[Politics] Ozil resigns as a German international

[Stumpy Tim]

Everything wrong with the modern game and globalisation in general. People have 3, 4 even 5 different passports and pick their ‘nationality’ as it suits without any loyalty to any. Not just in sport but health, law, employment, tax, even national service! Not surprisingly those belonging to ‘only’ 1 state will be more patriotic and can you blame them for taking a dim view of such types. Ozil deserves all the condemnation coming his way, the big...

How is having more than one passport, everything wrong with globalisation? Sounds like lazy stereotyping to me.

 

[Nitram]

As much a victim of the current world wide right leaning political trend to blaming immigrants for all a countries' ills as anything else. Should benefit Arsenal with his decision, if he can get a game. It's going to be a important season for him. On another note what a change to be watching the Germans in turmoil and our side on a crest of a wave. Enjoy the moment it may/will be short lived.

 

[Simster]

I need to learn jack shit about a migrant situation in Germany, it's ****ing football.

You do I'm afraid. Playing football isn't really what this is about, or at least only superficially.

It's all been said on this thread but the status of Turks in Germany was contentious and they weren't given the rights they deserved until fairly recently. In my opinion, he hasn't helped himself being photographed with Ergodan, but for that he has been utterly pilloried in a way that wouldn't have happened to Podolski or Klose had they done the same with a controversial Polish head of state.

From a football point of view, he's been ordinary since around 2016 and I never understood why the Germans even took him to Russia.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

There is something very dislikeable about Ozil, I can't put my finger on it. He should be thanking whatever lords he worships at least 10 times a day for finding himself at such a high level in his profession because in all honesty he's actually not that good, the ultimate luxury player, needs the team he is in to be better than the team he is playing against to have an impact, I've never seen him influence or change a game where the team he is in is struggling. He was absolutely toilet at our place last season.

You have every right to dislike him for whatever contrived media reason you’ve built up in your head. That’s fair enough. But to suggest he’s not actually very good at football just shows you know nothing about the sport. It really is that simple.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

I'm not really too sure what to make of this as an outsider who only has his performances for Arsenal, Germany and a few BBC news stories to go by. Clearly, the racist comments he has received and the hate mail are completely unacceptable, and I can understand why his position in the team has become untenable due to the rift between him and DFB President Grindel.

However, I do feel like Özil is at fault here too. Footballers are people but they also need to use their intelligence and common sense more often. I'm not sure how Özil is viewed in Germany as a player, but for Arsenal I'm sure many a Gooner and a neutral are getting a bit sick of his inconsistency in games. If Germans share the same view, then he needs to realise that he may be a scapegoat for any poor performance that may come leading up to a World Cup (irrespective of heritage). David Beckham was our scapegoat in 98. All countries have them after disappointing exits. Rooney in many ways was in 2010 and 2016. Therefore, meeting the Turkish president, a contentious figure, just before the World Cup was a short-sighted move. If Özil in one breath bemoans being classed as "German-Turkish" whilst Klose and Podolski were never "German-Polish", then he can't in another call Erdogan his president when meeting him. If you embrace the dual heritage in your personal life, the public are going to consider you a dual citizen.

I think Özil has set himself up for an inevitable fall here, something that could have only been diverted by a positive World Cup for Germany. I'm not sure this is so much a race problem rather than being smarter about your media presence before a tournament. And I also don't think Özil is going to be terribly missed in the German set up as Löw is going to have to rebuild that squad from the bottom up and let the likes of Sane be the focal points.

This is a jumbled mess of a post. Are you trying to attack his football or his decision to be as he was born - a citizen with a dual nationality background? Make your mind up and then come back with something a tad more coherent. FYI, if you don’t think he’s very good, fair enough. If you’ve seen enough of him for Germany and Arsenal to make that assumption, fair enough.

