severnside gull
Well-known member
Saw the JUVE MERDA sign a hundred times and more in and around Naples. It is, as you say, an absolute obsession with (what I might term) real football fans.That's just down to the different structure of organized fans chanting in the UK vs continental Europe (e.g. Italy.) You have possibly a better, more stable middle level given by the totality of normal fans chanting organically, but won't reach the potential granted by better organization and ultras groups (which of course bring also some problematics.) Each side has pros and cons, it's just natural that an organized "curva" will normally keep up chanting for 90 minutes better than how spontaneous fans can. But if you take away the ultras' guidance, Italian fans would be a mess compared to English ones.
Even if they didn't have the owners they have and had Americans instead, it's simply the nature of being at the top that brings you haters. They might need some time before realising it because their ascent has been quite quick and they weren't always as successful, but they can't expect people to thank them for winning over them. Either you win a lot or you're liked by other fans, you can't have both. You can also lose and be universally disliked, but that's another matter
I hope you haven't missed the televised Fiorentina fan holding the banner "JUVE MERDA" before their own Conference League final against West Ham, their first European final in 30 years. It's hard to let go of an obsession, even during such important moments. We like our villain suit well enough though, as long as it doesn't interfere with serious matters.
