Don't People Just Love Scapegoats These Days

I'm not saying it never went on before, but it seems that in the age of the internet the favourite sport of many is finding a scapegoat, and then sticking to misconceptions no matter how ill-judged they are.

For a while it was Lucas, now it's Henderson and Adam to a lesser extent.

I mean let's forget that Henderson is the england U21 captain, that he has great physical attributes and has moved away from home and family to a new club, instead people just deride him for not being the finished article at just 21 years of age.

The same happened with Lucas, and no doubt will happen with other young players in future.

In an example of stunning hypocrisy, the same people who constantly say IKWT and all that, then have the gall to question his decision to play the young lad.
But here's the thing, you either trust KK or you don't. It's not conditional on a person understanding what KK see's in a player, all we need to know is that KK trusts and rates the player and that's why he plays him.
Yes we can and should discuss players, and what we think are their strengths and weaknesses, but the derision, piss taking and name calling is beyond the pale.

Going back to Lucas, he has been the object of some very strong abuse and I for one wouldn't have blamed him for walking away, but the thing is, every single manager he has played under has rated him.

I suspect it will be the same with Hendo.

I know that many blame the so called sky generation for this scapegoating, but is it really as simple as that? Or has the internet destroyed what used to be a deserved reputation as the most knowledgeable fans in football?

It's not just forums on the internet though, I hear the same sh*t going on at the ground and not just from daytrippers.

It's almost like a new terrace (and internet) sport, but it's totally counter-productive.

Patience is not only a virtue, it's the key to helping players settle in and build a rapport and relationship with the club, after all who the hell wants to get abused week in and week out whilst trying to do the best for new employers and supporters?
I certainly wouldn't want it, and at the end of the day it amounts to little more than bullying.

We've always had a lot of wit on the terraces and some of it can be quite biting and is aimed at our own players, but it always used to have a banter type of quality about it.
These days however, it just sounds like wankers shouting abuse.

In fact it annoys me so much at times that I actually understand cantonas decision to take the law into his own hands  (or feet as it were) and find myself wishing for a player or two to have a go back.

My position here is clear, scapegoating is a plague and a poison.
If you don't rate a player, then fine, no problems, but when it descends into abuse, and becomes personal then I think some need to take a long hard look at themselves.

Hendo has many faults in his game as well as mental faults which includes confidence.
But he has so much talent to his game which Kenny can tweak to make him a world class player.

Hendo has many faults in his game as well as mental faults which includes confidence.
But he has so much talent to his game which Kenny can tweak to make him a world class player.

I understand that, I'm talking about the new sport of scapegoating.

It seems these days people always have to have a scapegoat, and hurl poisonous abuse at them.

It's just plain wrong.

Nothing has changed whatsoever, scapegoats have always been found.  To think this is a new phenomenon is erroneous in the extreme.  Because of the ease and speed of communication, the shouts may come quicker and louder, but they've always been there.

It all comes down to people not just being able to enjoy supporting a football club and enjoying the game of football unless its all happy times and trophies and it comes without any lows.

It's sad, but the new Sky Sports generation of football fans are greedy, impatient and damn right F***ing fickle. Thanks to TV people can support whoever they want, not the team down the road, and it's led to people sat at home being fed sh!te from the sensationalist media without ever stopping and having a thought of their own. The papers and TV channels jump on off form players and managers in a bad spell and people who don't care enough to step back and look at the bigger picture just absorb whatever the Daily Mail and Sky say.

People are stupid.

Nothing has changed whatsoever, scapegoats have always been found.  To think this is a new phenomenon is erroneous in the extreme.  Because of the ease and speed of communication, the shouts may come quicker and louder, but they've always been there.

Exactly.

....and in specific about Hendo.
Worth the punt.
Could be good.
Shows glimpses.

Nothing has changed whatsoever, scapegoats have always been found.  To think this is a new phenomenon is erroneous in the extreme.  Because of the ease and speed of communication, the shouts may come quicker and louder, but they've always been there.

So you don't think it's changed from banter to abuse over the last 30 years?

I certainly think it's changed.

