[carlito]

Maybe this is not the best news to give, but I thought you might be interested to hear that the guy who murdered the Leeds' fans in Istanbul before Leeds-Gala semi final game was sentenced to 20 years heavy duty in prison.

 

[InfamousPlayer2]

I read the news at www.onefootball.com

It says that the murderer got 15 years not 20. 7.5 for 1 murder and 7.5 for the other murder. 4 other guys were sentenced to 3 and half months for fighting. The convict is set to appeal the judges decision, and also him getting 15 years does not mean he does time for 15 years. Inthe turkish juducial system: if he has a good behavior serving his time he only does 2/5 of his sentence.

My opinion for the sentence is that for the british and american system it is very little, but for turkish system it is normal. There are a lot of murderers who killed more than two people that were sentenced to lower terms. I am turk, but I think the law on murderers should be much harsher in Turkey. i don't know what happened at the scene, like how the fight escladed. I don't think the punishment will satisfy the families of the victims.

 

[Footy Chick]

Unfortunately, i don't think that any sentance would 'satisfy' the families - they lost a member of their family in terrible circumstances and there is no peace from that....

The only consolation is that at least it wasn't swept under the carpet in an attempt to 'protect their own' kinda attitude...

To be completely honest I cannot believe that Galatasary are still allowed to play in these competitions - the atmosphere at the staduim astounds me.. I am not passing judgement on yourself or your friends, but to see how some of the people reacted in the second game that we played against Galatasary was just unbelievable..... I was shocked and so very angry...
I would like to hear your point of view on the matter..

 

[carlito]

Unfortunately, i don't think that any sentance would 'satisfy' the families - they lost a member of their family in terrible circumstances and there is no peace from that....

The only consolation is that at least it wasn't swept under the carpet in an attempt to 'protect their own' kinda attitude...

To be completely honest I cannot believe that Galatasary are still allowed to play in these competitions - the atmosphere at the staduim astounds me.. I am not passing judgement on yourself or your friends, but to see how some of the people reacted in the second game that we played against Galatasary was just unbelievable..... I was shocked and so very angry...
I would like to hear your point of view on the matter..

I never said it will bring back the life of those people, that wasnt the purpose of my post either. A loss of you family member of such a cause is terrible.

I am so sorry you feel that Galatasaray should not play in European Competitions. It seems we are still seen as the murderer team in your eyes, but Liverpool could not believe the hospitality they had received when they came down here, but what can I say? Some people's minds never change no matter what you do, that means we cant change our "barbaric" view on majority of the English people it seems and it really disappoints me. But I wonder why noone ever mentios the Liverpool fans that have been stabbed againt the game in Roma this year. It is very easy to finger point some people, but when it is another from your own community(or close), doesnt seem so. Too sad. Here is something you may find very interesting. Written by an English paper.

01 March 2002 : by Paul Rogers
A big thank-you to the Turkish people

Despite a lot of negative hype in the media in the build up to Tuesday night's match against Galatasaray,Liverpool Football Club's trip to Istanbul didn't just pass without incident - it actually helped cement a great bond between not just both clubs but also both sets of supporters.

Liverpoolfc.tv caught up with LFC Stadium Manager Ged Poynton as he arrived back into John Lennon Airport to talk about what he saw in Turkey this week.

A successful trip for both the team and the fans...

"I think the only thing that could be deemed not successful was that we didn't come back with a win! A lot of people expected possibly a hostile reception but if anything it was the opposite. It was actually a very successful trip for the fans. Past trips to Galatasaray for certain clubs have been greeted with a hostile reception but our fans arrived there and were very, very pleased with what they saw and experienced in Turkey. There were no arrests, no ejections from the stadium - no situations whatsoever. In fact, I think they've built up a great credit with the Turkish authorities, the police and the administrators. Fans were saying on the last night of their trip how warm the Turkish people were throughout their stay. There was lots of police on duty - which is the norm for European grounds - but even though there was plenty of police, they were very friendly and jovial with our fans. A good time was had by all our fans and I think some bridges have been built between the two clubs."

