Shetland football Team in Aland

[lerwicklass]

This is my first visit here and I felt I had to add my tuppence for what it's worth!

I was saddened to hear about Joe Leasks silly behaviour which led to him spending time in police custody but more saddened that his name is being dragged through the gutter. He is a young lad, who like most was enjoying himself after what can only be described as a disapointing games for the Shetland football team. Not only has he to live with what happened, so do his poor family and I feel heart sorry for them in all of this.

As for lifetime bans, I hardly think that's necessary. As for singling out one member of the team - thats unfair. Several of the team were the worse of alcohol on the final night. Team Shetland do travel as ambassadors for us and on the whole did a brilliant job.

Instead of continually giving all the attention to these silly boys, lets praise the youngsters in the team who were impeccably behaved and did us proud!! Well done Team Shetland and roll on the 2011 games!!!!

[EM]

... they are ambassadors of Shetland

... as ambassadors for us

When I read statements about people being ambassadors it gets me wondering just what is actually their role and what should be expected of such ambassadors. I think that most people feel that it is to present a squeeky clean image, whether this is accurate or not. Fair enough I suppose, especially in a sport context where health and chemical restraint is meant to be important. There is, however, a huge amount of hypocrisy at play.

 

Consider those other ambassadors we send out, the traditional music elite. The whole constructed "brand" of traditional Shetland music is rooted in high energy excess and revolves around drink-sodden sprees. The image that is specifically sought by those promoting folk music is decidedly about wild and frenetic sessions. This does not require booze, but it certainly plays a role. Imagine if people were calling for the musical ambassadors to stay dry and behave with the restraint some are demanding here of the footballers? Personally I think that whether it is good or bad, partying hard while on ambassadorial duty is certainly more honest. Shetland does specialise in party excess, showing the truth is usually a wise direction.

 

With respect to the specific matter of "sleeping on the street" my understanding is that he was actually sleeping on a bench. A fine point perhaps, but I couldn't help noting the irony that at 05:00 AM of the Lerwick carnival night I was lying on the pier itself for a good while. Not blootered, not even drunk, I was just quietly chatting with somebody. Not a typical activity but the weather was so hot and balmy. I don't think my chat was any kind of public order problem, perhaps his snooze was similarly benign?

[JohanofNess]

I can't but help feel that some people asking for bans or action to be taken have an axe to grind whether its folk that have a problem with the football team or its manager they've seen blood in the water and they're attacking. From what I can see there seems to be a resentment towards football in Shetland from some people probably because it enjoys a higher profile and is well supported by the local authority and populace. It's not the players fault they're part of a team which enjoys more media coverage than some diddy sport nobody gives a monkeys about.

 

The boy had a few beers he fell by on a bench how many of you attacking him have done no different in your time. Some of the team maybe did act in an inappropriate way but that is for the manager to deal with not a bunch of folk on an internet forum. But maybe that's it. it's not Joe Leask that is the issue it's John Jamieson, if that is the case don't use Joe Leask to get to him just come out and have a go at the manager.

[banzai]

johanofness..'some diddy sport nobody gives a monkeys about' get a grip!!! every sport is important to the folk taking part and some require a huge amount of disapline and dedication all year round not boozing it up every weekend! why does football take priority in the shetland times? 5 maybe 6 pages and if you post in a sports article of maybe a not so well followed sport its not printed??

[hellsbells]

I for one am not attacking anyone, I don't have an axe to grind and I am a coach for one of the "diddy" sports that JohanofNess speaks of. I as a coach would be horrified if anyone representing the sport I'm involved in acted the way the football team supposedly did. The committee of the sport I'm involved with would not tolerate any of whats been reported and undoubtedly would give said person a ban of sorts. We have had incidents which have happened and bans have been issued,but I stress to add none of them involved the police.

[Njugle]

Presumably if it was harmless, innocuous and inconsequential incident the same would apply if it had been Sandy Cluness or Rick Nickerson that had been gathered up and taken to the cells for their own well being.

