15 Apr 2025 07:25:11
For the record, I have never and will never boo or shout abuse at a football match. But, I understand how and why it happens.

Pressure builds within a stadium, it builds when results are bad, when performances are bad, when the football on show is boring, when you have over 70% possession and no attacking threat. If those things don't turn around, if the team doesn't give fans something to cheer, which, at least temporarily, dissolves that pressure, then that pressure needs to go somewhere. Eventually the cork will pop and the pressure is released in boos and groans of open frustration.

That should never go beyond booing into personal and offensive abuse. But, if it is just boos and groans of frustration, then the coach and players need to take that on the chin. Complaining about the atmosphere, which, at the end of the day, their performances are creating, and blaming the fans for said performances isn't going to end well.

1.) 15 Apr 2025
15 Apr 2025 09:19:20
“J” I understand the frustration but when a team needs all the help it can get is when supporters give the team that little bit extra at matches.

A manager blaming fans never ends well well but in this particular case I think he was, perhaps clumsily, asking for fans support and pointing out how a player can react to fans emotions.

2.) 15 Apr 2025
15 Apr 2025 09:33:49
Tom

If the fans can't boo if they are displeased at what is hoing on, what do they do, just keep quiet?

Surely, noise only coming from the away support is worse, perhaps, fans should just walk instead which would be great for Sky sports and the media, to me that would be far worse.

3.) 15 Apr 2025
15 Apr 2025 10:39:40
Bill, how about boo at the end of a match. Seem pretty simple to me.

That way no individual is bending singled out.

4.) 15 Apr 2025
15 Apr 2025 12:31:06
It just isn't realistic to just boo at half or full time, it's impulsive reactions to what people are seeing in real time.

As I said the other day, us fans are fickle, do well, play well, score goals, win and people cheer. Play poor, boring football, dropping points and people boo / groan.

The coach, players and football they all implement is what's responsible for the atmosphere in the stadium, the fans are simply reacting to it. If Maresca has issues with the atmosphere, he should look inwardly, not at the fans.

5.) 15 Apr 2025
15 Apr 2025 13:24:41
“J” I’m not sure why it isn’t realistic. I go to games to support my team “through the match. ”

At the end of the day fans will do and say what they want. I just think it’s sad and I hate saying this but if I had booed at Stamford Bridge given all the sh&t I watched over the years there would have been a few supporters giving me some choice words.