Rosell: "Is Sergio Ramos unhappy at Real Madrid? Never say never" Apparently they are in the market for a CB. Xavi: "Our eight-point lead over Real Madrid is no small matter. It is an advantage we have to make the most of. The league is looking very good for us and now the pressure is all on Real Madrid," Xavi was quoted as saying by Sport.
A fake bomb shows up at Zenit's training facilities with a picture of Hulk and a message for him to leave. Yeah, you made a great decision.
Spalletti and the management at Zenit have an ambitious vision for the future and though you can't discount the economic reasons involved I think Hulk might've seen this as an opportunity to become the focal point of a big spending club with big ambitions ala PSG. There was an insighful article on ESPN about how all parties understimated the xenophobia of the existing players and fans though.
The moment that offer came, Porto probably made him "consider the offer" like Olympiakos did with Nery Castillo when they sent him to Donezk. Porto actually do want to sell their players and are glad to do so at insane prices.
I dont think that was the cause. Apparantly some veterans on the team were pissed off because of his salary and made some idiotic comments. Then their mensa member fans have been giving him a hard time.
Believe that if you want. Their fanbase is known for this kind of xenophobia. The fact his cost so much and is making so much no doubt was help for the fire.
Duh! Clearly his fault. He can get that fixed here in the US of A. If the republicans can 'cure' the gays, I'm sure they can cure the darks too.
For clarification purposes where is the line for these very confused far-right fans? Is it only africans? And if they do it to Hulk because of his skin color, would they do it to a southern spaniard or a sicilian? who probably have just as much african based genes as Hulk. Would Lou Ferigno get heckled at a Zenit game?
Denisov and Kherzakov are the veterans. But you're right this really isn't about racism, the team's results have been nothing short of disastrous so far, Hulk is not surprisingly struggling to fit in and important homegrown players for then like Denisov have been relegated to the youth team to train until he apologizes for what Zenit is describing as a breach of contract. So yes, these "Mensa" fans have decided to blame Hulk. While there is no doubt racism in football is alive and well in Russia it's role in this situation doesn't really exist.
Dick Advocaat when he was Zenit coach: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2299242/Zenit-fans-are-racist-admits-Dick-Advocaat.html
Yeah, I'm quite sure if they'd just paid that amount for say Ozil instead of Hulk they would be equally as mad. Definitely nothing to do with a history and environment of hatred, ignorance and racism and this dark guy showing up all smiles and earning more than those who "deserve" to earn more. At the end of the day, nobody told Hulk to be born darker. He could have been born lighter like Kaka, but nooooo he thought it be cool to be different!
I doubt it is racism because Denisov said "Hulk is a second rate star" and that he is does not deserve that lucrative contract of his. http://www.google.com/hostednews/af...ocId=CNG.81c1a09f59dff09204c48e4e55c0425a.241
^Yes it was a power play by their star because he feels threatened by the Witsel/Hulk signings at the end of the day. It reeks of xenophobia more than racism to me, especially when you read what the Club, other players and the media is saying and not just assuming all Russians are racists.
You think their fans went through the trouble of making a fake bomb about a player just because of that? You don't think that there is more to the reason why this has been such a hot topic? This thing has been going on for like a week and a half now. From the day he stepped into Russia he has had it shit. Have they compiled other reasons to justify? Yes. However could it be possible there is an underlying reason why this hate is so strong? History supports this. When it comes to race issues sometimes you don't (or shouldn't) need everything spelled out for you.
Now this is an ignorant statement. Who has assumed all Russians are racist? Zenit has a history "dislike" for darker players. Who knew that all Russian is part of the large majority of Zenit supports who think this way? I sure didn't.
My bad, I'll edit my post to read "and not just assuming all Zenit fans are racists"...much better assumption.