 

(And I'd love to see JohanofNess sitting in the clay shooting clubhouse explaining to the clay shooters that they are engaged in a "diddy sport", for example.)

[penfold]

Football takes up more space in the all papers because it is a sport that generates interest and people want to read about it (like it or not it even gets folk who profess to have no interest in it posting on it), that doesn't detract from the importance of other sports, but it is something that rankles with other sports. The issue of the players behaviour will be dealt with by the manager of the select squad which was the the decision of the Association committee at the monthly meeting I have no doubt that whatever the outcome of that is, that some will think it didn't go far enough and some will think it will be to strict (again creating interest debate and column inches about football).

 

There are two seperate arguements going on here and it does seem that the matter is being used as a weapon to push the protagonists agenda, as I stated before the place to discuss their issues or proposals to address the issues they perceive with the way the team is run, is either the monthly meeting of the association or the AGM in November none of the views posted here by those who disagree with the selection of the team have been raised at the monthly meetings to date. People are entitled to their opinion and to post it on here, but if they want to change the direction of the Association and the way it runs the competitions and teams under its control they will have to engage in the due process laid down to do that not by anonymous posting slating by name indivduals efforts to do the job.

 

On the matter of fundraising Hellsbells raised, the select team put in a huge amount of effort to raise funds to enable those who wanted to travel to go, regardless of their ability to pay. The funds were not used to fund a "piss-up" and to suggest so is maybe why Johanofness thought that people from other sports were jealous. The player in question is young and will no doubt learn from his mistake as have many people who have taken to much to drink and turn the worse for wear have had to do.

[hellsbells]

I did not mean that the fundraising that was done for Aaland was for a piss up I meant that if there was to be any fundraising done as punishment I would not be giving any money as money raised could/would be used for further trips by said team. I know people will think this is a petty attitude but I have bag packed numerous times for sport and it's hard work but easy money to make.

[JohanofNess]

johanofness..'some diddy sport nobody gives a monkeys about' get a grip!!! every sport is important to the folk taking part and some require a huge amount of disapline and dedication all year round not boozing it up every weekend!

 

Course every sport is important to those who play it, that isn't the issue you can be a member of the Scottish Elephant Polo world cup winning team but as a member you'll also be aware that nobody is aware of what you do and how good you are unless they are close to the elephant polo fraternity or like me caught it as the humorous news item on reporting scotland. Football is the worlds most popular sport and because of that other sports not quite so popular suffer as a consequence be it sponsorship, grass roots funding or even getting participants. And with that you get jealousy which is maybe the motivator for some of those grinding their axes the now.

 

Njugle for the record if you knew me and my family you'd know we don't consider shooting a diddy sport, if you want to know what sports I consider to be diddy please feel free to PM for an answer as I wouldn't want to offend anyone

 

Let the football manager deal with those who misbehaved its not for everyone else to stick their oar in.

[penfold]

 

But the council does help fund the team as a whole.

 

Do you refer to the SIGA team when you mentioned the funding sudden stop or solely the football team?

[Sudden Stop]

^^^

 

Yeah the whole Island Games squad not soley the fitba players. T'was something along the lines of 36k iirc

 

Fag packet maths suggests that from 100 (ish) competitors the football squad would've got about 15 percent of 36k.... If not directly via cheque, it certainly reduced the cost of going.

 

By the way, i was very impressed with the footballer's fund raising. If everyone starts now and skips the Isle of Wight, the cost of Bermuda might not be too bad!

[penfold]

I think it was 35K that SIGA asked for, and they estimated if they attained that funding then the personal contribution from competitors would be approx £820 so any fundraising by the teams that made up the SIGA team would have helped. I asked for clarification on what you meant as generally adult amateur football does not recieve as much direct funding as other sports, although it does fair better in Shetland than many other Associations do on the mainland.

[hellsbells]

Thats assuming a lot there Sudden Stop. And by that I mean team selection, availability, other commitments etc etc after all the Isle of Wight is in 2 years time. But I agree the football team did put a lot of effort into the fundraising.