What Is Expected Of A Football Club’s Supporters/Fans? by KAF
So, here’s the thing: some people think the word “fan” or “supporter”, in football, means one who supports a club and its players and whole-heartedly accepts everything done by the clubs administrative board, coach, players and asks no question whatsoever even when it is glaring that things are going wrong or not being done properly.
Well, there’s a huge difference between a “puppet” and a “fan”, you can always look up the definition of both words; one isn’t human (inanimate) and is animated or controlled by someone else, the other is human – a living being with a will. Puppets don’t complain, the analyse nothing, they act solely on the command their animator gives. But fans are not puppets.
If at Arsenal, a player who plays for us isn’t good enough, should we, just because we are fans, sit back and applaud his mediocrity? Or if our coach repeatedly makes the wrong tactical decisions and costs us games, should we sit back and chant his praise like there’s nothing wrong, just because we are fans? When a governing body goes unquestioned at all times, its activities are not being scrutinised, dictatorship is born.
Some of the players playing for us are very average, we (the fans) have the right to complain. As fans, we have expectations for our club, we’d like our club to be factually the best in the world and win every trophy there is to win. We are an essential integral part of the club, not just with our voices and emotions, but our money too. We, as a club, may not win everything, but we must make a thorough effort to. It is better to try and fail than never trying at all.
___KickAssFan
All Arsenal fans do support the club unconditionally. Otherwise they wouldn’t be fans.
There is a difference of opinion between a lot of Arsenal fans as to whether the club can be criticised or not. But that in itself does not equate to conditional or unconditional support.
Agreed. If anyone wants to conditionally support the club then that is their prerogative – but it does beg the question why bother if you are only willing to support the club when everything is in accord with your own personal wishes/desires/view of the world. Not gonna happen is it? Tony Adam’s hijacked Shankly’s famous quote: “If you can’t support us when we are losing don’t support us when we are winning”. Often quoted, but it eloquently gets right to the essence of being a fan – in my opinion anyway.
You normally associate unconditional support or love with someone or something where you have no say in the matter, a choice forced on you. You choose Arsenal – they don’t come looking for you and force you in to it. There are a few on here that I believe have never uttered a single positive statement about our club in the 3 years I have been on JA – I am genuinely baffled as to why they bother, and I say that for the sake of their health/sanity because they have backed themselves in to a corner with no escape. They want Arsenal FC to orbit their world. May be it is simply that the rest of their lives are miserable and they are hell-bent on others feeling that pain too.
But the thread confuses the issue because I think what KAF is talking about it the right to be critical. I imagine no-one is going to take issue with that – it is the easiest thing in the world to do and is an integral part of being a fan. I have no problem with anyone having any level of criticism – but I do draw the line at vicious personal abuse of players/managers – always signals someone living out an insecure and unfulfilled life and probably low on the intelligence front as well.
Excellent comment.
Please, guys, let’s get this straight: the word “unconditionally” can be quite misleading in the context above. There is no condition that can or should make a true fan turn his back on the club. Players come and go, but fans are always fans and they die fans.
“Unconditionally”, as used above, simply means to accept everything the club does, unquestionably. I don’t think that’s appropriate. A fan can criticise his club, but it is simply becuz he wants the best for the club. Trust me, if the fans on this sight were manging Arsenal in real life, there will be no worldclass players left for other clubs to sign.
As fans, we must not always to the path of “YES” with everything that happens at Arsenal FC, and we can not all have a common opinion. But the main thing is that we all wish the club well.
Pardon the typo errors.
KickAssFan – I hear you. And you say:
“Trust me, if the fans on this site were managing Arsenal in real life, there will be no worldclass players left for other clubs to sign” – that made me laugh out loud. I thank you for that, made my day.
I love this comment. Have you come across a facebook page called Arsenal Action? They are so negative its almost as if they hate Arsenal. I would love to see your wisdom on that page because there are a lot of morons who lap up the negativity on that page.
Couldn’t agree more @jonestown1
I support arsenal, but i do not support many of their actions, like signing Welbeck, having superhigh wages for average players, pulling us up to the top of PL wages, even though our top earners are miles below the top of individual pay checks. I support the club, but I do not support the treatment of Podolski.
Supporting Arsenal and supporting individuals should not be mixed up. I have been supporting Arsenal before Wenger and I will be supporting Arsenal after he leaves. In no way my support means that i should not voice my opinion and act like the three monkeys when I am not satisfied with players or the management of the club.
I am an Arsenal supporter, no matter who owns the club, who manages it, or who is playing. That is unconditional. I will always voice my opinion, that also is unconditional.
Very well put.
