Football Thread!

[Carlin]

Kumanovo: ethnic Albanians celebrating Swiss victory over Serbia (several links/videos below)

https://twitter.com/boemot_mk/status/1598812194510032897

https://twitter.com/boemot_mk/status/1598812641384075265?cxt=HHwWgsDQgYzoj7AsAAAA

https://twitter.com/boemot_mk/status/1598818897926438912?cxt=HHwWgICy8aLUkrAsAAAA

https://twitter.com/boemot_mk/status/1598831904521744384?cxt=HHwWgMCjya3JmLAsAAAA

[Liberator of Makedonija]

There were great scenes in Skopje for the 75th anniversary celebrations of Vardar.

[kompir]

I'm enjoying taking the piss out of the Italians at the markets right now... "how's Italy going in the World C... oh"

[Carlin]

https://twitter.com/Bruxelles_City/status/1596907251004235777

Interview on Belgian live TV:

Belgian interviewer to a Moroccan in Brussels: “how’s the atmosphere right now?”

“Belgian” Moroccan, looks like he’s 17: “pretty dangerous for journalists like you right now *laughs*.”


(The riots by Moroccan fans have spread from Brussels to Amsterdam tonight)

[Liberator of Makedonija]

Violent scenes in the Macedonian Cup between Shkupi and Shkendija: Shkupi fans pelted the pitch with what appears to be flashbang grenades or something similar.

https://makfax.com.mk/sport/haosot-na-chair-pridonese-za-definitiven-prekin-na-mechot-megju-shkupi-i-shkendija/

[Solun]

sportmedia.mk now reports Arda Okan Kurtalan will represent Albania

The kid's grandfather emigrated to Turkey from Western Macedonia
The kid wanted to represent Macedonia and for the last two years has attended national Youth team training camps
But FFM were unable to get authorities to issue him with a Passport
Not much else needs to be said

[Liberator of Makedonija]

I have not really followed the teams in NSW. How intense did it get between them?

Apparetly in the 1980s at a game between Yagoona/Bankstown and Rockdale, the Rockdale fans had portraits of Tito and the atmosphere got quite hostile.

[Soldier of Macedon]

Thank you for contributing further to this SoM. It appears the only case where there was a real tangible "patrioti" vs. "yugosloveni / srbomani" dimension was in the 1980s between Yagoona Macedonia (now Bankstown City Lions) and Rockdale Ilinden. Supposedly, to a lesser degree, this dimension also existed between Wollongong Macedonia (now Wollongong United) and Cringila United (now Cringila Lions).

I have not really followed the teams in NSW. How intense did it get between them? It should be pointed out that similar cases exist among other ethnic groups. A classic example is the rivalry between Olympiakos and PAOK. Olympiakos is based in a city that was destroyed by the Romans and Goths, used as a port by the Venetians, stayed largely deserted during the Ottoman period, and, following the establishment of modern Greece, was finally repopulated by people who had no historical ties to the area. Against the backdrop of this fabricated indigenous pedigree, Olympiakos supporters use the term "Bulgar" as a slur for their opponents from PAOK, who are based in Solun. Yet, the Bulgars had a negligible historical presence in Solun and PAOK, as a team, was established following the population exchange between Turkey and Greece, by people who had no roots in Macedonia. I would opine that the barometer of idiocy in this case is off the charts when compared with the petty squabbles between Macedonian teams in Australia.

[Liberator of Makedonija]

Just some context here. Preston was mostly supported by the older Macedonian community in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, most of whom were from Lerin and Bitola. Altona was mostly supported by later Macedonian arrivals who settled in the western suburbs, most of whom were from Bitola and elsewhere in the republic. However, this wasn’t strictly the case and who one supported would often depend on where they lived. There were undoubtedly an irrelevant number among Altona supporters who made such disparaging remarks, but it is also true that a few equally stupid Preston supporters referred to Altona as “srbomani” because of the Yugoslav connotation and the fact that some of their players had come over from Footscray Just. But these stories should not be embellished because it is not like there was a fierce rivalry, hateful arena-wide chants or brawls between supporters. I grew up as a Preston supporter and went to some of their games with Altona years ago. The atmosphere was always (and naturally) cordial given that it was an all-Macedonian affair where basically everybody spoke Macedonian.

