I have often wondered how an Arsenal supporter can be so full of animosity towards one of their players, especially one that has been a loyal and consistent servant to the team for nearly six years.
Granit Xhaka has been a stalwart for the Gunners and has always been one of the first names on the teamsheet, whoever has been in charge. But the fans (as much on JustArsenal as anywhere else) have been just as consistent in their vitriolic attacks on Xhaka, and he is usually the one that takes the brunt of the abuse when we lose, even if he himself has had a good performance.
He was nearly hounded out of Arsenal by the abuse when Unai Emery was in charge, and then he revealed the level of abuse he was getting, including threats to his wife and child, which is totally unacceptable.
Since then, many other Arsenal players have revealed the extent of their own abuse, and Granit Xhaka has told a meeting of the Arsenal Supporters Trust (reported by the Standard) that he is worried that the trolling is now become normal for football players, but he refuses to be intimidated any more. “I say always [to] myself, ‘The only one who can stop me is myself’,”
“Of course, injuries and things like that stop you as well, but nobody can stop me, not the people outside.
“This is why in my head I am so strong. I say that always [to] myself as well, ‘I decide when I leave, nobody else, not the fans, not the people’.
“When I am not ready, I will leave. As long as I am ready and I feel good, and I feel I can help the team, I will be here. But because of the people? Because of a bad message? Because of the bad stuff they are doing, speaking and writing? No chance.
“The one thing is if you see the people face to face, they will never tell you something bad. This is what makes me upset.
“I have been in this ‘business’ since I was 17, nearly 13 years, but I have a feeling that the abuse at the moment looks like it’s normal.
“For me, it doesn’t help anybody and I think this is something we can improve on, a lot.”
But the Swiss international is well aware that it is only a minority and the Arsenal fans are what makes football so special when they are urging the team on in the big matches. He concluded: “After six years of now being here, against Spurs [the atmosphere] is always amazing, but I think against Wolverhampton, after 70 minutes, it was in the top three since I have been here,”
“The atmosphere was unbelievable and pushed us until the last moment. People forget sometimes that the fans are so important for us as well.”
Are sure they’re Arsenal fans? They may be Spurs fans trying to destabilize an Arsenal player
I’d imagine the online abuse he receives is mainly from the younger fan base (adolescents) I’ve read they create accounts known as fan accounts or something like that and usually it’ll be an angry 15 year old sat in his room with nothing better to do. Best to ignore the hate mail or better still leave social media it’s better for your health and relationship.
I always knew Xaka was strong mentally. I remember a certain player cried after being abused by fans. Eboue?
I don’t understand fans. Instead of jeering opponent players, they jeer their own.
He’s been playing much better, since Arteta assigned him in a slightly more advanced midfield position. He doesn’t need to be last DM anymore and he can use his aerial presence there
He just needs to keep his cool till the end of the season
What constitutes so called “online abuse, I NEED TO ASK!! As one of our shared human race who has all my life passionately believed in the freedom and safetyfrom dictatorship that free speech gives our race, I stand for those who without fear or favour exercise that human right.
Hpowever the freedom to commenton JA and similar platforms does not give anyone the right to send personal abuse to such as XHAKA on his private online accounts.
A public forum however such as JA, where free and various points of view are and should be shared, is a viable platform for views on the playing standards AND on and off field behaviour of those players who willingly accept the obscenely ludicrous salaries that we foolish fans agree to pay them via seasonand matchday tickets , merchandise, sports TV packages and so on.
I believe above all in fairness and he right of all to have their say and for others to publicly challenge those views they disagree about. Stimulating free PUBLIC exchange of views is a key protection against tyranny; something the free world has long known but overlooked at times, as the tragedy now happening in Ukraine at the bloodied hands of an unchallengeable tyrannical monster shows, only too bleakly.
Hmmm..
Didn’t you wish covid had killed him because he was unvaccinated.. Hypocrisy isnt good Jon
MARK THAT IS A DISGUSTING THING TO SUGGEST I COULD EVER THINK. IT DEMEANS YOU WHO WROTE IT AND NOT I WHO COULD NEVER THINK IT!
As for your failed hypocrite jibe, you have clearly never read even one of my many posts on JA going back years (and the last one only a week or so ago), in whch I state that ALL humans are hypocrites ; it being a normal and natural part of our shared human condition.
CARE TO COMMENT ON THAT LAST PROFOUND COMMENT , which I can tell has surprised you . Eh MARK??
Lately Xhaka has been great for us I worry when his not in the team, cannot understand why Arsenal fans would want to abuse one of our better player
I guess what would solve Xhaka’s issue is if he played for AFC the way he plays for his National side.
With the same passion and commitment.
But he brings another part of him to AFC.
Just hope MA keeps playing him high up the field.
Ah, the enigmatic Mr Xhaka, never been a favourite of mine and hard to support him as an Arsenal player at times, but I do as he is
If ever a player illustrates the difference between us fans and people (still) in the game it’s Granit as whilst a lot of Arsenal fans don’t rate him as a player a number of Managers continue to pick him (& make him Captain) and apparently he is very well liked by his playing colleagues who appreciate what he brings to a team
At the moment (which is all I’m really interested in to be honest) we do seem to play better with him in the side, personally I was hoping that Partey would emerge as the main guy in the centre of our midfield but it appears he needs Xhaka alongside him for best effect, certainly at the moment that is working well and if that continues until the end of the season without any more sendings off then it will help us with our current target of top 4
If that happens then clean slate for me next season, no problem
Meanwhile obviously any form of personal abuse online or otherwise is disgraceful
Granit we love you and you love us
“The one thing is if you see the people face to face, they will never tell you something bad. This is what makes me upset.”
firstly, this is the exact reason why he continues to act in such a rash and nonsensical fashion, in that no one seems to ever hold him accountable for his actions, including those who are tasked with doing so
secondly, Mr. Xhaka, I would have no problem expressing my displeasure directly to you if that opportunity should ever arise, as I have no problem whatsoever speaking my truth
Online abuse is very vitriolic and uncalled for. Real men dont do it. One has to have limits on what one is doing and this act is condemnable. It should stop immediately and owners of platforms should take action against such abusers, who are not human beings, and stop this hate instantly.
It’s not good to racially abuse anyone! We are all created by God. Racially abusing anybody means questioning God’s creature. As for Xhaka, to me he is an average player, we need to upgrade on him. As long as he is an Arsenal player I’ll support him as I’ll support any Arsenal player that plays for the Club.