If we support unconditionally, we have the right to criticize harshly or softly when we see nonsense like not taking strong quick action and anticipating in the transfer market or not buying a position we’ve needed for 3 years. Its all part of it just like it’s part of it for some to be delusional in their assessment of the club too.
The difference is my passion is for this club to be better and on par with the elite while for some its for the club to stay stagnant and hope for miracles without any urgency to strengthen or improve on certain players we have.
there’s no such thing as Conditional or unconditional club support……….as Long as u “Support”
No.We should not support if it wants to generate profits and until recently Arsenal Board were also interested more in Profits than in trophies.
Bayern demand £35 millon for Lewandowski if United want him. Still good price if true
its about time an article like this was written. am tired of this WOB bashing by “true gooners” who cowardly and happily accept mediocrity in the name of stability and longterm “success” . we want to see some aggression and ambition in this club. i know i will lose a lot of credibility for saying this but even on FIFA the Arsenal ratings are just sad. you will never win anything with Arsenal.
Haha i’m not going to pretend I don’t play FIFA… Quite a lot. And I’d love to say the Arsenal ratings on Fifa don’t irk me but they do.
But dude… It’s a f@#king game! It’s not at all even close to a benchmark of reality.
Short answer : yes. Long answer : y e s.
short support, i gave you thumbs up, long support i write it: thumbs up
We clearly need another source of goals, Walcott will be out injured for some time, it is bound to happen. That leaves us with Giroud who has proven to be unreliable when we need important goals for the past 3 seasons. Welbeck, what can I say, Walcott scored more goals than him in 442 minutes.
“it is bound to happen” ……. Really?…… Do u own a crystal ball?
Good question Kick Ass.
I reckon that this transfer window will put your question to the test. Wengers comments today suggest that he’s more focussed on improving our current squad tactically than he is by adding new players. For me, the fans have every right to question this approach, particularly those fans who financially contribute to the clubs success by attending games, buying official merchandise and TV subscriptions. In effect much of the money at the club comes from the fans and with some of the highest ticket prices in Europe, the fans have the right to have the highest expectations.
At the end of the day, both the fans and the club want success. We may not always agree on how we obtain that success but if we’re honest with ourselves, most of us will stick around regardless of how long it takes to be back to our best.
I agree its fine for fans to question the approach of a club. What is not ok is slating players because they are not world class. Players who put there all in when putting on the Arsenal shirt. Players who are better than 90% of the other player in the EPL.
I will not disagree arsenal need another big game, not name, player. It is however nigh on impossible to guarantee this by throwing money at any specific player, you can weigh the odds up but you cant guarantee.
Fans who come on this sit slating Giroud, Mert, Welbeck etc are not only clueless but also hugely disrespectful. None of these players has ever given anything else but a 100%. They have all also performed to a very high standard, whilst also sometimes being a little inconsistent. Now to find those players that can play at that high standard consistently is very difficult. I agree the club should be picking up minimum one more top player this transfer window. But if they don’t support the players we have or go and support City, Chelski or better still the soulless Real Madrid.
Exactly, Baz. Exactly.
When Chelsea won the last BPL, Terry mentioned that ‘I am happy to be part of the players to bring the trophy back to the bridge. It’s been too long’.
If I’m not wrong, it was 2009/2010 they won it last before 2014/2015…and Terry said it’s been too long. Imagine…Chelsea are so used to winning trophies now.
We need to step up our winning ways as a team. With back-to-back FA cups, I’ll like to believe we are on the right track.
And with additional quality signings (hopefully), we should be back at the top.
“Chelsea are so used to winning trophies now”
that phrase contains so much
I think Arsenal fans are very loyal. I think they deserve better than what they get. The prices of everything at Arsenal is always more expensive than other football clubs iin Europe. But our fans are still there. Even At the emirates cup you will see a full house supporting Arsenal.
Look at United. Just 6months of bn rubbish and they were flying planes all over the place. I think we are very loyal fans. These football club deserves morethan just winning Fa Cups. Our fans deserve more.
That’s the way London is for the most part, major cities are very expensive to live in. Every fan base can say we deserve more we deserve more than fa cup. Well we won the fa cup and all those other fans who think they are deserving won nothing. We got exactly what we deserved to win. We have a top manager who will bring us more successes not because we the fans are more deserving than other fans but because we have a top manager putting together a top team.
Certainly Galen, certainly!
Best article i have read here in a long time, great write up, KickAssFan!
Tnx
Totally agree galen and for the stupid fans that thumb you down i hope they are happy when we are playing europa mark my words Liverpool as done a complete overhaul and its not to play europa its for champions league. We barely got third last season and already the old Man thats in charge is hinting that we have Made it. Be happy if we make 4 th next season. We will not see a PL trophy at arsenal for the next decade with our current approach.