Excellent post Swab, couldn't agree more. There's a big difference between constructive criticism and demeaning abuse. Its embarresing really half the dribble that's posted. You would think people would have learned from the Lucas incident.

Hendo has many faults in his game as well as mental faults which includes confidence.
But he has so much talent to his game which Kenny can tweak to make him a world class player.

That is constructive critisicm, the kind of things we need to see more of.

So you don't think it's changed from banter to abuse over the last 30 years?

I certainly think it's changed.

There was plenty of abuse 30 years ago.

It's just the modern way unfortunately. Fans seem to have a need to stick the boot in on one or two indiduals when results don't go their way. It's always been the case but obviously there so many more forums to air you views now with internet forums, phone-ins, Twitter, social media etc and this further exagerates it.

Nothing has changed whatsoever, scapegoats have always been found.  To think this is a new phenomenon is erroneous in the extreme.  Because of the ease and speed of communication, the shouts may come quicker and louder, but they've always been there.

Spot on... We all just love a bit of nostalgia, don't we? In 1910, they were probably saying "this sport is dead... I remember when football was amateur, with true sportists, those were the days".

 Managers and owners are sometimes made scapegoats, footballers are judged on there performance   

Give me the good old days when you voiced an opinion to a mans face,the internet has a lot to answer for these days.Like most modern things though the internet can be manipulated so it gives the wrong impression,like making a person a scapegoat.We have seen first hand with the phone tapping scandal how manipulation can turn peoples lives upside down.Without being one sided the internet does have its good points.

Amongst others, one dictionary definition of scapegoat is : one that is the object of irrational hostility.

When I've written about scapegoats, in the past, this is a definition I've had in mind. Now whilst it may have always been the case, in my opinion, we've witnessed more "irrational hostility", this season, than before. 





 

I disagree, I don't think Jordan gets half the stick Adam or Carroll get. Even Downing comes in for as much sh*t when (unfortunately not if) we under perform.

Andy Carroll has been slaughtered from every angle since January 2011 and I can't see him staying in the summer, and what's more he'll go back to being great for whoever gets him. Our style or lack of therein and Kenny's complete mismanagement of dropping him every other week is ruining him

I think Hendo gets a lot of leeway from fans especially when he appears more concerned with making sure his hair is perfect than what is going on during the game at times.

Hendo would gain more respect from me if he shaved his hair off and grew and some balls, because at the moment for all you can see he has ability, he's more concerned with his appearance and he's a little pussy on the pitch.

Always being scapegoats. This isn't a new thing maybe its highlighted more. Reading whelans book at the moment and he talks about being booed by Liverpool fans when he started playing for the first team and receiving comments from the crowd like F**k off back to Ireland you useless Irish pr**k.

People should nt con themselves this was even around when we were success ful but the internet. I personally dont see anything wrong with highlighting whether a player is good enough or not good enough for the club on a forum

I cannot recall Ronnie Whelan getting booed by the crowd at Anfield,in fact I thought he was held in the highest esteem as a player.If you look at what he won with L.F.C. from 1982 he did not do too bad.

There his own words I'll get you the page no if you dont believe. I think people like to think every thing was perfect back in the old days it wasn't. Fans have always pin pointed weaknesses in teams since the beginning of football.

There his own words I'll get you the page no if you dont believe. I think people like to think every thing was perfect back in the old days it wasn't. Fans have always pin pointed weaknesses in teams since the beginning of football.

I do not disbelieve what you have written,I am just saying that I personally never heard him take that sort of abuse.He stayed with us for more than 10 years so I presume he must of been reasonably happy.What I will say is he has probably got more abuse for his comments as a pundit than he did as a player.

He basically made him stronger he said most players under performing experienced it.

I agree that this season there has been more scapegoating from lfc fans than I have ever experienced, it seems that this year everyone wud rather talk about their favourite scapegoat than favourite player and no one can agree who should be the focus of the derision between hendo, Adam, Carroll and downing. Ffs everyone where has the goodwill at this club gone everyone just seems to want to argue n finger point from top to bottom, how about people actually get on and support these lads its like we want em to be sh*t

Of course there is more scapegoats we are having our worst season ever in the premiership obviously fans are going to try and blame someone that is human nature.