MPH Posted 6 July 2013 Posted 6 July 2013 Right... so... umm... this is interesting then isn't it? When the Premier League started in 1992, it included just one footballer known to be Muslim, Tottenham's Spanish midfielder Nayim. England's top division now features 40 Muslim players and they are having a significant effect on the culture of the game. On 5 February, 2012, Newcastle United played Aston Villa at St James' Park and one moment symbolised the impact Muslim players were having on the Premier League. After 30 minutes, Demba Ba scored for the home side. He raced to the corner flag and was joined by Senegalese compatriot Papiss Cisse. The two devout Muslims then sank to their knees in prayer. The growing influx of Muslim players has been fuelled by the internationalisation of football. Find out more Watch The Muslim Premier League, presented by Colin Murray, on BBC 1 at 12:20 BST on Sunday, 7 July, or catch it again at 23:35 BST on Monday 8 July. The Muslim Premier League Scouts have spread their nets wider in the search for new talent and the Premier League has become a much more diverse place. Young men with origins in remote villages of west Africa or tough estates in Paris have become global stars. They may have found wealth and fame playing for English clubs, but many still hold on to something that is rooted in their cultural identity, something that guides them and comforts them when the going gets tough - their Islamic faith. When a player of the calibre of Ba, who left Newcastle last year to join Chelsea, says he is serious about his religion, some might argue clubs cannot afford not to listen. And there is a genuine willingness, on the part of managers and clubs, to understand and accommodate the religious needs of their players. Muslim footballers are provided with halal food, have the option to shower separately from the rest of the team and are given time and space for prayer. Until recently, all Premier League players named man of the match were awarded a bottle of champagne. Tottenham's Nayim was the only footballer known to be Muslim in the Premier League in 1992 Yet for Muslims, alcohol is forbidden. So when Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure politely refused to accept his award on religious grounds during a television interview, the competition organisers were forced to sit up and take notice. Champagne was phased out and now all players receive a small trophy instead. When Liverpool won the League Cup final in 2012, players had the sensitivity to move the clothes of their team doctor, a devout Muslim, out of the changing rooms so that alcohol wasn't sprayed over them. Yet there are challenges to managing Muslim players and Ramadan is a particular pressure point. How can players who aren't eating or drinking for up to 18 hours of the day perform at the highest level over 90 minutes of a game? Some players insist on fasting every day. Others may fast during training but not a match day. Clubs tend to muddle through with some kind of compromise, but it can't be an easy period for players or managers. Celebrating victories with champagne does not sit comfortably with Muslim players Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby, 27, says: "Arsenal would prefer me to not fast, but they understand this is a special moment for me and they try to accommodate things to make me better." Ba, 28, admits he has had some issues with managers about Ramadan, but says he has been steadfast. "Every time I had a manager that was not happy with it, I've said: 'Listen, I'll do it. If my performance is still good, I'll keep playing; if it's bad you drop me on the bench, that's it.'" Former Stoke striker Mamady Sidibe, 33, insists: "You have some players who are fasting on a match day and doing very well, it's no problem. I make sure that on match day I'm not fasting and not to give excuses to people." Ramadan this year ends on 7 August, 10 days before the start of the Premier League season. Sponsorship deals have also been a source of tension. Teams who advertise gambling and pay day loan companies on their shirts put their Muslim players in a difficult position, as it means they are being used to promote activities which contradict Islamic teaching. Goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi, from Oman, has played in the Premier League for Bolton and Wigan Last month Cisse said he planned to talk to Newcastle and their new sponsors, Wonga, because he was worried his Muslim beliefs would be compromised if he were seen to promote the company. Crewe striker Nathan Ellington, 32, who has also played for Wigan and West Brom, takes the view that he cannot affect which sponsor his club chooses. He said: "I think that's usually out of the hands of the Muslim. Although he's not allowed to gamble, that's something you cannot affect really." Wigan keeper Ali Al-Habsi, 31, agrees: "We are players and these are things that are coming from the football club. We can't do anything about it, we just do our job." Fans are also getting an education in Muslim practices. When manager Alan Pardew suggested Ba's slow start to the 2011-12 season was due to his fasting, fans picked up on it and marked every subsequent goal with a song celebrating how many goals he had scored since Ramadan, to the tune of Depeche Mode's Just Can't Get Enough. Children playing football in the parks of Newcastle have even been spotted falling to their knees as if in prayer themselves after scoring a goal. They may not completely understand what it means, but it's a sign that Muslim practices are becoming a more familiar part of popular British culture. Watch The Muslim Premier League on BBC1 on Sunday, 7 July at 12:20 BST or catch it again on Monday 8 July at 23:35 BST. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23159023
The Year Of The Fox Posted 6 July 2013 Posted 6 July 2013 We'll still get the usual 'show racism the red card' crap
MooseBreath Posted 6 July 2013 Posted 6 July 2013 Football has always brought people and cultures together. It has done far more for the world in the last 100yrs than any religion in that respect. Why not make a programme celebrating that, instead of putting a handful of Muslims on a pedestal. They're not changing anything. Football is just doing what football does.
