The usually loyal fans will be right behind the team from the word go and will back those eleven men on the pitch, apart from a minority of idiots who seem to be more focussed on berating the team, or an individual I should say, rather than supporting him.
Yes that’s right. I’m talking about Gabriel Obertan who seems to be the latest scapegoat amongst a small section of fans who appear to have not taken to the former Manchester United and Bordeaux man and see fit to boo him and generally berate him whilst he is representing the black and white cause. This is not on in my view.
I know I’m going to be met with protestations of how fans pay their money and are entitled to an opinion. This is of course correct, but there comes a point where that opinion becomes detrimental to the team. Players can hear what is said, they get a feeling of what is going on in the crowd and whilst I understand that Obertan has been frustrating at times I certainly wouldn’t publicly boo him, or give an ironic cheer when he went off, like some have chosen to do.
Look, I really really hate saying patronising stuff like “support the team” and things like that as to be honest most fans do, unreservedly. That is our job after all. Why not try encouraging the lad rather than expecting perfection from a player who in all fairness has only started a handful of games in the Premier League?
It’s about patience and understanding. Fans need look no further than to see what a bit of patience can bring. Our very own curly-haired captain is proof of that. I seem to remember he didn’t start off too well on Tyneside and look what a bit of confidence has done for him!
The only grief I ever give a player is when I think they don’t give 100%. That is the bare minimum I expect from a professional footballer and as long as they give that than I’m happy enough. I think Obertan does give 100%, he chases back, helps out defensively and offers us an outlet. Yes he could do more, but so could a few other players who seem to be able to get away with doing nowt….
Try supporting him rather than berating him!
How many PL starts has the boy had to date?
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Dunno about starts, but he’s made 28 PL appearances. I’d guess most of them at Man U were from the bench.
toonsy(Quote)
Well said. After 3 years of lower crowds correlating to 100% positive support at all times, it’s well seen that the whingers are back now that we are doing okay and cheap tickets became available. Stay at home and watch it on the tele you bunch of losers – we haven’t missed you. Howay the lads!
Stuc(Quote)
Obertan has the potential to better another Bale so building him up is the best policy
We will love it when he clicks into Billy Wiz & either scores or assists
Love it
whoarya(Quote)
Woo hoo – Great article – about time Toonsy mate about time, I’m with you and find it appalling that people boo, he’s big quick and direct, I mean I don’t remember anyone booing Routledge and he was worse. I just think it’s because we bought him from Man u people expect too much.
If you boo anyone in this team that works harder than any other Toon team in the last 5/6/7years then SHAME ON YOU!!!!!!!!
toonarmy87(Quote)
He wears a black and white shirt and as long as he gives 100% he deserves our support. If you don`t support the shirt then don`t bother turning up. It is a small minority of tossers who does this and it does`nt help the cause of the team one little bit.
Freddie Shepherd(Quote)
Hear hear, Toonsy. I can’t believe the way some so-called fans slag off players who’ve done their best. 😯
Susan(Quote)
Ok so he is not setting the ground alight neither did Jose or Colo At least he is a better player than the boo boys are supporters
nutmag(Quote)
I hate the fact some people now expect a hell of a lot more now than they did just because we had a good 10 games.
toonarmy87(Quote)
Toonarmy87- well said, agree we’ve entered a slight sticky patch, back the lads, keep the faith we’ve gt the quality to get through it IMO, HWTL !!!!
Matty(Quote)
December 21, 2011 at 16:33
Well said. After 3 years of lower crowds correlating to 100% positive support at all times, it’s well seen that the whingers are back now that we are doing okay and cheap tickets became available. Stay at home and watch it on the tele you bunch of losers – we haven’t missed you. Howay the lads!
COULDN’T SAY IT BETTER MYSELF MATE
toonarmy87(Quote)
Spot on Toonsy – the lad is still young and has only ever made a handful of premier League starts – give him a chance FFS! Thought he played well in the first half against Swansea. Give him support and his confidence will grow – he has undoubted pace and skill.
3hourswasted(Quote)
i’m going to boo the boo boys. 😉
watch gabby get an assist and a goal tonight and silence the boo c*nts! 😈
Nobby(Quote)
Nice one, Toonsy. And Stuc – excellent point!
Toonsy – just emailing you the clip from my last stint on Rock n Roll Football. It’s bloody funny hearing me trying to finish my point just as England score against Spain.
Epic fail. 😳
Whumpie(Quote)
If obertan gets a 1 on 1 with a defender edge of 18 yard box you’d fancy him to possibly score, hope it’s his night.
Matty(Quote)
Toonsy,
I’m black & White to the core and while I agree we must back the lads to the hilt and getting on obertan’s back is not going to help, I do question the very issue which you insist is a must for all NUFC players, and that is commitment. Obertan does track back when it suits but how many times have we seen him pull out of tackles and wait for the ball to come to feet rather than put in that extra yard to get to the ball? Yes we could put this down to a lack of confidence, but I for one ( like many others I am sure) would be a lot more forgiving if I really did feel he was giving ALL for the cause, but at the minute I don’t see that!
