Players attitude towards the fans...

[DEES RULE!]

One thing I will always treasure is the time I spend talking to the Melbourne players.
Although it only lasts 30 seconds to a minute if I'm lucky, what the players tell me is sacred, and although that might sound pretty lame I just thank God every time I get a chance to talk to my heroes.
So why is it that sometimes other fans and I complain that the players snubbed us? That they weren't nice to us? What is expected of players and how should they behave towards the fans?
Lets start by saying that fans are perhaps one of the most important factors of a footy club if not the most. They are the ones who support the club not just financially and without them the club would not exist.
But lets face it the players are only human and on occasions they might be feeling a bit down and talking to fans may not be their cup of tea than on the other hand they are footballers and they have the responsibility of making sure the fans will stick by them.
Its hard for us to even start to understand what they go through and how much effort goes into their job every single day, but then they don't know how much effort we put into the club. How much they mean to us and how much we really treasure them.
I think that the captain and vice-captain and deputies carry the biggest responsibility where by the have to lead the club and be pleasant to the supporters. Other players should do the same no doubt and I think that it would be good to get a young supporter to come and talk to the guys and let them see it from our point of view.
We should also ask ourselves are we expecting too much? We should remember that in some countries sport starts are untouchable, unapproachable and most definitely don't care about their fans as much as our boys do. So next time a player snubs you or ignores you and doesn't treat you the way you expected take a minute to think about the fact that they might have had a bad day or a bad game and that you might not be their first priority but also don't forget that they are obligated to somehow show respect to you and fulfill your wishes (to a point of course

) and if you feel that a player is not acting accordingly than go tell someone in the club and make a point about it coz lets face it... We the supporters are the best thing to ever hit to the club

GO DEES!

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Footy. It was just a sport.
But now it's also a business.
However, according to the fans it's a religion,where the people rule!

The Mighty Melbourne Demons- My passion, My obsession!
#24

 

[Ms.Storm]

Hi everyone.
I think footballers should always make time for their fans, even if feeling a little low after a loss, or whatever. It should be something they should be made aware of by the footy club.
I feel the MFC players (especially the younger ones) tend to make some time for their supporters, but perhaps some of the older ones "hurry" you on a fair bit.
Being a Storm supporter as well, I notice a HUGE DIFFERENCE in their attitudes towards Storm fans; they are far more accessible and seem to really enjoy talking to and mixing with the supporters, especially after the games in the social club rooms (which really rocks after a game (yes even after a loss of which there have been quite a few this year!).
Storm also have far more events during the year for the supporters to meet them, and many of these are "FREE"
So that is my comparison between my 2 clubs guys...Storm players win hands down...something our guys and admin. can take note of...and especially having more functions for supporters to attend, especially where we don't have to put hands in our pockets.
Cheers.

 

[DEES RULE!]

well Ms.Storm i find that the player's age makes no difference but their status. The really new guys are completely dumbstruck when you go and ask for an autograph and are very happy when you do.
The very popular players vary in their attitudes. For example Woey is far too busy and has so many fans around him that i can understand why he might get a little shitty after a while. Schwarta and Neita are very sweet and always smilling (well usually

) and act according to what a club leader should act like and i find them very pleasant. The young players are very sweet and will have no problem with you approching them but if you are there for too long they'll just nicely tell you to bugger off.
If they know you personally they'll be very nice to you, sweet charming and all that but when you turn around they'll be like... oh thank god this is over (from experience guys

)
Ok so over all the guys are extremly nice they are sweet and approchable and really if you catch them in a good time than you are lucky coz not many people get the chance to talk to their heroes... remember that!

GO DEES!

------------------
Footy. It was just a sport.
But now it's also a business.
However, according to the fans it's a religion,where the people rule!

The Mighty Melbourne Demons- My passion, My obsession!
#24

 

[dee_girl9]

then y is it that when u go to talk to you favourite player, a player that u have followed since when they started at the club, they turn away when u start talking to them? like your support means nothing, and to them u are another face in the crowd. There are a couple of senior players that really need to get their heads out of their arses, and respect their fans just that little bit more.