Do you think Liverpool's great reception in Istanbul had anything to do with the warm welcome the Turkish fans had when they came to Anfield last week?

"I think so. A lot of the fans that came to Anfield were from this country - possibly students or fans living and working in London, Manchester and Liverpool - but they were all Turkish fans and I think the message went back to Galatasaray that they were received very warmly by Liverpool Football Club and the fans. You could seea t the beginning of the game last week that the Galatasaray fans were waving their flags and singing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' and both sets of fans were clapping each other at the end of the game. I think the message went back to Turkey that Liverpool is a very warm place to come to.

"I think a lot of Galatasaray fans who had never been to Liverpool before might have had their own perceptions about Anfield - Is it hostile or is it not? Is it warm? Is it friendly? Well, I'd like to think that it's know as a very friendly stadium and if their fans didn't know that before the first leg, they knew it by the end of the match.

"Over there, I felt our fans had been well received in the city and speaking to them confirmed that. They were talking and joking and putting scarves around police officers necks at the ground. There were no incidents. Most of the fans we spoke to said they were treated exceptionally well by the Turkish people. I think our fans have come back with a totally different perception of Istanbul than what they had before they went."

 

[Chris]

Yikes! Good thing Matt is not here....
Well I agree the sentence is very light, but the judicial system in many many countries is way out of whack so you really can't expect that the guilty will get what they deserve. Gala out of europe is a little harsh though.

 

[Footy Chick]

I appologise Carlito - I did not mean it to sound as though you were saying that the sentance was ok - it was just a mere overall observation, not in anyway directed at your comments..

As for the Galatasary out of europe thing - it was not necessarily in connection to the happenings outside of the staduim, it was our entrance into the staduim that brought up my opposition to the team. The whole fact that our team had to be sheltered by armed police as they entered the field as they were being pelted with bottle tops, coins etc.. the reaction of some of the so-called fans in the crowd after the killings had taken place - their horrific gestures, is the only way I can describe it... the banners stating 'Welcome to Hell' and the police protection needed for our players at the airport...
Now if that had happened in England - then for certain our team would have been banned from the competition..

Is it not true that either this or last season Galatasary were not allowed to play some of their home games at your staduim because of the trouble in the past, you had to play them down the road at Bestikas? (Europian games - that it)..

Now, don't get me wrong, I am not saying that everyone is like this - just a sad sadistic bunch who should not be allowed in the game... and yes you an say the same for those english who travel purposely to fight - and I would say that they should also have their passports rebuked and not be allowed anywhere near the pitch, because they are not supporters of the game, they are just thugs..

phew..... I just wondered what your opinion of these incidents were - I certainly am not accusing you or blaming the club for what happened..

 

[leeds_utd_lad]

You have a very good point there Julia. If it were in an English stadium and this had happend there would be no more european football for them for a while. It was discusting what the fan's were like, throwing thing's, hurling abuse. Sure, a game should have an atmosphere but the atmosphere where the players need massive police protection from the opposing fans. That is just not football...

Thanx alot Carlito for the news, I am glad to heaqr that they at least got something but I don't think they got long enough.

 

[carlito]

Is it not true that either this or last season Galatasary were not allowed to play some of their home games at your staduim because of the trouble in the past, you had to play them down the road at Bestikas? (Europian games - that it)..

No it never happened that we had to play our european game away from home in this or last year.



Other than that, now, yes, there is a great atmopshere in our stadium. Why dont you watch a gala european gamre yourself from this year at home and tell me your opinion. There is nothing else than our fans supporting our team and players so passionately for their love to the team There is nothing more beautiful than that and our fans do it the best in europe.

 

[leeds_utd_lad]

I have to say that the atmosphere in a stadium really can make a team play to their full potential. But in some cases it can become too much, when objects start being thrown and abuse starts being hurled. I think that there is a good atmosphere and then it can become discusting...