Teden Mengi Attitude on Hugging/Laughing with Opposition is a breath of fresh air

TrueRed1999

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So after reading into what Teden Mengi said to his teammate after the heavy defeat last week on instagram it is a breath of fresh air that some youngsters still have some integrity of club football when it comes to the opposition. Especially after seeing United and City hugging and laughing with each other after that drizzle of a draw which looked like was arranged between the 2 squads. Football is a game where you want to see your team go all out, not play nice and especially not with local derbies after games. What Roy Keane said still stays with me and he is spot on, would Liverpool/Everton, Chelsea/Arsenal or Arsenal/Tottenham be hugging/laughing with each other. No they would not. It's not about hatred as you can still be mates with whoever you want on the opposition but after the game and away from fans view. Teden's reaction to his team mates took some guts especially in this day and age but him having that attitude at his age will help him in the future.
 

bsCallout

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I really like him as a player too, not sure when he'll be ready for the step up but I hope it is soon.
 

TrueRed1999

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Like that. Feck this friendly nonsense.

We need that edge to our attitude and approach to games.
more players have this attitude the better we will be, its no surprise how Liverpool are the way they are Klopp got rid of that bull attitude and adopted a winning mentality no matter what, no laughing or friends. Your there to win.
 

Scarecrow

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Seems the photo was from the warmup. I have no issue with Mejbri greeting an old friend before the game but the feck is he doing uploading that after getting trashed 1:6? That's a bit weak.

That said, maybe Instagram comments is not the best way to bring that up.
 

TrueRed1999

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Seems the photo was from the warmup. I have no issue with Mejbri greeting an old friend before the game but the feck is he doing uploading that after getting trashed 1:6?
I prefer the Gary Nev approach to not look at anyone :lol: :lol: your there to do a job not socialize do that behind closed doors and public view.
 

SmallCaine

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why can they not be friends or share a hug/laugh after the game?

Football fans rather all sports fans seem to have some really bizarre expectations of sportsmen they support. They are not medeival era gladiators. They are just really well paid employees who get to kick a ball for living.

It isn't a fight to death, you don't need enemies. Imagine if an adult said what mengi said to you on your job, most would laugh at that person and call him a weirdo. But a teenager is apparently applauded for it.
 
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lysglimt

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Things like this almost irritates me. Teden Mengi who was the worst player on the pitch, whose performance was so crap he should have been taken off the pitch after 10 minutes - attacks Hannibal who was miles better, and actually looked like he wanted to win the game.

Mengi gave Chelsea 2 goals after 3 minutes of football, maybe next time he should focus on his own performance rather than attack Hannibal. We didn't lose the game because we were too friendly - we lost the game because Mengi showed zero focus when the game started
 

Skizzo

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I take more issue with Mengi having a shocker, and then calling out a teammate publicly instead of addressing it in person or behind closed doors.

As is usually said when these things come up, they aren’t fans. They aren’t tribalistic. They’re also kids ffs.
 

Santos J

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Seems the photo was from the warmup. I have no issue with Mejbri greeting an old friend before the game but the feck is he doing uploading that after getting trashed 1:6?
It was 2 weeks later he uploaded it.

Hardly an issue, he's a young kid in a new country seeing his mate from back home who's also a young kid in a new country.

Can't believe he didn't just walk up to him and deck him. Roy Keane would be fuming.
 

lysglimt

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I really like him as a player too, not sure when he'll be ready for the step up but I hope it is soon.
After what he has shown this season - not even close. He has taken a huge step back from his performances last season.
 

lysglimt

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I take more issue with Mengi having a shocker, and then calling out a teammate publicly instead of addressing it in person or behind closed doors.

As is usually said when these things come up, they aren’t fans. They aren’t tribalistic. They’re also kids ffs.
Spot on!
 

TrueRed1999

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why can they not be friends or share a hug/laugh after the game?

Football fans rather all sports fans seem to have some really bizarre expectations of sportsmen they support. They are not medeival era gladiators. They are just really well paid employees who get to kick a ball for living.

It isn't a fight to death, you don't need enemies. Imagine if an adult said what mengi said to you on your job, most would laugh at that person and call him a weirdo. But a teenager is apparently applauded for it.
I am not saying you can't be mates, but in a rivalry/derby it isn't what you want to see after A. Being absolutely battered or B. Drawing by not even trying but like an agreement was made prior to Kick Off. Theres a reason we were so lethal under Sir Alex, he wouldn't have anything like that and Klopp has instilled it in his team too no coincidence of why they started to be successful again. Games are there to be played and win not laugh with mates on opposition team, do that behind closed doors.
 

