zlatattack]

Totally 100% agree with Ozil. As a second generation immigrant I know exactly how he feels. The racists in society want us to reject our own heritage and ancestry and worship at the altar of thier narrative. feck that.

 

[2mufc0]

He posed with Blair and Cameron who both have a lot more innocent blood on thier hands. Zero fecks were given that day. What's good for the goose...

Yah

 

[Don Alfredo]

Ridiculous situation for him really.

Can a German please tell me are Germans genuinely Upset by this or is this the usual media hype that has blown this situation into something that isn’t the actual reality?

When the picture happened in May, many Germans were upset. That whole saga went on during the world cup, driven by the media, politicians and several other opinionists. After the world cup, the DFB made a u-turn to try and blame Ozil for the worst ever German performance at a WC, whereas they tried to stop the debate before and during the WC.

At this point, many Germans are more outraged over the DFB than over Ozil and Gundogan.

I am sad it has come to this and after I already told my opinion during the saga in another thread, I just want to say it is disgusting how some posters on here are referrering to his playing style, his performances and his supposed mentality on the pitch.

Imagine Raheem Sterling doing something really dumb, some politicians calling him the N word and you guys talk about him being shit for England and his weird running style when discussing the following outrage.

 

[Josep Dowling]

When the picture happened in May, many Germans were upset. That whole saga went on during the world cup, driven by the media, politicians and several other opinionists. After the world cup, the DFB made a u-turn to try and blame Ozil for the worst ever German performance at a WC, whereas they tried to stop the debate before and during the WC.

At this point, many Germans are more outraged over the DFB than over Ozil and Gundogan.

I am sad it has come to this and after I already told my opinion during the saga in another thread, I just want to say it is disgusting how some posters on here are referrering to his playing style, his performances and his supposed mentality on the pitch.

Imagine Raheem Sterling doing something really dumb, some politicians calling him the N word and you guys talk about him being shit for England and his weird running style when discussing the following outrage.

Thanks. It’s amazing the controversy a photograph can create these days.

 

[UweBein]

Ridiculous situation for him really.

Can a German please tell me are Germans genuinely Upset by this or is this the usual media hype that has blown this situation into something that isn’t the actual reality?

Yes i was and am still upset. Many were.
As i said you have to take into account that Erdogan had and has imprisoned german citizens in Turkey, on the basis of made up terrorism charges. With that photo Özil was taking the mickey ...
Whilst I agree with his criticism of the DFB and the german media, that photo was a clear mistake and Emre Can realized that so he refused to take the picture.

 

[kouroux]

There was nothing else to achieve with Germany anyway. Good decision by him

 

[Redlambs]

And to think there were a few German folks, including some in this very thread, banging on about the British media in various world cup threads. Just goes to show doesn't it.


On a more serious note, I honestly don't know what to make of it. He really shouldn't have posed with that scumbag dictator, but then how much choice would you have in that situation anyway?

 

[UweBein]

He had the same choice as Emre Can who refused to take a picture with Erdogan.

 

[Sean_RedDevil]

What a shame that the statement of Özil's team was in english and not in turkish

 

[HTG]

The picture was disgraceful. Said so before. He actively helped a foreign dictator to undermine German law, by giving him an outlet to animate Turkish voters in Germany. Should have never happened and Özil still doesn’t understand that.

Other than that, everything Özil says is completely right and he has suffered from xenophobia and racism for far too long. The way the German public has and is still treating him, is outright terrible. Whenever he wins, he’s German. But don’t he dare lose. Then he’s just a „Deutschtürke“.

 

[Mogget]

Yes i was and am still upset. Many were.
As i said you have to take into account that Erdogan had and has imprisoned german citizens in Turkey, on the basis of made up terrorism charges. With that photo Özil was taking the mickey ...
Whilst I agree with his criticism of the DFB and the german media, that photo was a clear mistake and Emre Can realized that so he refused to take the picture.

Maybe I'm being naive, but what makes Erdogan so much worse than multiple Western leaders who have been responsible for war and countless lives lost in the last decade?

I mean, a 16 year old US citizen was killed by a drone strike under Obama's watch and everyone speaks of him like the sun shines out of his arse.

 

[Irrational.]

Heartbreaking to read those Tweets. I don't blame him for quitting. The DFB and in particular the president come across as incompetent fools. Massive respect to Mesut for speaking out.

The Germans don't deserve him, and sad to see such outdated, blatantly xenophobic right-wing views existing in this day and age.