The there are people like Schwarta who r just so sweet and really like talking to you no matter what. (10 minutes out of the 30 they were there on saturday night was pretty good) Perhaps some of those others need to take a leaf out of the Ox's book, and just take the time to speak to their fans, and enjoy the attention. Cos if they keep the snobiness up their "fans" wont be around for much longer. like a certain leader at the club who has already lost his number one fan, cos of his snobiness. oh well thats my opinion.


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I would like to say that i believe in God and i believe in karma. why i exist beats the %$#^ out of me !!!

 

[dees*gal]

OMG!!!
or, i never thaught about it like that, and you're ssssoooooo right!!!
i mean, its true, we, living in australia, and following footy, makes it alot easyer for us to be able to meat the player. and although they are humans, they sometimes need a bit of space. could you amagin, everytime (or most of the time) walking in the street's would mean:having to sign stuff (which some players may not mind), being recorgnises, watched, and all kinds of stuff!!!
i think its really great how they act as it is!!!

GO DEES!!!

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I luv shane woewodin. and the mighty dees whether or not you like it!!!

 

[DEES RULE!]

mish i am glad you appriciate how lucky you are and both of us i think know very well how fortunate we are having many oppertunities to mix with the players and i think that you are right by saying that while some players wont mind the attention at some point they are all bound to get sick of it. (e.g- jeff farmer who hates attention of any sort.. .especially media)

well nicki i am very sorry to hear that and you can be sure i will do my best to straighten that particular players out

!
I think that our club leaders are great and they always seem to be nice to the fans especially the little kids.
I think that when you talk to your fave player you subconciously expect more then him and i think in a way its not fare. Sure they should be patient and make sure they understand that we are more than just faces in the crowd but we should also think about them and the way they are feeling. If their friends are there you will expect them to talk to them especially if its a different state but that is without saying that you should still be respected as a human not just seen as another fan.
I think that players are sometimes not aware of us as anything more than fans but i think that Melbourne would have to be one of the best if not the best sporting club i have ever associated with here and in other countries. Their players seem to give a bit to the fans, but if any of them start seeing us as nothing but a chore, especially club leaders, than i suggest something should be done... the question is what?

GO DEES!

------------------
Footy. It was just a sport.
But now it's also a business.
However, according to the fans it's a religion,where the people rule!

The Mighty Melbourne Demons- My passion, My obsession!
#24

[This message has been edited by DEES RULE! (edited 10 April 2001).]

 

[dee_girl9]

yeah but what im saying is this. if u r takling to them, and THEN they turn away from you to talk to their friends or whatever. thats when u feel as though u have been snubbed. i understand that there may be times that they feel shitty cos they played like crap (and mind u didnt he play like shite saturday night.) but in any situation (not just with players and fans), u dont start talking to someone and then when they start talking u, you turn away and talk to someone else. that is just plan bad manners. i dont know how he was raised but i definately wasnt raised with those manners instilled in me. there is going to come a time when the players need their fans (dont know of an specific time but there will be) and the fans will think. god he's a bit of a idiot why would we bother about him then what is going to happen??????

the fans and the supporters are what makes a footy club. they support the only assets it has - the players. what will happen if we dont support the players cos they treatus like shite??? well i dread to think. but all i know is that it wont be pretty.


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I would like to say that i believe in God and i believe in karma. why i exist beats the %$#^ out of me !!!

 

[DEES RULE!]

i completely agree and i think that regardless of him being a footy player or not he is still a human and should know simple manners. I certainly never experienced anything like that from any player in the club but i can assure you that if players start doing that they wont have much to play for or infront of!

GO DEES!

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Footy. It was just a sport.
But now it's also a business.
However, according to the fans it's a religion,where the people rule!

The Mighty Melbourne Demons- My passion, My obsession!
#24