Polish Hooligans Targeting Germany

[Kellanved]

England and Germany are already notorious for their soccer hooligans. Now, Polish pugilists want to join the big leagues. World Cup organizers are concerned about an influx of violence from the East when the tournament starts in June.

In less than five months, there will be peace among Polish soccer hooligans. Thugs who normally would eagerly bash each other's heads in will instead put aside their mutual animosity for a month to battle non-Poles during the World Cup. "In Germany they want to unite to fight against others," says Jacek Purski from the Warsaw soccer fan group Nigdy Wiecej, or Never Again.

Purski has observed the violent and racist Polish soccer fan scene for years and he fears they could cast a dark shadow over the sport's biggest competition this summer. "The hooligans want to use the World Cup in Germany to prove that they're just as dangerous as their English, Dutch or German colleagues. We have to expect the worst," he says. Call it a Hooligan World Cup.

It's an event that the 21-year-old Marek, a hooligan from Warsaw club Legia Warszawa, doesn't want to miss. "Of course, the rough stuff is part of football," he says, rationalizing the ritualized violence hooligans are so notorious for. Quickly it becomes apparent that Marek has other extreme views as well. Despite the massive destruction the Nazis wrought upon Poland, "at least back then they got rid of the lazy Jews" and fought "the red brutes from Russia."
...
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,397447,00.html

[JVS]

1. Ah, it's good to see young people put differences aside to engage...

in more ambitious projects :eyes:

[Captain Hilts]

2. Pols terrorizing Germany. Turnabout's fair play. nt

[underpants]

3. I'm learning all about soocer hooligans in "How Soccer explains the world"

at least about some of the old Chelsea hooligans.

They are all anti-semitic (nothing new in Europe) but many outright celebrate Hitler and that brand of Naziism.

They have a plethora of literature. Apparently just about every hooligan has written a memoir.

They have been priced and moved out of the stadiums. Much more yuppie endeavor these days.

[Captain Hilts]

4. Oooh, you MUST read: Among the Thugs. A MUST read for all sports fans.

[underpants]

5. Tell me about it

I get the feeling that I am getting to know about as much as I need about hooligans. How complicated could they really be?

[Captain Hilts]

6. The author spent a year hanging with English soccer hooligans.

It's an amazing read.

[T_i_B]

7. Not ever hooligan, every hooligan firm

It does seem to be a trend with members of the 6:57 crew, the N40, and the BBC having members writing books about various fights they have had with rival supporters in order to make a bit of money.

And the thing that really helped clean up English football was the introduction of all-seater stadiums IMHO. Although you still find a few pillocks supporting every team.