Özil and Gündogan criticised by German FA over Turkish president meeting

[Azeem]

After the WW2 Pakistan lent 120 million Rupees to West Germany in 1963 and Germany even requested to send 10,000 Paki labours to Germany as thier work force was depleted after the world war but we refused so they went after Turkey which agreed to send its labour.

[Dr. Gonzo]

5 hours ago, Tommy said:

Apparently Emre Can was invited too, but he declined. 

https://www.welt.de/sport/fussball/article176368375/Oezil-Guendogan-bei-Erdogan-Nationalspieler-Emre-Can-lehnte-Einladung-ab.html?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=dlvr.it

If true, well done Can - proud of you son, even if you do fuck off on a free transfer to Juve.

I think it's pretty poor to have 2 representatives of Germany palling around with a man shitting on the idea of a secular and democratic Turkey and a man who's jailing German journalists in Turkey because of criticism they've written about him. Erdogan is scum, his party is scum, and he's not someone any player who's supposed to be representing Germany should be calling "my president."

And the idea that you should support a dictator just because he's ruling your country is fucking insane. So they're either willingly letting themselves be a propaganda tool for Erdogan, which deserves no respect. Or they're too stupid to realise that's what would happen, which deserves no respect.

In short, fuck these two.

[El Profesor]

6 hours ago, SirBalon said:

So they both went to meet a real terrorist in the flesh! 

Imagine all the things you can ask and find out about.  It's not everyday you get to meet people like that in real life.

At the same time, I find it hard to criticise Ozil and Gundogan without knowledge of all circumstances. I mean, if they both have relatives living in Turkey and were invited by Erdogan, it could be difficult to refuse an invitation, out of fear of making the lives of their relatives tough. 

Footballers, much like most people, compromise. The 1970 Brazil team, for example, was a 100% in line with the military dictatorship, which used the title as a marketing tool for the regime. A freaking torturer was part of the staff.

[SirBalon]

1 minute ago, El_Loco said:

At the same time, I find it hard to criticise Ozil and Gundogan without knowledge of all circumstances. I mean, if they both have relatives living in Turkey and were invited by Erdogan, it could be difficult to refuse an invitation, out of fear of making the lives of their relatives tough. 

Footballers, much like most people, compromise. The 1970 Brazil team, for example, was a 100% in line with the military dictatorship, which used the title as a marketing tool for the regime. A freaking torturer was part of the staff.

The same with the '78 Argentina side. This could be the case but I doubt it mate.

[El Profesor]

Just now, SirBalon said:

The same with the '78 Argentina side. This could be the case but I doubt it mate.

I mean, if Ozil and Gundogan willingly served as propaganda tools, the criticism is well deserved.

My point is that it´s kind easy to criticise an authoritarian regime from the outside. But if you´re in the inside and have something to lose, the decision to resist is much more difficult.

The example you mentioned is a good one. While the final against Netherlands was being played at Monumental de Núñez, people were being tortured nearby at the Escuela de Mecánica de la Armada.

[nudge]

You make a good point, but Can's grandparents, uncle and cousins all still live in Turkey as well, so... 

[SirBalon]

You should've put this in with the previous thread today mate.  It's more of the same thing really... But that letter from/by Gündogan dispels anything regarding protocol in my view as that was unnecessary. If I were German I'd want them expelled from the national side, definitely Gündogan.