To boo or not to boo, that is the question

I have decided to forgo this week’s Arsenal Week in Review piece. Let’s be real for a moment and just agree that not much has changed since last week – except the whole Emirates Cup thing. But it is the result of that Emirates cup thing and the ensuing fan reaction that I wanted to discuss today.

In only the 4th pre-season game (keep in mind pre-season game) after the Gunners relinquished yet another lead, this time a Kyle Bartley own goal, a rather vocal section of the Arsenal faithful started to boo. That’s right they booed. Now for my confession, even though it was a pre-season game, if I was there – I’d have booed too. As it was I turned my TV off in disgust.

Today, as I ventured to the twitterverse the tweets were rife of supporters at each other again with fans questioning the validity of fans who boo the team. Yes, the old chestnut – they aren’t true fans if they boo – was rolled out. Now we have had many discussions about the types of fans there are in the Arsenal universe, but lets be clear about something – they are all fans. How someone responds to the teams actions is entirely up to themselves and how they do does not deserve to be ridiculed or questioned.

I have some pretty opinionated readers here. Some of the more “rabid” discussion participants are in one camp or the other – firmly. I may not agree with their points of view but I will defend – every time – their ability to voice their opinion. That is why I took to twitter to defend those who booed.

Before I go on and readers claim then I am not a real Arsenal fan let me tee it up this way – I have stuck my neck out lots of times recently defending Wenger and offering that Wenger needs to be given this year to fix things. If he doesn’t I will gladly lead the revolt.

So as I waded into the discussion, I was told we should all blindly support the club, that chastising the players, manager or the club was wrong, especially when they needed our support. Booing I was told was senseless and that those who did it were glory-hunters because they would gladly cheer the club when it did well. Players needed to be protected and supported. How do I think they fel about being booed? How does that motivate them? I couldn’t believe what I was reading.

I’ll deal with the booing fans in a second but booing effecting the players? I don’t mean to diminish the opinions of those fans who talked to me about this. But these are players who earn more in a week than most earn in a year. They are professionals and have to deal with adversity every day in the sport they play.  Dealing with booing fans should be the least of their concerns.

Now back to booing fans. Let me explain something about those people who boo. These are likely people who have been long-time supporters for the club, their life-span of supporterdom probably expands well beyond Arsene Wenger and even George Graham. They’ve seen the good and bad and want the club to avoid the bad. When they see what is going on and feel it is taking the club in the wrong direction they want their voice heard. Especially if they are asked to pay the prices they are asked to pay to see the club.

Many of those thousands of fans aren’t on twitter or don’t have their own blogs to make their voice heard. The way they do that is to sing the chants they’ve known forever, scream in defiance when Tottenham fans show up at the Emirates, scream their bloody heads off as the away fans and BOO ardently when the product on the field and the actions of the management off it do not seem to address the failings of this club that are clear to everyone who watches.

Booing is every bit a part of fandom as cheering. They are the yin and yang of it. Without one there cannot be the other. And a fan has a right – no an obligation to make his or her voice heard  when they feel the need to voice their opinion.

Sure, it was only a friendly. Yes, every year we won the damn poxy Emirates cup we’ve fallen apart – so maybe we’re do some karmic luck. Who cares, the problems this club had at the bottom of the season last year are still there. We couldn’t hold a lead – against lesser opposition.

We clearly dominated the matches against Boca and NYRB. NYRB didn’t have that much of sniff. 1-0 to the Arsenal would’ve been nice in front of such a crowd. Except we got lazy again, we let the chances happen in the waning minutes and frankly for the last 5 minutes before the goal – you just knew it was coming. And you knew, given the environment the boos were coming too.

Look, I know there are some fans that see nothing wrong with Wenger, the players and the club. The feel everything will be fine, we are Arsenal after all. God bless them that they can remain so positive. I applaud them. I also know there are fans that believe the club is about to enter an abyss from which there will be no return and Tottenham will be better than us for the next 20 years unless we change completely. Bless them too,  they keep us real.  Finally, bless the fans who understand that there is good within the club but there are also problems that exist that need to be fixed. They praise when it’s won and criticize when it is warranted.  That is where I find myself and I try to maintain a voice of reasoned sanity when I can.

This club called Arsenal has a big tent for all of us. Regardless of how we voice our opinion. To shut someone down because their opinion differs from yours – is ridiculous and childish. To fail to acknowledge that those who boo have a right to boo is akin to being a child with your fingers in your ears screaming “I CAN’T HEAR YOU LA LA LA LA LA LA.”

Rather than chastise a fan with a differing opinion, why not accept their opinion for what it is, their own. Then have a friendly “discussion” about it. There are merits to every argument and you might be surprised by what you learn from it. But to claim they are any less a fan than you only shows ignorance and stubbornness.

As for that poxy cup – bleh – who wants it anyway – even if it was good that Henry got it.

Until next time – stay Goonerish!!!

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