But if you have an issue with someone being of dual nationality, being open about said dual nationality, and then being vilified for not doing his job (as none of his team mates did) but blaming that poor performance on his dual nationality (and racial/religious background), then you, Sir, are basically just a racist. I mean it’s clear he sees himself as a German citizen - he says he was born there, brought to there etc. But he doesn’t want to shy away from the other side of his background, let alone be attacked for it. Does that deserve racial abuse?

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

Everything wrong with the modern game and globalisation in general. People have 3, 4 even 5 different passports and pick their ‘nationality’ as it suits without any loyalty to any. Not just in sport but health, law, employment, tax, even national service! Not surprisingly those belonging to ‘only’ 1 state will be more patriotic and can you blame them for taking a dim view of such types. Ozil deserves all the condemnation coming his way, the big...

If you were born in Spain, lived there your entire life but had English parents, would you disregard your Englishness or move back to England?

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

I’m surprised there’s not been a few more resignations to be honest.

Have you read his full statement?

from the BBC.....

German football journalist Raphael Honigstein

I think the lack of backing he's been receiving from the German FA in the wake of the scapegoating he's been subjected to in sections of the German media, but also on social media, and the fact the most technically gifted player of his generation feels he can no longer represent Germany while he feels subjected to racism, makes it a very painful day for German football on the whole.

 

[Gabbiano]

Just read his full statement.

He's really gone out swinging, and I can't blame him, he does always seem to be the victim of media scapegoating. I do think the picture with Erdogan was at the very best naive, but the reaction from the German press has been ridiculous. And the head of the DFB Grendel sounds like a nasty arrogant piece of work from a number of sources and I hope he gets what's coming.

 

[Gwylan]

And the head of the DFB Grendel sounds like a nasty arrogant piece of work

I think his mother's worse

 

[Weststander]

A gifted, creative player operating outside the penalty box, WHEN surrounded by quality team mates AND when his team is on the front foot.

But if he doesn't get those two conditions, he goes completely missing from matches. That is not a myth, I've watched a lot of Arsenal CL and PL matches in full over the years and that is a trait of his. Many Arsenal fans, as much as they love having him, mention that frustration frequently.

 

[Albumen]

Sign him up, Gareth!

 

[rippleman]

He was absolutely toilet at our place last season.

And on that day we discovered that our Knocky really IS better than Ozil.

 

[portlock seagull]

If you were born in Spain, lived there your entire life but had English parents, would you disregard your Englishness or move back to England?

How can I move back to somewhere I’ve never lived? Regardless, certainly be a challenge if I neither have passport or fluency in language, meaning I’m also unlikely to feel an affinity. What’s your point, sorry.

 

[portlock seagull]

How is having more than one passport, everything wrong with globalisation? Sounds like lazy stereotyping to me.

As I said, those with just one thereby aren’t able to pick and chose ie take advantage of are disadvantaged. This will be very apparent post hard Brexit! Not sure what you’re struggling with here stumpy unless of course you’ve perhaps subconsciously hit the racism button by mistake here?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

If Ozil had an ounce of integrity he'd resign as an Arsenal professional.

 

[portlock seagull]

If Ozil had an ounce of integrity he'd resign as an Arsenal professional.

How does this impact his Club position? If anything it’s good news for the Gooners isn’t it?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

How does this impact his Club position? If anything it’s good news for the Gooners isn’t it?

Only if at some point he starts to give a f*ck.

 

[drew]

You can resign from the position of being available for selection. I might have written 'retire' but you don't retire while giving the finger.

Technically I don't think you can resign/retire as fifa require any player to be available for selection however it would be a foolish manager/association that pick someone who doesn't want to be there.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

As I said, those with just one thereby aren’t able to pick and chose ie take advantage of are disadvantaged. This will be very apparent post hard Brexit! Not sure what you’re struggling with here stumpy unless of course you’ve perhaps subconsciously hit the racism button by mistake here?

Nothing to do with racism, but you're just wrong. I have two passports and it doesn't work like that at all. It's like saying you can't love your second child as much as the first

 

[The Spanish]

Can you " resign " from a position that is an ongoing selection game by game ?

hasnt stopped plenty of England players - terrible trend that should never have been allowed.