I don’t have a problem with the fans supporting the club…I have a problem with the board/Majority shareholder. Is Silent Stan a fan of Arsenal or just a business man?
As much as I hate to make this comparison, look at Abramovich of Chelsea…the guy watches almost every match of Chelsea, and is on his feet, waving like a maniac to celebrate goals. As much as he is the owner of Chelsea, he is a fan too…that’s why it’s not difficult for their team to conclude signings. Unlike my dear Arsenal.
that is true. i like abramovich for being a fan, but hey, thats not our owner sobe it and lets at least be thankful for the fact that is silnt stan knows nothing about football he is rright in letting other do that job.
Yeah, that is the real problem – not having a scarf waving, johnny-come-lately fan as an owner who knows what is best for the club. Anyone for Whyte, Ridsdale, Ellis, Hicks & Gillet, Venky, Bates, Tan, Ashley, Allam, Winkelman…..etc etc. The last thing we need is a sole-owner fan with his own ideas. I’m indifferent to our board and don’t care whether they cheer or not. I do know however that if there is no business there is no club.
For me, anyone who harbours dreams or fantasies about Arsenal being bought out by a mega rich individual who then sets out to buy the title with a “galactico” approach with no holds barred spending, is the absolute ultimate plastic fan.
a fan can criticize, but even doing that a fan always support.
the meaning of the verbs do not exclude one another.
for example: Saying Giroud is useless for example is not criticizing, is making a false statement. Saying we need to buy a new striker so we dont depend on him being fit or not or having a dry spell or not is supporting. Saying he misses chances is criticizing, not mentioning other greats missing chances is hiding the truth. Saying him or those other greats could have done better is criticizing while supporting. Calling him a donkey is not supporting
Gigi do you buy arsenal season tickets? Am sure you dont because you wouldnt be paying that prive todo see your team comes fourth every season.
How exactly will OR is this gonna improve the team???
Liverpool is going for Reus..they don’t deserve him!!
True lol
But I would take Reus over Sterling. Sterling is good but Reus is better.
Liverpool got a good deal for Sterling and Torres. Bad deal for Carroll lol
I think Chelsea getting Pedro for £14 millon is excellent business 🙁 sadly
… Really??
How many top players do you think actually want to play for Rodgers?? Or in a team captained by Jordan Henderson?
thats what I used to say..until i sat down with some friends and closely analyzed those ratings..we found them to be pretty much fair. The only thinh unrealistic with the game is Neymar’s dribbling. thats it.
Booing you’re own players is the equivalent of cutting off your nose to spite your face. Supporters have the right to question their club, unfortunately too many do it in an overly negative, counter-productive way. The truth is that we don’t know what happens behind the scenes, we only get to see ninety minutes each week; but after near twenty years of incredible service (if you have to brain cells to clang together you would see the incredible success of merely surviving stadium move years), I think we can trust that Wenger is doing everything he can to make us winners. Just because success in reality doesn’t match your deluded, hyperbolic version of success, doesn’t mean you should start throwing your toys out the pram. Protest when there is actually a problem, not when the club is clearly on the up. #commonsense
Obviously if the people running the club are endangering it well then the fans need to take action and boycott or whatever else needs to be done.
I understand why you ask that question but we are a long long ways off from it. People need to understand the competition in England isn’t like other countries, even at the best of times the Prem was said to be the most competitive. I honestly believe we would never had made that move to our new home if it wasn’t for the new mega spenders popping up.
Lets face it, we are always going to be Gooners no matter what. We get upset and we criticise but ultimately we will always support our club.
KickAssFan, whose ass are you trying to kick? Don’t tell me you want to try to instigate the Gooners against the Boss. I tell you that won’t work because the Boss has withstood that pressure for the past 2 seasons running, as he has won the FA Cup twice and finished 4th & 3rd in the table. I know where you are coming from and also know where you are going. You want us to win the title after a long break and also win the CL for the 1st time in our history. And you don’ believe some current Gunners are good enough to achieve those tasks. Nevertheless, I want to encourage you to be patient like d vulture that is said to be a patient bird. We will win those 2 Cups u dearly crave for at d appointed time of God. It is written, with God, nothing shall be impossible. So, let’s be steadfast in our prayers for Arsenal trophies success to come to pass for the Gunners next season. Did I hear you shouting a resounding Amen to these prayers? As for signing new players and letting resident ones leave, let’s keep talking.
Leave God out of a team’s success dude…other teams also has fans that worship God…
do u want God to be selective?….of course he would never be selective..