Finnegan Posted 6 July 2013 Posted 6 July 2013 We'll still get the usual 'show racism the red card' crap Football has always brought people and cultures together. It has done far more for the world in the last 100yrs than any religion in that respect. Why not make a programme celebrating that, instead of putting a handful of Muslims on a pedestal. They're not changing anything. Football is just doing what football does. Until more people can read an article like this without the above stupid reactions, you're still going to get "show racism the red card crap." The article's vaguely interesting, it's topical because of Cisse's recent refusal to wear a pay-day loans sponsor, it's just broadening on a point. It's not being preachy and it hardly merits the typically cynical, moody, negative responses from predictably the same people. You don't help yourselves, really, do you?
Zingari Posted 6 July 2013 Posted 6 July 2013 Trying to work out who's on the subs bench is going to be interesting in the ladies' games.
MooseBreath Posted 6 July 2013 Posted 6 July 2013 Until more people can read an article like this without the above stupid reactions, you're still going to get "show racism the red card crap." The article's vaguely interesting, it's topical because of Cisse's recent refusal to wear a pay-day loans sponsor, it's just broadening on a point. It's not being preachy and it hardly merits the typically cynical, moody, negative responses from predictably the same people. You don't help yourselves, really, do you? Don't see anything moody or negative in my post. Cynical maybe. I just don't see why Muslims need to be picked out as a special case when football has a long history of bringing people and cultures together.
bovril Posted 6 July 2013 Posted 6 July 2013 "Celebrating victories with champagne does not sit comfortably with Muslim players." Good job Diaby plays for Arsenal.
The Year Of The Fox Posted 6 July 2013 Posted 6 July 2013 Until more people can read an article like this without the above stupid reactions, you're still going to get "show racism the red card crap." The article's vaguely interesting, it's topical because of Cisse's recent refusal to wear a pay-day loans sponsor, it's just broadening on a point. It's not being preachy and it hardly merits the typically cynical, moody, negative responses from predictably the same people. You don't help yourselves, really, do you? Likewise with my post. My point was that the FA/Clarke Carlisle/FL/PL etc could to put a positive spin on things- like promoting this article (which will by and large slip under the radar.)
DennisNedry Posted 6 July 2013 Posted 6 July 2013 Muslims have changed nothing in football. Football just throws people of all cultures/religions together because it's so brilliant.
MPH Posted 6 July 2013 Author Posted 6 July 2013 Don't see anything moody or negative in my post. Cynical maybe. I just don't see why Muslims need to be picked out as a special case when football has a long history of bringing people and cultures together. an article or small segment on a tv program suddenly makes them a special case? Personally I find it quite interesting reading about how someone won't compromise what they believe in... quite courageous of them..
MPH Posted 6 July 2013 Author Posted 6 July 2013 Muslims have changed nothing in football. Football just throws people of all cultures/religions together because it's so brilliant. I agree with what you are saying .. and its not saying they have changed football exactly but how some things are done in football.... Like trophies are often given out now for Man of the Match awards not large bottles of champagne...
Blue Maniac Posted 6 July 2013 Posted 6 July 2013 Personally I find it quite interesting reading about how someone won't compromise what they believe in... quite courageous of them..You say courageous, I say unprofessional and childish. People are free to believe in any storybook they like and express their own superstitions, however ridiculous, but allowing people to starve themselves to the detriment of their performance in the workplace is just contributing to the ever-increasing idiocy of the human race.Still, the no alcohol thing is good.
MPH Posted 6 July 2013 Author Posted 6 July 2013 You say courageous, I say unprofessional and childish. People are free to believe in any storybook they like and express their own superstitions, however ridiculous, but allowing people to starve themselves to the detriment of their performance in the workplace is just contributing to the ever-increasing idiocy of the human race. Still, the no alcohol thing is good. Not saying I agree with them at all... but for someone to stand up for what they believe in is selfish?
