Spurs Boss Harry Redknapp Threatens To Pop Off With Poppy Day Rage
HARRY Redknapp, the recuperating Spurs manger, has waded into the poppy debate. England will go into their match with Spain not sporting ironed-on poppies on their shirts, rather wearing red poppies on black armbands (see Nazi regalia).
This goes with the minute’s silence, poppy-embossed “anthem jacket”, the wreath on the pitch, free tickets for troops and advertisements for the Royal British Legion.
Over to Redknapp in the Sun:
It just sounds like FIFA are being picky to me now. And it’s frightening when you have people like that running the game. Remembrance Sunday runs deep into the heritage of this great country. Go back and look at how football crowds up and down Britain observed a minute’s silence for our dead soldiers last weekend.
And they will again.
Who are FIFA to dictate to us that the national football team can’t honour men and women, sons and daughters, wives, husbands, mothers and fathers who have made the biggest sacrifice of all?
But they are honouring them, even without wearing a poppy on their shirt.
I’m proud to wear my poppy. This whole row just sums up what is happening to our country. If we are not careful, then England or Britain will lose every part of its national identity because somewhere down the line it may just cause a little bit of offence to someone.
One football match at which there will be a minute’s silence, poppies on kits, poppies on armbands and a wreath is now the thin edge of a wedge.
Some idiot in an office of the organisation which runs football throughout the world has decided that the Germans might just get a little bit upset if the England players wear poppies. I ask you.
No. They never mentioned Germans. Although those armbands may please the Hun.
Although I bet no one has asked ordinary Germans what they think about it. They wouldn’t care one bit.
Redknapp never asked, either.
Across Europe and all over the world, this time of year is used to remember those who have fallen, those who can’t be at a football match with their children or grandchildren this weekend because they are dead.
All we want to do is pay a little respect to them, yet we are dictated to and told ‘No’. It’s appalling.
No. There will be plenty of respect how, Harry.
My dad served in France in World War Two. He was captured by the Germans and was a prisoner of war. I don’t want to make a big personal issue out of this. But it shows that almost every one of us in this country has been touched by war, whether it’s the First World War, Second World War, the Falklands, Afghanistan, Iraq, wherever. That is why Remembrance Sunday is a key part of our culture, just as the England football team is.
As Our Ed Barrett quips:
There are already different coloured poppies, Purple for animal victims of war and white for the Peace Pledge Union. As a mark of repscet for those who died for freedom of speech I wear all three, plus a small swastika”…
Pooppies will rmind us of our duty to respect human life, including Harry Redknapp’s:
An England football match at Wembley on Remembrance weekend is the perfect time for us all to come together and pay tribute. The supporters will be allowed to mark the occasion and wear poppies.
I’m meant to be taking it easy here at home as I recover from my recent operation but I am absolutely incensed by this.
Having linked his health to the sacrifice of others and a tabloid debate, Redknapp then puts the tin lid on his argument:
If we do not stand up to this ridiculous kind of meddling — this interfering in our traditions — then I see a time in 20, 30 or 40 years’ time when Remembrance Sunday itself will be banned. And, sadly, I’m not kidding.
No. He probably isn’t…
Posted: 10th, November 2011 | In: Key Posts, Sports Comment (1) | TrackBack | Permalink