 

[Pagh Wraith]

Maybe I'm being naive, but what makes Erdogan so much worse than multiple Western leaders who have been responsible for war and countless lives lost in the last decade?

I mean, a 16 year old US citizen was killed by a drone strike under Obama's watch and everyone speaks of him like the sun shines out of his arse.

Exactly this.

 

[UweBein]

Maybe I'm being naive, but what makes Erdogan so much worse than multiple Western leaders who have been responsible for war and countless lives lost in the last decade?

I mean, a 16 year old US citizen was killed by a drone strike under Obama's watch and everyone speaks of him like the sun shines out of his arse.

As i wrote, he imprisoned german journalists in 2018 on made up terrorism charges... so there was and still is an ongoing conflict between Erdogan and Germany. Erdogan is still threatening german politicians (mostly of turkish decent).

 

[predator]

Maybe I'm being naive, but what makes Erdogan so much worse than multiple Western leaders who have been responsible for war and countless lives lost in the last decade?

I mean, a 16 year old US citizen was killed by a drone strike under Obama's watch and everyone speaks of him like the sun shines out of his arse.

You are far from naive mate. Alot of people simply can not broaden their minds when it comes to right and wrong. The world would be in such a different state if we all didn't let mainstream media dictate who is bad and who isn't.

 

[RedTiger]

Totally understand his statement. Good luck to him and I hope he plays for the DFB again once the president steps down.

 

[RedTiger]

He had the same choice as Emre Can who refused to take a picture with Erdogan.

Is Emre Can feted in the German media for this move, is he celebrated as a patriotic German for his refusal to have a picture taken?

 

[UweBein]

Is Emre Can feted in the German media for this move, is he celebrated as a patriotic German for his refusal to have a picture taken?

Nope.

 

[do.ob]

Maybe I'm being naive, but what makes Erdogan so much worse than multiple Western leaders who have been responsible for war and countless lives lost in the last decade?

I mean, a 16 year old US citizen was killed by a drone strike under Obama's watch and everyone speaks of him like the sun shines out of his arse.

The difference is that one is seen as collatteral damage of a justified cause/necessary operation, whereas the other is seen as someone who defies Western values in pursuit of his own personal power an wealth.
Whether or not these views are correct is probably a topic that deserves its own thread though.



BTT:
I always viewed Grindel as a stereotypical career politican, out of touch with the common football fan, not likeable at all, no commendable beliefs or agendas, but an opportunistic bullshiter instead.
That was before reading the quotes of his that Özil brought up. If they are indeed true then one has to wonder how the feck someone like that could become DFB's president, when there are loads of players in die Mannschaft, who have a migration background?

Is Emre Can feted in the German media for this move, is he celebrated as a patriotic German for his refusal to have a picture taken?

It's not exactly like the media keeps discussing who is a "true" German and who isn't. It's a bit more nuanced than "Özil the traitor vs Can the hero"..

 

[Mibabalou]

Perfect fit for Arsenal, absolute fanny of a human . And one of the last players I want to see in a tough game.

Posing with one of the worst leaders on earth is bad and still not understanding why people are upset reeks of lack of awareness.

Trying to play the victim is just the final cherry on top of this shit Sunday.

 

[King.of.Red]

DFB is embarassing. treating and making one of best players in their football history as a scapegoat because of their WC disaster. cnuts. well, since he retired from NT, I also wont be a fan of them anymore.

 

[RobinLFC]

He had the same choice as Emre Can who refused to take a picture with Erdogan.

So two people can have different views about their country of origin, who would've thought?!

 

[Zelex]

I'm backing Ozil 100% here, taking a neutral perspective.I think the photo itself was probably insensitive based on the on going situation from a "German" perspective but none of this concerns Ozil as an individual and I think this is the point he is trying to make, does he have to agree with the narrative? When Tony Blair decided to get involved in Iraq, did those that vehemently disagree mean they were any less patriotic about Western values? He is not a politician nor interested in the current affairs most likely. From his perspective this was just a picture taken with the technically democratically elected president of his family's country, nothing more. Could he have been more sensitive, probably.

 

[Marooned]

Its really stupid of him saying it would have been disrespecting his ancestors' roots had he not met with Erdogan. We don't see American athletes pose with Trump.

 

[Carolina Red]

Its really stupid of him saying it would have been disrespecting his ancestors' roots had he not met with Erdogan. We don't see American athletes pose with Trump.

All don’t, but some do.