Scarecrow

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It was 2 weeks later he uploaded it.

Hardly an issue, he's a young kid in a new country seeing his mate from back home who's also a young kid in a new country.

Can't believe he didn't just walk up to him and deck him. Roy Keane would be fuming.
Yeah, fair enough I guess.
 

Red_toad

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I really like him as a player too, not sure when he'll be ready for the step up but I hope it is soon.
His form has dropped off a cliff recently. Fish looks much better on current form, which isn’t saving much as team is leaking goals.
 

TrueRed1999

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It was 2 weeks later he uploaded it.

Hardly an issue, he's a young kid in a new country seeing his mate from back home who's also a young kid in a new country.

Can't believe he didn't just walk up to him and deck him. Roy Keane would be fuming.
Players can be civil but you wouldn't see the class of 92 laughing with opposition as they would have been told to run miles as they were there to win not be nice and that attitude was instilled within them from an early age and carried them through their careers. You can be nice at the end of the game but having a laugh after being slaughtered in any game with opposition players isn't something any fan would want to witness. They are young but you see this with the first team and it is weakness and why some of our players won't reach the next level.
 

DWelbz19

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Agree with some of the posts above — Instagram isn’t the best place to voice such concerns, take ownership of your own poor performances, and the tribalism attached by some fans on being very angry at the opposition and not being allowed to laugh or small is a bit over the top.
 

DWelbz19

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Players can be civil but you wouldn't see the class of 92 laughing with opposition as they would have been told to run miles as they were there to win not be nice and that attitude was instilled within them from an early age and carried them through their careers. You can be nice at the end of the game but having a laugh after being slaughtered in any game with opposition players isn't something any fan would want to witness. They are young but you see this with the first team and it is weakness and why some of our players won't reach the next level.
The image he posted was 1. A picture taken before the match had even began; and 2. Posted weeks later.
 

TrueRed1999

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Agree with some of the posts above — Instagram isn’t the best place to voice such concerns, take ownership of your own poor performances, and the tribalism attached by some fans on being very angry at the opposition and not being allowed to laugh or small is a bit over the top.
I think that you are missing the point I didn't say you were never ever allowed to do that BUT after getting smashed or not even trying against Rivals/Derbies you don't want to see it as it looks like they didn't want to even try as they were playing against their mates. Theres a reason why Klopp got rid of that attitude from Liverpool who were like that for years as it is a weak attitude to have especially if you want to be a champion. You would have never seen a Sir Alex team do that. Be friendly, civil, shake hands but not hug each other and laugh like it doesn't mean anything. Don't recall Utd players doing that to city when they smashed us 6-1, they walked straight down the tunnel.
 

Adam-Utd

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Easy to say that, but the whole team got out classed, and Chelsea do it to everybody at that age.

While Mengi's heart is in the right place i'm sure, not really big on him calling out Mejbri like that. THAT will cause way more issues than being friends with the opposition.

He really should be keeping that behind closed doors, not trying to embarrass your team mates in public. Silly to use Hannibals photo personally in a post like that.
 

pratyush_utd

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No it isn't. Airing an opinion on co worker is not something you do on Social media especially when your own performance was probably the worst of the bunch.

Not sure why people have this nostalgia of Roy Keane and before him era. World has moved on, and not everyone has to act like they are about to murder someone after they lose a game. Infact being humble after the game and praising your opponent for outclassing you is probably the better attitude. You can reflect behind close doors and I am sure most of the sports person do.
 

DannyCAFC

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Pretty bold him calling out a team mate publicly like this when he was at fault for half the goals.
 

Grande

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So after reading into what Teden Mengi said to his teammate after the heavy defeat last week on instagram it is a breath of fresh air that some youngsters still have some integrity of club football when it comes to the opposition. Especially after seeing United and City hugging and laughing with each other after that drizzle of a draw which looked like was arranged between the 2 squads. Football is a game where you want to see your team go all out, not play nice and especially not with local derbies after games. What Roy Keane said still stays with me and he is spot on, would Liverpool/Everton, Chelsea/Arsenal or Arsenal/Tottenham be hugging/laughing with each other. No they would not. It's not about hatred as you can still be mates with whoever you want on the opposition but after the game and away from fans view. Teden's reaction to his team mates took some guts especially in this day and age but him having that attitude at his age will help him in the future.
It really is a question of does it work or not. Unless you think animosity is a value in it’s own right. Looking at that game in isolation, we know at least one United player and one Chelsea player were friendly before the match. One lost 1-6, the other won 6-1, so it’s not really a testimony against friendliness. We know one United player wanted friendliness, and one United player wanted animosity. The friendly one were one of our least bad on the night, thehostile one was our worst player and lost us the game before anyone could do anything much about it.