Thank you for contributing further to this SoM. It appears the only case where there was a real tangible "patrioti" vs. "yugosloveni / srbomani" dimension was in the 1980s between Yagoona Macedonia (now Bankstown City Lions) and Rockdale Ilinden. Supposedly, to a lesser degree, this dimension also existed between Wollongong Macedonia (now Wollongong United) and Cringila United (now Cringila Lions).

[Soldier of Macedon]

Just stories from the past I suppose. Apparently Altona would refer to Preston as "Greeks" because Preston was formed by Macedonians escaping Greek oppression; Altona tried to present themselves as the "true" Macedonian club as its founders were from the Socialist Republic.

Just some context here. Preston was mostly supported by the older Macedonian community in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, most of whom were from Lerin and Bitola. Altona was mostly supported by later Macedonian arrivals who settled in the western suburbs, most of whom were from Bitola and elsewhere in the republic. However, this wasn’t strictly the case and who one supported would often depend on where they lived. There were undoubtedly an irrelevant number among Altona supporters who made such disparaging remarks, but it is also true that a few equally stupid Preston supporters referred to Altona as “srbomani” because of the Yugoslav connotation and the fact that some of their players had come over from Footscray Just. But these stories should not be embellished because it is not like there was a fierce rivalry, hateful arena-wide chants or brawls between supporters. I grew up as a Preston supporter and went to some of their games with Altona years ago. The atmosphere was always (and naturally) cordial given that it was an all-Macedonian affair where basically everybody spoke Macedonian.

[Liberator of Makedonija]

You are right, it was a different time. I do find it interesting that there was an absence of this flag at Preston.

Preston was very independent, it had thwarted attempts by the Yugoslav consulate to interfere in the club.

[Momce Makedonce]

I don't think we can judge too harshly as many Macedonians in Australia used that flag up until the late 1980s. I do agree though that footage from Preston games during the same period shows a total absence of that flag.

You are right, it was a different time. I do find it interesting that there was an absence of this flag at Preston.

[Liberator of Makedonija]

Related to the above. Footage from Rockdale Ilinden's 1984 NSW First Division title win against Inter Monaro. Seems to be the flag of the Socialist Republic (of Macedonia) in the celebrations at the end, along with some red and black flags. Don't think I have ever seen this flag make an appearance in any Preston matches from the same time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFjwSAMhF9c

I don't think we can judge too harshly as many Macedonians in Australia used that flag up until the late 1980s. I do agree though that footage from Preston games during the same period shows a total absence of that flag.

[Momce Makedonce]

I saw a Facebook post a while back by someone claiming that in the 1980s fans of Rockdale Ilinden would hold portraits of Tito and taunt fans of Sydney Makedonia (now Bankstown City Lions), who they referred to degradingly as "patriots". A comment in the thread also claimed the same for Cringila Lions, who were supposedly also pro-Yugoslav and against the "patriots" at Wollongong Macedonia (now Wollongong United). There were insinuations that the same was true for Altona Gate "Vardar" (now Altona Magic), who I know used to sometimes call those at Preston Makedonia "Greeks".

Is anyone able to shed some light on all this?

Related to the above. Footage from Rockdale Ilinden's 1984 NSW First Division title win against Inter Monaro. Seems to be the flag of the Socialist Republic (of Macedonia) in the celebrations at the end, along with some red and black flags. Don't think I have ever seen this flag make an appearance in any Preston matches from the same time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFjwSAMhF9c

[Liberator of Makedonija]

Australian football was missing this national cup and the excitement it brings, I love those small suburban grounds.

I totally agree.