Blue Maniac Posted 6 July 2013 Posted 6 July 2013 Not saying I agree with them at all... but for someone to stand up for what they believe in is selfish? When what they believe in is ridiculous and impairs their ability to do the job they're paid thousands of pounds a day to do? I wouldn't say selfish, I'd say lazy, stupid and pointless.
MPH Posted 6 July 2013 Author Posted 6 July 2013 When what they believe in is ridiculous and impairs their ability to do the job they're paid thousands of pounds a day to do? I wouldn't say selfish, I'd say lazy, stupid and pointless. Just proves to me that there is more to life than football. For some People.
Blue Maniac Posted 6 July 2013 Posted 6 July 2013 Just proves to me that there is more to life than football. For some People. So if your job is football it doesn't matter?
MPH Posted 6 July 2013 Author Posted 6 July 2013 So if your job is football it doesn't matter? Nope. Personal beliefs are personal beliefs no matter what Job you do.
Blue Maniac Posted 6 July 2013 Posted 6 July 2013 Nope. Personal beliefs are personal beliefs no matter what Job you do. Yes, personal beliefs are perfectly valid if they're based on something - be it human rights or animal rights or an anti-alcohol stance. Fair enough. If they're based on a story book from over a millennium ago, they shouldn't affect your job. What next, lumberjacks refusing to go into the woods because they've read Hansel and Gretel?
MPH Posted 6 July 2013 Author Posted 6 July 2013 Yes, personal beliefs are perfectly valid if they're based on something - be it human rights or animal rights or an anti-alcohol stance. Fair enough. If they're based on a story book from over a millennium ago, they shouldn't affect your job. What next, lumberjacks refusing to go into the woods because they've read Hansel and Gretel? The amount of ignorance you are showing is truly mind blowing... ( i'm not a Muslim btw... )
purpleronnie Posted 6 July 2013 Posted 6 July 2013 Yes, personal beliefs are perfectly valid if they're based on something - be it human rights or animal rights or an anti-alcohol stance. Fair enough. If they're based on a story book from over a millennium ago, they shouldn't affect your job. What next, lumberjacks refusing to go into the woods because they've read Hansel and Gretel?
Kitchandro Posted 6 July 2013 Posted 6 July 2013 Nope. Personal beliefs are personal beliefs no matter what Job you do. If they impact on your job they're not acceptable. If I was the manager and one of my players insisted on something that I thought would affect their game I'd drop them. Then again, I suppose some people would not be negatively affected by fasting.
Kitchandro Posted 6 July 2013 Posted 6 July 2013 The amount of ignorance you are showing is truly mind blowing... ( i'm not a Muslim btw... ) How is that ignorant? Religion is essentially based on story books. This is where religion gets silly. People practising what they believe in their own time is fine. When it starts to impact on your job and society it's a different matter. Religion should never be an excuse.
Blue Maniac Posted 6 July 2013 Posted 6 July 2013 The amount of ignorance you are showing is truly mind blowing... ( i'm not a Muslim btw... ) Maybe you should look up ignorance.People should not be allowed to use superstitious nonsense as an excuse to opt out of their job, and in starving themselves they are failing to keep their bodies in optimum condition, and they are wilfully and deliberately not doing their job properly. What would you say of a Jewish player who refused to play on the Sabbath, or during religious holidays? What would you say of a player who refused to play because of a gypsy curse, or because his priest couldn't bless him on the morning of the game, or he hasn't kissed his favourite teddy bear or some other such bullshit?
Blue Maniac Posted 6 July 2013 Posted 6 July 2013 How is that ignorant? Religion is essentially based on story books. This is where religion gets silly. People practising what they believe in their own time is fine. When it starts to impact on your job and society it's a different matter. Religion should never be an excuse. Good post. My thumbs point to the sky.
Guest MattP Posted 6 July 2013 Posted 6 July 2013 Until more people can read an article like this without the above stupid reactions, you're still going to get "show racism the red card crap." The article's vaguely interesting, it's topical because of Cisse's recent refusal to wear a pay-day loans sponsor, it's just broadening on a point. It's not being preachy and it hardly merits the typically cynical, moody, negative responses from predictably the same people. You don't help yourselves, really, do you? What on earth was wrong with Moosebreaths reply? Do you disagree with it? Non story for me and completely pointless. I bet most of them are Friday Muslims anyway.
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.