It’s not much in the way of evidence, but locally, it may look like friendliness can be better for performance than animosity.
 

TrueRed1999

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No it isn't. Airing an opinion on co worker is not something you do on Social media especially when your own performance was probably the worst of the bunch.
Maybe so especially the performance but he wasn't laughing or hugging players that have just humiliated you. So for me fair play.
 

Santos J

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Players can be civil but you wouldn't see the class of 92 laughing with opposition as they would have been told to run miles as they were there to win not be nice and that attitude was instilled within them from an early age and carried them through their careers. You can be nice at the end of the game but having a laugh after being slaughtered in any game with opposition players isn't something any fan would want to witness. They are young but you see this with the first team and it is weakness and why some of our players won't reach the next level.
It wasn't after the game & yes of course you would have seen them laughing with the opposition at times :lol: They're not fecking robots.
 

RUCK4444

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more players have this attitude the better we will be, its no surprise how Liverpool are the way they are Klopp got rid of that bull attitude and adopted a winning mentality no matter what, no laughing or friends. Your there to win.
Exactly, hate to admit it but your right he's instilled that within their team.

Minimum we should have are players that are willing to outrun and outwork opponents and players that aren't 'nice.' The last you want is to be a 'nice' team. Your there to win, your paid to win.
 

pratyush_utd

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Maybe so especially the performance but he wasn't laughing or hugging players that have just humiliated you. So for me fair play.
I edited my post to include that. Just because someone is humble and friendly post game doesn't mean he doesn't care. Reflection on the game should be done behind close door.
 

TrueRed1999

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It wasn't after the game & yes of course you would have seen them laughing with the opposition at times :lol: They're not fecking robots.
I never said they were, Jesus Christ people haven't read what I have said or interpreted it as intended. I was comparing it to why Klopp got rid of that crap and comparing it to the teams Fergie built. And you wonder why we have struggled throughout the Post Fergie Years. Our Fans would happily watch our teams get beat 6-1 and be happy watching players hug and laugh with the opposition and respect that. Roy Keane has the right attitude even Gary Neville said you don't want to see that as a fan. You instill into any team when playing against rivals/derbies be mates after the game and behind closed doors not when the camera is on you :lol:
 
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TrueRed1999

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I edited my post to include that. Just because someone is humble and friendly post game doesn't mean he doesn't care. Reflection on the game should be done behind close door.
To be honest it shows how little you do care if you can laugh after getting beat that bad shows the attitude you do have.
 

sullydnl

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I think that you are missing the point I didn't say you were never ever allowed to do that BUT after getting smashed or not even trying against Rivals/Derbies you don't want to see it as it looks like they didn't want to even try as they were playing against their mates. Theres a reason why Klopp got rid of that attitude from Liverpool who were like that for years as it is a weak attitude to have especially if you want to be a champion. You would have never seen a Sir Alex team do that. Be friendly, civil, shake hands but not hug each other and laugh like it doesn't mean anything. Don't recall Utd players doing that to city when they smashed us 6-1, they walked straight down the tunnel.
Given Klopp's Liverpool were the team we were hugging in the tunnel pre-game when Keane went on a similar rant, I'm not sure where you've got this idea that Klopp has ruthlessly stamped out such behaviour from.
 

Kostov

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why can they not be friends or share a hug/laugh after the game?

Football fans rather all sports fans seem to have some really bizarre expectations of sportsmen they support. They are not medeival era gladiators. They are just really well paid employees who get to kick a ball for living.

It isn't a fight to death, you don't need enemies. Imagine if an adult said what mengi said to you on your job, most would laugh at that person and call him a weirdo. But a teenager is apparently applauded for it.
This, "they are just well paid employees who get to kick a ball" is the attitude that got us 7 years in the wilderness and generally looking like a mediocre team from previously title winning team. Fans like yourself obviously think differently but imo the best teams are much more that "well paid employees". Winning mentality is a huge part of the best teams around and we lack that in the senior side for years. Look at Bruno and how refreshing his presence has been, they might not be medieval era gladiators, but they better give 110% in every game at the very least, and have the sense of not posting a picture on social media after such a humiliating defeat,.

Not that Mengi was in the right considering how shockingly bad he performed, and this could have been discussed behind closed doors.