Malcolm callender(Quote)
I’ve said this on a previous thread, but I don’t think these idiots understand the modern game. They’ve watched the likes of Ginola on Youtube and forget that even he would struggle to get half a dozen decent crosses into a game these days. All you can hope for from a winger these days is a few of those, but far more it’s about creating space by drawing and taking on defenders, causing some havoc then getting the ball out to a team mate somehow.
Oba and Jonas do that very well indeed, and are just the attack-minded midfielders we should be giving 100% support to.
The boo boys should **** off and support someone that welcomes arseholes as supporters. Like Old Trafford.
Whumpie(Quote)
Spot on article Toonsy.
I think you will find that the fans who boo him are just a small section of whingers followed by a few sheep who feel intimidated into doing so.
It does my nut in when I see fans go on like this against a player who is 5 minutes into his NUFC career.
Against Swansea I thought he had a very good first half, so how that warrants boo’s is beyond me but then again it’l be the same neanderthals who wanted to BOUYOCOUTT the club.
Obertan, if given time and above all , encouragement, will definitely be an asset to this team without a shadow of a doubt.
Once he get into gear with the mentality of play in the final third, we will see many assists from him, plus a few goals as well.
Christ, when you look back at some players we have fielded going forward, they have looked more like a steam roller than a hare chasing greyhound and Obertan is a greyhound.
It’s not just up to Obertan to fly down the wing, the forwards have to be flying down the centre too, to give him the option of swinging in a cross or at least a skimming ball into the danger area.
Obertan is sometimes too fast and leaves players behind meaning that when he gets to the byline, he has to check back and usually ends up looking silly when he finally loses it or plays the wrong ball.
Some fans call him ****…..if he’s ****, then it makes me wonder about all those players that play in the prem in his position.
Make no mistake, Obertan is a good player and given time he will show his class if he is allowed it and not head banged by fans.
wolfie(Quote)
Writing as a ‘cheap ticket’ holder I have to say I was surprised at the booing after the Swansea game, which was quickly and correctly drowned out by applause. I thought we played well with a shuffled team and on any other day would have stuffed them..I can only surmise they are one-off visitors who have braved the cold for a rare day out and haven’t been treated to a goal-fest. My only prob with Obertan is he is taking his time getting his confidence in beating his man – he’s got the pace but doesn’t look like he believes he can take defenders on and go round them. I’m sure he’ll get there, but not if ‘fans’ give him a hard time. I just hope the same lot don’t start wading into HBA or the likes of Vukic etc.
Tsunki(Quote)
well i agree booing is a bit over the top this early if at all and will not help develop the talent he has (if he kept his head up allot more of them touches could be used to attack rather than simply giving away the ball) and he is only about 22, saying that he has been poor so far
Littleron(Quote)
Malcolm does have a point about the tackles, mind. But that’ll come. If we’re going to give players stick for any weakness in their game, we’ll struggle to put out a 5-a-side team.
Whumpie(Quote)
The trouble with some fans is very simple, they are either too young and lived on the black and white magazine and the hype or they are fans who just enjoy slating the club and players just for the sake of it.
wolfie(Quote)
Not much fun with nobody to disagree with us on here, is it? 🙁
Whumpie(Quote)
Screw this; I’m orrrftt home. See you smegs later during the match. 😛
Whumpie(Quote)
Actually, Gabriel was quite good last time, he used his pace a bit more han usually. It´s not good to boo players since they are on the pitch and we want them to win, don´t we? Let´s win one tonight!
Robert G(Quote)
I’m up in level 7 so haven’t really heard the booing Obertan is supposed to be getting.
Is this not over exaggerated ?
Is there one blogger in here who agrees it’s right?
Out of 52k fans, we are probably talking a hundred at most?
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Debating a players effectiveness/role in the team after or before matches is fine, but booing your own players or heckling them is a joke in my opinion. Still, I’ve heard the same things said about Shola for the last ten years so meh.
Newkie(Quote)
Toonsy, I have never understood any “fan” booing one of their own?!
I even struggle to understand “fans” who boo players who left their club to play for another.. what does it ever really achieve.. other than to **** the player off and want them to play better!!
I agree with you though, players need alittle time and patience.
I have never and would never boo any toon player, but I’ll also be honest and say I have been critical of Obertan (and Guti) so perhaps there is an element of hypocracy about me now saying they need time. The problem for me though is that against Stoke, Obertan was class, a real danger and I mean for the whole game, not just flashes of brilliance but his workrate and productivity made it obvious why we bought him in, and would explain why he was picked up by Man Utd. However, asides from that game, he’s been poor and is nowhere near the standard of Gareth Bale!!!
I dont know whether he’s just not sure of what’s expected of him, like if Pardews telling him to do one thing one game, then something else the next, but I can tell you this now, play every game like he did against Stoke and the only boos you’d here would be when HE was being brought off!.
If he turns out to be half as good as Bale we’ll all be chuffed, it’s just the level of inconsistency he shows at the moment….. But boos are a big no no!!!
