There is a saying that football (soccer) is the beautiful game in the world. But after watching the extreme violence and brutality of football fans in the movie “The Football Factory,” I was left to wonder if that saying was an irony.
This movie unfolds the dark world of British Hooligan culture thats replete with booze, drugs, sex and barbaric bare knuckle fights. Had it not been for the comedic nature of the movie, the gore and savagery in it would have been unbearable.
The main star of the movie, Danny Dyer has recently released a set of documentaries titled “The Real Football Factories.” In this documentary, he goes to the major football firms and interviews the members. For them, a couple of beers, some lines and few minutes of brawl sounds like a healthy British past time.
That is when compared to the very recent documentaries released by the same person entitled “The Real Football Factories – International.” This is where everything from the fans exuberant passion to the violence takes a gruesome turn. Guns and knifes are wielded in exchange for punches and death is a very common occurrence during big derbies.
One of the episodes that really struck me was the one on the Hooligan culture of the Balkans. A very sad story about the football firms in the former Yugoslavia whose members not only fought on the terraces but carried weapons and went to full blown war with each other. It was scary to see how hate could run so deep and unrestrained nationalism could lead to ethnic genocide.
The Real Football Factories International (Part 1)
The Real Football Factories International (Part 2)
The Real Football Factories International (Part 3)
The rest seen below.
Published by June 23rd, 2008 in Childhood and Social.
It’s amazing the amount passion soccer bring to the world.
I watch Spanish soccer a lot, beteley degmo Barca games. Almost every time I watch them the unity between Eto ( a dirt poor guy from Cameroon), Messi (a kid from Argentina), Iniesta from spain etc…strikes me as a symbol of the unity in the human race. They come form such a diverse background but they play with seamless coordination for one goal.
When the Iraqi team won the asian cup about a year ago, that victory was more successful in uniting the country’s sunis and shiats (excuse the spelling) than any other event, politician, mediator or war lord….giving Iraqis a glimpse of what it would be like if they chose to put down thier guns.
This fan violence minamin is a bunch of teenagers or sekaramoch finding the excuse to do what they do anyways…
The beautiful game is beautiful indeed….no irony…
I hope that stirs some discussion…
Danny Dyer good actor, a bit of a football hooligan himself when he was younger, the football club he supports West Ham United maybe the worst football thugs in England bar the ones up in Scotland…football culture is different in mainland Europe to here, there,it is a family sport, here only a mad person would contemplate their families to football stadiums and it is not only violence and drunkuness, it is also about racial violence since many neo nazis also seem to be football hooligans in their leisure time, maybe the two roles come hand in hand who knows?….I know next to nothing about football I only watch tennis and the athletics every few years…
The beauty of soccer can not be limited or tinted by these
It transcends all. In my recent visit to Addis I saw how people (hundreds) gathered around the giant screen on Meskel square ( now I regrest not having taken pictures)to watch english/european soccer. Some on top of the taxis, on both sides of the streets, some just parked their car right there in traffic….true african stlye.
Others were gathered at the Hilton, where they have TVs. You could see the guys coming in , slowly filling the room and arranging the chairs to face the screen as in movies. There were of course young & old abeshas but also whites, not just guessts, some who came with their abesha friends for the ambiance.
That corner between the lobby bar & the NTO stores felt like a mini stadium in a matter of minutes. At first gira tegabiché neber and went downstairs by the pool and it was the same thing. It was actualy a great experience.
I remembered the times, the excitemnt when there were big games at the stadium Giorgis vs. Toru!!!
I don’t think there is another game that brings such emotion, passion all over the world. We have hockey here and people go crazy but the feeling is not the same… the opening ceremony, the celebration, the fans… not the same.
I have to second Dinich … it is THE Beautiful game indeed!
Soccer is not only a game it’s a beautiful art! I guess, the violance comes from the love of the game, passion. I used to go Addis Stadium at “Katanga” section with my brothers where you find the real hard core football fans. The sad thing is that guys never welcome girls to be part of the fun. Guys looked at you, make you feel like you’re like an outer space visitor. That’s very disappointing!!!
Sadly,this attitude never improved/ changed in recent years either. The only change i noticed in recent years was that a women arbiter and i was very happy about that (when the guys disagree with the decision, they call them all kinds of names under the sun and very irritating, though.)
Football is indeed beautiful and has witnessed several occasions of bringing nations or races together. At the same time, Football has also witnessed events that have culminated in one of the bloodiest wars of the 20th century. It has produced the violent fans who in the case of former Yugoslavia joined paramilitary groups to commit some of the horrific atrocities and mass murder. I think if you watch the documentary your whole perspective on football would change…But I agree, its a great game to watch. I don’t think there is any other sport that has fans with half the passion of football fans. But sometimes, that passion has to be kept in check …
so, Nolawi, this thing doesn’t show posts if it has more than one url ?
OK, I see the thread where you mention that more than two links are put for moderation so I’ll just have to wait for you to open it up.
Other than that, watching the whole documentary might take some time. But if you watch Episode 4 after like the 3rd minute upto the first half 5th episode it really captures the culmination Im talking about. Especially the comments of the old photographer dude who described that fateful day…
Mike I don’t see your comments even the moderated one…
two links go but three no go.
also if you are signed in – it should forgo the moderation.
Thanks
Football is indeed beautiful and has witnessed several occasions of bringing nations or races together. At the same time, Football has also witnessed events that have culminated in one of the bloodiest wars of the 20th century. It has produced the violent fans who in the case of former Yugoslavia joined paramilitary groups to commit some of the horrific atrocities and mass murder. I think if you watch the documentary your whole perspective on football would change…But I agree, its a great game to watch. I don’t think there is any other sport that has fans with half the passion of football fans. But sometimes, that passion has to be kept in check …
Nolawi,
Wht’s up with all the youtube stuff, Yante Blog aymeslem
Other wise cool post , you can add the latinos in the Hooliganism.
read the author name… setiyo.. plust you have no right to complain
loooooool @ setiyo….I know it is said in love but very funny….
It is funny how we dont get to use these words in real life because we live in a superficially polite and politically correct society…..It is refreshing to hear these words online….loooool
sorry to digress but I say it almost everyday…
pick up the phone- ayeeeeee anchi setiyo, endemnesh
if she annoys me- ere bakish setiyo stop it…
back to soccer!
lol again …I have every right to complian, of course!
Demo … I will say it again ,the blog is yours ..not his….Endeeeeeeeeeeee
Setiyo its not my blog… my blog is the one i write…
lol okey …
New course for Nolawi….Blog and Post 101..
Duration … 16 ken with tsebel
Wht do you say?
Why did I always think Spacefog was a Seweye…I dont know…
I really relate with these firms, I’m lucky I wasn’t born in europe or I could easily be one of these guys.
Someone once said “Football is not a matter of life and death, no it is much more important than that.” sighhhhhhhhh
Selam Bernosoch,
The other day I was cleaning up my hard wood floor and just remembered yagerachenen “Bernos” Sanka mewelewya. I know it is kind of late to give an idea what to put up for sale at the soccer field besides your famous tees. But as they say “never to be late” might be a good idea some how to bring those materials from back home and distribute here in the Habesh’s or other stores. I think they will have a good turnout in the future specially now days when these hardwood floors are becoming very popular.