This is by far one of the most reasonable articles I have seen on just arsenal. Real madrid fan voiced out their grievances at the sale of Ike casilas. That’s what big clubs fans do. The fans cannot get more what they dream to achieve.
Thanks men. Good job.
The fans I struggle to empathise with are the ones who completely disregard the massive setbacks that took place while Wenger was balancing the books, taking risks in the transfer market and having extreme difficulties managing a disproportionate wage-bill and losing our best players year after year.
The reputation, lack of ambition and financial backing was downright damaging. Competing with the empire Ferguson created, and extremely talented squad he assembled while Chelsea and City were setting a new benchmark for spending and wages which doubled and on occasion tripled what we were offering was a platform we were always going to struggle to compete with.
Though I understand the desire for success that really burns in some fans, I really struggle to understand how they could not see that we were taking one step forward and two steps back for so long and it wasn’t going to change overnight when other teams in the league were buying the calibre of players we were constantly losing.
The past three seasons have all been steps forward. Players are emerging as key members of the squad, the older generation are being kept together while the younger members are as promising as they come. Instead of wondering if we’re going to lose Sanchez, Cazorla, Ozil or Koscielny we’re genuinely looking to add more players of a similar quality, and make no mistake, the Cech signing was of that quality. I just don’t get how fellow fans don’t want to get behind it!!
There’s the token comments of ‘accepting mediocrity’ and ‘stagnating’ but we’re f@#king not!!
F@#k Chelsea and Mourinho and the fact that they’ve spent a billion dollars on a squad to f#$king play like stoke. It’s an absolute embarrassment, I actually enjoy watching Arsenal at least try to play like a big team. When it fails it goes up in flames, sure it burns but at least it’s enjoyable and we play the sexiest football in the league.
F#$k United! Just have a look at LVG, He had Angel Di Maria in the squad but couldn’t find a place for him as he’d rather hoof long balls and crosses to Fellaini than take a few risks and utilize one of the most dangerous players on the planet. Demoralized Falcao, made Luke Shaw a momentary forgotten name and spent 200million odd dollars to finish fourth… F#$k that pompous prick!! I hope he spends another 200mil to watch him fail…
F#$k City!! Sterling will be soon added to the list of youngsters careers they’ve completely ruined all for a big fat pay-check and a number checked off their HG quota because the club has zero concept of youth development. They’re an absolute team of mercenaries who always hit a patch of season where they play like it. We beat the f#$kers twice out of three times this season. The inevitable purple patch that’s gonna hit is going to be the difference between us and them this season.
F@#k Liverpool!! Rodgers is the biggest joke of a manager to manage a top club I’ve ever seen. 4-1 and he tried to highlight the ’10 or so minutes’ he thought they looked the better team. We embarrassed you Brendan!!! Ever heard of being classy in defeat? Guess it’s over-rated.
It’s not easy to be an Arsenal Fan. Whenever I meet any, the person scores extra points immediately. Not just because he/she is a fellow gooner, but because we are the most loyal people in the world.
Take heart Gooners, this is our season!!!!
That’s the F***king truth, the most loyal of fans are Arsenal fans, in the whole world—-no hyperboles.
@KickAssFan……… I remember you from the revolution L()L ……..Btw Good article bro
Ahahahahhaha! Tnx, pal.
People are allowed to have different opinions. To expect millions of people from all over the world to have to same views are just ridiculous. Its what makes the community pretty great to me. If everyone thought the same way it would be boring. Yeah, we all argue about what the club does wrong or right, but in the end we all love Arsenal, so thats all that matters. 😛
BREAKING news: Mourinho is a pr*ck.
Stay tuned for more news and transfer info.
We all know that Arsenal are not having the kind of oil money like some clubs have and splashing it on players they want to recruit. Arsenal money comes-in in a purely earning ways. And they can’t afford splashing it around to recruit new players, because they are productively earning it. Nobody gives them charity money to spend it on buying players and by extention buy the title like others are now doing. That’s our problem they may say. That not withstanding, as long as there is hope for a tree by the scent of water to bud and grow both small & big branches, Arsenal have overcome their debts burden as they have now budded and bringing forth boughs for us to rest under their shades and start to enjoy ourselves. Let’s wait for the branches to grow up very well. Pep Guadiola is embarking on a clear out of those he considered to be insubordinators and those who cannot play to his coaching style. Is Lewandoswki among the clear out? He isn’t as good as he was at BVB for Baryen Munich last season for sure.
sonix, God can decide to be selective as we know Him to have selected Moses, Aaron, David and a host of others including the whole nation of ISRAEL to be a holy nation unto him. sonix, anything thing that is not of God is of satan. So, Arsenal can be select by God to win the BPL & CL next season. Did I hear you say Amen to that?