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy – I’d counter that by saying that anyone has a right to be critical of a player. I’ve done it before. I’m sure we’ve all done it before. It’s just about choosing a time and place to do it. At a match is not the time or place, not when we’re trying to get the best out of him. Down the pubs with your mates, on blogs and forums etc etc are the places to dissect him, not in the stands where it will be picked up on.
toonsy(Quote)
Flattered tiote loves toon…..déjà vu, ssn article.
Matty(Quote)
I’ll get behind gabby when he tries to get behind his man. However i will not boo him, that is stupid!
Spencerthetoon(Quote)
Spencerthetoon
December 21, 2011 at 17:51
“I’ll get behind gabby when he tries to get behind his man.”
Human centipede 😈
Pervert 😐
toonsy(Quote)
Derek Llambias “very hopeful” of top-10 finish after start to season and delighted with Pardew, according to his programme notes.
hitman(Quote)
Where’s Tony Green Supreme tonight;
We got Tudor from Sheffield and Hibbit from Leeds
MacDonald from Luton and Smith Aberdeen
But we got the greatest the world’s ever seen
We bought him from Blackpool his name’s Tony Green
Ohhhhhhhhhh Tony Tony, Tony Tony Tony Tony Tony Green …….. 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
” We finished 10th and that’s is a great achievement by everyone associated with NUFC.
This is only our second season back in the top flight and we are in a state of transition.
Everyone must remember this club would be non existent if it wasnt for Mike.
Mike is fully committed to NUFC.
Derek Lambias June 2012. 😯
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Any tv links for tonight?
valle(Quote)
Even criticising after the match on blogs etc, there’s a way to do things…… picking apart a player’s performance, saying they were poor etc – all fair game. But despite how frustrating a loss is, is it really necessary to repeatedly call someone a piece of **** or similar? 🙄
Susan(Quote)
valle.
http://myp2p.pe/index.php?part=sports
hitman(Quote)
quite simple, if he gets substituted, and has given his all and people still boo and jeer, stand up and applaud.
Get those fking mongs thinking why you might be applauding.
I Love Mike(Quote)
Many players use twitter and the likes, so it’s highly likely they will view blogs and forums to see what views fans have on them.
Now constructive criticism of a player is fair game and I think even a player would welcome that but some fans go way way over board with their views.
wolfie(Quote)
good article
I’d agree with toonsy @29
it boils my **** any1 booing their own, I hate it..
on another note..
Flattered Tiote ‘loves’ Toon
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/7390652/
mark(Quote)
Toonsy – in an ideal world perhaps but the reality is that the player is making the mistakes and under performing for the 90mins your at the match. I would counter you by suggesting, should fans not celebrate a goal and instead discuss it in pubs and on forums?. It’s a ridiculous suggestion, I know but the point I’m trying to match is that you can’t expect fans only to be positive, it’s just not realistic.
By the same token, a simple “for f**ks sake” should cover a **** pass or poor control. If your still booing it or berating a player 20mins on, then you certainly cant call yourself a supporter and I’d question if you’re even a fan
Sharpy17(Quote)
@wolfie@40
Barton admitted on twitta that he viewed blogs, Im sure loads of player do, they have plenty time on their hands.
mark(Quote)
Booing Obertan is ridiculous. We have looked at his stats on here thanks to statsman and he has a lot of promise. His pace is fantastic. In the first dozen games or so he relieved the pressure on our defence time and time again. I would like to see his shooting accuracy improve and more crosses to the box but he is still a very young player who is learning with every game. Looking forward to seeing him stretch the Brummies defence today.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Amen, brotha!
AndrewT(Quote)
team, Krul; Simpson, Perch, Coloccini Santon; Obertan, Tiote, Vuckic, Gutierrez; Ba, Best.
hitman(Quote)
I agree there is no place for booing players, though I do think there has been a few games where it looked like he Gabby was giving less than 100% , and to add he is not the only player that has went out and never gave his all, but for me I don’t have to have the most skillfull players in the team just aslong as they give it 100%, which isn’t much to ask from players that are on thousands of £££ a week 😕
But to play devils advocate how do the fans let players know that they expect more from them ????
Big Dave(Quote)
subs, Elliot, R.Taylor, Williamson, Abeid, Ben Arfa, Sammy Ameobi and Shola Ameobi.
hitman(Quote)
Barfa not starting again… 😕 Interesting call.
Newkie(Quote)
Sharpy17 @ 42 I get what your getting at the players get treated like heroes when they score and give their all in a gritty game. so what happens when there ****, if there was no unrest from the fans, players wouldn’t feel the need to up their game because they would think that was exceptable
Big Dave(Quote)
Exactly right Big Dave, Booing your own players is a step too far but to suggest the crowd should not voice their displeasure is just a bit bonkers for me like
Sharpy17(Quote)
Hitman… Thx mate 🙂
valle(Quote)
Just seen this on twitter
Gabriel Obertan has played 1200 minutes in the Premier League this season and still hasn’t got a shot on target, quite incredible
😆
AndrewNUFC(Quote)