You have some weird impression what does being "Ultra" mean. I'm a "member" of one of the most famous Ultra groups in Europe for more than ten years and I've never heard that you have to wear black or look intimidating to be an Ultra. I only heard about singing for 90+ minutes no matter what's the result, helping with coreo, pyro etc. There are some funny Ultras in Germany if what you write is true.
Well, there's a long non-ultra tradition of very supportive and loyal fans within Germany as well, and nowadays the two clash sometimes. There are voices of some fans who think that Ultras are not eher for the game but to present themselves, and they say that cheering should not happen all the time, but to increase the excitement also phases where the fans are quite. I am somewhat caught in the middle. I think the ultras are mainly interested in supporting their club, but I don't think that singing for 90+ minutes is a way that necessarily shows that. I love choreos and well done fireworks, but that has to be done in a way that nobody gets hurt (believe me, being shot at with rockets is no fun, especially if those are aimed at people in wheelchairs as well - and it was the 'best'ultra scene of Germany, Frankfurt, doing that). The police often does not help the whole thing, but a lot of the violence by the ultras is simply stupid and unnecessary as well. Forcing other fans to show solidarity by keeping them outside of the stadium is plain stupid, which is what the discussion here mainly evolves around atm. A big fail on the part of Ultras St Pauli. Oh, and it's nice if you build a flag. You don't need to wave it for the whole 90 minutes of a game, however. The people behind you want to watch the game as well.
They are a lot of thing, funny is sadly not one of those things. I admit, I really really hate the German Ultra Scene, unbiased I am certainly not. I just hate the conformity, the fact that they all look the same, act the same, are only strong in packs, have a guy standing on the fence with the back to the field "ordering" the terrace what to sing or even worse several sound systems like in France, steal banners of other fans (that certainly is really helpng the team, great "support" there), think their are the elite and have more rights than the other fans in the stadium because of it. A lot of them care more about looking cool and impressive and waving their flags for 90 minutes than the game itself, yet they dare to call those fans who go to the stadium to watch a game of football "event-fans". Who are the REAL eventies here??? It's so contradictory. It just totally clashes with everything that I care about. Good German article: Like male cheerleaders
Well written articel. However, I don't think Ultras anywhere would try to force other fans to solidarice, that was something unique.
As a FCBayern fan. I must tell the Schickeria are the number 1 fans in deutschland. then comes SGE ultras. real loyal and loud fans! the worst are S04 fans
Just a bunch of innocent lambs who get persecuted by Bayern for NO reason at all... I know they do have a point though, Bayern sure are rather hard on their fans.
well, opinions are always biased according to which team you follow. südkurve was a great noise in ManUtd game to an extent that Utd players wetted themselves. The whole turf was magical, you cannot deny it! And when it comes to Schickeria, hooliganism isn't the best way to promote loyality! Look at Seria A for example, it's never safe to go watch a game as a family! So, a little discipline and respect is never a shameful thing
Me or F96 would never ever say that Hannover has the best fans in the world (unless you only count them in pairs, of course. Me and her are clearly creme de la creme, doesn't get better than us! ). In Germany I heard many voices say Frankfurt, which were the first to have real Ultra movement and can be fairly loud. On the other hand I just think they are not classy enough. I think I like the old style way Schalke makes noise, even though I don't many of them are very smart (or portrait themselves that way). In German speaking countries probably hands down Rapid Vienna.